Frederick and Charlotte loved Vienna just as much as their parents did, not least because it meant they were no longer isolated. It was an ideal environment in which they could pursue their mutual love of painting, and each found the architecture and museums inspiring. But once again they were left to themselves at a time in their lives when both longed for structure and reassurance. Radical changes were taking place all around them and the country was on the verge of war, but nothing about Margarete or Karl’s routine changed.

Both Charlotte and Frederick retreated further and further into their own worlds. Any somberness or awkwardness they felt or exhibited didn’t seem to concern their parents at all. Karl’s reputation as an important businessman was solidified. He was on the management board of Veitscher Magnesitwerke, a major refractory company in eastern Europe that produced fire-resistant materials for the cement and steel industries—the very materials that would be invaluable in World War II. His business acumen saved him. With Karl’s wealth, social standing, and business interests that benefited the war efforts, his lack of Nazi party affiliation was never questioned. He was savvy, persuasive, and likeable, and successfully maintained his apolitical stance by staying laser-focused on his career. There was something irresistible about Karl, who knew how to adapt to any environment seamlessly, and how to engage in nationalistic rhetoric to keep the heat off, if necessary. He convinced every one around him that he was indispensable to his profession, which made him indispensable to the German army. And as a reservist and veteran, he was in close enough proximity to the war to never be accused of being unpatriotic.

Frederick and Charlotte functioned like most teenagers in the late 1930s: they went to school, had friendships, and experienced crushes. Even though they didn’t speak up about what was happening around them, both of them knew that Jews were being rounded up and sent to concentration camps. The evacuations and outward displays of anti-Semitism couldn’t be ignored, but it would have been unimaginable for Charlotte and Frederick to discuss any of the brutality against Jews with their parents. For one, Margarete supported the Third Reich and Hitler, and she was silent about what was happening to Jewish people. And it simply wasn’t part of the culture for adults to discuss politics with children, particularly when absolute obedience to Hitler was mandatory. “You wouldn’t dare say a word,” said Charlotte, no matter how much she and Frederick objected internally to what was happening. The climate in Nazi Germany was fraught with paranoia and fear. The Third Reich petrified Germans, and to ensure one’s own safety, everyone went along with whatever Hitler said. And the fact was that many Germans, like Margarete and Karl, felt a great sense of pride with Hitler as their leader. He represented power, force, and German dominance, attributes that German citizens hadn’t experienced in years.