Worldwide Secrets

Chapter 16- Futile Efforts

A/N: Warning: This chapter talks about the Holocaust and concentration camps.

The German lowered his head in shame.

"I figured out what was coming when Gilbert was deported," Germany admits. "But I couldn't stop it. I tried but-"

"Nein, don't blame yourself like that," Prussia cuts his brother off firmly. "You did all that you could to stop him, short of killing him yourself."

"You're still very young by nation standards," Austria chimes in. "Like Vash said, you didn't recognize what was going on until it was too late, and you tried to stop it when you could."

"But it didn't matter!" Germany grits out, banging his fists on the table. "Nothing mattered because I was too late! Millions suffered because I was too blind to see! Nothing I did made a damn difference! I'm as much of a monster as he was!"

"Get your head out of your verdamnt arse Ludwig!" Switzerland demands, standing from his seat. "You missed the signs because you didn't know what to look for! You did what you could to fix it! And when Hitler went looking for the conquered nations you made sure they were safe with me! That makes you better than him!"

"But all of their people," Germany protests. "They all suffered, they died and it hurt the other nations."

"Ludwig Beilschmidt!" Hungary stands up as well, making her way over to Germany. "You suffered too! You are in no way a monster, not after what you did, what you went through, you hear me?!" She has angry tears in her eyes as she stares down the younger nation.

"Luddy, monsters wouldn't have done what you did. You're too compassionate to be a monster. Trust me, I've seen many, and they are not like you." Prussia puts his hands on Germany's shoulders, making his younger brother stare him directly in the eyes.

The German starts tearing up, decades of guilt being scrubbed away at by his family and their fierce reassurances. Prussia pulls him forward into an embrace, one that Hungary soon joins. With a dramatic sigh, Switzerland stands as well, making his way down the table. Austria and Liechtenstein are quick to copy, and soon Germany is surrounded by his four siblings and Hungary in a group hug.

After a few moments, they seem to remember hat they have an audience of numerous other nations and micronations. Switzerland and Austria return to their seats as if nothing had happened. Liechtenstein hugs Germany tightly again before rejoining her other brother at their seats. Hungary pauses, hesitant.

"I can stay here if you need, Ludwig," she promises.

"I'll be fine Eliza," he tries to reassure her.

"Roddy and I've got him, Lizzy," Prussia assures, putting and arm around Germany's shoulders. Hungary nods and returns to her seat, keeping an eye on Ludwig all the while.

"Germany..." France speaks ever so gently. "What happened during the war?"

"France, I really don't think-" Northeast of all people tries to tell the Frenchman to not pry, but he's silenced by Germany.

"It's fine Alfred," he uses the other's human name with a familiarity most nations haven't heard before, not even with Italy Veneziano. "I suppose this is as good a time as any to talk about it. That's what the Ancients want us to do, ja? Talk about these things?"

"You don't have to. The war was hard on all of us," England says with concern.

"Nein, I want to." Germany brushes the concern off. "Prussia was taken, deported to a camp in mid-1934 due to his albino status. My government kept the both of us ignorant, outright refusing us information and entry. I had spoken with the higher-ups several times, yet nothing was resolved and I couldn't reveal my nature to anyone with lower clearance. I knew things were wrong, but I was too late to stop them from happening."

Germany clenches his fists tightly, head hung low in shame, but he continued on.

"When Austria was annexed, I convinced him to go to Switzerland instead and pleaded with Vash to take in the rest of the nations. He held his promise. I couldn't stop Hitler directly so I helped my citizens that were fighting against him. I helped resistance groups with sabotage and I helped Jews escape into Soviet territory, Denmark, and Italy. In 1941 Hitler figured out what I had been doing. Not only was I sending the nations away, but I kept trying to undermine him. At first, he tried abusing me into submission."

Here, the German smiles ruefully. "But I had been dealing with constant pain the last few years, and would gladly bear some more if it would mean stopping him. I told Hitler as much. He imprisoned me, I was only allowed to leave for nation duties. I still met with resistance leaders though, and tried to help them. He must have found out, because in 1943 he had me deported. I was taken in my sleep. When I awoke, I was in Buchenwald."

"In late 1944 I was transported there," Prussia adds in. "I couldn't believe the situation we were in. We were both powerless and starved. Luddy looked like a walking corpse, more so than anyone else there."

"If I was human, I would have died long before Gilbert's group arrived," Germany confessed. "It was the Americans who liberated us."

"I almost didn't recognize them," Northeast admitted.

"Wait," Turkey says. "You liberated camps?"

"Well duh!" Northeast laughs his hero laugh. "It's a hero's job to save people!"

"Al's not too much of a combat person, believe it or not," Southeast speaks up. "The closest he's gotten is a bit of aerial combat during World War One."

"The Midwest twins on the other hand," Southwest picks up the sentence, pointing to Amber and Erie with a shudder. "They're demons with a weapon."

"Ja, Alfred was a drummer boy and an assistant field medic during most of his revolution," Prussia adds.

"My confrontation with England  was the first time I held a gun outside of training," Northeast admits. "Anyway, I was a medic with the battalion that liberated Ludwig and Gilbert and as the only other nation, it was my job to nurse them back to health." Northeast looks very proud of himself.

"You did a wonderful job," Germany compliments, making the region blush lightly.

"Thanks dude!" Northeast tries to play it off with a thumbs-up.

A/N:

Just in case anything I tried to get across was missed: Germany fucked up. He missed all the warning signs during Hitler's rise to power because he, like the majority of his citizens, were fooled by Hitler's charismatic nature and promises of German glory. But, once the reality of what was going on was made clear to him, Germany tried to do what he could to undermine Hitler without said boss catching on. So yes, Ludwig fucked up, but no, he is not to blame.

Also - I don't really see APH America as an army man (he wears a bomber jacket for god's sake.) I like the idea of him as a field medic with his whole saving-people thing.