Page 417 - The Book Thief

THE COLLECTOR

Neither Hans Hubermann nor Alex Steiner was sent to fight. Alex was sent to
Austria, to an army hospital outside Vienna. Given his expertise in tailoring, he
was given a job that at least resembled his profession. Cartloads of uniforms and
socks and shirts would come in every week and he would mend what needed
mending, even if they could only be used as underclothes for the suffering
soldiers in Russia.

Hans was sent first, quite ironically, to Stuttgart, and later, to Essen. He was
given one of the most undesirable positions on the home front. The LSE.

A NECESSARY EXPLANATION

LSE
Luftwa fe Sondereinheit
Air Raid Special Unit

The job of the LSE was to remain aboveground during air raids and put out fires,
prop up the walls of buildings, and rescue anyone who had been trapped during
the raid. As Hans soon discovered, there was also an alternative definition for
the acronym. The men in the unit would explain to him on his first day that it
really stood for Leichensammler EinheitDead Body Collectors.

When he arrived, Hans could only guess what those men had done to deserve
such a task, and in turn, they wondered the same of him. Their leader, Sergeant
Boris Schipper, asked him straight out. When Hans explained the bread, the
Jews, and the whip, the round-faced sergeant gave out a short spurt of laughter.

Youre lucky to be alive. His eyes were also round and he was constantly wiping
them. They were either tired or itchy or full of smoke and dust. Just remember
that the enemy here is not in front of you.

Hans was about to ask the obvious question when a voice arrived from behind.