“Germany, a land with a deep culture and the beginnings of a fine political freedom”- Max
In class on Tuesday, we listen to letters from Kathrine Taylor 1938, Address Unknown. The story is about fictional letters between two friends from 1932-1934, who were born and raised in German. The part we listened to in class was the letters describing the setting where the two friends ( Max and Herrn) were. After WW1, Herrn stayed in Germany building a life with his wife and Max moved to America building his life as well.
Letter: Jan-21-1933-Max
“You speak of the poverty there. Conditions have been bad here this winter, but but of course we have known nothing of the privations you see in Germany.”
” we must accept the reality”
Letter: Mar 25-1933-Herrn
“They pillage and have started a bad jew-baiting . But these may be minor thing the little surface scum”
“Despair overthrown often turns us in mad direction”
“History writes a clean new page.”
Max, Jewish and Herrn a liberal before Hitler’s leadership, had a great friendship. Until Hitler ruled and indoctrinate his method into the people. Hitler was the dark angel that promised the german people that they won’t dies and lay at the bottom of defeat but will; raised a build a Pureblood Nation but this kind of questioning his leadership.
Letter: Aug 18-1933–Herrn
“A liberal is a man who does not believe in doing anything. He is a talker about the rights of man but just a talker. He likes to make a big noise about freedom of speech, and what is freedom of speech? Just the chance to sit firmly on the backside and threat whatever is being done by the active men is wrong.”
The two best friends was spilt because of the new teaching in German that cooperate with Herrn liberal philosophy. Max is hurting with what Herrn is supporting with Hitler ,he believe he is only writing those thing because he is a liberal and the government pressure him to do. He want Herrn to write Yes if he still have a good in his heart. Max asks Herrn for help with watching over his sister, who was in Germany for a play and he done with him and only ask for help. Griselle was kicked off the stage because she is Jews and want to go to her death was killed by state troopers and Herrn was less caring toward her. He “tried” to help her but saw her as stupid’s for even coming to German being Jewish. Max hated the betray that Herrn did, he send coded letters to Herrn to make him seem like he was working for underground system that help Jewish citizens in German escapes to America. Giving information about the Nazis to American to help them. These letters was interesting to hear because you see the depth of Max and Herrn relationship in the beginning and then see the fall and heartbreak of there friendship, brotherhood.
