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21 September 2009

Short Novel: Bauhausler, Chapter 5

A story of Japanese woman who experienced Bauhaus art and love romance in Berlin, early 1930's when Nazis came to power.

Please read Introduction first.  

Masako went back to the entrance hall to get out of this building. She was very much dissappointed because new love she might be getting was lost. She didn't want to be heart-broken any more. She wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. Peter was wrong man and gave her bitter experience.

She heard the noize from the party hall. People were shouting.
"Heil, Hitler!" "Heil, Fuhrer!"
What was going on? She wondered so she just stopped by the party hall which was next to the dining room where she joined the dinner with Nazi officials.
The atmosphere in the hall was like being in a fanatic ritual. She was attracted to the event happening. Tens of people in the room were looking at one man. A man with mustasche. She knew who he was. He had been famous in Deutcheland. She saw his photo on newspaper. His name is Herr Adolf Hitler, leader of National Socialist Party, largest party in Deutchland Republic Parliament.

Adolf_Hitler-1933.jpg
He was wearing uniform and standing in front of his comrades raising right hand. It was known as Nazi way of salute. Hitler was with a young woman. Seemed like his wife but she seemed very unpleasant. She wondered what happened. She heard people chatting.
"Oh, Frau Eva and Fuhrer seemed to have some kind of quarrels, didn't they?"
"Maybe because Fuhrer has been too busy to take care of his lover during national speech campaign. Frau Eva is always frustrated with his enthusiasm towards politics. Poor girl, she's got most busiest and popular man in Deutschland."
She learned Hitler was a single man. Oh, such a popular and highly positioned man is still single and he seems not so young to be single.
Suddenly all the people in the hall became silent. The record on the phonograph was played.
The tune was Deutschland anthem. As soon as it started, all the people stood up still and raised their right hands. Masako just followed their action led by the atmosphere. She thought she had to because she was invited here.
"Deutcheland, Deutcheland uber alles, uber alles in der Welt...."

 

When she finished singing with other people, she felt boiled just like others being totally blended in this place. It was as though she was saluting to the emperor, Hirohito.
Hitler started speech.

 
"Everyone, we are getting closer and closer to new era. Although we got most seats among parliament members, I haven't yet appointed to be Chancellor. Seems like President Hindenburg has been stubborn or manipulated by morally decayed slobs. But we can get over it. We will! People in Deutcheland are responding to our voice. I can hear them."
People clapped. Masako did not fully understand what he meant but she just followed others and clapped. She just understood how passionate he and people in this hall were. She was really impressed.
Young officer replaced a record on the phonograph with other one. He then played it.
The music was waltz.

 
"I feel like dancing with someone" said Hitler. There were several women in the hall including Masako and Eva. Eva still looked very unpleasant and in fact she was wearing a casual cloth that did not suit waltz. Hitler did not even glance at her and looked around.
Masako found him coming up to her. Masako was surprised.
"Excuse me, Fraulein. May I dance with you?" The crowd got fuss over his action. Masako was surprised, too. Hitler known to be most nationalist or racist man in Deutschland was asking her to dance with him. But she had no reason to refuse. That was most honorable offer to her.
"Yes, I would love to, Fuhrer" said Masako smiling.
Surely, Masako knows how to dance waltz. She learned ballroom dancing since her childhood as part of high-society education. She danced very well like she did Japanese traditional dance.
"May I have your name, Frau? Where are you from?" said Fuhrer holding her hand and shoulder.
"Ich heisse Masako. I am from Japan."
"Gut, I know your country very well. A country of Samurais and Geishas."
"Yes. Fuhrer." Typical knowledge, she thought.
"You country has greatest civilization. Your country industrialized the country in a very short period of time. Your country created one of strongest military in the world. Your country's military beat Russian empire. Japan has never been defeated in war since the establishment of the country. It is fascinating thing. No other country could ever have done such thing."
"Yes, I am glad you give compliments to our country like this. Our country has learned so many great things from Deutschland. Today's modernised Japan owes a lot to your country."
"Oh, yes. Japan and Deutschland are united some way although we have a big distance. I think in the future the two countries can have good alliance. 
Hitler smiled and Masako was delighted. As the crowd saw their beautiful and well-balanced dancing, more couples joined dancing.

After the party, when she was leaving the building with joy, she heard voice of the men talking on the corridor. That was heard from the narrow open door. "You are the best man in my team. I adore you. Soon enough you can lead another coup with me. That guy shouldn't be the leader of this country." "Yes, Captain." She knew who they were. But she was sort of drunk and did not care what they were talking about.  

Next morning at Bauhaus school, she told what happened to Marcus except breaking up with Peter. She told him how delighted and welcome she was. The officers of Nazi told her as long as Masako was one of the students of Bauhaus. They would not touch Bauhaus. 
"You see, Nazi people are gentlemen. They can understand. They are not racist, neither is Herr Hitler."
Marcus responded "You are just fooled by them. I don't think Hitler really treated your people as he said to you while dancing. Why don't you read the book he wrote?"
Marcus handed her a book titled "Mein Kampf (My Struggle)."
He opened one chapter, "Aryan race as creator of culture"

 
She started to read and found some sentences related to Japanese.
"Japan did not acquire European culture into their culture. Japan just decorated European culture in their own way. It is not Japanese culture they created. It is what European created."
"If European culture died out, Japan without its own culture would soon die out. In that sense Japanese are never creator of culture but can only be supporter of culture."
Meaning Japanese are just copying western culture to exist? Her people are inferior to Europeans.
"I cannot believe it. Is it what he really wrote?" Masako was surprised.
"Yeah, he wrote the book when he was in prison almost 10 years ago. He was convicted of treason after provoking the coup which he and his comrades failed. That is his political statement" said Marcus/
"But he was so nice to me. He asked me to dance with him."
"Yeah, I think he liked you because he thought you were very useful. But don't get shocked. He is in fact much milder to you than the other people. Read this chapter, please."
Marcus flipped pages and opened another chapter.
"Jews are parasites." She then read the chapter.

 
"Jews are parasites who are always searching for hosts. Once they parasite on host's body. They just spread themselves on that and finally exterminate the host body. They intruded and lived in other nation and created their own nation within that state. When they find they get the power to protect themselves, they appear as what no one wants to recognize, "Jews." "
She was very shocked.
"How horrible he wrote! Jews? Those people should be offended when they read that. I cannot imagine how angry they are being insulted like this!"
"I am not angry at all. After all, they are demagogues and they use such words to attract attention from public. Such demagoguery has been done for many generations since our people immigrated. That is not big surprise" said Marcus vigorously.
"Marcus, does that mean you are Jew?" asked Masako.
"Yes. I am Jew" Marcus answered.

Continued to Chapter 6.

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