Holocaust - Khurram Bukhari

Holocaust 201Laura asked, “Papa, can we open presents?” She is a beautifulchild-blond and fair like her mother, with a heart-shaped face.And Peter: “Yes! Presents!” He is old enough to be a Hitler Jugend now,and proudly wore his uniform. (And was a bit annoyed with me for choosingto spend Christmas Eve in a plaid sports coat, rather than my uniform.)“After the singing, children,” Marta said. “You know the rules—singing,cleaning up the table, cleaning the kitchen, then presents. Rewardsonly after duty.”“Just like the army,” Kurt added. “Your father did his duties at the front,and now he is rewarded with a long vacation.”“Quite correct,” I said. “Just as Mama got this present—this beautifulpiano—for being so brave while I was away.”Kurt, who has always had an eye for design and quality, ran his handover the burnished mahogany surface of the Bechstein. “It’smagnificent. They say the tone of these Bechsteins improves with age.”Marta played a few chords, reveling in the sounds. “I was stunnedwhen the movers came with it. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”Peter blurted out, “And it didn’t cost a penny!”“Really?” asked Kurt.“It was sitting, unplayed, in that clinic on Groningstrasse, in an upstairsroom,” I explained. “The physician who runs the place, Dr. Heinzen,knows of my interest in music, and so he offered it to me.”“Offered?” Kurt looked puzzled.“In the interest of party unity. I was helpful in arranging for the gooddoctor to take the clinic over.”Marta frowned. “I think it could use a tuning.”“Oh,” Kurt joked. “Tuning a piano is no problem. Getting one is.”My uncle seemed to have some fixation on the piano and kept askingquestions about it. He is quite naive about the process by which theparty rewards good workers, high-ranking officers. Peter suddenlyblurted out—he must have overheard a conversation between me andMarta—that the piano once belonged to the Jewish doctor who livedover the clinic.Kurt was about to ask another question, when Marta clapped herhands and said, “Intermission! Time to open presents!”