is in charge now, and he’s made no secret of his admiration for Hitler and Mussolini.” Anna shuddered and bent over her teacup as if to draw strength from its warmth. “I for one shall never work there again.”
“And what of Adam Kuckhoff?” Greta inquired, too casually.
Anna regarded her knowingly. “He’s received many offers to join theaters elsewhere in Europe, but he seems determined to stay put. He told me that as someone who is neither a Communist nor a Jew, he’s one of the few politically engaged writers in Germany who is not under attack either racially or politically. He’s able to stay, and so he’s obliged to stay, to fight fascism from within.”
Greta felt a rush of warmth and pride. That was so like Adam, so brave and selfless—and reckless. “I hope he manages to stay out of those new prison camps.”
Anna held her gaze for a moment before glancing away. “His brother-in-law, Hans Otto, does not get along well with Ulbricht. He’s received invitations from theaters in Vienna, Zurich, and Prague, but he seems as reluctant to leave Germany as Kuckhoff is.”
Greta nodded, understanding what Anna was trying to say. If Otto would not leave, then his wife would surely remain as well, as would Armin-Gerd, Marie’s son by Adam. If the rest of the family stayed in Germany, it was very likely that Gertrud—Marie’s sister and Adam’s wife—would too. Adam’s domestic situation would remain as complicated as ever.
“You’re better off here,” said Anna suddenly, reaching across the table to clasp her hand. “We both are.”
“My friends from the university in Frankfurt say the same. They tell me how lucky I am to be able to breathe freely and write, and that I shouldn’t even think of returning for several months.”
“And yet?” Anna prompted.
“Germany is my home,” said Greta, impassioned. “I agree with Adam. If we can stay and fight, we should. Jews and Communists—yes, they should flee if they can. They wear targets on their backs. But as for the rest of us—” She shook her head. “Who will remain to resist the Nazis if all decent people run away?”
“Well, this decent person is staying in London until she’s sure it’s safe to go home.” Anna studied her. “You must realize that if you go back, it may cost you your career, your freedom, even your life.”
Greta’s heart thudded, but her friend’s anxiety compelled her to shrug and force a smile. “Maybe. You’re very persuasive. Why shouldn’t I stay here to plug away at my dissertation and to enjoy as much of the West End as I can afford? What difference could one woman make, especially one as utterly unqualified for politics as I am?”
Some of the worry left Anna’s eyes. “When I write home to friends,” she said carefully, “should I say that you asked about Kuckhoff?”
Greta waved a hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter. I asked about a lot of people. There’s no need to mention Kuckhoff unless you mention them too.”
Anna shrugged and sipped her tea as if it were of little consequence, but Greta suspected it would not be long until Adam knew she was in London.
A week later, Professor Mannheim arrived in London, exhausted but effusive in his praise and thankfulness for Greta’s efforts on his behalf. “This will do nicely,” he said. “I feel as if I had been cast adrift on a lifeboat, and the London School of Economics pulled me in to a safe harbor. I wonder if you would recognize the university in Frankfurt anymore, so many faculty have left.”
“I feared as much,” said Greta. “In his last letter, my father mentioned that he had read in the newspaper that professors throughout Germany are suddenly taking leaves of absence. He said there were six listed from Frankfurt am Main alone.”
“Only six? Your father’s information is out of date.” Professor Mannheim gave a derisive snort. “Leave of absence. What a pretty euphemism. Jews, Communists, and other undesirables are being forcibly excised from academia. Who will be next?”
“Women, I imagine.”
The professor regarded her with sympathy over the rims of his glasses. “You must not let that discourage you from completing your degree.”
“I won’t.” Her interest in her dissertation was waning for entirely different reasons.
Any reasonable person would conclude that her only rational choice was to enroll in the London School of Economics, earn her doctorate, and wait out the strife at home. Let others engage in that fight for Germany’s soul, people better suited for waging political battles, people like