I’m back this week with chapter 6! Let’s jump right in!
Gestapo
It seems like I just can’t stop writing about the Gestapo in my book. In almost every chapter, it seems like, there is some conflict with the Gestapo. However, now, it comes to a climax. We get to really see what Captain Emmerich is like and his true, suspicious nature.
In truth, the Gestapo were always searching for resistance members, trying to catch someone in a slip-up. If there was even a single small singular minuscule detail that might seem like someone hid secret alliances, they would investigate that loose end until there was nothing left to look into.
Now, for Actualités Dietmar, the reason behind this sudden investigation is unknown. It could be that they wrote about an event that embarrassed the Nazi army. It could be that they exposed a small detail of the Nazi’s extermination of the Jewish population. Who knows? Whatever they did do gave the Gestapo adequate evidence they needed to do an investigation into Actualités Dietmar and their employees.
Papers!
What are these papers I speak so often of?
Well, typically they were IDs or Passports, as well as passes or travel orders for passing through checkpoints. Those could be given to specific individuals who often travel throughout the country often for work, like Dimitri, who travels from the countryside into Paris. The Nazis needed to know where people were going and if the people were escapees.
If someone did not have their identification card on them, it could be supposed that they were an escapee. Perhaps they were also a Jew that someone had been hiding. If you could not produce this, then you were in big trouble.
I couldn’t find any picture that shows the travel papers, but there are many sources that say these were used widely.
Well, Hello Emmerich.
Captain Emmerich wastes no time making his entrance in this chapter. Within the first three paragraphs, he utters his favorite line: “Papers, now!” This is where the conflict begins.
When everyone produces their papers except for Acadia, Emmerich sees his window of opportunity. To him, it is the break he’s been waiting for. He thinks that he will uncover a secret plot Acadia is holding onto. He thinks Acadia not having her papers means she could have possibly forged her papers. After being passed over for so much in his life, Emmerich sees this as something he just can’t let go of.
Question: Does Emmerich actually know Acadia?
Why would he ask her name? Doesn’t he know who she is?
I mean, haven’t they met before? If Emmerich has been coming around for a while, then he should know who Acadia is, right?
Yes and No.
Yes, he does know who she is. They have met and he probably knows her name. However, at this current moment, Emmerich is investigating her and trying to get her to slip up. So, asking her these simple questions help to catch her off guard.
Could it also be he just forgot her name? Most likely.
Coming to the Rescue
Annabelle has had enough of the berating at Emmerich’s hands. She will not stand by while her employee – and dearest friend – is accused of hiding something (even though they are..).
She explodes at him, rushing to Acadia’s defense. However, this move was almost fatal. Emmerich now suspects Annabelle to be the perpetrator of the secret and turns his questioning towards her.
Accusations of the Resistance come at her, but she denies it. She turns the questioning to who he thinks her to be but denies it when he calls her French. That single line confused literally everyone in existence.
“We Are Not French”
This is the first time we’ve heard Annabelle speak in favor of the Nazis. She admits her allegiances to the Nazis, saying she has now been forsaken by the French people. She is seen as a traitor, so why would she consider herself French any longer?
This whole speech confuses Emmerich and catches him off guard. Annabelle now controls the room.
Emmerich, frustrated with Annabelle and her irrefutable evidence, decides to let it go. He sends Acadia to get her papers, and once he’s checked them, leaves us with a chilling remark.
“Bis zum nächsten mal Frau Dietmar.” Until next time, Frau Dietmar.
Ta-da! Surprisingly this chapter, once reviewing it, is mainly dialogue and isn’t too dense to go through.
Next week will also be a shorter one, though will focus less on the events of Chapter 7: Ideology and more on the facts behind it.
So, what did you think? Would you have been scared of Emmerich? Comment below your reactions!
Till next time!
L.A.
p.s. – want to learn more about Emmerich and Acadia? Look back to a past post About Defy (Part 5)!