My German Lover, Part 22

*** A DAY TO REMEMBER

July 15, 1942 was a beatiful summer day.

When Paul arrived on Avenue Foch from La Vacherie, Will had already left for work so Paul went to his study, and started reading a few reports...

His business partners in Germany had suggested to invest some money, a lot of money in fact, in some kind of industries in Germany and Poland and now, Paul was studying the deal as well as the balance sheets... and he just didn't know what to think of them...

First, he couldn't really tell what those industries were producing... Second, from the documents he had, he could see that others were already holding a large stake in those industries, but he couldn't tell who they were, since the title-deeds were not clear...

But most of all, Paul's attention was drawn by the fact that, going over the balance-sheets, he could see hundreds of people were working in those industries, but... were not paid!

That doesn't make sense, Paul thought to himself!

Normally, salaries constitute a big part of the expenditures... but according to the balance-sheets he had in front of him, no such expenditures existed in those industries.

Paul was puzzled and the only answer he could come up with was that the balance-sheets were false!

He decided to give a call to one of his business partners in Berlin, in order to obtain some explanations...

The only explanations he got were laughs!

No, he was told... the balance-sheets are right: There are no such expenditures as salaries in thoses industries... since the workers over there are... well... "furnished" at no cost! How is that possible? Who are they? Furnished by whom? The guy in Berlin wouldn't say.

"... Better not to ask too many questions about that, my friend", he told Paul!

When Paul hung up the phone, he didn't know what to think about the whole thing: It just didn't make sense at all...

So he decided that, for the moment, he would put aside the proposition so later, he would have time to think about it...

He looked at his watch and realized Will was about to get back from work.

He went upstairs, took a quick shower, changed, then came back just in time to see Will come through the door...

"Hi! How was your day?", Paul asked him, with a big smile on his face...

But before Will had time to answer his question, Paul realized there was something wrong with Will...

"Hey... What's wrong?"

At first, Will didn't answer. They slowly made their way to the drawing-room, then sat. Paul was looking at Will.

"Something big is going on...", Will answered, with a worried look on his face...

"What do you mean by "something big"...

"... That's the problem: I don't really know! At the office, we heard rumours about a big operation called "Vent printanier" (spring wind)"

"(...)"

"I asked Oberstleutnant Koch about that operation, and he said he doesn't know much about it, since the Wehrmacht is not involved: According to what he heard, only the Gestapo and French policemen are involved..."

"The Gestapo? (...) And French policemen? What the hell are you talking about?"

"...I don't know, Paul! (...) And I've also heard that, a few days ago, hundreds of vehicles had been requisitioned..."

"Huh?"

"...Yeah!"

"What does that mean?", Paul asked...

"...That lots of people will soon get arrested, what else?"

"Shit! But why?"

"If the Gestapo is involved, as they say... I'm sure we're talking about Jews..."

"...Jews? But..."

"...I've heard about these operations... It happened in the past, all over Germany! Policemen come without warning, usually during the middle of the night, and all the Jews in a borough or a city are arrested..."

"Where are they taken to?"

"...We don't know! (...) Like our Jewish neighbours in Berlin that have vanished one night... you know... I've told you that story... and as I told you, we never heard from them again", Will answered, looking down at the carpet...

"...What you're telling me now makes no sense..."

"That's what I used to think. Rumours... That's what I used to think. But tell me Paul: Why the hell have our Jewish neighbours totally disappeared? One night, they were there... and the morning after, they were gone! And not just one Jewish family: All the Jews living on our street! They had suddenly left their homes, with all the furniture in! They had abandoned all their belongings? Suddenly? Just like that? I've seen it with my own eyes, Paul! So we're not talking about rumours here..."

"That's beyong me..."

"Well, get back on earth, will you?"

"(...)"

"What about your next-door neighbours? Have you thought about them?"

"(...) Mrs & Mr Bloomfield? What about them?"

"You told me they are Jewish..."

"...Well... Yes. But they are French citizens: Pétain would never allow French citizens to be arrested like that..."

"My poor Paul: The old man has no control over the situation. He's not even his own man! He's just a puppet... Beside, how do you know for sure your neighbours are French citizens?"

"...I've known them since I was a child... As far as I know, they have always been our neighbours and my father's tenants. Hey! I've been to school with their son, and I used to play around with him in our back-yard..."

"...So? That doesn't prove they are French citizens: Only that they've been around for a while... If I were you, I'll walk over to their home, and ask them!"

"Are you crazy or what? ... I would walk over there like that... knock on their door, and out of nowhere, I would ask them: "Hi! Are you French citizens?" Get serious, Will!"

"...As you wish... But I'm telling you: If they ever "vanish" into the night, don't blame me..."

"...We're in Paris, here! Not in Berlin! That will never happen! Never!".

After that, the two lovers changed the subject and made small talk about trivial matters...