The National Front Has Won
That evening, after the election results were announced, Thälmann and the other party members who had returned to Essen met with me to talk. Though none of them were particularly pleased by the National Front’s victory, they weren’t exactly despairing either.
“It was the expected outcome anyway. After the mess they created, it was always going to be difficult for the SPD to regain power. The other side came out swinging, determined to crush the Social Democrats this time.”
“Exactly. You could see their game from the moment they called themselves the ‘National Front.’”
Unlike Thälmann, who sat with a weary, expressionless face, the young deputies vented their anger. I was honestly furious myself. The National Front was essentially a grand coalition of the center-right. After the fall of Müller’s SPD cabinet, they had played their trump card to fully capitalize on the public’s rightward shift. It was an alliance of three center-right parties: the Centre Party (Z), the German Democratic Party (DDP), and the German People’s Party (DVP). These parties had cooperated throughout Germany’s twelve-year constitutional history, but now they had merged into a single political entity to completely suppress the SPD. They claimed to champion liberalism and democracy, yet what they truly valued was the freedom of the wealthy, not freedom for all.
“They came out with real determination this time, so I suppose they got what they wanted.”
As the members’ voices rose, Thälmann spoke. “Whether the SPD wins or the National Front wins makes no difference to us. One side at least pays lip service to workers’ liberation, while the other exists solely to protect capital’s interests. We fight and act—that’s all. So how about everyone calms down first?”
He had a point. Whether the SPD or the National Front held power, the workers’ voices would be ignored all the same.
“Understood, Thälmann.”
The deputies who had been shouting lowered their voices. “Still, the results we achieved in this election are historic.”
Sensing the mood sinking, Thälmann quickly changed the subject. “As you all know, we received 9.2% of the vote. Considering that workers’ votes are significantly undervalued in the actual tally, this is a remarkable showing. Our vote share rose by a full 2.5% compared to last time.”
“It seems the SPD’s collapse did help consolidate the workers’ vote.”
“That’s fair to say. Heinz’s split under the Labor Party banner also played a major role.”
“Me? Oh, come on, I didn’t do anything. It’s all thanks to the workers coming together.”
“You played a big part in making that happen. Because you advocated a different path for communism than ours, workers who wouldn’t support the Communist Party ended up supporting you instead. It aligns perfectly with our platform of a ‘unified workers’ path.’ For someone who only entered practical politics this year, you’ve made quite an impact.”
When Thälmann gave a small round of applause, the other members joined in with cheers for me.
“Oh, really, there’s no need for all this…”
I felt oddly embarrassed.
“Anyway, thank you. For doing so much for me. I’m in a different party now, after all.”
“What does the party name matter? I said before that before the liberation of the workers and the victory of communism, we’re all comrades. Whether Communist or Labor, we’re in the same boat.”
Hearing that lifted my spirits again.
“So, now it’s time to pay the practical price for cooperating with our Communist Party.”
Thälmann rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a small metal plate, holding it out to me. “You and the Labor Party fought hard for the people’s liberation. The workers know your efforts well. So take this.”
The plate he handed over was still warm. Engraved on it were the double-headed eagle symbolizing the German Reichstag and small lettering: “Heinz, Emilia, Labor Party.”
“Think of it as the collective will of the workers who voted for our coalition to support you.”
“I… what is this—”
“You’re now a member of the Reichstag. Congratulations, Heinz. I look forward to working with you.”
“Wow… is this real?”
Until the Reichstag convened on September 5th, I went around boasting to my friends at home. “Of course it’s real. Why would Thälmann give me a fake?”
“Then… you’re actually a member of parliament?”
“Obviously!”
Ah, it felt wonderful to brag like this. My friends crowded around like excited elementary schoolers, inspecting the nameplate.
“How does it feel?”
“How do you think? Emilia, you’re the pride of the Ruhr workers!”
“Wow… we’d better stay on your good side. You might end up chancellor someday.”
“Well, it’s not impossible, is it?”
With my nose in the air, I replied confidently, “Emilia becoming a parliamentarian—now that’s something you live long enough to see.”
“Why? I’m perfectly qualified. This is the collective will of the workers, remember? A step toward revolution!”
“No, I’m not saying anything against it. But honestly, don’t you find it hard to believe yourself?”
“…I do.”
It had all happened so suddenly. Even if Thälmann were lying to me, he wouldn’t do it this way, yet the idea that I was now a parliamentarian still felt unreal. I had never even imagined I could become one. Most likely, they had simply allocated one of the seats won by the Communist-Labor alliance to me.
“Whatever! Anyway, I’m heading to Frankfurt starting tomorrow. Take care, everyone.”
“Hey, don’t let them push you around there. Don’t get crushed by the capitalists! If they voted for you, you’d better make it worth their while!”
“Don’t worry. Who do you think I am?”
“Actually, I’m more worried Emilia’s ego is too big.”
My friends offered a mix of encouragement and concern.
“Especially since Emilia’s a woman. And her party only has one seat. I wonder if she’ll be all right.”
“Oh, so you’re the only Labor Party member in parliament?”
“Probably. If there were anyone else from the Labor Party elected, you all would’ve heard first.”
“Ah, right. We’re the first members, after all.”
“And there’s the Communist Party too. If things get too rough, Thälmann will figure something out. He’s already been in parliament for six years.”
Honestly, I wasn’t too worried about pressure from the right. After working under factory owners who exploited workers like slaves with the right’s tacit approval, collusion, and cooperation, who could possibly intimidate me? And though my body was female, I had no intention of acting weak. Rosa Luxemburg, the revolutionary, was a woman too—what couldn’t I do? I had lived longer as a man than as a woman, and my pride wouldn’t allow me to lose to those bastards.
“Anyway, you don’t need to worry. Just cheer me on.”
“Yes, yes, understood, Assemblywoman.”
“Pfft!”
“Hey, if you say it like that, what does that make me?”
We laughed and joked until the day came for me to depart for Frankfurt. Even my teasing friends showed up at Essen Station to see me off.
“Stay healthy over there! Come back whenever you have time!”
“You all take care too. No matter what anyone says, you’re the masters of this society, so don’t live too hard.”
“We’ll take care of ourselves, so you just watch out for yourself. Don’t let them push you around! Show them the power of the workers!”
“Of course. Take care, everyone!”
With their send-off, I boarded the train to Frankfurt, and my first term as a Reichstag member began.
—
Bang—
He slammed his fist down on the desk, filled with rage. Blood trickled from his slightly swollen hand.
“P-please calm down, Assemblyman von Hugenberg.”
When a servant rushed over with a bandage to treat the wound, he roughly swatted the man away.
“Do I look like I can calm down right now…!”
His voice came out hoarse from shouting too much.
“101 seats! Not only did we fail to improve on last election, we didn’t even break even!”
He lashed out at the other assemblymen standing around the desk.
“What the hell were you all doing, huh? Those filthy Reds are breathing down our necks with 53 seats—why are we still stuck here?”
No one answered readily.
“The day is near when we’ll end this blasphemous system where lowly subjects pretend to be masters, and restore the rightful rulers of Germany—His Majesty the Habsburg Emperor and us nobles—to their proper places. And yet you betray me like this?”
After venting his anger, he collapsed into a chair. The servant hurried over again and began wrapping his right hand with the bandage.
“They fell for the National Front’s strategy, sir. We couldn’t stop them from siphoning off the capitalists’ votes.”
Von Löwenstein, the DNVP’s election campaign manager, answered in a still-trembling voice.
“The financial crisis that started in America and spread worldwide had a huge impact. Of course, we nobles are fine, but it seems the capitalists felt threatened and shifted toward the National Front.”
“You should have stopped it…! That was the only thing I asked of you, and you couldn’t even manage that?”
“M-my apologies.”
Von Hugenberg waved dismissively at von Löwenstein, as if he no longer had the energy to be angry.
“And you lot who said you’d bring in the petty bourgeois vote—what exactly did you do?”
Turning his gaze from the noble assemblymen on the left side of the table, he looked at the suited assemblymen on the right.
“Do you know how much money I invested in you? I don’t want to hear pathetic excuses about failing to secure votes like that man over there. Answer me.”
The assemblymen on the right also hesitated to speak. Then one of them stepped forward.
“The reason we couldn’t bring in the citizens’ votes is a matter of party policy.”
The man stood ramrod straight, showing no fear even before von Hugenberg, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
“What did you say?”
“The outdated slogan of rule by His Majesty the Kaiser and the nobility no longer moves the German people. Germans need strong leadership to recover from the pain of the Great War. The DNVP must target that.”
Von Hugenberg stared at him in disbelief.
“If you wish, I’ll promote the party regardless of official policy from now on.”
“You… I told you to fix that… Haah, never mind. What can I expect from a mere retired soldier without noble blood? Do as you please. But remember this: your loyalty belongs not to the German subjects, but to us nobles and His Majesty the Kaiser. If you keep making seditious moves, I’ll expel you from the party immediately. Understood?”
At von Hugenberg’s words, the man gave a crooked smile and bowed his head.
“Do you understand, Assemblyman Adolf Hitler?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll keep it in mind.”