English

Translated excerpt
Alexander Kluge
Das fünfte Buch.
Neue Lebensläufe. 402 Geschichten.
Suhrkamp Verlag, Berlin 2012
ISBN 978-3-518-42242-7
S. 7-22
Alexander Kluge
The Fifth Book.
New Case Histories. 402 Stories.
Translated by Martin Chalmers
© 2012 Litrix.de
1
Foreword
Therumbleofaworldswallowedup,theresilienceofhumanlabour
andoflovepolitics,coldcurrent,theinvisiblewritingofourancestors
–thesearethethemes.ThisvolumeisentitledTHEFIFTHBOOK
becauseitisindialoguewiththepreviousfourvolumesofmy
stories.Asinmyfirstbook,whichIpublishedin1962,it’sabout
CURRICULAVITAE–thecourseofcertainlives.Thestoriesarein
partinvented,inpartnotinvented.
AlexanderKluge
Abb.: Von der letzten Flottenexpedition, die das Zeitalter der Aufklärung vor der Französischen Revolution aussandte, stammt diese Zeichnung eines inzwischen ausgestorbenen
Riesenkänguruhs (vergleiche seitlich die Baumhöhe). Das ist ein Bild aus dem Reich der
Antipoden zum Jahre 1789.
Man sieht das kluge Auge des Tiers, das doch für seine Nachkommenschaft nicht garantieren konnte. In der Bauchfalte das kostbare Versteck für das Frischgeborene, das mit dem
Muttertier durch die Wüste hüpft.
(c) Suhrkamp Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin
Confidential Review Copy
2
Illus.Thisdrawingofameanwhileextinctgiantkangaroo(cf.the
heightofthetreebyitsside)wasmadeduringthelastnaval
expeditionsentoutbytheAgeofEnlightenmentbeforetheFrench
Revolution.Thisisapicturefrom1789fromtherealmofthe
Antipodes.
Onenotestheintelligenteyeofthebeast,whichneverthelesswas
unabletoensurethatitwouldhavedescendants.Initsstomachfold
theprecioushidingplaceofthenew‐bornoffspringthathopsacross
thedesertwithitsmother.
3
1
LivesandtheirCourses
InAugust1914thefirstimpulseofHedwigKluge,mypaternal
grandmother,onreceivingthenewsthatOtto,herfirstbornson,had
beenkilledinaction,wastotraveltoBelgiumandmakesurethathe
wasgivenaproperburial.Whensheheardthattherewasnotransport
availabletotakeparentstothefrontsheweptbitterly.
AworkerinFrankfurt‐on‐Mainhadworkedallhislifeinthesame
plant.Thefactorywentbankrupt.Theworkerwenttoseeadoctor.
Evenbeforethefactorywasshutdownhehadbeensufferingfrom
severestomachache.Thedoctorprescribedpills.Ihavegivenupallthe
daysofmylife,saidtheworker,andinreturnIgetthesepills.Idon’t
agreewiththat.
InAugust2011oneoftheEXPERIENCEDTAMERSOFCAPITALwas
sittinginhisofficetower.Hiseyeswerefixedonhiscomputerscreen.
TheDAXshareindexsignalled(asanalmostverticalfall)alossoffour
pointsinlessthanfourminutes.Apracticalman,hehadnotheoryto
explainwhatwashappening.Hewouldhavelikedtodosomethingwith
hishands:cracknuts,peelanapple,pourmineralwaterintohisglass–
hewantedtoengageinsomekindofactivityandnotstareatthe
screenandwait.
4
Intheyear1800HeinrichvonKleistdrewupaBINDINGLIFEPLAN.He
thenwantedtosealtheplanwithanactionofsomekind(signapiece
ofpaperinblood,dedicatetheplanunderoathtosomebeloved
person).Infact,however,thetendenciesinKleist’slivelymindradiated
outwards.Theattemptatlinearconcentrationtorehimapart.He
brokeoffhisstudiesandmadehiswaytoWürzburg.
ThefreshsnowonMt.Etna,whichswiftlymeltsdirectlywhereit
bordersontheblacklavazone,wouldbe,accordingtoTomTykwer,
themotifforthebeginningofafilmwiththetitle“Nature’sPaw”.A
filmaboutthetremendouspotentialslumberingintheearth’scrust.
DrSigiMaurerproposestakingthecrumbling,contaminatedlumpsof
material,whichareabouttobedismantledinFukushimatotheplace
wheretheearthquakestarted.TheRUBBLEshouldbedumpedinthe
depthsoftheMARIANASTRENCH.Thepiecescouldcooldowntherefor
alleternity.
MyancestorsfromthesouthernHarzMountainshadnoideawithwhat
aliengenestheywouldhavetoco‐existtodayintheirdescendants.This
linedidn’thaveacluethatlateritwouldbelinkedwithmyforefathers
fromtheEulengebirgeHillsinSilesia.Andtheancestorsfromthe
EulengebirgeandthesouthernHarzsuspectednothingoftheinflow
fromtheEnglishMidlandsandtheMarkofBrandenburg.Allthese
qualitiesseemincompatible.Thefactthatsuchcontrastsdonotgive
risetocivilwarinsoulsandbodies,butareunitedminutebyminutein
everypulse‐beat,ineveryheartbeat,isareflectionofagenerousand
5
tolerantconstitution,expansiveofhumanrights,inwhichthe
generationslive.
It’snotonlypeoplewhoselivesrunacourse,butalsothings:clothes,
work,habitsandexpectations.Forhumansthecourseoftheirlivesisa
dwellingwhenthereiscrisisoutside.Thecoursesofalllivestogether
formaninvisibletext.Theyneverlivealone.Theyexistingroups,
generations,states,networks.Theylovedetoursandloopholes.The
coursesoflivesarelinkedcreatures.
6
I
TheFlyintheglassofPernod
TheflyintheglassofPernod
Itappearsmotionless.WiththerubberendofmypencilIfetchitout
ofthegreenliquidandputitdownonthewickerworkofthebasket.I
assumethatit’sdead.Butafterafewsecondstheinsectmakes
vigorousmovements.Thenextminutethefly,theshort‐livedthing,
hasdisappearedfromsight.Evidentlyairworthy.Itdidnotappearto
be“drunk”.Atenaciouscreature,whichhasmyrespect.Duringthe
courseofourmeetingmanyyears(byitsreckoning)havepassed.
Shoulditeverhavedescendants,itslinewilloutliveme.Ithasexisted
for18millionyears.Thankstotheirfavourableattitudetothe
accidentsoftheworldlightfliersofthiskindhavealmosteternallife.
Flowersinthecity
Theman,abodypackedinjeans,circulationpulsing.Hegoesthrough
thedaywithacalmface.Nervousnessisforeigntohim.Inthefirst
7
instancehe’syoung.Theyoungwomanfidgetingbesidehim,onthe
otherhand,isrestless.Sheevidentlywantstoreceivesomething,
whichheisnotyetreadytogive:permanence.Nowthetwoofthem
sitdownatatableinthegardenoftheItalianrestaurant.Springday.
Hershirtismadeinsuchawaythatoneshoulderisalwaysexposed.
Themanlovesorder.Hewantstoknowwhetherasituationis
intimateandtrickyorwhetherit’sonlyamatterofamealtogetherin
thesun.Hepushesthepieceofclothingoverthenakedshoulder.
Becauseofthewayit’scutitthenfallsofftheothershoulder,
revealingitsnakednessinturn.Thatcreatesunease.
Thedaymustbestressfulfortheyoungwoman.Shetriesonsixto
eightfacialexpressions,eachgazeofdifferentstrength;thenshe
suddenlyhastoyawn,savesherselfwiththetellingmouthathis
chest.Afrownandasmile.Withherfacesheiscommentingona
conversation,whichisnot,infact,takingplace.Theman’sfeatures
remainimpassive.
Iftheycontinuecarryingonlikethatallday,saysthejournalist
DouglasvonPyrmont,who’sobservingthecelebritycouple,they’ll
havenoenergyleftforthesuddenadventofrealintimacy,for
examplewhenthey’realoneintheevening.Whatwilltheywanttodo
witheachotherthen?Inthecourseofthedaythey’llhaveusedup
thedailyportionofmagicinsmalldosesandnudgesof
rapprochement(yetagainhekissesherquicklyonthemouth).
8
Withhisbroadhandthemanstretchesouttoherear,pullsatit,
reachesintothehollowbehindtheear,showsoffhispropertywitha
sovereignair.Then,reachingthroughherlonghair,hekneadsher
neck.Whethersheappreciatesitornotisimpossibletotellfromher
face.Itshiftsbetweenvariousexpressions,hergazesearchesforhis
gazeandthenforhismouth.VonPyrmont,however,believesthatthe
changingexpressionsrepresentakindofpause.Hehascountedthe
shiftsinexpressioninherface:19perminute.Onecouldalso,
accordingtovonPyrmont,considerthechangingexpressionstobe
oneexpression.
Themanthrustshishandupthesleevethatcoverstheupperarm,
abovewhichthenakedshouldergleamsonceagain.Probablyto
distracthim,hermouthapproacheshis.Perhapsit’sherwayof
shakingherpartner’sirksomecrawlinghandoutofhersleeve.The
kissisalreadyover.Thescenealreadyinthepast.Foramomentboth
sitpassively,don’tknowhowtogoon.Butthingshavetogoon,and
theirrepertoireisnotyetexhausted.Agamelikethisistheirdaily
bread.Now,inthemiddleoftheday,theyaretoolethargic,the
performanceisfaltering.Nordotheytakeanynoticeoftheobserver,
althoughtheywellknowthattheyarebeingobserved.
Theiryouth,health,unreelsintwotemperamentsasasingle
machine.Theyaregladthey’realive,don’tgiveofthemselves,but
perhapsgiveawholedayoftherichflowoftheirlives.Thatiswhat
theypresenttooneanother,withoutbeingabletoanswerthe
question,whetherthat’sthewaytheotherwantsit.
9
Hishand(theonlydisturbancehespreads)nowpushesherhand
downtowardsherlap,halfunderthetable.Sheparriesbythrusting
herfingersintohishair,claspinghisheadinherhands.Atthathe
abandonshisattempt.VonPyrmontdoesn’tdaretakeapicture,but
isdeterminedtowriteaboutthepairinhistabloid.Heaskshimself
whetherthesetwopeoplearepreparingforalongerrelationshipora
singleeveningandday?Whatinterestsdotheyhaveincommon?
Thatisimpossibletotell.Aslittleasawillcanbeascribedtoabright
morning.Thesetwopeopleareapieceofnaturelikeaday,a
meadow,theyarenotplottinganovel.Inasense,notesvonPyrmont,
theyareFLOWERSINTHECITY.
“Hehastheheartlesseyesofonelovedaboveallelse”
I’vejustcomefromcomfortingmybestfriendGesine.Iam
meanwhilecertainthatshe’snotgoingtokillherself.Shehasn’tgot
overitatall.Isawformyselfhowheputherdownandslammedthe
dooroftheflatshutbehindhim.Hehasthesensitivitytogoonliving
inherplace,becauseheshiesawayfrompayingforahotelroom.
Fromherapartmenthepursueshisbusinessinterests,callsonhis
newlover,amarriedwoman,forthesakeofwhomhehas
downgradedGesine.
WhenIsaymywordsofcomfort(usuallyIonlytakehersilentlyin
myarmsandputhertobed)Ihavetotakecarenottofeedherhopes
thathewillreturntoherinsomefantasticguise.I’veseenhiseyes.
10
Gesinedoesn’tstandachance.Nooneintheworldstandsachanceof
gettingsomethingfromhimthathedoesn’twanttogive.Andhe’s
satisfied.Well‐fedbytheattentionsofwomenwhosetributeheis
usedtosincechildhood.
Strictlyspeakingit’snottheeyesbuthisgazethatdocumentshis
mercilessness.Theeyesthemselvesappearratherexpressionless,
somewhatdull.Preciselybecauseofitslackofexpressionhisgaze
hasthat“negative”qualitythatisshocking.It’samysterytomewhat
Gesineeverwantedfromthisspoiledboy.Evenwhenhewas
chattingherup,intheveryfirsthour(Iwasthereandthenwent
hometooearly),hewassatiated,hisgazea“negotiatinggaze”.That’s
whyIwasquitesure:“That’ssomethingonedoesn’tevenhaveto
ignore.”ExceptGesinesawsomethingelse.Shesawinhisblotchy
face,asinamirror,whatshefelt.
I’vealwaysthoughtthatmotherswholovetheirsonsplantaseedof
tendernessinthem.Itisthenharvestedbythepeoplewhomeet
theseyoungmenlateron.Instead,insuchcasesacomplacentlordly
attitudemakesitselffelt,thesettlednessofawholestringofmale
ancestorswhoonlytakeandneveraskforanything.Monstersgrow
insidesonswhodon’thavetofightfortheaffectionoftheirmothers,
that’smyimpression.Idon’twanttogeneraliseandamdoingso
nevertheless.MyangeratGesine’soccupierhasloosenedmytongue
tomakegeneralassertions.
“Hehastheheartlesseyes/
ofonelovedaboveallelse.”
11
Thesecretstoryofhishappiness
Afterthewar,whenhesawafilmstarringKirkDouglas,aboutthe
raidsoftheVikings,andheardthatthisleadingactorcamefroma
clanofWhiteRussianJews,formerFirstLieutenantFerdy
Bachmüllerfeltcertainthathehaddonetherightthing.Althoughit
wasnothisresponsibilityhehadpickedoutamanwithpiercingblue
eyesfromagroupofJewsroundedupnearhisbattalion.Hehad
providedthemanwithdocumentsfromhisdivisionandplacedhim
inthemessstaffofhisunitasavolunteerauxiliary(Hiwi).Oneday
duringtheretreatsthemandisappeared.
Bachmüllerhadactedonasuddenimpulsewhenhegotthe
incompetentguarddetailtohandthemanovertohim.Allthesame
hewasstronglyinfluencedbyracistideas,believing“strong”blue
eyes,whichheknewonlyfrompostcards,bookillustrationsandfrom
films,anda“martial”and“Germanic”posture,withanupwardly
curvedchest,tobesomethingvaluable(althoughhehimselfwasnot
concernedtobreedfuturegenerations).Asawomanhewouldhave
beencharmedbyaglancefromsuchapairofeyes.Hekepta
sufficientdistancefromthisgiantofamanwhomhehadsavedand
towhomhefeltattracted.
Later,inthevicinityofUelzen,hewastakenprisonerbytheBritish
withoutafightandonlytwoweekslaterreachedhomewithvalid
dischargepapers.Hetookitascertainthathereasinalltheyearsof
12
advanceandretreattwoblueeyes,likeagoodfairy,hadsavedhimin
countlessdangerousmoments,evenwhentheHiwi,afterthechange
infortuneofGermanarms,hadphysicallytakentohisheels:“and
madeoffsidewaysintotheundergrowth”,Bachmüllerrecited.1He
wasmuchpreoccupiedbythe“enigmatic”natureofhisfind.“His
browmysterious,thenoseexceptionallybeautifulandthemouth,
althoughtoothin‐lippedandsometimestwitchingattheside,always
charmingenough.”Bachmüllerhadofteninspectedthemesssection,
whichhehadrarelydonebeforethestrangerwastakenon:
Consistingoftwofieldkitchens,severalfour‐wheelcartsonwhich
theprovisionshadbeenloaded,itfollowedthebattalionlooking
somethinglikeabandofgypsiesonthemove.Justtounobtrusively
catchsightoftheyoung,blondman.Withanauthorityonlyasserted
andseized,whichwouldnothavestooduptoanyexamination,he
hadboughttheman’sfreedom(let’ssay,reckonedinthecurrencyof
powerrelations,for30thalers),evenifatthisleveltherearenocoins
anyonecanpocketandnoreciprocity.ThefoolishSSguardshad
receivedpracticallynothingforhandingovertheirprisonertothe
armyunitapartfromthepossibilityofcarryingon.
WhenthefortunateBachmüller,whoafter1949hadsuccessfullyset
upafactorymakingstickingplaster,sawthefilmSPARTACUS–and
hedidsotwelvetimes–hebelievedhecouldfeelthatdescendantsof
hissavedWhiteRussianmustnowbelivingintheworld.Perhapsin
AustraliaorintheUSA.Onewasprobablyworkingasamercenaryor
asashipownerintheCongo.Sowhilewatchingthemovie
1“undschlugsichseitwärtsindieBüsche”–quotationfromthepoem“Der
Wilde”(TheSavage)byJohannGottfriedSeume(1763‐1810).(trans)
13
Bachmüllerexperiencedabitofthe“wideworld”,tookin
impressions,whichhehadneverperceivedduringanyofthe
campaignsofconquestoftheWehrmacht.Hewasthekingofgreat
novels,indeedinsomesenselinkedtotheseblueeyes(signalling
toughness,powerandunfaithfulness).Hewasmoreclosely
connectedtotheprisonerthanmightbeassumed,asitwas
impossibletodiscounthim,andhisdeed,asprogenitorofthe
former’slineofdescent.So,whilequitedistinctfromhomosexuality,
whichwasabsolutelytobeavoided,avirtualeroticcontactcouldbe
noted,atoncedisconcertingandsatisfyingtoBachmüller,betterthan
anyperformedsexualintercourseknowntohim,whichinthiscase,
ashesaidtohimself,wouldatthetimehavebeenthreatenedby
severepunishment.Therehadnotbeenaphysicalpleasurebutan
immaterialoneinthatideaofhis(andtheimpressionmadebythe
blueeyesoftheprisoner);itwassomethinglasting,becausespiritual.
AndIcanbesure,thoughtBachmüller,itwasaspontaneousdecision,
notamoralone.
WhilehewasatthecinematoseethefilmSPARTACUS,duringwhich
inhisimaginationhereplacedtheimageofKirkDouglaswiththatof
theWhiteRussianhehadbegotten,hesworeaholyoathtohimself
thatinfuturehewouldnevertrustanykindofcontemporaryspirit,
tellnoonethesecretstoryofhisluckandwouldalwaysliveanddie
inthehopeofunmediateddivineassistance,whichfollowsfromthe
temperinwhichonehearsthevoiceofone’sheart(fullofprejudices
andyetwithafreshpresentiment).
14
TwodreamerscauseconfusiononaFridayevening
Thedetectivesoftheabductiondepartment,responsibleforthe
Rhine‐MainareaasfarasandincludingWiesbaden,werealready
lookingforwardtoaconvivialevening.Thentheywerealerted.A
new‐bornchildhadbeenstoleninFrankfurt‐HoechstMunicipal
Hospital.FrenziF.,dressedasanurse,hadtakenthebabyfromZ.,its
mother,wholaterwantedtocallthelittlegirlZinat.FrenziF.had
takenchargeoftheinfantunderthepretextthatitwastobe
examinedandthennotreturned.Ithappenedafewhoursafterthe
birth.Themother’sstatementsremainedconfused.
Theinvestigatorsimmediatelygotasearchoftheenvironsofthe
hospitalunderwayusinghelicopters,whichwereorderedup,from
themilitaryairfieldatWiesbaden‐Erbenheim.Thereweresmall
areasofwoodland.Theexperiencedpoliceofficershopedtofind
indicationsastotheescaperoute.Theymadedrawingsonwhichthe
possiblemovementsofawomanwithababytowardsthetownor
intothewildernesswereentered.Theperpetratormusthaveagoal.
Theyoungwomanhaddeceivedeveryone:thosewhowerestrangers
toher,andalsothewomanshewaslivingwith.Shehaddisplayedan
aggressivecriminalwillandhadneverthelesshadnoluck.
Afterartificialinsemination28year‐oldFrenziF.hadsuffereda
miscarriage,butthenfooledherpartnerintobelievingshewas
pregnantforthesecondtime.Thecouplewasdeterminedthattheir
15
lifetogethershouldbecrownedbyachildtheywouldbringup.The
twowomenlivedinasuburbofFrankfurtamMain.
Duskfell.Thehelicoptersshonepowerfulsearchlightsattheground,
focussingonparticularspots.Callsforthepublictobevigilanthad
beenbroadcastandprintedintheeveningpapers.
Thenataboutninepmtheinformationwhichcameasareliefto
everyone.Neighboursofthetwowomenhadbecomesuspicious.
Wherehadtheinfantintheirapartmentcomefrom?Itwaspossible
tolookintothekitchenandoneroomfromneighbouringflats.They
reportedtheirobservationstothepolice.
Theculprit,saidoneofthedetectivestohisregulartablecompanions
inabarintheFrankfurtdistrictofSachsenhausen(becauseofthe
appealsinthemediathecasewasnolongerconfidential),had
wantedatallcoststoappearasawinnerintheeyesofherpartner.
Beaming,shehadshownthelittlelivingthingtohergirlfriend.The
childcouldnotyetknowthatitwouldbecalledZinat,buthadan
identificationstriparounditslegonwhichthisnameandanumber
weremarked.FrenziF.saidshehadjustcomefromthehospital.It
wasafantasticstoryshehadtotell,howthecontractionshadstarted
ontheUndergroundandshehadjustmanagedtoreachthedelivery
roomintime.Andthedoctorshadlethertakethechildwithher
rightaway?Frenzi’sfrienddidaskquestions,butwastooexcitedto
waitforanswers.Foramomentwhatherpartnerclaimedseemedto
bewilderher.
16
Willshebeprosecutedasanaccomplice?askedareporteronthe
localpaper.Thenonewouldhavetoprovethatshehadknowledgeof
thecrime,saidtheexperiencedinvestigator.Wasn’tthatobvious?
Youunderestimatetheconfusioninsuchsituations,repliedthe
detective.Therelationshipbetweenthetwowomen,hesaid,wasnot
atallcharacterisedbyrealism.Twodreamers?Dreamerswhose
relationshipwasveryimportanttothem.
MissClärli
SmalladintheclassifiedsectionoftheNeueZürcherZeitungof30th
April1945:
“Iamlookingforthefemaleskierintheblueskiblousewhoon
EasterSundaytravelledonthe4.18pmtrainfromKüblistoDavos
withagirlfriendandwhomImetagainandtalkedtoonEaster
MondayonWeissfluhjoch.
Iamtheskieringreyskipantsandgreywindcheaterwhosat
diagonallyoppositeyouonEasterSunday.
Unfortunatelyalleffortstotraceyouraddresswereinvain,sothat
onlythiswayremainsopentome.Iwouldthereforebegyoutosend
youraddresstotheClassifiedSectionoftheNeueZürcherZeitung
underboxnumberV6696.”
Theyoungmanwhohadplacedtheadvert,towhichtheyoungSwiss
womanreplied,expressingherinterest,wasawomaniserfrom
Flanders.Theirmeetingdidnotleadtomarriagebutonlytobrief
sexualintercourse.Afterwardsthelover,whohadbeensokeeninhis
17
search,madeofftoFrance;hebelievedthathewasneededforpost‐
warreconstructionthere.Atthemomenthehadplacedthesmallad
hehadsincerelybeenoftheopinionthathislifedependedonthe
fatefulmeetingonthetrain.Hepossessedalivelyimagination,did
notknowhimselfwell.AlsoSwitzerlandwasnothisnativeland.The
youngwoman,however,insultinglydescribedbythelegaladvisorof
thefugitivefatherofthechildasan“accidentwaitingtohappen”,
gavebirthtoason.Shedefendedtheillegitimatebirth.Without
losingmanywords,withoutafatherandinpovertyshebroughtthe
childon.Thissonwaslaterthefounderofthemarriageguidance
businessMatrimonia&Co.inZürich.Heforhisparthadtwo
daughtersandason,allofwhom,becausetheyalwaysstuck
together,studiedatPrincetonandlateroccupiedseniorpostsinNew
York’sfinancialworld.Theirchildrenbecamepopmusicians;they
toowereclose.AsSwiss‐Americanstheycommutedbetweenthe
continentsandtogetherrefusedthedemandsoftheirparents,who
wantedtomakeMONEYPEOPLEoutofthem.Theyansweredthis
demandwithdefiance.TheAGEDCLÄRLI,now85,whostilllivedin
hersimpleapartmentinZürich,invitedallthesedescendantstothe
HotelBaurauLacinthecity.Shehadneveraskedforanythingfrom
herfamily,ofwhichshehadbeenthestart,hadneveraccepted
anythingasthanksorpresent.Nowshegavevoicetoherthoughtsin
anafter‐dinnerspeech.Shehadlongagoforgiventheoriginal
deceiver,thekeenplacerofthesmallad,whohadlookedforherso
determinedlyandthenlefthersoswiftly,thecauseoftheexistence
ofallthosepresenthereandtheirfamilies.Onthecontrary:When
shelookedathercapablechildrenandchildren’schildrenandtheir
evidentlyverydiverseinterestsshewasgratefultotheman,
18
unfaithfuloveractorthathewas.“Thissuccessisnottobehad
withoutthecriminalorigin,”ishowMaxFrischputit.Ascoundrel
hasachievedsomethinggood,sheadded,simplythankstoan
element,ofwhichhehimselfwasnotincontrol:theeagernesswith
whichhelookedforme.Ifshecouldchoose,shesaidtoapplause,
thenshewouldonceagainchoosethosesameeyesandgiveupTHE
MANASAWHOLE.Men,shecontinued,werearaceofliars.Butthe
energy,whichkeepstheliesinmotion,wasindispensableto
progress.
TheNeueZürcherZeitungreportedthecuriousfamilycelebrationin
brief,becausethestartingpointoftheaffairhadbeenasmalladin
themorethan200year‐oldnewspaper.Thatnewsiteminturn
promptedadescendantoftheyoungBelgianwhohadplacedthead
on30thApril1945towritealettertotheNZZ.Asaresulthalf‐
cousins,demi‐cousinsandhalf‐siblingsmet,evenifverybelatedly,
withoutthis“chancemeeting”,astheyexpressedit,beingan
extraordinaryexperience.Absentherewasthepressureofanerror
oranillusion,whichcauseschance,encounterstoturnsomersaults.
ThegirlfromHordorf
Mysisterrarelygetshernewsfromthenewspaper.Shewaseagerto
helpmewithmyresearch.Sheknewaformerschoolmatein
Halberstadt,whowasbeingtreatedintheDistrictHospitalatthe
time.Mysistercalledthewomanonthephone.Thelatterthenwent
aheadandtalkedtothenursesanddoctors.Inthiskindofacquisition
19
ofnews,eventsstillhavethecontours,whichtown‐talkandintensive
conversationsinhospitalhavegiventhem.Thisislivingnews.
Atfirstitwassaidthatthetenyear‐oldgirlwhohadbeenadmitted
onthenightoftheaccidentinHordorfhadmeanwhilediedafterall.
Later,inquiriesrevealedthatshewasstillalive.Thesurgeonwas
holdingherinhisarms.Thehospitalwasproudofthedramatic
operation,whichbymiddayonSundayhadputthesmashedchild
togetheragain.Thegirlhadlosthermother,hersister,herbrother,
herstepfatherandhergrandmotherwhenthepassengertrain,a
nighttrain,hadbeenwreckedonthesingle‐trackstretchbythe
violentforceofthefreighttrainloadedwith1400tonsofcalcium
carbonate.Alltheserelativesonhermother’ssideweredead.The
familyownedapieceoflandinthevillageofLangenstein.Ithadbeen
necessary(thankstonewscoveragethedeathofalltheownershad
becomeknown)toplacethepropertyunderguardbecausetherewas
afearoflooting,asmysister’sschoolfriendrelated.Thenatural
fatheroftheten‐yearoldhadnotyetbeentraced.Thesearchwas
hinderedbyalackofconcreteinformation,becausetheseriously
injuredchildcouldnotrespondtoquestions.
Alonelychild,saidmysister’sacquaintance.Theytalkedforalong
timeonthephoneaboutwhatshouldbecomeofthegirl.Suchabadly
injuredchildcouldnotsimplybeplacedinahomewithoutaperiod
oftransition.Norafterrecoverycouldshesimplybeallowedto“go
home”,toahouseofthedead,evenifasocialworker(andinaddition
anursefromthehospital)weretolookafterhereveryday.Thechild
20
wasofschoolage,butitwastobeexpectedthattobeginwithshe
wouldhavetobeaccompaniedtoschool.
Thefirstwitness
TheKingdomHalloftheJehovah’sWitnesseswasonly100yards
fromthesceneoftheaccidentatHordorfStation,whereonasingle‐
trackstretchofthelineafreighttraincollidedwitharailbus
(numerousdeadandinjured).Thespacioushallwasmadeavailable
fortheinitialmedicalcareofthevictimsandasoperational
headquartersoftheemergencyservicesandthepolice(soonalsoof
visitingpoliticians).Thecaretakerofthismeetingplaceofthefaithful
hadbeenfirstonthesceneofthecatastropheasitlaytherein
silence.Therewasnotasoundtobeheardinthewreckage(theman
stillhadtheechoofthecollisioninhisears),asifeveryonewasdead.
EvenifGodenfoldsHisPeople,Hedoesnottakefromthem
perceptionandmemory.ThecaretakercoupleoftheKingdomHallof
Jehovah’sWitnesses,stillbewilderedbytheimpressionsofthat
night,acceptedtheofferofcounsellingprovidedbytheAmeosSt.
SalvatorHospitalinHalberstadt.Thepsychologistdrivesoutto
Hordorfthreetimesaweek.
Thesecondwitness
Themastercarmechanicheardatremendouscrash.Hehadopened
thefrontdoortohiswife,whohadjustcomefromwork.Laterhe
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thoughthehadseenaflashoflightning.Hegothisbicycleandrode
tothestation.Thesceneofthetraincrashwascompletelysilent.
Thatwaswhatsoshockedthewitnesses.
ThepassengerrailcarcomingfromMagdeburghadbeenpushedoff
thetrackandthrownonitssidebythegoodstrain.Nowtheside
windowswerethe“roof”.Theman,experiencedinmakingrepairs,
climbedupontothewreckedtrackvehicle,hadhisfeetonthe
windowsandlookedforawayofopeningoneofthesewindows.
Belowhesawjumbledobjectsandpassengers.
Therewasstilltheterrifyingsilence.Themastercarmechanic
noticedanotherwitnesswhohadalreadygottherebeforehim.They
agreedthatoneofthemshouldopenthelevelcrossingbarrieronthe
road200yardsfromthestation.Itwassaidthatemergencyservices
wereontheirway,althoughitwasimpossibletosaywhatthesource
oftheinformationwas.Theirvehicleshadtomaketheirwaytothe
accident,hencetheopeningofthelevelcrossingbarrier.Thetwo
witnesseslookedforawayinwhichtheycoulddosomethinguseful
onthisterrain.
Themastercarmechanicturnedbacktothetrackvehicleandlooked
forapointofentry.Hedidn’thaveanytoolswithhim.Meanwhilethe
driverofthefreighttraincamerunningup,thethrustofhisgoods
wagonshadpushedhim500yardsbeyondthepointofthecollision.
Firstvoicesandthesoundsmadebylivingpeople.Itlookedasif
handswerewavingbehindtheglassoftherailbus.