Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

among the crowd.Alexandra’s eyebrows arched in surprise. Claudia appeared entirely different from the girl she had thought Niko waslooking for. Not tall, but delicately proportioned, straight dark hair done in a boyish page-cut, and a narrow intelligent facewith two deep-set brown eyes that seemed to hold the knowledge of centuries. Despite her smile and lively, fluidgestures an aura of veiled tragedy surrounded her.She has mediumistic powers! Persephone crossed Alexandra's mind, but her fleeting defensive mistrust was dispelled byClaudia’s guileless exclamation, "I am so happy to finally meet Niko’s most beloved sister. You have no idea how oftenhe talks of you, Alexandra."Alexandra recalled that Claudia studied medicine, and soon the two were engaged in a lively discussion of theadvantages and disadvantages of the Munich hospitals where Alexandra intended to spend her second clinical year.The beer arrived, zwei Kleine for Alexandra and Claudia and each ein ganzes Mass for the others. Konrad had alsothoughtfully brought two big glasses for their new friends. To accompany the beer he brought Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut,sweet mustard, and huge pretzels.Taken aback by the gigantic size of the beer glasses and the pretzels, Alexandra watched with mild horror how Katharinaattacked her beer with gusto. Blond, full-bosomed Katharina, happy and spontaneous, completely at home, was theirrepressible life of the evening. What a robust woman compared to the fragile, complicated Claudia.Katharina raised her glass to this unexpectedly happy reunion, and wished herself many more such gemütliche evenings.Everyone clinked glasses.Later, when Katharina distracted the others with a description of Kandinsky’s painting classes, Anna asked Alexandra ina hushed voice. "How long are you married, Frau Alexandra?"Alexandra told her, and Anna asked surprised. "And you have only one child? I suffered through two pregnancies in lessthan three years. How did you keep from getting pregnant? The many births are too much for me, but the church ispreaching that we should have more children."How often Alexandra had heard this plea from the indigent women she treated in the workers’ housings in St. Petersburg.But this was no place to discuss such matters. At first Alexandra considered giving Anna her address, but her mentioningof the church kept her from doing so.She looked at Anna and her youngest child. "Are you still nursing?""Yes," said Anna, "the midwife says that as long as I am nursing I cannot get pregnant, that’s why.""That is not true, and you know it, Anna. You conceived your second child when you were nursing the first, am I right?"Anna nodded."Look, I will give you a recipe for a strong tea that will induce your period. You can drink it after making love, but you mustnot use it when you are nursing, you might kill the child. As long as you are feeding a baby you must keep your husbandaway from you, that is the only safe way.""It’s so difficult, doctor Alexandra," Anna said with a deep sigh.Eventually, Alexandra wrote a recipe for a herbal mixture that she had used herself on a slip of paper and told her todrink two glasses of it for three days in a row after making love. "You must remember what I told you, use it only after youweaned the baby and never drink more. This is dangerous medicine.""Yes, doctor Alexandra." Anna nodded and quietly hid the paper in her décolleté.Depressed, Alexandra thought of the plight of women in these patriarchal societies and resolved to spend some time inthe university library searching for the contraceptive knowledge of the past, which had been suppressed by the churchand the medical profession. Her search in the libraries in St. Petersburg had been unsuccessful. Such information waslocked and only available to the medical chairholders. One of her hopes was that the revolution would free the Russianwomen from that yoke.When Anna said good-bye to take her children and husband home she kissed Alexandra wishing her health and a happylife."This was a great honor, Alexandra, considering the differences in social status between her and you," said Claudia witha didactic undertone.When Alexandra described Anna’s request, Claudia raised her eyebrows and with condescension in her voice said. "Youwere well advised not to give her your name and address, you could have got yourself into real trouble with theauthorities in this deeply Catholic, patriarchal country."Bristling Alexandra said with an unnecessarily sharp undertone. "My first thought was not my safety, but how to help thisabused woman. You may not have seen as many female victims of unrestrained social pressures to reproduce as I haveamong the uneducated, impoverished workers of St. Petersburg. For these women children are a scourge. Modernmedicine doesn’t know the simplest details about the physiology of conception or the pharmacology of its prevention,despite the fact that this information was known to the ancient physicians and still exists among the women in ourGeorgian villages. I am determined to face down this male-dominated medical establishment and learn as much aboutbirth control as I can."Claudia’s tired eyes looked at Alexandra wearily. "Yes, I do understand what you mean and share your concern. We80