*

After days of waiting, Vati finally calls me to his study. I stand in front of his desk like a pupil called in front of the headmaster to learn her fate. Vati doesn’t meet my eyes and the evening meal curdles in my stomach.

‘It’s been arranged,’ he says flatly.

‘Is… do you mean Walter is being released?’ I ask, leaning on the desk for support.

Vati is smoking a cigar. He breathes out a long stream of sweet, cloying smoke.

‘I’ve had to pull strings.’ His voice is bitter. ‘But it turns out there are too many of them clogging up the camps anyway. Those that have exit visas must leave now. So that means your filthy Jew can go – but the father and uncle cannot.’

We stare at each other across the desk. There is no love. He controls it well, but I sense the rage rippling beneath his skin.

‘He must leave before the end of the month,’ he continues. ‘That’s where my friend, Judge Fuchs, has been useful. We’ve furnished him with the requisite papers, the passport, and affidavit confirming tax has been paid.’ He taps some ash into the ashtray and takes a drink from his whisky glass. ‘Fortunately for you, Fuchs owed me a favour. I kept his name out of the papers not so long ago – an unfortunate incident with a young boy. It would gravely have damaged his career. But we all make mistakes, right?’

He takes another few puffs on his cigar, without taking his eyes from mine.

‘Vati, thank you, I won’t—’

‘Sit.’

My hands are shaking as I grasp the arm of the chair and sink into it.

‘Did you know, Herta, that the only Germans being punished for what they did during the riots are SA men who raped Jewish women?’

I shake my head. He leans forward in his chair, his face reddening.

‘Because,’ he continues, ‘their crime is worse than murder. Do you know why?’

I stare at him. Shake my head again.

‘No? Well, I will tell you. It’s because they broke the inviolable law against sexual intercourse between Aryans and Jews. They jeopardised the single, most sacred thing we have. Our racial purity. And there is nothing more precious, more important than the cleanliness, the purity of our blood. It’s what we are here for, what we strive for each and every day. It’s our most precious asset and they have dared to threaten its sanctity! Those men have all been expelled from the National Socialist party. And that is only the beginning of their punishment, the treacherous, idiotic, fools!’ He grinds the stub of the cigar into the ashtray.

‘What will happen to the murderers?’

‘They have all been released. Of course, they were only following orders.’

I wait for him to say more, but he is quiet. He takes a slug from his glass.

‘Why are you telling me this?’

‘Oh, I think you know why. We understand each other, yes?’ He smiles then. A smile of victory. He thinks he has the measure of me. It’s a warning, and he thinks he is safe to assume I won’t ignore it.