father - home

This is a testimony of Lieutenant Christine Schlakoff.The content of the testimony is roughly: Lieutenant Schlakov and Fu Zhao were classmates at the Potsdam Military Academy.Because Shilakov is the class monitor and Fu Zhao is a transfer student studying abroad, out of duty, Shilakov has a lot of contact with Fu Zhao, and they usually have a good relationship.

After graduation, Schlakov stayed in school, Fu Zhao went to the First Mountain Division, and at first they kept in touch with each other occasionally. Later, Fu Zhao’s unit participated in the blitzkrieg against Poland, and the whereabouts of the unit became a military secret, so their contact ended. interruption.

He didn't know about Fu Zhao's arrest until I went to him a few days ago.He could prove Fu Zhao's whereabouts on Sunday night, July 1938, 7. The reason why he didn't tell me right away was because the matter was too important to him, and he had to discuss it with his wife.

After going back to discuss with his wife, they believed that Fu Zhao should not be punished for what he did not do, and he should take responsibility for his own affairs, so he took his wife to the SS headquarters in Berlin and surrendered, and at the same time testified for Fu Zhao.

Schlakoff's wife, Natalie, is Jewish.When the Jews were deported, Schlakoff hid his fiancée Natalie. For safety, every once in a while, Schlakoff would find a way to change Natalie's hiding place.During this time, they were secretly married.

In the summer of 1938, Schlakoff placed Natalie in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Berlin, not far from the military academy.Every Sunday, Schlakov delivered Natalie's rations for the week. July 7th was Sunday, and Schlakov was supposed to deliver food to Natalie.But that night, Schlakoff was temporarily notified of a school meeting, and he couldn't go. In this way, Natalie would have nothing to eat for a week.Even if Natalie was not starved to death, she would have to go out of her hiding place to find food because of hunger.Shilakov didn't dare to imagine what his wife might encounter. After thinking twice, he decided to ask Fu Zhao for help.

The reason for choosing Fu Zhao is because Fu Zhao is humble, enthusiastic and responsive to requests.Also because Fu Zhao is a foreigner and doesn't have many friends in school, he is unlikely to accidentally reveal his wife's secrets.Fu Zhao is not very clear about Germany's anti-Semitic policies, and it is even more unlikely that he has anti-Semitic tendencies and will not report them to the authorities.

Of course, Shilakov didn't tell Fu Zhao all the truth, let alone tell Fu Zhao that his wife was a Jew in hiding.He just told Fu Zhao that today is his wife's birthday, and he had made an appointment with his wife to celebrate together, but now he can't go.If he didn't go, his wife would wait until dawn, so he asked Fu Zhao to help deliver the birthday present he had prepared for his wife.

Fu Zhao readily agreed.Shilakov was worried, and also told him, you go alone and don't tell anyone.

At that time Fu Zhao just nodded without any objection.But Fu Zhao is a smart person. After returning, Fu Zhao went to Shilakov to ask the truth.Because Fu Zhao discovered that what he took were bread, cheese, sausage and other food, rather than the usual birthday presents.So Fu Zhao tested Natalie and immediately knew that today was not Natalie's birthday.

Shilakov couldn't hide it, so he could only tell Fu Zhao that Natalie was a Jew in hiding.Because the husband and wife were unwilling to separate, Natalie did not leave Germany with her family at the beginning.Now, if Natalie is found by the authorities, she will be sent to a concentration camp, and he, Shilakov, will also be kicked out of the army, with his future uncertain.Of course Fu Zhao would not do such a thing.After Fu Zhao swore to keep the secret, Schlakov said: In Germany, helping Jews is a felony, and anyone who has helped Jews, regardless of whether they are Germans or not, will be sentenced to death.So, since you've done it, you'd better forget about it altogether.You are here to study abroad, and you will leave in a few days, so don't involve yourself in the right and wrong here.

Under Shilakov's begging and threats, Fu Zhao remained silent about what happened that day.

This is the secret that Zhao didn't want to tell, this is the reason for his collapse, and it may be only one of the reasons.I heard the sound of "It's not worth it!"; I saw the mouthful of blood again; the desperate and sad eyes, the life that almost disappeared before my eyes... I don't know how many facts are concealed in this testimony, But I know one thing, it is impossible for Shilakov to threaten Zhao with his own safety.Zhao did this entirely voluntarily.He wanted to be silent forever.Yes, if he could protect two people, he would do it, even if it was only one person.But now things are reversed. Lieutenant Shilakov and his wife took the initiative to stand up and take all responsibility, and exchanged their own lives for Zhao's innocence...

God!The person who made it all happen is me.This is not the result Zhao hoped for.He longs to be free, longs to be home, but not at the expense of others.Zhao knew that Lieutenant Schlakov was at the school, but he didn't ask me to find him, and he never revealed a little bit to me.It was pure chance that I ran into the lieutenant.Is Zhao blaming me?No!He doesn't blame me, he's just sad.

"How are Shilakov and his wife doing now?" I asked the captain, not daring to look up.I don't know what expression I will have now.

"How? Sent to concentration camps separately, what else? The lieutenant's wife is Jewish, so there is nothing to say. But the lieutenant is different. In order to save him, he was specially given a chance to make up for his mistakes. It is impossible for him to hide his wife so much by himself. For a long time, if he speaks out about the people who helped them, he can get clemency."

"He agreed?"

"Unfortunately, he refused. It's no one else's fault."

I would like to ask where the Lieutenant and his wife are now.But I swallowed the words again, this is not something I can ask, it is useless to ask, and the captain will not know.

"Sir, please forgive me, I don't understand." I put the testimony back on the table, mustered up the courage, and raised my head, hoping that I was calm enough to ask about the situation like a bystander. "This testimony, although it proves that Fu Zhao did not attend the rally that day, but he helped the Jews, will this be more detrimental to him?"

The Captain looked at me through the smoke, smoking his cigar, as he might have been looking at me for a long time.At this time, he said in an understanding and comforting tone: "You can rest assured about this. The testimony clearly stated that the Chinese did not know the truth when they went there, and they were deceived by Shilakov. He is a foreigner, has no friends in our military academy, and feels very lonely. How could he refuse Shilakov’s request. Afterwards, he was threatened by Shilakov and dared not tell the matter.”

"Then why is he so stupid, not to say that he is gay?" I asked knowingly, but I was talking to myself, I know why, I feel distressed.