dissidents in Germany

Date: 4/22/2017

It was in Germany during World War II. I was recalling events in the lives of two dissidents, a man and a woman, who had been my friends. These activities revolved around a city park where dissidents would often meet in defiance of the authorities. Sometimes it was just a small oval of grass in the middle of a traffic circle surrounded by large white stone buildings with columns. Sometimes the park was much larger with trees around the edge. My two friends were in love but were afraid to declare their love publicly because it would draw more attention to both of them. They were both short and a bit stocky and dark-haired and looked French. He looked like Max from the Sound of Music and she looked like my friend Sylvie. The man was a civil servant and he was involved more behind the scenes helping Jews escape from Nazi Germany and assisting Allied spies. The woman was less active in these ways but spoke publicly against the Nazis. She was an actor in a theatre company. He brought her white roses. In one incident a police informant began following the man. They were both driving toy vehicles made out of odds and ends, but the Nazi's car was more ridiculous. Our friend led him on a careening tour around the park until the Nazi's car veered into a tree and smashed to pieces. Despite these cheerful incidents we all knew the man would not survive the war and in the end he was taken. Then I attended a state funeral for the woman's husband. At first I thought she had been able to marry the man she loved. But it turned out she had been married all along to a prominent Nazi official and his position had protected her. She used the opportunity of his public funeral to speak against the Nazis but the officials could not touch her because it would make them look bad. She was impeccably dressed in a short silver dress, matching wide-brimmed hat and an azure silk scarf. Things were no longer safe for her but she was highly respected and we hoped this would protect her.