I want to know if this style of piece is a good idea for context in the exam or if not what are some other unique ideas that not a lot of people choose to do?. I also know the relationship to life of Galileo is not obvious so i was wondering how to do this better as this piece was written as a practice sac when were were using the statement of intention.
“Conflict always involves choices”
I still remember the Schmidts. They were brutally killed in the street for harbouring a Jew, just like us. They were shot, a single bullet to the head. I can still see each of their heads, one by one jerking backwards as the bullet made its passage through their skull, taking their lives. Their pain was obvious with death lingering but it wasn’t instantaneous, they were left to suffer. I can still see the faces of their kids, both no more than 10 as they howled in pain unware of what happened or why but both on the verge of death. It took only minutes, but felt like years. It was this time that every fear/ possible reality ran through my head. This made it real. They were an example set for everyone else, they were the consequences to be faced if caught housing a Jew, they were possibly us. We too were secretly harbouring a Jew. That made me question if I was doing the right thing, not only for me but for my family, I was conflicted, whose live was worth more? But in reality the danger to my family was possible but had we abandoned Max, he would have faced certain danger, certain death.
Max may not be blood but he is family. His parents were adopted into our family and so too was Max. We promised them we would look after their son, their pride and joy, their only child when the Nazi uprising began to take shape. Unfortunately we couldn’t take all three, one was dangerous enough, I mean after all I had my own young family to think about too and for that I live with regret. Whilst we do not know for sure what ever happened to them, we can almost guarantee that they succumb to their religion at the hands of the Nazi party.
There wasn’t a night I didn’t sleep in fear. The searches were unannounced and thorough, leaving us with the issue of where to hide Max. We were eventually forced to place him under the house, underneath the floorboards in the dirt and dark. We know it wasn’t pleasant but it was for us and him, it helped protect both of us. We had to, he has to.
I constantly struggled with what to do, I had a young family to think about too, but when push came to shove, Max was a part of our family and we couldn’t force him to leave. 20 years on to this day and Max remains part of our family. He is our adopted son, we are his adopted parents. We were the lucky ones, we were not caught like so many others and for that I am eternally grateful.
I still remember the first time I heard my parents mention Hitler, they were arguing about his and his party’s possible prevail, although I didn’t know this at the time, after all I was only 8 years old. But 20 years on and I still live with the aftermath of effects created from Hitler’s supremacy. Hitler’s reign effectively destroyed my innocence and stole my childhood. I was stripped of my freedom.
Had it not been for the Müllers I would most certainly be dead right now, they saved my life. My only wish would be that my parents survived too, even though deep down I know that was never possible. Instead they sacrificed themselves in order to save me and allow me to have a future in this corrupt world. Despite my everlasting gratitude as they saved my life I was always questioning was the risk I put them in worth it. Was it fair? I was forever left questioning was my life worth more than four, was the principle of one Jewish life worth more than four German lives? The answer to this varied depending who was asked. This was the eternal conflict I faced non top. This was amplified once I heard about the Schmidt`s. They were brutally killed by Nazi forces in public view to display the consequences if caught housing a Jew. This solidified the risk I was putting the Müllers in.
I am awoken every night to loud noises, they restore the fear felt inside throughout a Jewish search, it was during these searches that I was forced to hide underneath the floor boards, amongst the dirt. The claustrophobia would set in, what I would face constantly when hiding under the floorboards for hours on end during the constant and recurrent searches, conducted by the Nazi party to lo just like me. I was trapped beneath the floor. I could feel the weight of someone standing above me. Any noise and I would have just killed five people, my self-included. I sneeze, cough or weep and we were gone. This time the Müllers lives were in my hands. This is what made me focus. I had to forget the claustrophobia, despite its strong presence. I would feel trapped with little space above or around me, I was surrounded by dirt and the air was frozen.
20 years on and the effects are still present, Nazi power may have disintegrated but they still rule in my mind. I worry if I will ever be the same, mentally. The country is trying to rebuild, trying to forget their callous actions, seeking forgiveness but I am seeking someone to blame. Do I blame Hitler himself, do I blame the whole of the Nazi party or do I blame the people of Germany for allowing it to happen? This I will forever struggle with, how can I trust the people of my Nation again? But recently I have begun to realise in order to forget, I need to forgive. But how can I? After all they took my parents, they took the parents of a small helpless and innocent child without even batting an eyelid.
My life will forever be owed to Hans and his family. They gave the ultimate sacrifice so I didn’t have to. Without them my story would be completely different, and remain untold. It would be swept in the past in a bid to forget the truth. The reign of Hitler brought out the best and worst in German society.
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