The Book Brigade

All was dark but the poor ochre light from a single bulb. Raindrops collected on the window, the street outside illuminated by the roadside lamps. It was useless trying to study now, and Maria-Jo’s eyes were beginning to strain. She stretched out in a sigh, enjoying the delicious silence in the Heidelberg university library, certain she was the last there. Conscious that her Grossvater may be waiting up, she deftly placed her books in her satchel, fastened her coat and turned off the light. There was still a dim glow of light from downstairs, so she made her way towards it. The uncomfortable squeak of a door on its hinges made her come to a standstill. Strange… There were no doors in this area. About to continue, the thudding of rapid footsteps ricochet to her left. “THUMP.” Anywhere else at that time, and she would have felt unnerved, but she had stumbled upon students doing questionable things in the library before. Maria strode over, ready for a confrontation. To her surprise, she came face to face with the library assistant, Hans. 

“Oh! Maria! You gave me a fright!” He chuckled as he let out a long breath. “It’s late, I’m going to be closing up soon, you should go.” He said, as an order rather than his usual light request. 

“What are you doing Hans?” She asked, curious. 

He was all pressed up against a shelf, as though shielding her view. “Oh, none of your concern - you really should go, the rain will pick up.” He stated. 

Something was off. The usual polite, charming man had beads of sweat on his forehead, when it was a cool evening. Hans jumped at the quiet rise and fall of a conversation downstairs as a handful of students left. 

“Hans.. What are you doing?” Maria asked. He glared into her eyes, fear emanating off of him. He’d been caught, but in what she did not know. Until she saw the books in his arms. She raised a hand to her mouth… 

“You can’t tell anyone!!” He whispered. “You have to promise me!” He said, grabbing her shoulder. A book fell with a loud thud onto the floor that seemed to rip open the sky. 

“You have to help me! Please!” Maria-Jo was already reaching for the book, tucking it into her coat. “Ok.” She whispered, knowing that one word could change her life for the worse. Hans stepped aside, revealing a bookshelf that appeared slightly ajar from the wall, like a door. She looked at Hans and intuitively understood what he was doing. 

“How many more do you plan on hiding?” She inquired in a low voice. 

“About a dozen more. Enough that it won’t be obvious. And I’ve already tweaked the records, so no one should know.” 

“Ok.” She said. 

“Maria, you have to understand. I couldn’t let-” 

“I know.”

He gave her a small, despondent smile as he shoved the books into her arms, gesturing to go into the secret room. “I’ll be back.” He said. 

Earlier that day

It was a miserable gray morning for a spring day. Maria-Johanna trudged down the street in her pleated tweed skirt, and matching overcoat. The seemingly never-ceasing rain matched her low mood, but at least there was coffee. Her Grossvater opened the door for her, and the comforting smells of baked goods and warm drinks encircled her. It was almost tradition now to go and have breakfast with her only living grandparent. He would read the paper, and she would prepare for her day of study. Today was different though. They sat at their same favorite spot near the window. They ordered the same food as yesterday. Everything was alike to the day before, yet she felt so different. She couldn’t unhear what she had heard on the radio last evening. She couldn’t unsee the pictures in the morning paper that were now before her. Everyone else seemed to be in good spirits, with a sense of comradery and pride. Perhaps it would help to write to her mother, she felt she must unburden her soul to someone. Reaching into her leather satchel, she retrieved her paper and fountain pen. 

11 May 1933

Dearest Ma, I miss you very much. I’m sorry I haven’t written to you in an entire fortnight… Studies have kept me simply hounded! I hope you are well. Grossvater is well, and in good spirits, especially with the recent happenings in Germany. I on the other hand feel a little out of place. I thought being here would help me feel more connected to Vater, and what it is to be German, but I don't. I still miss England, and you, and feel more British than I do German. I’m sure you will soon hear in the news of what happened yesterday, especially in Berlin. They burned the books, so very many, making a ceremony of it. I found it all quite extreme, when everyone else seems to be rather happy about it. They say it’s symbolic. Do you think Vater would’ve been proud? Grossvater is, he says Germany is reclaiming its identity, and finally striving for unity of thought and mind, that it will make us strong. I suppose I still feel separate from it all, and I certainly pity the authors who have been publicly disgraced. Anyway, I must prepare for my lectures. I am overall enjoying my time here at Heidelberg, so please don’t be concerned for me. I know you often read between the lines, but I really am quite happy. I especially love the library, although I suppose they will burn many of the books here too. It was raining yesterday evening, and continues today so we shall be a little delayed in doing so. Grossvater wants me to take part in it, but I feel a bit uncomfortable with it. Perhaps I'm just being silly, and don't yet see how this is beneficial for us, as Grossvater does. I love you always Ma, and hope you are doing well. Give my love to Martha and Albert and write me soon.

All my love, 

Maria-Johanna 

Later that evening

Hans and Maria-Jo finished stashing the last of the books in the hidden room, how he had found its existence she did not know. 

“I can’t thank you enough.” Hans said.

“Yes, well… I suppose I ask you promise not to tell anyone either. You realize we just broke the law…”

“I know… I'm honestly not sure if it was the right or wrong thing to do… Everything is changing, and everyone else is too.” Hans said thoughtfully.

“I know!” Maria chuckled quietly. “I don’t know whether to feel like a hero, or a villain right now!”

“We did the right thing, I’m sure of it.” He said

“Well you better be.” She replied in a serious tone. 

They walked out of the library together. The hidden room behind the shelf was concealed. The library was closed. Maria went home to her Grossvater who was annoyed that she was home at such a late hour. He had demanded to know what she'd been doing, and so she lied to him for the first time. Hans went home and didn’t sleep well that night, sure that someone would find out. That he would lose his only source of income, as pitiful as it was. It was six days later when the rain finally eased that the students of Heidelberg university took part in burning thousands of books, zealous for the idea of purifying Germany. No one discovered that a library assistant and a student had hidden some of the books. 

Maria continued to study until she had to drop out of university. Her Grossvater was adamant on the ideologies circulating Germany that indeed a woman should be married and have children. Maria decided to go along with his desires, seeking to please him. Hans was sad to see her go as they had built a close bond over the years. He soon proposed and they got married, much to Maria’s Grossvaters approval. Although Maria was crestfallen she had to stop her studies, she was otherwise fairly happy in a world that seemed ever changing. But little did Maria-Jo and Hans know, that hiding books was to be the least of their concern when it later came to hiding people.