Evening star., 1939-03-26

eted Utdely.
BY TOM and HARLE DAMMANN.
BERLIN-It was late in the aft
ernoon and quite dark. We had
just sent a cable to our family and
were coming out of the small post
office when a tall young woman
stepped up to us and touched Harles
arm.
1T saw that you sent cable to
Chicago; I should like to talk with
you
We thought first that she was
offering to help with the cable. But
unGer the street light we saw the
intensity of her expression and real
lied that her smile was not that OF
the usual obliging German.
Are you living in Berlin? Are you
in pension or hotel where we
could talk? Or, perhaps we could
60 to a cafe?"
Living in the tension character
istic of todays Germany, we had
learned TO be wary. Was she a spy
trying to learn something about our
anti-Nazi friends? A Jewess. Or
just inluiring about a friend in
Chicago?
Selects Secluded Nook.
We were intrigued by this tall
girl, strikingly pretty and surpris-
lrgly well dressed. who wanted to
talk with two strangers. We moved
toward large cafe across the
street, but our companion stopped
quickly:
mo, let's go to a smaller one,
where we'll find fewer people"
She led us to a tiny restaurant
where she selected secluded nook
behind curtains.
We held to the procedure that we
had found prudent in talking with
strangers. One of us carried on the
conversation in German, pausing
frequently to translate for the other.
This is unnecessary, but gives us the
opportunity to consult with each
other in English.
We had ordered our coffee, and
made certain that no one was within
earshot, and then the girl told her
story.
My husband is in Holland, Sc
cretly. His father is Nazi official,
but his mother is a JeWess."
She said it with inality, as though
she had explained everything.
How long have you been mar
rled?" we asked, to fill the awkward
pause.
"A year this month; was 10 and
he was %, We had enough money,
everything we needed, and we were
so happy, but now, since Novem-
Der
Wanted to Study Science.
''You see, I wanted to go to the
university. I wanted to study
science, not to be a doctor, because
women can't do anything as doctors
any more: but the laboratory I love
and work well there-at least
am tall and can reach the bottles"
The picture of this strange girl
reaching for bottles flashed through
our minds. She was very slender,
delicate rather than gaunt, despite
her height. Her dark hair and
eyes were far from the ideal of
Aryan loneliness, and her straight
nose and the thrust of her chin
indicated a courageous independ-
ence not favored in the Nazi state
But girls aren't encouraged to
60 to universities here, for their
principal service is to be mothers
of more Nazis. If girl persists in
her determination, then before she
is allowed to enter the university
she must spend to II months in
the Womens labor service"
Our companion told us that she
had been in the service year. She
had come from an educated family
her father was prOfessor-and
she had always been interested in
reading and studying. But in the
camp the girls resented her because
she didn't know how to work with
her hands.
Hated Her Religion.
''It was my own fault; I should
have known how, and I tried to
learn, but in our spare time I had
to read to keep up on my studies,
and that was what they hated most,
except my religion. I am Catholic
and try to 60 to mass. Sundays
,,
but there was always something for
me to do Something I had
done wrong and had to do over, so
that it would be too late for me
to go, especially since it was 6mlle
walk to the nearest church"
She shuddered. "Oh, it was ter
rible. You can stand almost any
punishment yourself, but it's differ
ent when the person you love is
in trouble. That is why took the
chance of stopping you in the street
to tell you things which if over
heard or repeated would put me in
concentration camp for the rest
of my life, which wouldn't be long"
She repeated what she said about
her husband adding that because
his mother was Jewish, the father
had divorced her and had disowned
his son. Since November, her hus-
band had been unable to get work,
and finally left the country for
Holland. There he was trying to
get an American visa, which he had
found impossible without the as
surance of job in America.
Speaks English and French.
"Oh, he is so intelligent. He speaks
English and French even better
than he does German, and he has
studied and travelled Couldn't you
help him find a job?"
We reminded her that in America
there are millions unemployed, and
that even some of our friends can't
find work
1T makes us feel very badly to
see people suffering the way you
are, but there is little we can do
to help you"
Eyes, I know. But America is
such wonderful country, so free.
There people can live Here's
u,a,ro f,ficn,aarc raotl,i,an x,onro