A Remnant of Conscience
“So you still attended. It seems a last shred of conscience remains in you after all.”
Two days after the assassination attempt, I entered the parliament building alongside the other People’s Front delegates. The Chancellor, whom I had fully expected to avoid showing his face, was present as well.
“...First, please allow me to express my genuine shame that you, Representative Heinz, were subjected to a threat against your life. The instigators of the incident have no connection whatsoever to the police. The government police do not, and will never, interfere in politics through such illegal and violent means.”
Whether the words were mere performance or truly sincere, I could not tell. Still, Brüning had apologized to me on an official public occasion.
“We will strengthen penalties for impersonating police officers or soldiers, and an investigation into the would-be assassins will begin immediately.”
“The child has already fallen into the well, as they say.”
“...”
Honestly, I knew Brüning had not ordered it, so there was little reason to pin the full blame on him. Yet if this moment could force the Chancellor’s resignation, it was an opportunity worth seizing. My life had been in real danger; I had every right to speak this bluntly. Strangely, while Brüning remained wary of Wels and openly despised Thälmann, he always listened carefully to me. Perhaps my youth made me less threatening in his eyes?
“This was clearly the work of the National Socialists. No one else would commit such an act.”
“I have already stated there is no evidence of that, Representative Heinz.”
“The circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. A few months ago I nearly died at their hands. We also possess proof that they operate underground organizations. Above all, they have made anti-communism their official party line. Who but the National Socialists would orchestrate something like this?”
Even Brüning seemed to half-accept that, in a twentieth-century “democratic” state, an attempt to assassinate a parliamentarian in broad daylight could only be the work of the far right.
“...And yet you, Representative Heinz, have also mobilized paramilitary forces to agitate the masses, have you not?”
“At least we never sought to kill anyone. In the nearly twelve years since democracy and parliament came to Germany, the Communist Party has conducted its struggle without once deploying the Red Front Fighters’ League for any purpose beyond educating the people.”
This was the very argument moderates like Brüning had always used to attack both the far left and the National Socialist and fascist far right: “Both extremes reject democracy, both are violent, intolerant, and inflammatory.”
But what of the present Communist Party and Labour Party? When asked who truly defended democracy, the answer was us, not Brüning. Violence? We had never attempted murder. Intolerance? We had maintained an official alliance with the Social Democrats for over two months. Inflammatory rhetoric? When parliament and capital blinded the eyes of the people, was I supposed to sit politely and speak in elegant phrases?
“...If the same incident occurs again, we will launch a full investigation into the National Socialist Party. In return, I ask that the People’s Front cease inciting the masses to overthrow the government.”
“‘Again’? Does the Chancellor hope I die?”
“That is not what I meant. We cannot erode the Empire’s political freedoms merely on the basis of a victim’s suspicions.”
“So political freedom matters more than my life?”
“That is why I have promised to reinforce public security.”
“These people operate by ignoring the law. Strengthening the law will surely prove most effective against them.”
Political freedom was desirable, but when it became freedom for the far right to run wild, it amounted to tolerating forces that would destroy liberty in liberty’s name. Worse, the Imperial government had shown excessive leniency toward the Nazis and fascists while dealing with us communists with nothing but harshness. There was no point in repeating such obvious double standards; it would only tire my tongue.
“Very well. I will protect my own life. In exchange, I hope the Chancellor will reflect carefully on whether what he is doing now is truly for Germany.”
“...”
“As I have said many times, driving the people into poverty while claiming to save the nation and preserve peace, all while tolerating the very forces that shatter that peace, is a meaningless endeavor.”
There seemed little point in continuing. I set down the microphone and returned to my seat. Perhaps the Chancellor had realized something. If he resigned, a change of government would be imminent. I wondered whether this incident would spark serious calls for his resignation.
Upon returning to the Chancellery, Brüning immediately faced harsh words from Vice Chancellor Hermann Dietrich.
“...Vice Chancellor.”
“The reason our Democratic Party chose to cooperate with you was the belief that only you could protect German democracy between the rising conservatives and the communists, and that only you could overcome the Great Depression. After more than half a year in office, what exactly have you shown us?”
The eyes of the National Front parliamentarians upon the Chancellor had changed markedly.
“‘Democracy’ now belongs to the communists rather than to us. By invoking the emergency decree we ourselves are destroying democracy. Austerity has produced no visible results, nor has it checked the far right. What is the purpose of any of this?”
“...Please hear me out first, Vice Chancellor.”
Brüning somehow calmed Dietrich and continued.
“Austerity will bear fruit in the long term. It is true that, at present, with international investment contracting, its effects are limited. Yet as you know, our tariff policies are generating revenue, and we have already repaid a portion of the reparations and international debts. At the next League of Nations assembly we stand a good chance of securing reductions in reparations and obtaining financial support from the victorious powers.”
“And we are to watch the people who support us starve until then?”
“You agreed that sacrifices would be necessary.”
“We agreed to make sacrifices, not to starve the people! If this cabinet continues on its present course, the Democratic Party will withdraw from the government!”
Dietrich’s tone was uncompromising.
The Democratic Party held the narrow balance that gave Brüning his majority. Their withdrawal would be a death sentence for the cabinet. Brüning cast a pleading glance toward Eduard Dingeldey, leader of the People’s Party and fellow parliamentarian, but the man could only return an anxious look that said there was nothing he could do.
“The emergency decree is not permanent. Let us wait a little longer. Democracy will soon be restored.”
Adam Stegerwald, the Centre Party’s Minister of Labor, tried to soothe Dietrich.
“I hope to see the emergency decree lifted before the year is out.”
“...I will exert every effort to make that happen.”
“If things continue like this, what possible reason is there to prevent the People’s Front from taking the Chancellorship? At least Representative Emilia Heinz displays the vigor of youth. We are trapped in a dilemma, able to do nothing. I am not saying communism is correct, but parts of what Heinz says are right. No policy at all cannot be called a policy.”
Though the Democrats and Dietrich vented their disappointment, they had no alternative plan. Ever since the death of their towering figure Gustav Stresemann, the Democratic Party had held power in a state of constant instability. Yet in the hearts of Dietrich and the other members, the idea that “the people come before the party” was slowly taking root.
“What if we reexamined the reform bill?”
“That is impossible, Vice Chancellor.”
“Not a complete overhaul, merely revisiting a few key points. Every demand the People’s Front made in their reform proposal was correct. The only question is timing.”
“The agricultural and industrial collectivization they demand is a direct road to communism!”
“Who spoke of total collectivization? The current structure dominated by large landowners and conglomerates is undeniably inefficient. Nationalization rather than collectivization might be preferable, but land and labor reform must happen eventually.”
“You must not forget that conservatives are also part of this cabinet, Vice Chancellor.”
“Even so, what must be done must be done. The Chancellor should persuade them.”
“I said I would consider it. But all such measures remain premature.”
Distrust within the cabinet only deepened.
-----
After the assassination attempt, members of the Red Revolutionary Front and the Red Front Fighters’ League no longer kept their distance. They surrounded me openly as they joined the street agitation.
“I originally told you to stay back because I thought citizens would be afraid to approach if you were visible…”
“When the Chairwoman’s life is under threat, no one in the People’s Front can allow such a situation to occur.”
“That is true, of course…”
I had nevertheless issued strict orders that the Red Revolutionary Front must act only in defense. I had no desire to hand the Chancellor any excuses. More importantly, we needed to maintain an absolutely positive image in the press.
In my mind, the conviction had already formed that Brüning would never serve out his four-year term—whether that came from intuition or mere speculation.
“You intend to continue using the streets even after what happened?”
“Well, there is nowhere else I can do this work.”
While the Communist Party handled revolutionary organization and union consolidation, and the Social Democrats worked to sway the press and maintain contact with international socialists, there was little I could do in my capacity as Chairwoman of the People’s Front. This, therefore, was the only task available to me.
“Most impressive. Keep up the fight, Representative Heinz.”
“You as well, Representative Wels.”
The Social Democrats and Communists had reached the point of exchanging words of encouragement. They say the ground hardens after rain; unable to overthrow the cabinet inside parliament, the situation itself was radicalizing the Social Democrats. From our standpoint, any development that advanced our position was welcome.
As the RRF members, disguised as ordinary passersby, began returning to their posts—
“Oh? Representative Heinz?”
“Yes! Have you come to talk?”
“Weren’t you nearly killed here last time…?”
A citizen approached me.
“That was then. This is now.”
“You have quite the nerve, Representative Heinz.”
“Ahaha, thank you for the compliment.”
It was not that I lacked fear. I genuinely hated terrifying things. Perhaps some unconscious certainty that I would not die had taken root inside me?
“The newspapers say you’re convinced the would-be assassins were connected to the National Socialists. Why?”
He dragged over one of the prepared chairs and sat.
“The country the National Socialists dream of is simple. Equality, democracy—those are all illusions to them. There is only one thing that matters: a powerful leader to guide the nation. They want that leader to raise Germany once more as a racially pure world hegemon.”
“Hmm…”
It might not be true; we could not know for certain. Even so, it was vital to plant a negative impression of the far right from the very beginning. Factual precision was secondary.
“It sounds good when you simply listen to it, doesn’t it?”
“...”
I seemed to have struck a nerve.
“But the world is not a flower garden. The far right considers the invasion and plunder of other peoples and nations through war to be perfectly natural if it fills their own bellies.”
“War…”
“And should that war come? The first ones dragged into the army will be ordinary citizens. They claim they will feed the German people well, yet they drive their fellow Germans onto the battlefield.”
No matter what grand phrases—national glory, increase of wealth—one attached to it, these people still remembered clearly the great war that had erupted seventeen years earlier. More than ten million innocent lives had been lost. To repeat such madness was the most insane act of all.
“…That is true.”
“Do not be deceived by the Bolsheviks’ sweet words, everyone!”