Page 179 - The Book Thief

He did not acknowledge them.

The following morning, as promised, he rose earlier than usual, but not early
enough. The door at Kleinmanns Clothing was still moist with dew. Hans dried
it. He managed to match the color as close as humanly possible and gave it a
good solid coat.

Innocuously, a man walked past.

Heil Hitler, he said.

Heil Hitler, Hans replied.

THREE SMALL BUT
IMPORTANT FACTS
1. The man who walked past was Rolf Fischer, one of
Molchings greatest Nazis.

A new slur was painted on the door within sixteen hours.

Hans Hubermann was not granted membership in the Nazi Party.

Not yet, anyway.

For the next year, Hans was lucky that he didnt revoke his membership
application officially. While many people were instantly approved, he was added
to a waiting list, regarded with suspicion. Toward the end of 1938, when the

Jews were cleared out completely after Kristallnacht, the Gestapo visited. They
searched the house, and when nothing or no one suspicious was found, Hans
Hubermann was one of the fortunate:

He was allowed to stay.