The Shadow of War by Jack Murray (read this if TXT) 📕

demanded. This was the first time he’d everdone something so reckless. At the very least he wanted to know why he wasputting himself at such great risk.

‘Let’s go. You’ll see,’ replied Erich. Manfred followed Erich andthree other boys. All were from his school.

Ahead,Manfred could hear noise levels rising as they neared the centre of town. Itseemed like a celebration. There was much shouting and laughter. He glanced atErich, who merely smiled back without saying anything. At last they reached thesource of the shouting. There were two dozen boys. Most were older than Manfred.They were all wearing brown shirts. All were chanting slogans in support of theNazi government. Manfred, Erich and the other boys attached themselves to themain group. As they did so, Erich joined in with the chants.

Manfredwas unsure of how to react. The atmosphere wascelebratory. Everyone looked happy. All of the faces around him were young andtheir eyes were lit with a fire that Manfredfound strange and oddly compelling. His own life felt so repressed. He enviedthe joy and lack of restraint in the other boys. It felt like a release.

Theseboys seemed to be having a life that he was excluded from. They were able tofollow their passions. The mood was triumphant, and Manfred felt he wanted tobe part of this. He didn’t want to be a spectator. Erich looked at his friendand saw the slow change come over him and then with a nod of encouragement,Manfred joined in the chant.

Nearby,another boy was wearing a khaki shirt and black shorts with a black tie whichlooked like a stain across his heart. He produced a tin of white paint and abrush. Then, brandishing it over his head, he shouted to the rest of the crowd.The others quietened but Manfred still struggled to hear what he was saying. Itseemed he was urging them to follow him. The crowd was now no longer dozens of individuals.It was a single organism. It followed the boy to the tobacconist’sshop. The self-appointed leader dipped the brush into the paint and thenbrushed the door to the shop with a Star of David and the word ‘Jude’.

Thecrowd cheered and they followed him as he repeated the same message on thedoors of a number of shops that were known to be owned by Jewish people. Thechants returned, only this time they were directed at the Jewish people, ‘Deutschlanderwache; Kommen die Juden’ (Germany awake; the Jews are coming!). Unlikebefore they were no longer random shouts among groups of boys. Now the chantbeat a steady pulse. The screaming darkness was lit up by the torches the boyswere holding. Demonic shadows danced on the walls of the shops in the squareechoing to the abominable noise. Manfred, drunk with excitement, joined in.

Theypassed some houses and the leader of the mob went to one door and painted thesame message. Manfred stopped chanting for a moment. Something was wrong. Helooked at the house. It seemed familiar. He looked around to get his bearings. Inthe night and with the crowd of boys and the torches he had lost track of wherehe was. Then he saw a face at the upstairs window. It was a man and he wasscanning the crowd. Recognition dawned on him. This was the house of Herr Kahn.Manfred turned away lest he be recognised. Now uncertainty gripped him.

Slippingaway quietly, he picked his way back towards his house making sure to stay inthe shadows. He saw the police coming towards the mob. He saw his dad. For thefirst time in his young life, Manfred saw something in his father’s eyes he’d neverseen before.

Uncertainty.

Manfred’supbringing had been no different from most of his friends’. He didn’t know ifhis father was strict or not. Infringing the rules laid down warranteddisciplining that rarely took verbal form alone. All of the teachers, no lessthan the fathers, seemed to think and act as one in this regard. His father’s approach was governed by a certitude,emboldened by his position as head of police, that few of the fathers among hiscircle could match.

The fearlessness and the youth of the mob were unsettling. Hisfather was looking around. There were only a couple of other policemen with him. They could not possibly halt what theHitler Youth had set in motion. Unsure of what to do, Manfred watched infascination. At last his father made a decision. He marched forward alone andsought out the ring leaders.

Hidingin a shop doorway, Manfred watched them pass and then he broke out from theshadows and sprinted home driven by fear, driven by excitement and somethingelse.

Elation.

 3

Hisfather’s mood, always serious, was now more volatile. The uncertainty had beenreplaced by fear. There had been no repeat of the mob-like behaviour of theother night, but Manfred could see the change that was transforming both thetown and his father. Each day, as Manfred returned home, the warm familiarityof the market Platz was replaced by a coldly threatening atmosphere. Young mendressed in brown shirts paraded around town.

Manfredlonged to join them.

Afew days later at school, Erich opened his bag and showed Manfred the contents.‘Look,’ he said, ‘look what father has bought me.’

Manfredreached inside the bag and pulled out a brown shirt.

‘Yourfather gave you this?’

‘Yes,’said Erich delightedly.

‘Hedoesn’t mind?’

‘No,he’s really happy that I want to join. He supports Hitler. Doesn’t everyone?’

Manfredwas unsure how to answer this. His father certainly appeared to have littlerespect for Nazis but said nothing on the subject.

‘Youseem surprised,’ pointed out Erich. Thankfully he did not push for an answer tohis original question.

‘Myfather,’ said Manfred by way of answer, accompanying it with a shrug. As hesaid this, Herr Kahn came into the classroom for their science lesson. Erichsmiled and rolled his eyes. He understood. Manfred’s father was unlikely to besupportive of the Hitler Youth. They were competition. Manfred replaced theshirt in the bag. He was burning inside. Looking around the classroom he knew afew of the other boys had joined. It felt like he was an outsider. He didn’twant this. He wanted to be with his friends.

HerrKahn began the lesson, but Manfred barely listened. His mind lay elsewhere. Hewondered, at one point, if