The Lion of Dusseldorf (COMPLETED)

Kapitel 3: der Absturz

October 1929

Dusseldorf, Germany

"How's your work?" asked Anna to her husband Marcus. Marcus was going late at work due to his commitment as party spokesperson for the Zentrum – Dusseldorf branch and another work as a journalist for a local newspaper. Marcus sipped his unsweetened black coffee. He wiped his mouth with the tablecloth Anna provided.

"The party or the newspaper?" Marcus replied with another question. Anna smirked at her, and she approached him. She kissed his hair and went back to doing household chores.

"The newspaper," Anna replied.

Marcus nodded, fixing his hair and tie. He looked at his beautiful wife and smiled. "Well, it's still the same with my managing editor, the old man Fred. Remember him?" he asked. Anna continued washing the dishes in the sink.

"I cannot remember love," Anna asked. "What do you mean by the same?" Anna turned to him. "Same attitude, same behavior, or same...?" Anna shrugged. Marcus laughed and stood up to kiss his wife on her lips.

"All of it. He continued to blabber about betrayal that took place after the Great War," Marcus explained. Anna groaned, and she laughed. She stood on her tiptoes, and she kissed Marcus on his lips. Marcus kissed back. The couple shared a long kiss until they were distracted by the cries of their son, Paul, next door.

"I think it's time for me to leave, love," Marcus said. Anna sighed, and she smiled a bit at him. "Are you sure you can handle taking care of Paul while opening the business, love?" he asked. Anna waved her hand as if to dismiss his concern.

"Nein, I can do this," Anna sighed. She gave him one of those reassuring smiles and touched his hand. "My love, go to your work. I can handle this. Paul is one of the reasons we have more sales in our bakery and pastry," she said. Marcus nodded, and he kissed her on her forehead. He grabbed his coat and walked from his home. He looked back and saw his wife caring for his son. They are the reason why I am waking up, he thought. He looked at his son. He is the reason why I am fighting for a better future for him, he added. He smiled at them before going out of his home.

***

In his work, Marcus noticed that Fred was in a good mood. The older man sang songs he never knew, or at least he used to hear from his parents when he was young. He was editing articles, and his boss's singing grabbed his attention.

"You are in a good mood today, Herr Frederick. I hope you bring good news from your family," Marcus asked. Fred laughed. He shook his head.

"Nein, I heard that Hugenberg, our party leader, started a signature campaign for the referendum," he replied. "Of course, Adolf Hitler of the Nazi Party was assisting Hugenberg," he added.

Marcus nodded and pretended to smile at his boss. He placed his office bag on the right side of the table. He sat in the chair and looked at the ten articles before him. He sighed. He shook his head, and he started working. When he worked on his first article, he noticed that Fred had turned on the radio.

"Is it necessary to open the radio while we are working?" Marcus asked. Fred shook his head and smirked. "Part of our job, Marcus. Don't you know that?" Marcus shook his head. The older man did not get my point, he thought. I'm getting distracted, he added. The radio flicked open, and the news station delivered the news on the radio.

"Now, the Reich Committee against the Young Plan started its signature campaign. The signature organizers, the German National People's Party and the National Socialist German Workers' Party, centered the campaign on cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Bonn, Düsseldorf and others," the radio announcer delivered the news. Then, the radio featured the voice of Alfred Hugenberg, leader of the right-wing German National People's Party, in an interview with the radio. He looked at Fred, and he was listening to the radio... standing.