Response Paper 2
1933
Living as a Jew in Germany was beginning to feel good again as we had assimilated to the German culture, and it felt like my family and I were finally starting to fit into society. Little did I know how things were going to change. I woke up this morning with a great feeling about today. I don't know why I felt different, but I felt like it was going to be a great day! I was so happy when I finally got an answer to why I felt that today was different! That answer came at noon when I got a new promotion that makes me the head of medicine at our local hospital! I could not wait to get home to tell my wife. I got home, and she had just made an amazing dinner (as always). She was truly excited about my new position. Even my children thought I was a "cool" dad. That is a great feeling to have! With this promotion, I was hoping our financial situation would improve, my children would have a better chance at getting a great education, and everything would be a little less stressful.
Today is Thursday, and I just don't know how it could be any better than yesterday was. I am about to go into work, and I can't wait to start this new position. Halfway through my shift at work I heard that Hitler was about to announce a new program. I didn't know what this was or if it would have an effect on my life. He announced a decree concerning Admission of Physicians to the National Health Insurance Service. I kept asking my coworkers what this meant, and what Hitler said this law was going to do. My friend told me that it had to do with Jews not being able to practice medicine within the Insurance Service. My boss quickly came around after that telling me that I was not allowed to come to work anymore. I quickly started panicking in my mind! Everything was great yesterday with the new promotion and finally some comfort with my family and our financial life, then this law could ruin everything and take us back to an even worse time when I didn't have a job. Over half of the whole hospital was Jewish! My neighbors worked with me here, and what was going to happen about their family too! I finished my shift with fear all day of what was to happen with my life knowing that I wouldn't be able to go back to work after I left today. This is a feeling that is one of the lowest of lows.
By the time I got home my wife had somehow heard the news about the new law and was trying to hold back the fear in her eyes, but I could tell she was just as scared as I was. Dinner tonight was very quiet, and the kids wondered why nobody was talking. I didn't tell them what ...
