The End and the Beginning - Open Book Publishers

Unsere Töchter die Nazinen
her knees. That cannot be what her Toni means, what Anton’s child means.
Seeing how pale Kati has become, Seppel sits down beside her and tries
to comfort her. “She is just having us on, comrade,” he says. “She’s far too
smart to do anything like that.” But after a moment’s silence Toni gives her
response in a tormented and sad tone of voice: “I have so much time to think
about things now, Seppel,” she says. “And I’ve realized that none of the
promises of 1918 have been fulfilled. Our Chancellor is a man of the Center
and the Party [the Social Democrats] lets him get away with everything he
wants, every single emergency decree, everything. The Communists yell,
but do nothing. The others [the National Socialists] have a program that is
right for Germany. No, don’t say anything yet. I’m not completely sure yet
where I stand. But I have a sense that the real revolutionary energy is now
with them. And that’s what it’s all about. All the parties have disappointed
us. We have to give the National Socialists a chance to show what they can
do. They’ll help the German worker, they’ll get rid of the greedy capitalists,
and they’ll nationalize the big industrial companies. They’ll release us
from the peace treaties and our country will become strong again, a strong
workers’ state.” (20) Kati is flabbergasted. “My God, Toni, where did you
get all this?” Toni answers in her quiet, serious way (“as though trying
to excuse herself,” Kati thinks): “I have so much time on my hands, so
many vacant hours. And I know that if things go on the way they are, I will
never find work again. But I want to work. I’ve read the National Socialist
newspapers, I’ve spoken with National Socialists, and just recently I went
to a meeting and heard the Führer speak.” Seppel strikes the table with his
fist. “The Führer! The Führer! If you already speak like that, you’re a lost
cause. You…you Nazi Girl!” 12 Whereupon he picks up his cap and runs out
of the room without a good-bye.
Kati now questions her daughter. “You can’t be serious,Toni? You can’t,
I won’t let you do that.” “Let me be, mother,” Toni replies. “We all have to
work this out for ourselves.” Suddenly Kati is overcome by rage: “You are
not going to any more Nazi meetings, do you hear. You will have nothing
more to do with that mob.” But Toni has her answer ready. “Many years
ago the Social Democrats were also called a ‘mob,’ mother. I read that in
father’s books. Besides, I’m not a child any more. No one tells me what to
do and what not to do.” Kati resorts to pleas and what few arguments she
can muster, but Toni is unmoved. “Don’t torture me, mother, please. It’s no
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12 The German reads “Du…du Nazine!” The term Nazine, inadequately translated
here as “Nazi Girl,” was a quite effective invention of Zur Mühlen’s.