See Under David Grossman (free ebook reader TXT) 📖

out of his barracks, holding the gun Wasserman knew so well. [Editorial comment: This occurred the day after their conversation about RESPONSIBILITY (q.v.), CHOICE (q.v.), and DECISION (q.v.), and Neigel promised Wasserman that henceforth he would kill only after reconfirming his initial decision to do so. Neigel claimed this would only “reconfirm my faith in the Führer and his work.”] The sequence of events was as follows: Neigel charged out of the barracks and ran headlong into the young Jew, armed with a rifle. Neigel struck him and knocked the rifle out of his hands. Just then, STAUKEH [q.v.] was leaving the Lazarett, where the old, the young, and the crippled from the last transport had been put to death. A ghostly silence filled the Heavenly Way, littered with the dead and wounded. The young Jew fell to his knees, his head on the ground, panting like an animal, his skinny rib cage heaving violently. In terror he discharged a jet of excrement. Neigel aimed his gun. He did so slowly, because he wanted everyone to see and learn a lesson. He looked around at the crowd. For an instant his eyes met the eyes of Wasserman standing nearby. Wasserman’s eyes shot sparks. They called something out to him. They reminded him of something, they demanded something. Wasserman: “For the span of one second only did Neigel hesitate. Ask what a second is. All the forests of pens and rivers of ink, etc., will not suffice for the story of this one second. And therefore, let me say in essence: Neigel shot once, he shot twice, and he shot ten times. He emptied his gun out on the innocent youth. And he went on shooting after there was no longer any point. Because it was not the boy Neigel was so furious with but himself, and perhaps with me. Because against his will Neigel had kept the promise he made me. Perhaps if I had not been there at that moment he would have forgotten; only, my eyes commanded and he obeyed. For a fraction of a second he hesitated before firing, and everyone saw. Everyone, Staukeh, the Ukrainians, everyone.” Then Neigel turned on his heel and slammed the barracks door behind him. He seemed to be terror-stricken,like a man whose natural talents leave him suddenly and inexplicably; like a swimmer in the middle of the ocean who forgets his strokes. The Ukrainians wasted no time and began to massacre the Jews who were still alive. Two bullets hit Wasserman as well, but they could not harm him. He sat where he was, with his head between his shoulders, his hump held as high as possible. Ten minutes later, all was still. The blues were sent in to clear away the bodies. That evening Neigel did not ask Wasserman to read to him.

MARCUS, AARON

See under. FEELINGS

NACHUT, HAADAM HA

INFERIOR MAN

A term used by the Nazis to designate non-members of the Master Race.

In order to obtain a marriage permit [see under: MARRIAGE PERMIT], an SS member was required to ascertain that his bride was not of the type known as Inf. Man. Neigel showed Wasserman an SS circular on the matter. This document, issued to all SS units, quotes the pamphlet titled Inf. Man (published by Nordland, Germany): “Inf. Man has a biological structure similar to that of natural man, with hands and feet, eyes and a mouth, and something resembling a brain. But despite the remarkably human appearance, he is indeed a monstrosity, utterly distinct from man. Woe unto anyone who forgets that resemblance to a human being does not amount to being one.”

NISUIN, ISHUR HA

MARRIAGE PERMIT

A document without which no member of the SS was permitted to marry the woman of his choice.

The document came into force in 1932, with the promulgation of the SS Marriage Law. A permit could be dispensed by Reichsführer Himmler alone. Neigel, in telling Wasserman about his marriage, commented that “luckily for us, we were married before ‘32.” “Luckily” forthem, because Christina’s prolonged barrenness early in the marriage might have held back Neigel’s promotion in the “movement.” Wasserman did not understand what Neigel was talking about. Neigel explained that in order to obtain a mar. perm., the bride-to-be had to be examined by a doctor and certified for her child-bearing potential. To this end, too, marriage applicants were required to enclose a photograph showing the bride-to-be “naked, or wearing a swimming suit,” in the words of the marriage law, so German race experts could study the photograph under a magnifying glass. Wasserman shook his head in shock and sadness. Neigel explained that the experts were particularly anxious to prevent breeding with persons known as INFERIOR [q.v.]. The Jew reflected, “Perhaps it is the way of the world: he who considers his fellow man as non-human becomes so himself.” Neigel, who was thriving in this atmosphere of candor, said, “In ’38 our situation became even more, uhm, complicated. That is, delicate,” because that was the year the divorce law came into force, stating that a German male could divorce his wife for not bearing him children. He was even entitled to divorce a woman over forty who had borne him any number of children on grounds of infertility in order to marry a younger woman. Wasserman bitterly: “The Reich needs children, eh?” Neigel : “Exactly! A woman must give children to the Führer and the Reich. This is Himmler’s private obsession. He, by the way, left his own wife, Marga. I knew her personally. Then he went to live with his mistress and Marga sent him a letter of congratulations. Can you believe that? She wrote: ‘May Hedwig bring you many children!’ What do you say to that, Wasserman? Are your people capable of such generosity?” Wasserman ignores the question: “And what did you do, you and your wife, that is, about the divorce law?”