Chris Bern

**Chris Bern** was a Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) who had lived in a Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia right on the border with Germany. He lived there with his mother, Frieda Bern, and three brothers. His father had died in the Great War fighting for the Austro-Hungarian Army. His widow was sent his posthumous Iron Cross award. Chris, Joseph and Karl remember things about their father but Fritz hadn't been born the last time the family saw their father.

In the late 1930s as the family reminisced about their father, Frau Bern gave Joseph enough money so he could go and live in America and fulfill his dream and the dream of his father before him, who also wanted to live there. Chris by this time was in love with Anna but she had eyes for his brother Karl. The two brothers ended up fighting over Anna and Karl later married her and they had a son, Karl Jr.

Karl had become involved with a local group of men who supported the Nazis, whilst Chris remained loyal to Czechoslovakia. When tensions were building between the two countries Chris and Karl were called up to join the Czechoslovak Army and defend the country if the Germans attacked. The attack never came as the Sudetenland was handed over to Germany as part of the Appeasement. Chris returned home and when asked where Karl was, Chris had to tell his mother and Karl's wife that Karl had left with his group of Nazi supporters and joined the Germans. Later Karl returned home as a Schutzstaffel Untersturmführer much to Chris's disgust. Chris told Karl how he is a traitor to his family and country and just how much he hates him and everything he now stands for. Karl had told Chris how the SS men had a list of all those loyal to the Czechs were to be rounded up, so when Karl left Chris decided to go and warn those who might be on the list. Only Chris was too late to help any of them, he witnessed some taken away and found the Bürgermeister dead. The SS soldiers returned to the house and Chris had to flee, attacking one soldier, and been shot in the leg as he fled into the swamplands to escape. As he became weaker he had to stop and he soon heard an SS officer approaching trough the mist and darkness and Chris was forced to shoot him and go. But unknowingly Chris and just shot his brother Karl. Chris made it back to his mother's house and told he had had to kill an SS officer to escape, she helped him to the barn and hid him. Later that night the SS soldiers led by Max Sturm arrive at her house and bring with them the seriously wounded Karl and the realisation hits Frau Bern that Chris is the one who had unknowingly done this.

The next morning Frau Bern visits Chris in the barn and he tells her he needs to get away because he had killed someone but she told him he hadn't. Anna then came screaming from the house to tell Frau Bern that Karl had died. Chris asked Anna how Karl had died and she told him he had been shot in the swamp the previous night, and with that Chris realised he had killed his own brother. Anna then realised also that Chris was the one who had done it and told Frau Bern that she is going to tell the SS that Chris is there and he did it. Frau Bern managed to calm Anna down and stop her but when the SS came, led by Max Sturm once again, she tells him that Chris is there hidden in the barn and that he murdered Karl. Fritz goes to warn Chris and help him escape but as Chris tried to flee the farmyard he was gunned down by Sturm's men.

## Gallery

Fritz and Chris Bern.Chris, Joseph, Frau Bern, Karl and Fritz.Karl and Chris Bern.Karl and Chris Bern.