Survival: A Story of Friendship

Alice Weil

Description

It is a true story based on 13 years of research: the story of friendship between a Jewish boy, Freddy and his Christian friend, Helmut (who are separated by the political turmoil of the aftermath of the First World War in Germany), who obliged Freddy and Freddy's family to seek refuge in France. It is also the story of friendship between Freddy and George, Freddy's classmate whom Freddy meets in school in Paris. Moreover, it is also the story of Sigmund, whose patriotic blindness impacted his and his family's life; the story of Nellie, who left Germany for Colombia before Nellie's parents sought refuge in France and whose mission would be to reunite the family in a peaceful and friendly country. Furthermore, the novel also emphasises the emotional costs of the First World War and its indirect result on the onset of the Second World War.

Sujets

• Histoire
• World War I

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 31 juillet 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528972406
• Langue: English

Extrait

Survival: A Story of Friendship
Alice Weil
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-07-31
Survival: A Story of Friendship About the Author About the Book Copyright Information Acknowledgement How This Novel Came to Be Introduction Part I – Frankfurt Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Part II – Paris Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Part III – Life Without Sigmund Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Epilogue Bibliography
About the Author
Alice is half-American and half-German. She grew up in Colombia and attended a French and German school, therefore being fluent in four languages. She has three children and seven grandchildren. After having travelled all over the world, she immersed herself in the spiritual teachings of India and lives by these teachings which have enabled her to serve others thus living her Dharma, or life’s purpose. This is her first novel.
About the Book
It is a true story based on 13 years of research: the story of friendship between a Jewish boy, Freddy and his Christian friend, Helmut (who are separated by the political turmoil of the aftermath of the First World War in Germany), who obliged Freddy and Freddy’s family to seek refuge in France. It is also the story of friendship between Freddy and George, Freddy’s classmate whom Freddy meets in school in Paris. Moreover, it is also the story of Sigmund, whose patriotic blindness impacted his and his family’s life; the story of Nellie, who left Germany for Colombia before Nellie’s parents sought refuge in France and whose mission would be to reunite the family in a peaceful and friendly country.
Furthermore, the novel also emphasises the emotional costs of the First World War and its indirect result on the onset of the Second World War.
Copyright Information
Copyright © Alice Weil (2019)
The right of Alice Weil to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528949842 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528972406 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgement
To my children and grandchildren, who have stood by me all these years, encouraging me to finish telling the story that has now finally seen the light of day.
How This Novel Came to Be
After being told I was expecting my first grandchild, my thoughts went back in time to when my parents were expecting me, their first child. The joy was huge, for it had taken many years for my mother to get pregnant and now that I was on my way, I was their dream come true. My parents gave me a legacy of values, which I have passed on to my children. I, however, wanted to leave this grandchild, and all the others who might come, a special one: A story of their ancestors, written as a novel with all the historical facts, but not too many, for it was not meant to be a history book. Just enough to arouse their interest and inspire them to do their own research.
Whenever I sat down to write, I would imagine hearing my granddaughter’s voice in the background saying, “Please tell me more… And then what happened?” It has taken me 13 years to write it, but now, having finished, I must say that history seems to repeat itself. The times we are living in are not much different from the ones described in the novel.
The message to them, to future generations, and to all those who read this is: let us never forget, let us always remember that love, gratitude, compassion, generosity and friendship transcend distances and all circumstances.
Introduction
8 August 1918 was a very bleak day for Germany. Having lost the Battle of Amiens, the Military and the Emperor realised they had no other option but to surrender to the enemy. It was not until 14 September, when Austria and Hungary began peace talks with the Allies that General Ludendorff, the head of the German military, was able to persuade Wilhelm the II to ask for an Armistice. The American President, Wilson, offered his services as a mediator in January 1918 but had been ignored. The request was not made until 4 October when the German government sent a note to the American President since the German military needed this lapse of time to come to terms with its defeat.
The reply the German Government received from the American Secretary of State, Mr Lansing, was unacceptable to the military. The Americans demanded military capitulation of the country and the abdication of the Emperor. The German military felt completely humiliated. At the time, both the military and the civil governing parties were governing the country. The Chancellor understood that this situation could not continue and, seeking the best for the country, gave the Emperor an ultimatum: It was either he, the Chancellor, or Ludendorff. Wilhelm the II chose to dismiss General Ludendorff. On that same day, the Constitution of 1871 was changed and Germany became a parliamentary monarchy and the following day, the Emperor left for Belgium, never to return. The military did not accept Ludendorff’s dismissal and did everything to hinder the peace negotiations, trying to bring down the new governing order, convinced that the military were historically entitled to govern the country.

Part I – Frankfurt

Chapter 1
Sigmund had been an officer in the Prussian army and was on his way to Frankfurt after an honourable discharge. He had mixed feelings about his homecoming. It was the first time he would be back since the death of his beloved Alice and indeed, he envisioned her beautiful face as his thoughts went back to those cherished and painful memories.
They met on a tennis court in Gstaad, Switzerland on a beautiful, warm summer day. Looking out the window of his hotel room, he was mesmerised by the sight of this beautiful girl. She was laughing and her long, blond hair sparkled in the sunlight. He watched her for a long time, wondering who she might be. He had business to attend too, so he didn’t return until late, but she was on his mind the whole time. He had a tennis lesson on the weekend and hoped he would run into her then. He was in luck. She was talking to the tennis pro. He felt his heart skip a beat. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, listening attentively to what the pro was saying.
As he approached, she turned to look at him and gave him a lovely smile. She smiled often and her smile was in her eyes as well. He would never forget that smile. The pro introduced them and upon hearing her name, Alice, he thought how well it suited her. This was to be the beginning of their courtship. They played tennis daily and enjoyed their time together. It was love at first sight. They were married in Frankfurt; it was a huge affair, as she came from a very prestigious Jewish family. Sigmund, being an officer in the Prussian army, was assigned to different posts in different cities, so their courtship had not been easy, but they were both looking forward to settling down and being together.
A year after their marriage, Alice bore him a beautiful daughter whom they named Nellie. She was the image of her mother. Sigmund longed to be home with his little family and looked very much forward to his time off. On those days, they would sit by the fire and dream about their life when they could all be together.
A shiver ran down his spine as he came back to reality, looking at the scenery around him. He closed his eyes. He would never forget the day he received the news that his beloved was very ill. She was dying. He thought he would make it home before, but it was too late. He got there only in time to make the funeral arrangements and to cry his loss.
Alice’s mother took Nellie under her wing since Sigmund had to go back to his duties. It had been so painful, so sad, what a loss, what a waste. They were so young and the world was at their feet, but all their dreams were taken from them. Yet, he hadn’t lost it all. He had a daughter, and she reminded him so much of her. His mood changed and he felt elated, having something very special to look forward to. No longer feeling sorry for himself, he decided he would do his best to make a home for them both.
The train pulled into the main station, and he caught a glimpse of his brother, Paul, waiting for him, Nellie by his side. She was turning into a lovely young lady and had just celebrated her 14 th birthday. Where did the time go? It seemed to him like yesterday that he was holding her in his arms. She looked more like her mother than he remembered. They embraced in silence and walked towards the waiting car. Paul looked a lot older; the years left their mark on him. They drove home, each busy with their own thoughts. Nellie was wondering what her life would now be like, living with her father again. She would miss her grandmother but knew she was welcome any time. Sigmund looked out the window, taking in all the changes and rejoicing now that he would be able to settle down, have a home and tend to the business his father had founded, th