Troubled Century E-Book

Antje Donkels

• Herausgeber: novum pro Verlag
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 557

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

On an estate in the Altmark region, the young farmmaster Friedrich Landsberg, the child of Lithuanian emigrants, founds a family. Their son Otto grows up sheltered. In Havelberg, Paul Siebert, who comes from a poor background, finds happiness with the teacher's daughter Margarethe, who gives him a daughter, Alwine. The cloth merchant couple Gottfried and Mathilde Ohme successfully build up a business and have two children, Antonia and Arthur. The happiness of the three young families does not last long, however, as the First World War tears the families apart. With the end of the monarchy, everyone hopes for a better future, but the Weimar Republic is on shaky ground. When the Nazis come to power, the fate of the three families takes another dramatic turn.

Leseprobe

Antje Donkels

Except for the historical events and the historical characters, the story of this book is fictional, as are the characters in it.

Book 1

1904-1932

Directory of persons

Siebert family

Paul SiebertForeman

Margarethe SiebertPaul's wife Alwine SiebertDaughter

Other

HedwigMargarethe's friend

RichardHedwig's husband

Gerda a friend of Alwine's

Emmi a friend of Alwine's

Methaa friend of Alwine's

Franz SeibelAlwine's friend

Hermann Zierke War comrade of Paul

AlfredWar comrade of Paul

Walter War comrade of Paul

Landsberg family

Friedrich LandsbergForeman servant of ManorBrunnenhof

Maria LandsbergFriedrich's 1st wife

Otto Landsberg and Friedrich's and Maria's son

Emma LandsbergFriedrich's 2nd wife

Other

Ernst August v. LuckenbergLandowner of ManorBrunnenhof

Elisabeth v. Luckenberghis wife

Anton von LiebenauSteward

Henriette of Liebenauhis wife

FriedaMaid on the estate

Emil Otto's friend

HeleneOtto’s girlfriend

Gertrude Wernicke Otto's landlady

Ohme family

Gottfried Ohme (Fritz)Cloth merchant

Mathilde OhmeFritz's wife

Antonia Ohme Daughter

ArthurOhmeSon

Other

Hannah RosenbergFriend of the Ohme family

SarahHannah's cousin

Claus BernsdorfWar comrade of Fritz

Karl SenftenbergCompany commander ofFritz Lotte MeierAntonia's girlfriend

AlfonsArthur's friend

Walter Arthur's friend

Albert KrauseMathilde's friend

Prologue

Outside the window of her room, the evening was dawning. The last rays of the sun were still falling on the ground, but the sky in the east was already beginning to darken, enveloping part of the room in darkness.

She liked this time, when the hustle and bustle of the day began to give way. Her sister had always called this time "at night", and that always had something protective about it.

She was deep in thought.

Tomorrow she would celebrate her sixtieth birthday. When she thought about it, she dreaded it. She didn't like holidays and hadn't liked birthdays for a long time.

Big parties had not been celebrated for a long time, but the usual program could not be avoided. Sometimes her birthday had almost been lost completely in the hustle and bustle of everyday work.

So had been the small circle.

In the childhood days, the mother always set the birthday table early with the wreath for the candles, flowers and wrapped gifts. There were always flowers, although of course they were also in short supply in the GDR. On this day, her mother was also less strict and everyone else was particularly sweet to her.

Sixty years! What a long life! And how many years were left? Many twists and turns, coincidences and encounters had occurred during that time. Some were buried deep in her heart.

She took the family album in her hand and began to leaf through it. She had always liked the old, faded photos. Smiling people looked into the camera. Her dear grandparents came alive again in memories. The ones who had experienced and seen so much. From the Empire to the Federal Republic, with the depths of the dark times and the hope for better things. Not only their own lives were turbulent, but also those of their family and ancestors were marked by the twists and turns of history.

How precious these photos were! Some were almost a hundred years old. Taken, when developing photos was expensive.

She saw the pictures of her mother. A strong woman. Deep sadness came over her. Her mother had passed away a few months ago. Her mother, to whom she had had such a deep bond. The woman she had always admired for her emancipated thinking.

She had to remember everything, write it all down and pass it on to the family. Otherwise, one day no one would know the whole story.

The small insignificant family that had fought for survival in the turmoil of history. The grandmother and the mother, the strong women, and the men who had to go to war!

A joyful restlessness gripped her and the images in her mind began to form.

With this decision to write it all down, she wanted to welcome the new year of life.

1

The square in front of the Sieberts' house was empty at this time of day, midday. The chestnut trees on the south side of the square had regained their fresh green foliage and would soon be in full bloom. Then they would give off the wonderful fragrance that was also perceptible at their front door when the wind blew. The magnificent trees with their candle-like blossoms made theneatvilla behind them even more beautiful in the spring.

The square, Kaiser-Otto-Platz, was surrounded by pretty little stone houses with a green area in the middle. Most of the houses were one-story and had a pointed red roof.

To the north of the square stood two magnificent houses. One had high mullioned windows with shutters and a large, hipped roof. To the left there was a yellow plastered house with large white windows.

The Sieberts lived in a small row house on the eastern side of the square, in the shadow of the mighty church. There were five of these row houses in all, all with small windows and green shutters to keep out the heat in summer and the cold in winter. The front door was almost at ground level with only a small step to enter the small hallway. A small yard at the back of the house provided space for clotheslines, a few rabbits, and a wooden bench with a small table. A red brick wall fenced the property and separated it from the churchyard.

The house was nothing special, but Margarethe and Paul Siebert loved their home.

Margarethe Siebert was a petite woman with blond, wavy hair that she kept pinned together at the nape of her neck. Her blue eyes were framed by long black eyelashes and her fair skin had almost an alabaster tone. She was of small stature and very slim, which gave her a girlish appearance. At first glance she seemed rather quiet and reserved, yet Margarethe had a strong character. Whenever it was necessary, she showed her strong side. She had grown up as an only child, carefree and sheltered, until a terrible blow of fate struck her after her eighteenth birthday.

Her parents had died two years ago, in the summer of 1901, in quick succession and very suddenly. First, her mother had suffered a fatal stroke and shortly thereafter her father had also died of a heart attack. Margarethe believed that her mother's early death had broken her father's heart.

For more than a year the pain had been very deep and Margarethe had withdrawn from the world. Even her friend Hedwig hardly found access to her. But after a year she took off the dark clothes and began to participate in life again.

Still very young, she now had to cope with life as an orphan. But where there was shadow, there was also light.

A year ago, she had married her Paul. The young couple was not wealthy, but they were better off than many others and Paul was skilled and hardworking. He had found work as a foreman at the construction company "Ottokar Hahn - Havel Bau". Actually, he would have liked to become an architect, because he loved to see buildings come into being and always had pictures and ideas in his mind to make them even more beautiful. But such a career plan was impossible due to his family background. Paul had a hard and sad childhood and youth. His mother died in childbed a few days after his birth in March 1881. His father was strained too much with parenting and became a drunkard at the grief of his wife's early death. Paul had been raised by his aunt, his mother's sister. His aunt also had two boys of her own and Paul felt tolerated but not loved. His aunt's family was not wealthy and there was no money for higher education. So, he had no choice but an apprenticeship as a bricklayer.

Very quickly Paul had worked his way up from a bricklayer to a foreman and was responsible for managing construction sites or stages.

Paul was large and well-built with a strong neck and alert blue eyes and a kindness that captured everyone. He was a balanced personality and almost nothing shook him. Yet Paul was assertive, which was necessary when leading the workers on the site. No one dared to disobey his orders.

He had courted the beautiful Margarethe for a long time before she accepted him.

Two and a half years ago, the old cathedral school had to be renovated and Paul had been in charge of the renovation of the masonry. So, he had passed the little house of the Uchtenhagen family, as Margarethe was called by her maiden name, every day. They had often run into each other in the afternoon. Margarethe worked in the clothing shop in the city and always took the way via the cathedral stairs. On the right-hand side there was the mighty cathedral and on the left-hand side was the old cathedral school.

Margarethe liked the young man with the friendly and open smile. He always nodded to her and greeted her with a "Good day!". The initial shy greeting was then followed by individual words and later by small chats. Paul had already met some girls, but none had been able to conquer his heart. With respect to Margarethe, he had not had the courage to ask her to go out with him so far. After two months, on a sunny day in May, Paul finally dared to approach Margarethe. "Good afternoon," he said, "how are you today?" "Fine, thank you," Margarethe replied. "I hope you are well, too." Paul nodded. Margarethe was about to continue on her way when Paul had the heart to ask her, "Would you go out with me some time?" Margarethe looked astonished. She had not expected that he would ask her so directly. She had often wanted to, but now the question came as a surprise. She looked him in his eyes and nodded affirmatively.

"Saturday afternoon, then, perhaps?" he went asking. "Yes, I'd love to," she said curtly, but her heart began to race. "Good, then I'll pick you up here. I'm looking forward to it," he laughed with a twinkle in his eyes and inwardly relieved, pulled off his cap and walked away in the direction of the city.

They spent a wonderful afternoon. Paul first invited Margarethe to the "Café Kronprinz" and then they strolled to the water and sat on banks of the Havel for a long time. They talked and talked and parted late in the evening.

As Margarethe was lying in her bed at night she recalled every minute of the afternoon.

Paul was sure he had found the woman of his life. But he resolved to give her and himself time. The first meeting was followed by others. They went for walks and to dances and enjoyed their young love until Margarethe's parents suddenly died. After her father's funeral, Margarethe found a letter from Paul in her mailbox. With trembling hands, she opened the envelope and read the lines.

Dearest Margarethe,

I can't imagine how hard this second stroke of fate has hit you. Perhaps I can't either, since I never had such a happy family. I am so very sorry. Take the time you need to get over your loss. Your parents will always be with you in your thoughts. If you need me, I will be there for you.

With love

Your Paul

For the first few weeks, Margarethe hid away and was paralyzed in her grief. Then she tried to find her way back into life.

After the year of mourning, Margarethe began dating Paul again. Paul noticed Margarethe's change. She had become more serious and grown up, but this pleased him. Six months later, he knelt in front of her. "Margarethe, will you be my wife and spend the rest of my life with me?" "Yes," Margarethe was overjoyed and sank into Paul's arms.

Her parents had left her the little house and a little money. Margarethe's father, Gustav Uchtenhagen, had been a teacher of German and history at the city school. Her mother Karoline had been a housewife like almost all women of her generation.

When they had been still alive, they had repeatedly tried to talk Margarethe out of Paul. If it had been up to them, their daughter should have married well, maybe a lawyer or a dentist, but not a bricklayer. Their child should have a better life than theirs.

Margarethe and Paul were married in Havelberg Cathedral on June 20th, 1903. The wedding was simple and was celebrated only in a small circle. Not as her parents had wished for her, but still very solemnly and beautifully.

Paul was waiting with friends in front of the portal of the cathedral. His nervousness was increasing every minute. Within two hours Margarethe would be his wife. He went up to the altar and stroked his long frock coat with his wet hands. His black suit was double-buttoned and looked exceptionally good on him. He was wearing a white shirt with a dark red tie and matching black pants. His lapel buttonhole was adorned with a myrtle branch.

Then finally the organ sounded, and Margarethe walked down the aisle to the altar.

Since her father was no longer alive, Richard, the husband of her friend Hedwig, walked the bride down the aisle.

The black taffeta dress Margarethe wore on her wedding day was finely cut and high-necked. The front was artfully decorated with lace inserts. Her friend Hedwig had artfully pinned up her hair. As bridal jewelry, Margarethe wore a pretty wreath of myrtle and white blossoms, which made her face look beautiful.

When she was kneeling next to Paul at the altar, he could hardly take his eyes off her. For Paul, she was the most beautiful bride he had ever seen. He swore to himself at that moment that he would do anything he could do to make Margarethe happy. When they left the church, Paul was the happiest man in the world. Margarethe looked at her husband in love and was full of confidence about the future. They celebrated until late at night, laughing happily and boisterously. Nevertheless, in between, the bride and groom kept thinking about the upcoming wedding night. Hedwig had prepared Margarethe as well as she could and explained to her what to expect.

As Hedwig left, she was still whispering in Margarethe's ear, "You don't have to be afraid, just let yourself go and enjoy that you've found such a great man."

Paul also took it upon himself to treat Margarethe as gently as possible. She is so delicate, he thought to himself.

Hedwig was to be proved right ...

***

In the first year of their marriage, Paul painted the house and repaired everything that had become dilapidated over the years. The shutters were a fresh green and the wooden front door was also freshly refurbished.

After almost a year, they were now expecting their first child.

"Paul, I think it's starting!" said Margarethe, stroking her bulging belly with her face contorted in pain. Paul was with her immediately, gently stroking her head. "Shall I call for the midwife?" he asked. "Yes, it might be better if she came to check on me. And please inform Hedwig, too."

Hedwig was Margaret's best friend and lived two houses away with her husband Richard.

Paul was so excited. He would not be able to finish the work he had started today. After all, you did not become a father every day.

Margarethe stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. She looked at the striped pattern on the wallpaper, visible through the sparse light of the kerosene lamps. Darkness had already set in and Margarethe writhed with each contraction. This had been going on for many hours now. She wondered if she was strong enough. Hedwig held her hand and put wet pieces of cloth on her face again and again. She had attended several births and knew that this could take a long time. The bedside lamps provided sparse light. Margarethe's hair stuck to her head and her linen nightgown was already sweaty.

The midwife, Mrs. Elisabeth Block, was an older and very experienced woman. She had already been with Margarethe three hours ago and had told her that everything was all right, but it would still take time. Now she was back, and the contractions were already coming at short intervals.

Paul could not stand waiting any longer and decided to leave the room, since he could not help his wife after all, and the worry made him quite nervous. His way led him past the beautiful houses to the square where there was a beautiful view of the city and the river. He stopped in front of the most beautiful house.

The villa with its large windows and magnificent staircase had always captivated him. Rich people lived here, a family of entrepreneurs. Warm light fell through the large windows into the front garden. He would like to know what it looked like inside.

In his dreams, he and Margarethe would live in a larger house one day, and he knew exactly how he would build it. It would have large windows and a wide stone staircase. He stayed a little longer at the edge of the square and enjoyed the view of the Stone Gate Bridge, the Havel River and the Flushing Island behind it. In thoughts of the future, he made his way home again.

The midwife stayed with Margarethe and was now deeply concerned. A doctor would have to come, she said. She feared that the child's head was too big, and that Margarethe would lose too much blood. It was already taking too long and the long labor pains were too much for the little delicate woman.

Paul made his way to Dr. Heinemann and asked him to come with him right away.

Dr. Heinemann palpated Margaret's abdomen and looked at her lower abdomen. "Mrs. Siebert, I can already see the child. You need to push hard again. Let me help you. With all her strength, Margarethe pushed again, and Dr. Heinemann pressed on her abdomen and pulled the child out. He umbilicated the child and gave it to the midwife. "It's a healthy baby girl," he told Margarethe, who sank exhausted into the pillows.

When Paul heard the first scream, tears came to his eyes.

After what felt like an eternity, Hedwig came out of the bedroom. Paul saw her satisfied face. "Congratulations, Paul! You have a healthy daughter! Now you may join your wife but give her plenty of rest. She has lost a lot of blood."

Overjoyed, Paul first took Margarethe and then the baby in his arms. He looked at his daughter for a long time. It seemed like a miracle to him.

"Thank you, Gretchen," Paul said, kissing Margarethe gently on the forehead. "What are we going to call her?" he asked.

"Alwine," Margarethe replied.

"That's a beautiful name and fitting for our princess," Paul agreed. "Yes, Alwine, that's what she should be called."

Paul was sitting on the bench in front of his house and watching the sun set blood red on this May 12th, 1904. He thought of his wonderful wife and little daughter and that he had never been happier.

***

Paul sped along Lindenstraße on his bicycle and then turned left to get to the cathedreal square. His jacket was flapping in the wind.

He parked his bike and hung his jacket on the hook in the small hallway. As almost always, Paul was wearing a striped shirt under a dark vest. No matter if it was summer or winter, Paul had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt so that his tanned, muscular forearms were visible. Margarethe came into the hallway and blew a kiss on her husband's mouth. "There's news!" said Paul. "They're building a new water tower and they've put me in charge."

Margarethe looked up and Paul immediately saw that something was wrong. Her usually cheerful eyes looked sad, and when he looked at her, tears welled up from them. Little Alwine was sleeping peacefully in her crib, which was a sewn-around laundry basket.

"What has happened?" asked Paul. Margarethe swallowed hard and then said in a choked voice, "I went to see Dr. Heinemann and he told me that I couldn't have any more children. The uterus was injured in childbirth, so I can't carry any more children. We always dreamed of a bigger family, didn't we?" Tears shimmered again behind Margaret's thick eyelashes. Paul silently took her in his arms. "Oh Gretchen, this is really sad, and it would have been nice if Alwine had had another sibling. But there are some things you can't have and luckily, we have our little Wine (that's what they called Alwine most of the time). She's a gift and maybe that's the way it's supposed to be." He took Margarethe in his arms and pressed her to his chest. Immediately Margarethe felt a little better. When Paul took her in his arms everything was good.

At dinner, which they had together in the small kitchen, Paul told them about the new water tower. As a foreman, he was supposed to supervise the work and design and build the coat of arms. The new tower would be taller and more beautiful and would be visible from afar! Still completely captivated by the new task, Paul made the first sketches for the new coat of arms in the evening at the large wooden table in the kitchen.

Six months later, work began on digging the foundation. The tower was to be forty meters high, made of red bricks. Then the surrounding houses could be connected to the water network and supplied with fresh drinking water with the new pumps.

Thirty employees were under Paul's command. It filled him with pride and joy to have been given such an important task. This building would bear his stamp. The new water tower would improve the standard of living for many. One had the feeling that a confident future was making its way into the small town of Havelberg.

***

The small town of Havelberg, with its beautiful river meadows and its red brick buildings, is a pretty place and, thanks to its shipyard, is strategically located for the inland waterway skippers on the Hamburg-Berlin route.

The old town, which lies on an island and is surrounded by the Havel River, consists of small houses arranged in a circle around the market square. The old town church of St. Lawrence rises near the town hall. With its unusual spire, it is visible from afar. It is a beautiful place, unparalleled with its island location.

Red roofs and cobblestones dominate the townscape. Bargemen fetch grain from the granaries on the river side and take other goods and merchandise to the small town. A multitude of inns invite the bargemen to stay. On the hill there is the mighty cathedral with its imposing westwork. Everything reminds of the former bishop's residence and the impressive history of this town.

Already settled by Slavs in the 7th century, Havelberg's development began with Christianization and the subsequent founding of the episcopal see and the construction of the cathedral around 1150 under the rule of the Margrave of Brandenburg. Street names of the cathedral district, such as Müllertor, Krugtor or Amtstor, still bear witness to the fortifications around the cathedral district. The larger and magnificent houses of the city are mostly located on the Cathreadral hill, in the upper part, which is connected to the city island by two bridges.

In the following centuries timber and grain trade and shipbuilding developed. At the beginning of the 18th century Havelberg had a famous guest. The Russian Tsar Peter I is said to have learned the shipbuilding trade at the shipyard. A few years later, he visited the city a second time to make a deal with the Prussian soldier-king Friedrich William I. With a letter and seal tsar Peter I exchanged his two-meter-tall soldiers, the "Tall Guys," for the legendary Amber Room.

At the beginning of the 20th century, life in Havelberg was bustling. Many small businesses had settled. There were cabinet makers, mills, a brickyard, a locksmith's shop and all sorts of companies for processing agricultural products. The old town was colourful with its small shops as well as its pubs and restaurants. The fanciest thing the small town had to offer was "Café Kronprinz" in Lange Straße, a beautiful and elegant coffee house.

The small town grew larger and the new water tower grew and grew, too, and little Alwine was already braving the familiar surroundings. She had clearly inherited her water-blue, alert eyes from her father.

One afternoon Paul, who usually walked upright, came home with his head down and his shoulders drooping. It was still early afternoon. Otherwise, he usually came home late in the afternoon or even in the evening. When Margarethe saw her husband arrive with drooping shoulders, she suspected that something terrible must have happened. Silently, Paul hung his jacket on the hook and sat down at the kitchen table, propping his arms up and putting his face in his hands.

Margarethe approached her husband and put a hand on his shoulder. "What has happened?" she asked. Paul turned to her and took her in his arms. They sat down at the big kitchen table and Paul told her the tragic story.

2

The early autumn of 1906 was still very warm. The manor Brunnenhof, located in a region called Altmark and not far from the river Elbe and the city of Stendal, lay in shimmering heat. Coming from the Elbe, wide fields stretched to the right and left of the road. The manor did not include only vast arable land, but also some woodland.

The white manor house was located at the end of a small, narrow village street. People reached it after leaving behind the houses and stables that belonged to the estate. The magnificent house was a two-story house, with a porch and a large balcony above. The round entrance portal of the porch was reached by a few steps. If the front of the mansion could almost be described as classically simple, the back of the mansion was truly bursting with architectural beauty. With a pointed gable above the magnificent veranda, which was supported by four Doric columns, it presented itself majestically. Behind it stretched the park. The roof of the veranda provided space for a balcony of equal size. Both, the veranda and the balcony above, were enclosed by a beautiful wrought iron fence. The windows of the upper floor were adorned with classicist cornices. Behind the house there was a beautiful park with dense trees. After a few hundred meters one reached the bank of the Elbe. To the right and left of the manor house there were the farm buildings, stables and barns, as well as other residential buildings of the employees. A short driveway led to the manor house, which then opened into a large square and provided a view of the entire front of the house.

Here, not far from the Elbe River, the land is flat and characterized by the river's floodplain and banks. It is a beautiful but poor area, and most people have a hard life.

The manor is always bustling with activity. The noble lords, Ernst August and Elisabeth von Luckenberg, usually spend only a few months on the estate. For the rest of the year they stay in Berlin, where they have a stately home. Then they enjoy the comforts and variety of the big city. They almost always spend the summer months and the Christmas season at the Brunnenhof.

Ernst August von Luckenberg is rather a city man and likes to occupy himself with the art of antiquity and the fine arts. He has passed the age of fifty and never cared much for agriculture. Although he was born on the Brunnenhof, he was drawn to the city at an early age. His wife Elisabeth is a little younger and a gentle and distinguished lady. She loves theater and plays the piano beautifully. They wanted the Brunnenhof to be well managed, also in view of their fourteen-year-old son Konstantin, the future heir to the estate.

The von Luckenbergs entrusted the welfare and management of the estate to their steward Anton von Liebenau. Anton von Liebenau is a tall and sinewy man with thinning, medium-blond hair and an angular face. Gold-rimmed glasses, which he wears because of his nearsightedness, emphasize his intellectual appearance. He has been living on the estate with his wife Henriette for eight years now and occupies the beautiful estate administrator's house next to the manor house.

The soul of Brunnenhof is Friedrich Landsberg, known to everyone as Friedrich. Friedrich Landsberg, a tall man with thin, fine brown hair and a mustache, was the estate's appointed foreman servant of the manor. He was in charge of the housekeeping and all the employees for it. Friedrich had set up his office in one of the farm buildings. His door was open to everyone, and he took the worries and needs of the people on the estate seriously.

Only last year he had married pretty Maria. Maria was employed at the manor house and worked for the lordship. She took care of all the laundry for the manor house, including that of Mister and Mrs von Liebenau, as well as cleaning and maintaining the manor house.

Maria was by far the prettiest girl in the whole neighborhood. She was quite tall, but slender and had brunette hair, which she always tied into a braid. Her face was even and of a delicacy rarely found in the countryside. Only her light blue eyes almost never smiled and always had a melancholy look.

Maria was an orphan and had lived with her aunt Bertha in Sandau before she came to the Brunnenhof. She had a quiet and modest nature and never pushed herself to the fore. She was hardworking, reliable and discreet. The fellow residents on the estate liked her. Two years ago, when Maria learned that the manor was looking for someone to take care of the manor house, she went for an interview. She was skilful, good at sewing, knitting and other handicrafts, and she was not afraid to do any job. So, she left her aunt to build up her own life.

Maria was six years younger than Friedrich. Friedrich married very late anyway. His grandparents, Vilma and Karolis Landbergis, as they were then called, had moved from Lithuania to Prussia. As a result of the partition of Poland in the 18th century, the Germans were a minority in the Lithuanian territory, which then became Russian. They felt a sense of belonging to Germany and, as a minority, developed increasing concerns under Russian rule. Moreover, life in the much poorer country was very hard and offered little hope for a better future.

So the family decided to leave home and made the long and arduous journey to the German Empire to seek their fortune here. With a good knowledge of agriculture, they made it all the way across the Elbe River to the Altmark region, where, in addition to the large estates in Mecklenburg, Pomerania and Holstein, there were also large manors and estates. Once in Germany, they took German names and called themselves Karl and Wilma Landsberg. Friedrich was quite well educated, as his father Karl saw to it that he learned to read and write. Karl could also read and write very well, so it was only natural that he wanted his son to follow his example.

Many girls had made advances to Friedrich, but he had no desire to commit himself for a long time. His thirst for knowledge and his curiosity were immense. He was already in his mid-twenties by now. Of course, there were a few little affairs, but nothing serious.

When Maria came to manor Brunnenhof at the age of eighteen, Friedrich immediately fell in love with her. Maria also liked the young, handsome man with a strong character. After half a year, Friedrich proposed to Maria.

The wedding wastheevent in manor Brunnenhof! The women hung up garlands of fir and flowers and decorated everything. In an open horse-drawn carriage they drove to the church in Schwarzholz, where the bride and groom were married. Afterwards, there was an exuberant party at the Brunnenhof with lots of merriment, music and dancing. That had been a good year ago now. Maria remembered this beautiful day with pleasure. She kept her wreath and bridal veil in her dresser. Perhaps she would have a daughter, she thought.

"Maria," said Friedrich, "it is such a beautiful day and who knows how many sunny and warm days there will be this year. It's already the beginning of October and it can get cold and wet quickly. Maybe later we can go for a walk along the Elbe meadows. What do you think?" Friedrich loved walking down to the river with Maria, lying in the deep grass and looking at the blue sky above him or the beautiful Maria beside him. It gave him an incredible sense of youth and freedom. He also knew that Maria loved to be by the river, watching the gentle current. Then they both thought aloud about where the river might be passing by everywhere and imagined the most beautiful places and areas. Then Maria would always ask Friedrich, "Friedrich, where would you like to travel?" And he always gave her the same answer: "To the sea, Maria." They both loved the Elbe River, but never went swimming in it, because a lot of people had died in the dangerous current. "Not today, Friedrich. I don't feel well today," Maria replied. In fact, Maria seemed a little paler than yesterday.

"Maria, what's wrong with you? I don't have to worry, do I?" asked Friedrich. "No, it's nothing, I'm just a little tired today." "What's got you so exhausted today?" asked Friedrich. "The landlord has announced himself at short notice and Johanna is sick. Now that the cook is out, Martha and I have to take over. There is also a shortage of supplies. We have to go to Osterburg and buy the missing food." "We can manage that. I can go with you and Martha can take care of the rest. She's experienced and will manage. Does anyone know what's wrong with Johanna?" asked Friedrich.

A prolonged absence of Johanna would leave a gap. "She suffered a miscarriage. Fortunately, she already has two children. But she has to relax for the next few days. Martha and I will take care of her if she needs anything." "That's good," Friedrich said, his mind already back on his work.

Maria had not bled for more than six weeks. So far, she had been able to hide the slight morning sickness, and no one had noticed it so far. Soon she would know for sure if she was expecting a child. She didn't want to tell Friedrich until she was quite sure. If her assumption was confirmed, the child would come in summer at the solstice after next.

***

Christmas was approaching and was always celebrated festively on the manor. In the center of the square in front of the manor house a large fir tree was put up, which had been selected months before in the nearby forest. Year after year, the women of the manor did not miss the opportunity to decorate the magnificent tree with straw stars. Every year they made new stars during the long dark evenings in November and December.

In the manor house there was also a Christmas tree for the family, which was always decorated with wax candles on Christmas Eve by Elisabeth von Luckenberg. When it snowed, the manorial family went to church by sleigh. The maids and servants walked, but the children were allowed to ride in the handcart. "Maria, will you please go and fetch my parents? They are riding in Anton von Liebenau’s Brennabor. It's more comfortable for them. We'll take the one-horse carriage, it's not that far." Friedrich had the privilege of owning a carriage, so that even Maria, in her condition, did not have to walk. Her knees were protected by a warm woolen plaid and her hands were in mittens. She wore a dark blue woolen jacket and a dark long skirt. She hid her pinned-up hair under a small hat. Friedrich also wore his Sunday clothes: a long black frock coat with matching trousers and a white shirt.

After the service, the people, who lived on the Brunnenhof came to the manor house and gathered by the big fir tree. The Baron, together with his wife Elizabeth, stepped to the place in front of the manor house where the fir tree stood. The baroness was wrapped in a precious fur. The Baron, dressed in a double-breasted woolen coat with a fur collar, stepped in front of his staff.

"Today we celebrate Christmas," said Ernst August von Luckenberg. "A hard year is behind us, but we have managed to harvest a good crop and get good profit on the sale of our animals. I want to thank all of you for that. May you have a peaceful Christmas with your families now. In appreciation, we have prepared a few gifts for Christmas. Stay healthy and confident."

Then the Baroness handed out parcel with food and other small gifts to everyone. They stood together for a while before the families returned to their homes.

Together with Friedrich's parents, who lived with them, Maria and Friedrich also returned to their warm cottage, which was very close to the farm buildings. Then they had dinner. On Christmas Eve they had potato salad and on Christmas Day the traditional roast goose. The delicacies from the kitchen were the highlight of Christmas after Mass. Vilma Landsberg was an excellent cook and enjoyed assisting her daughter-in-law.

Friedrich's parents went to sleep soon but the young couple stayed up. The candles on the advent wreath flickered and emitted warm light. After Maria had tidied up everything, they stepped out in front of the house and looked up at a velvety night sky. They marveled at the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper in the night sky, when suddenly Friedrich took her hand, looked at her and said, "Maria, next Christmas there will be three of us. I can hardly wait and am so happy! Maybe it will be a son, but if it is a girl, she should have the beauty of her mother."

Maria smiled and looked at her husband with wide eyes. How lucky I am, she thought to herself. Soon I will have the family I have always wanted.

She stroked her belly and looked at Friedrich. "It won't be long before it is clearly visible," Maria said. "After all, I haven't felt bad for some time and, on the whole, I'm fine." "Yes, fortunately," said Friedrich. "I have felt really sorry for you."

Christmas days passed and the New Year's Eve carp was slaughtered and consumed.

New Year's Day brought fresh snow, which was the prelude to a long, hard winter. At the end of March, the snow was finally thawing slowly away, and spring arrived. Seeds were put in the ground and plowing and planting began. After the flood of the Elbe drained away, the days became warmer and the sun gained strength every day.

On May 31, Friedrich celebrated his twenty-sixth birthday. Now it would not be long before the child came.

***

The courtyard was still in darkness when Maria woke Friedrich. The dragging had already begun shortly after midnight, but Maria had not woken Friedrich. She wanted to let him have his restful sleep and gritted her teeth.

Before dawn broke, Maria gently nudged her husband. "Friedrich, the contractions are getting stronger. Our child will be here soon." She held her large heavy belly and waited for the contraction to pass, her face contorted with pain.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier? You should not endure the pains alone." He looked worriedly at Maria. "I'll let Frieda know," said Friedrich, quickly getting into his trousers, which were over the chair, taking his jacket off the hook and leaving the house.

Frieda, who had already brought the world a lot of children, took Maria's hand and spoke well to her, "We can do this together!" Maria smiled, but her smile died, because another pain came over her. Maria had been agonizing for many hours now. "Maria," Frieda said, "now you'll soon have it. It always takes a long time at the first time, but it will go faster with the next children." “I would be glad if only this one was here soon”, Maria thought.

Morning had broken and everybody on the manor was already bustling with activity that could be heard all the way into the bedroom. Frieda kept bringing fresh water and cooling Maria's forehead, her arms and her hands. Frieda had always been there. She was part of the inventory of Brunnenhof, so to speak. She had been born on the well farm and had never left. Frieda had helped bring the world most of the children and was an important support for the women.

As maids and servants were going about their midday chores and the summer sun was already high in the sky, a long-anguished cry rang through the Foreman's house.

Friedrich was about to leave his office to go see Anton von Liebenau when he heard the cry of a baby. For a second he stopped and then ran across the square toward his house. At his front door, he stopped with his heart pounding. Then he went into the kitchen and sat down on a chair.

Maria sank exhausted into the pillows of her marital bed and Frieda put the freshly washed newborn in her arms.

Frieda came out of the bedroom into the kitchen after what felt like an infinitely long time and said, “Congratulations, Friedrich, you have a healthy son. Maria is well, you can go to her now."

He rushed into the bedroom, took the still weak Maria in his arms and took a first look at his son.

"Look, Maria, how pretty he is!" said Friedrich. "Such small hands, it's like a miracle."

Maria smiled and looked happily into her son's face.

Thus, Otto Friedrich Landsberg was born on June 17th, 1907, a few days before solstice. He was to have an eventful life ahead of him.

3

Paul checked the drawings and then headed for the construction site. It was already late morning, and the new water tower was already visibly growing in height. Seeing it filled him with pride and satisfaction. If everything went on like this, they would be able to inaugurate it next year.

He spoke to his confidant, his best expert, Konrad, and went through the next construction steps with him. As he turned to leave, Paul heard a bang and shortly thereafter a terrible scream.

Paul and Konrad jumped over and saw the terrible disaster. Then they made their way down to where the motionless body lay. One of the workers had fallen from scaffolding. "Get a doctor!" said Paul to Konrad, even before they reached the bottom via the many ladders.

The worker was lying on his back and staring up at the sky from lifeless eyes. A short time later, the doctor could only pronounce death.

"How could this happen?" asked Paul Konrad and the surrounding workers. One of the people present, a young man named Joseph, said, "A board came loose and shot up when he stepped on it. Rudolf then lost his balance and fell."

Work was stopped immediately. Then Paul turned to the workers. "Everyone else who is not needed by Konrad now, call it a day." Konrad stayed with Paul.

Paul's thoughts raced. It was immediately clear to him that no further checks had been made to ensure that everything was firmly anchored. He looked at Konrad. "The entire scaffold must be checked for strength and safety. This must never happen again! There must be no more accidents on the site." "Yes," Konrad said, "I'll take care of it."

He had often heard of fatal accidents on construction sites. Fortunately, he had not had to make this experience so far. We have to improve safety we must improve the safety here and for the future, he thought to himself, and set off for the family of the accident victim. It was going to be a tough walk. He knew that. The victim had a wife and a son.

Looking at Paul Margarethe immediately saw that something must have happened. "We had a fatal accident at the construction site," Paul said before Margarethe could say anything. "How could this happen?" she asked her husband. Paul told her the terrible story and vowed to make safety at the construction site his business.

The burial of the dead worker took place in the nearby cathedral cemetery in the presence of the family and all colleagues. The priest gave a dignified sermon and at the funeral coffee they discussed how to support the family during the difficult time. From now on, everyone wanted to be even more careful so that there would not be any more misfortune.

Slender, with a pointed dome and made of red brick, the new water tower rose into the sky a good year later. Now the small town had another landmark that was visible from afar. The beautiful coat of arms that adorned the tower was a design by Paul. He had made it himself.

The inauguration took place the next summer and became a big folk festival. There was a lot of space around it, so that showmen, innkeepers and merchants could set up their booths. The citizens came in their Sunday best: the mayor gave a speech and also thanked Paul and the workers and did not forget to commemorate the dead man who had to give his life for the building. A band played brass music. Booths sold drinks and cotton candy for the children. People had fun with dancing and music and many thought fondly back to this special day.

***

Little Alwine was her parents' sunshine and her father's pride and joy. She found it exciting when she was allowed to sit on his lap and he told her about houses and buildings or when he looked at the drawings on the large table. "Daddy, I want to build houses later, too, or preferably a castle for the princess," she always said. Paul used to smile and stroke her blond hair.

The small house at Kaiser-Otto-Platz was filled with life.

In summer the Sieberts, often with the neighbors, sat together in the yard and enjoyed the long bright days. The yard at the house was surrounded by a brick wall on the right, and a wooden fence on the left and on the front side. In the back right corner, there was an apple tree and next to it there were two currant bushes. The ground in the yard was tamped down clay. Against the wall of the house Paul had built a stone terrace, on which there was a wooden bench with a wooden table in front of it. When the weather was nice, the Sieberts brought more wooden chairs out of the house and life shifted to the courtyard. Since the courtyard faced east, it was pleasantly cool and shady here in the summer. There was also a small garden, not far from the house, where they grew and harvested all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

In winter, Paul kept the small square in front of the house free of snow, for there had been plenty of it in recent winters.

Not far from the square there was a long hill leading to the town, which was excellent for children to sled in winter.

Around the big church there were many interesting places for little Alwine to play tag and hide-and-seek. She went exploring with the neighbor children, even though her mother forbade her to go too far from the house.

Paul built a scooter for Alwine with a beautiful wooden frame. She whizzed around with the scooter; driving was so much better than walking. Alwine could now explore the surroundings with her scooter and let her blonde pigtails flutter in the wind.

Tomorrow, Alwine would be six years old. She was lying in her bed and couldn't sleep from excitement. What would she get as a present? And would there be candles and flowers on her birthday table tomorrow? With anticipation and excitement, she eventually fell asleep.

When she awoke, rays of sunlight were falling through the cracks in the shutters. She got up and tiptoed into the living room.

There were candles burning on the table and a bouquet of tulips was standing next to a wrapped present. Her mother came into the room and said, "Happy birthday, sweetheart!" and blew a kiss on her forehead. When she opened the gift, she found black patent leather shoes inside. "Ouch, they are beautiful! I've never seen such beautiful shoes!" Alwine put on the new shoes and strutted around the house wearing them all the time.

In the afternoon, two neighbor children came to the little birthday party, Hildegard from the last house on the square and Hedwig's son Oskar. The children played and laughed together and feasted on Margarethe's homemade cake.

In the fall, Alwine would attend school, but first she would have a wonderful carefree summer ahead of her. Interested in everything and quick on the uptake, Alwine could hardly wait to go to school. Her father tried to explain everything to her as best he could and to quench her thirst for knowledge. She would get books and notebooks and then finally learn to read and to do arithmetic.

When at the end of August, the first leaves in the foliage of the trees already showed a yellow tinge, one sensed the imminent arrival of autumn.

Finally, the time had come. Alwine couldn't fall asleep with excitement, because tomorrow she would finally be a schoolgirl. As the rays of the morning sun fell into the room, she slipped out of her bed and tiptoed to the closet where her satchel stood. She lifted it quietly and stroked the wonderful leather, smelling it.

She had to force down her breakfast bread because she was so excited. Then she was accompanied to school by her parents. Her mother had sewn her a new dress, blue with white trim, a bit sailor style. For her first day at school, she was allowed to wear white socks and black patent leather shoes with the beautiful blue dress. Her blonde braids were decorated with blue bows. Alwine was mighty proud and walked upright to school holding her father's hand. "Will the teacher be nice, too?" she asked her father. "And my classmates, too?" "Most definitely," Paul grumbled. The teacher, Albert Heinrichs, met the new pupils at the school door. Alwine thought he looked stern. Not as friendly as her father or Uncle Richard. But maybe he only looked that way, she consoled herself.

Alwine had received a big, colourful school cone filled with sweets. Now she was finally astudentpupil. Again and again, she looked at her primer and the arithmetic book and wished that she could already understand it all. "You'll be fine," her mother said. "You'll see, pretty soon you'll be able to read and write." "How soon is soon?" she probed further. "Maybe Christmas," said Margarethe. "Christmas is good," Alwine then found herself saying.

Shortly after enrollment, in early September, there was the traditional fair or horse market, as it was called in Havelberg, with horses, stalls, a magician and also a merry-go-round.

Alwine walked by her father's hand. "Maybe I'll see my classmates there," she said. "And is there definitely a merry-go-round?" she continued to pester. "Most definitely," Paul answered.

Even from a distance, she saw the spinning merry-go-round and the colorful stalls. Her heart was beating faster. The fair was held only once a year.

"Daddy, how many times can I go?" she asked her father. Paul looked into her round bright eyes, laughed and said, "I'm sure there's enough money for two rides, little one."

"Hello, Paul," Paul heard someone call behind him and turned around, "Greetings, Richard. How are you? Are you here alone? I don't see Hedwig." "Hedwig has stayed at home. She has a headache. I'm here with two colleagues. We met for a beer. One of them is supposed to be looking for a horse for his brother. But he hasn't found the right one yet. I like the hustle and bustle here. And you, what are you doing here?" "I promised Alwine the merry-go-round. She's sitting there on the white horse. Margarethe is glad to have a few hours to herself. She stayed at home, too."

Richard nodded and looked at his watch. "But now I have to go. Hedwig told me to bring a smoked eel." "They have them right there at the entrance," Paul said.

"You're welcome to join us again sometime. Maybe next Saturday?" said Paul before Richard continued on his way. "Good idea. Gladly, we'll do that." "Does Saturday suit you?" asked Paul. "Yeah, we don't have planned anything then." "It is Saturday then," Paul confirmed the appointment once again.

He met one or the other acquaintance, exchanged many words and then set off home with Alwine in the late afternoon. It turned out to be a nice day for both of them, because Paul was able to fulfil their modest wishes.

Alwine rushed in through the front door. "Mommy, Mommy, I was allowed to ride the merry-go-round three times on a beautiful white horse. And Daddy bought me cotton candy, too!" she beamed. "Well, I hope you don't get a stomachache from it," her mother said. "No way," Alwine denied, shaking her head vigorously. "It was so beautiful," she gushed.

"Gretchen, I met Richard. He was also there without Hedwig. I invited them both to come to our house next Saturday. I hope it's all right with you. It was a spontaneous idea of mine." Margarethe stood behind Paul, who was sitting on a chair at the kitchen table, wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "That was a good spontaneous idea, Paul. I'll be glad when they come," she said.

"What did you actually do with your free time?" asked Paul. "I did a little work in the garden and cleaned up a little."

Later, as Alwine sank into bed, she thought about the wonderful day again. In her mind she saw the colorful booths and the spinning merry-go-round. At some point she fell asleep contentedly.

It was an eventful year and life was just wonderful.

It could have gone on and on like that for the little family, but dangerous storm clouds were brewing outside their little cosmos.

4

The trees were already almost bare. It was the end of October and the year 1911 was slowly coming to an end.

In the pretty town of Weimar, not far from the Thuringian Forest, there was great bustle in the home of the cloth merchant Gottfried Ohme. Gottfried Ohme, called Fritz, and his wife Mathilde lived in a pretty townhouse in the centre of Weimar. The yellow-plastered house extended over three floors. The three windows that faced the street were adorned with pretty white window sills. On the first floor there was the large kitchen, and in the rooms above, the salon and Fritz's study. On the second floor there were Fritz's and Mathilde's bedroom and the children's room. Mathilde, with her good taste, had furnished the small house nicely and comfortably. All the windows were adorned with tasteful curtains. The beautiful wooden furniture was decorative and practical.

The family's fabric business, which Fritz had built up in recent years, was flourishing. As part of industrialization, more and more people were moving from the countryside to the city. The aspiring middle classes and the growing urban population wanted to be well dressed. Fritz had taken over the business from his father Gustav, who had retired from the company after suffering a stroke. Fritz's mother, Klara Ohme, a sickly woman, took care of his father to the best of her ability. The business had never meant anything to her, so the decision was made quite quickly to hand over the management of the company to Fritz. At the time of the takeover, sales were still low, as his father had relied on old-fashioned sources of supply. Fritz had long since realized that only expansion could secure their existence in the long term. He had therefore set out to acquire new suppliers at home and abroad. Three days ago, Fritz had traveled to Ypres in Flanders to purchase new fabrics. In the meantime, he had made a name for himself in the city and in the region, and it was well known that he had fabrics of the very best quality and goodness in his assortment. For those who were looking for something special, Fritz Ohme was always the first address.

Fritz Ohme was tall and slim and strikingly attractive. He had black, thick hair, which gave him a southern look. His face was even and had fine features. When he laughed, you could see his even white teeth. He was not only popular with women. His open nature and sporty appearance earned him sympathy from men as well.

In addition to the warehouse, which was located somewhat outside, the family also ran a fabric shop in the centre of Weimar, where anyone could buy fabrics for all occasions. At first Mathilde had run the shop herself, but in the course of her pregnancy they had hired someone to do so. They found a reliable and competent lady named Hannah Rosenberg, who immediately grew fond of the Ohme family. The two women hit it off right away, Hannah being only slightly older than Mathilde and Fritz. Hannah herself had no children and so was completely there for the Ohme family.

Mathilde, who was now about to give birth, hoped that Fritz would be back in time. Meanwhile, she continued to run the business in Weimar as best she could. Fritz had great confidence in his clever and beautiful wife. Mathilde was of medium height and very slim. Her dark eyes were adorned with long black eyelashes. Her brunette, full hair, which was adorned with copper-colored strands, fell to her shoulders. Most of the time she wore it pinned up, but in the evenings, when she brushed it, Fritz could admire the wonderful shine in it. He loved his beautiful wife more than anything and she returned this love.

Every day, Mathilde still went to the shop and had an exchange with Hannah, plus the daily walk did her good.

The last rays of the sun had just left the room and darkness was rapidly spreading. Now, at the end of October, the afternoons and the time of twilight were short. Soon it would be dark. Instinctively Mathilde hoped that Fritz would come home soon. She had just sat down with a cup of tea to continue reading her book when she noticed a tugging in her abdomen. She was looking forward to the child and hoped that it would be a boy who could give his father a hand and then follow him later in the business. When the pulling became more frequent and stronger, she asked the maid Hildegard to fetch the midwife. Mathilde had lain down in the meantime, because the contractions were getting stronger. The midwife, Mrs. Arendt, had told her that it would still take time, she would come back again in an hour.