Book Blurb
MAN OF CLAY explores the consequences of being held captive by the ghosts of our past, the decisions we make and what happens when someone crosses the line in search of revenge and retribution.
Dieter Krueger was a byproduct of a world at war. Born at the turn of the century, he lived through a war that ravaged his country. There was an attempt to join the German army in 1917, but Dieter failed the physical due to a limp caused by flat feet. Instead, he stood on the sidelines while his country was embarrassed by the Allies. The post-war years were no better. Dieter married, had a son, moving from unskilled job to unskilled job, looking to make a quick dollar while overestimating his own skills. Eventually, his wife desired to start a new life without her husband or child, unable to be with someone with no future. It wasn't until 1927 when Dieter found his real purpose.
If
Dieter hated anyone, it was the communists.
They single-handedly overthrew the Russian monarchy and created chaos
and discontent in Eastern Europe. They
had become a presence in Germany and had significant power in the Reichstag,
one half of the German Parliament, along with the Reichsrat. When he heard that there was to be a Day of
Awakening rally at Nuremberg, Dieter found transportation so he could attend.
Here he witnessed the nationalism and pride in the German nation he had long
hoped for. Brown Shirts, also known as
the SA, marched in the streets, yelling their commands to cheering crowds.
Hitler and other top Nazi officials spoke of the threats to Germany, including
the Jews, who started the Bolshevik Revolution as part of a more massive Jewish
conspiracy. To be present at such a
rally, where swastika banners decorated various buildings and bright red
armbands with bent crosses were worn with pride on the arms of patriots and
visitors alike, Dieter realized this was something he could believe in. He
cheered as Hitler spoke to the crowd and sang along as Brown Shirts belted out
Horst Wessel Lied, the official song of the party. And it was at this rally
that he met his wife.
Ilse
Fischer didn't remember much about the Great War. She spent her youth living
the life of a socialite with her parents and grandparents on the outskirts of
Leipzig. It was old money, not finances
gained through hard work and dedication. It was passed down from generation to
generation; at a time were working for one's money was still frowned upon. Her father was called to serve the country in
1914, but grandfather called in a favor and, with a quick and sizeable
contributable donation, kept the entire family together. Here, Ilse learned to
ride horses, read and write, never attending public school, instead learning
from private tutors. The end of the war
brought about pain across the entire country, and this time the social status
of the family could not save them. The Mark, the German currency, had
stabilized directly after the war. However, unpaid reparations caused the
Reichsmark to be worthless, and by 1923, a single US dollar was worth over four
trillion marks. Like many wealthy
families who carried their status like a badge of honor, this dramatic change
destroyed the lifestyles of the elites, and the Fischer’s were no exception.
All money was lost, necessitating the sale of the large home outside Leipzig. A
smaller home was purchased in Nuremberg through the sale of several expensive
items sold outside of the country. The
war did not completely break the Fischer family, and though Ilse no longer
could live like a princess, she was able to get things most Germans could not
afford.
Art,
jewelry, and land outside of Germany kept its value and, in time, would allow
the Fischers to regain most of their wealth. However, it caused the family,
like many others, to hate the Weimar Republic. When Hitler spoke, the elite
also listened. The Fischer family was no
exception. Ilse agreed with most of the rhetoric though the antisemitism was
new to her. Her family had many Jewish acquaintances who had contributed much
to German society. Perhaps a closer look would help. She also made her way to the
Day of Awakening rally to gain a better understanding of what this Herr Hitler
spoke of. Not only did she come away from that day a loyal and rabid Nazi, but
she also met the man she'd marry in Dieter Krueger, a hardworking and dedicated
German who brought with him a two-year-old son, Hans Ulrich. A year later, on August 19th, Ilse and Dieter
officially became man and wife, not only proclaiming loyalty to one another but
to the German nation and its leader. The
happy couple announced to their families they would be helping the process of
rebuilding Germany by giving their country a healthy Aryan child. In April
1931, they gave birth to a child of their own, Karl Adolf Krueger. While both
children were brought up with strong Aryan ideals, their lives branched in very
different directions.
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Amazon Author
Page: - https://www.amazon.com/Alan-Derosby/e/B084LVSRG7?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000
Thank you so much for sharing this extract today and helping to close the tour
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! :)
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