Read Online Chocolate Cake With Hitler by Emma Craigie - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Emma Craigie
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cheek. When Mrs. Junge turned away to speak to a soldier I spat it into my napkin. I never want to eat beef again in my whole life. I’m going to be vegetarian like Uncle Leader.
After lunch we went for our rest. I got straight into my bunk and pulled the covers over my head and thenI couldn’t breathe. I made a little air gap, but kept my face hidden. I don’t know why I feel so tired when we’re not doing anything.
Liesl came to get us ready for tea. She redid my plaits and tied the bow at the back of my dress and gave me a little hug. I feel like a four-year-old in this outfit. Short sleeves that give my arms goose pimples, short white socks. All us girls matching. I can’t wait till I’m a grown-up and I can choose my own clothes. I’m going to have long, loose, swishy hair and high heels and a navy-blue, polka-dot skirt. After the war Mummy says I can be fitted for a bra. I almost need one now.
The others are still pretty chirpy. Helmut remains convinced that this is all great fun. Holde and Hedda and Heide were a bit quiet for the first day or so but now they are all excited about cake and puppies and they love Mrs. Junge and the teddies and they are pretty well fine. Sometimes they get really scared of the explosions, but then they seem to forget all about them. I wish I could talk to Hilde, but it’s almost like she’s not here. She hardly ever wants to play cards or board games, or do anything together. All she wants to do is read. She carries her on-the-go book everywhere, and as soon as she’s finished one she’s on to the next. And she does this really annoying thing with her cheeks. She sucks them in three times before she does anything – before she gets out of bed, takes off her nightie, puts on her pants, everything. She looks like a fish.
If this is such a safe place I’m sure Mr. Speer would have brought his children here instead of sending them into the mountains. And what about Edda Goering? She’d definitely be here. She has to have the best of everything. And Mr. Bormann hasn’t got his children here with him. Why is it just us?
Tea came and went again. Auntie Eva had her painted smile and her glittering diamonds. Uncle Adi had made less of an effort with his appearance. As soon as we got there, he asked Mrs. Junge to fetch the puppies. At first I thought he was talking to me because he said, in quite a gentle voice, “Child, bring in the dogs.” But she leapt up.
We all played with the puppies on the floor. Foxl snuggled his nose into my armpit. Uncle Adi didn’t ask any difficult questions about school or German history. He just talked about the dogs. He said he prefers dogs to people because you can always trust them, they never lie, they are always loyal and always obedient. He made Blondi do her schoolgirl trick again, but when he went to pat her on the head, he spilt his hot chocolate all over his lap. He immediately went purple red and started shouting furiously. Auntie Eva leapt over and started dabbing him with her inadequate little lace handkerchief, which made him even more furious. Mummy whispered fiercely, “Back to your room, children !” Mrs. Junge came with us. She told us he often calls his secretaries “child”, especially her because she’sthe youngest. I think she’s 25 – not young at all.
We fiddled about in the corridor for a bit and then Mummy came up and showed me the new patience. It’s quite good. You have a pile of thirteen cards you can’t look at and then you deal out four and – well, it’s difficult to explain, but basically you have to make suits. I played it quite a few times. I like the flicky sound of the cards as you turn them over in threes. It never worked out, but there’s a nice feeling of fresh hope every time you start a new deal.
1940
We went to Castle Lanke, Papa’s official country house, for New Year. Swan Island is our private one. I prefer the private one.
The weather was absolutely freezing. Thick, crusty snow which
After lunch we went for our rest. I got straight into my bunk and pulled the covers over my head and thenI couldn’t breathe. I made a little air gap, but kept my face hidden. I don’t know why I feel so tired when we’re not doing anything.
Liesl came to get us ready for tea. She redid my plaits and tied the bow at the back of my dress and gave me a little hug. I feel like a four-year-old in this outfit. Short sleeves that give my arms goose pimples, short white socks. All us girls matching. I can’t wait till I’m a grown-up and I can choose my own clothes. I’m going to have long, loose, swishy hair and high heels and a navy-blue, polka-dot skirt. After the war Mummy says I can be fitted for a bra. I almost need one now.
The others are still pretty chirpy. Helmut remains convinced that this is all great fun. Holde and Hedda and Heide were a bit quiet for the first day or so but now they are all excited about cake and puppies and they love Mrs. Junge and the teddies and they are pretty well fine. Sometimes they get really scared of the explosions, but then they seem to forget all about them. I wish I could talk to Hilde, but it’s almost like she’s not here. She hardly ever wants to play cards or board games, or do anything together. All she wants to do is read. She carries her on-the-go book everywhere, and as soon as she’s finished one she’s on to the next. And she does this really annoying thing with her cheeks. She sucks them in three times before she does anything – before she gets out of bed, takes off her nightie, puts on her pants, everything. She looks like a fish.
If this is such a safe place I’m sure Mr. Speer would have brought his children here instead of sending them into the mountains. And what about Edda Goering? She’d definitely be here. She has to have the best of everything. And Mr. Bormann hasn’t got his children here with him. Why is it just us?
Tea came and went again. Auntie Eva had her painted smile and her glittering diamonds. Uncle Adi had made less of an effort with his appearance. As soon as we got there, he asked Mrs. Junge to fetch the puppies. At first I thought he was talking to me because he said, in quite a gentle voice, “Child, bring in the dogs.” But she leapt up.
We all played with the puppies on the floor. Foxl snuggled his nose into my armpit. Uncle Adi didn’t ask any difficult questions about school or German history. He just talked about the dogs. He said he prefers dogs to people because you can always trust them, they never lie, they are always loyal and always obedient. He made Blondi do her schoolgirl trick again, but when he went to pat her on the head, he spilt his hot chocolate all over his lap. He immediately went purple red and started shouting furiously. Auntie Eva leapt over and started dabbing him with her inadequate little lace handkerchief, which made him even more furious. Mummy whispered fiercely, “Back to your room, children !” Mrs. Junge came with us. She told us he often calls his secretaries “child”, especially her because she’sthe youngest. I think she’s 25 – not young at all.
We fiddled about in the corridor for a bit and then Mummy came up and showed me the new patience. It’s quite good. You have a pile of thirteen cards you can’t look at and then you deal out four and – well, it’s difficult to explain, but basically you have to make suits. I played it quite a few times. I like the flicky sound of the cards as you turn them over in threes. It never worked out, but there’s a nice feeling of fresh hope every time you start a new deal.
1940
We went to Castle Lanke, Papa’s official country house, for New Year. Swan Island is our private one. I prefer the private one.
The weather was absolutely freezing. Thick, crusty snow which
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