Other than a few sniffles and an occasional creaking chair, the room is silent.

When the film is done, he lets a minute pass. Then two. Then three.

Lieutenant Franklin breaks the silence. “My testimony given during the American Military Tribunal at Dachau helped convict over sixty SS officers. Many received a sentence of death by hanging. After the war, however, it’s known that plenty of Nazis who committed heinous crimes against humanity walked away with no punishment. Because of that, Nazi hunters tracked down notorious murderers and helped get justice. One of their targets was Adolf Eichmann. You might recall that he participated in the Wannsee Conference and was a key player in the Final Solution. He was executed in Israel in 1962.”

He pauses, takes a deep breath.

“I got through the hell of Mauthausen by living minute by minute. There were some days I prayed every waking second, begging God to give me the strength to survive. There were days I wanted to kill those Nazi bastards and free every prisoner. Holding on to hope wasn’t easy. It slipped away like water through my fingers. But I was lucky. Some drops stuck and got me through.

“Mr. Bartley called me a hero, but I don’t see it that way. Survival doesn’t make me a hero. Doing the right, moral, responsible thing doesn’t make me a hero. It makes me a decent human being.”

He gets to his feet. “Each of you has a piece of paper and a pen. Write down your answers, please.

“If you could have the best, most unforgettable day with someone you love or someone important to you, who would it be and what would you do? Write it down.”

He waits.

“Now imagine the worst, most terrible thing that could happen to the person you love. Write it down.”

He waits.

“Now imagine that worst, most terrible thing happens to you.”

He waits.

“Imagine that you have the power to stop it. You can prevent that worst, most terrible thing from happening to the person you love and to you.”

He waits.

“Now imagine that you have no power to stop it. No matter what you do, what you say, or how hard you try, it happens.”

He waits.

“This, my friends, is what happened to every victim of the Holocaust. This is what happens to every victim of hate.”

Chapter 67: Joe Bartley

Last day of school:

Principal McNeil motions to Joe to take a seat across from his desk. Rocking back in his chair, Arthur says, “I’ll get right to it, Joe. I’m sorry, but this is your last day teaching at RHS.”

Joe chokes on the piece of candy that Miss Wather had given him. He coughs and coughs and struggles to get his breath. His eyes water, raining down like tears. Arthur takes a water bottle from his office mini-fridge, twists the cap open, and hands it to Joe.

“I’m fired? Why?”