It went on like that for a few minutes. A name. A pause while the girl or boy stood up. And on to the next name. No explanations from Mr Schmidt. Was this a game? Max hoped so. Mr Schmidt’s games had been legendary ever since the snowy day.

There must have been ten or eleven kids standing when Mr Schmidt said, ‘Leo Grunberg.’

Leo turned to Max, his jaw open. ‘What have I done?’ he whispered.

Max held his hands up in a wide I don’t know kind of way. Then he grinned and put both of his thumbs up to encourage Leo as he shuffled up from his cross-legged position to stand up with the others.

Max couldn’t help feeling a tiny stab of jealousy. Leo always did better than Max did. Max had a sneaking suspicion that Leo was one of Mr Schmidt’s favourites, and this just confirmed it. Everyone being asked to stand up had probably won a prize or something.

But the flood of jealousy didn’t last long. It was quickly overtaken by a feeling of guilt. Max should be pleased for Leo. They were best friends, after all, even if they had to keep it secret from Max’s father now.

But still, Max sometimes felt invisible at school. He was one of the youngest in the year, one of the smallest amongst the boys, last to be picked for the sports teams, middle of the road with his marks. Sometimes it would be nice to be noticed and praised, like some of the other children. Like Leo.

Mr Schmidt put his list back in his pocket and took a long breath as he waited for the hall to be absolutely silent.

It seemed everyone in the hall held their breath while they waited.

And then Mr Schmidt spoke, and Max would have bet the loose change in his trouser pocket that not a single person in the room would have guessed what he was about to say.

LEO

‘We here in this school, we citizens of Vienna, are overjoyed that the Anschluss has taken place,’ Mr Schmidt began.

I’d heard of the Anschluss. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but it had happened just this weekend. Mama and Papa had been talking about it in hushed whispers at home and I knew it had something to do with the sudden appearance of soldiers on the streets. But I didn’t understand what it could have to do with me, or with this assembly.