A Fight in Silence by Melanie Metzenthin

Author:Melanie Metzenthin [Metzenthin, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781542093682
Published: 2019-11-14T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Friday 1 September 1939

‘So glad you could come, colleague Hellmer. Please do take a seat.’ Krüger indicated the chair in front of his desk. Richard paused before doing so. Krüger’s warm welcome made him wary.

‘Your assessment skills are well known to me, and this is why you’re just the right man for a new assignment.’

‘What’s it about?’

‘It’s about registration of our patients in the context of the economic plan. You, with your wide-ranging competence in preparing expert statements, are ideally suited to the job.’

Krüger’s arrogant smile confirmed what Richard suspected. A thankless, burdensome task to be delegated to the most unpopular colleague. In some ways, it made him angry but he could also see that it might be another chance to avoid reprisals against his patients.

‘What exactly is this registration?’

‘The state would like a survey that registers all the mentally ill and feeble-minded who have lived in the asylum for more than five years, or who are no longer employable, or who can be considered only for the simplest of tasks. Your job is to complete a registration form for every single patient, giving the individual’s capacity for productivity.’

Richard immediately wondered whether this new set of expert statements had something to do with the food stamps and petrol coupons that had come in for the first time on Monday, all stamped with today’s date. A week ago Paula had got hold of as many provisions as she could lay her hands on, while he himself had filled up the car, as well as two spare petrol cans. Far worse than the fuel shortage, though, was the growing threat of war. Were rations going to be reduced even further for the sick and unproductive if war came?

He put these worrying thoughts out of his mind and asked a question instead. ‘And what are the consequences for patients of this classification exercise?’

‘You needn’t trouble yourself with that. That’s the job of the state.’

Before Richard could respond, there was a loud knock on the door. It was Krüger’s secretary, Frau Handeloh.

‘Dr Krüger, sir, you must switch on your wireless!’ she cried.

Krüger was clearly irritated at the intrusion, but as it was so out of character for his normally restrained secretary, he immediately did as she asked. Richard glanced at his watch. Ten fifteen.

‘Overnight Poland has for the first time opened fire on our own territory using regular soldiers.’ Hitler’s voice rasped through the ether. ‘Since 5.45 fire has been returned. From now on any bomb will be repaid with a bomb. He who fights with poison will receive poison gas in return. He who does not abide by the rules of humane warfare should expect the same from us. I will wage war in the same way against anyone, and for however long is required, in order to guarantee the security of the empire and of its rights.’

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