1. June 1940 – October 1940: Vote for Lindbergh or Vote for War
The reader is introduced to the Roth family, the centre of the plot: father Herman Roth (39 years) works as an insurance agent, mother Bess stays at home with their children, Brother Sandy (12 years) and Philip (about 8 years – the I-narrator), whose hobby is to collect stamps, visit school. The Jewish family is not rich, but earns enough to survive. They live in a small flat in the Weequahic neighbourhood at the southwest edge of Newark, New Jersey (2). The story is told from the perspective of Philip.There is a growing influence of the Nazis in Germany, eg. the Kristallnacht in November 1938. Although father Herman is offered a promotion which would enable the family to buy a house, he refuses because he sees no sense in buying a house in Union, which is dominated by Christian Whites.
In September 1939, after having conquered Austria and Czechoslovakia, Hitler invades Poland, so that France and Great Britain declare war on Germany (14). When Hitler occupies Denmark, Norway, Holland and Belgium and invades France, Lindbergh announces America would not go to war under his presidency, which made him to the idol of the isolationists (15). Conversely, president FD Roosevelt approves an American participation in the war to stop the Fascists. The Roths listen to the radio regularly to be up to date what the elections and their country is concerned (17). When Lindbergh enters the Republican Convention, people shout “Lindy! Lindy! Lindy” full of excitement for thirty minutes. Finally, the Republican party chooses Lindbergh as its candidate,
Lindbergh gives a mandate to keep America out of the European war (19). The Roths listen to the radio programme of Walter Winchell, a famous newsman who called Lindbergh’s presidency the greatest threat ever to American democracy (24). Brother sandy gets a portfolio for his birthday and draws The Spirit of St. Louis (Lindbergh’s plane) and portraits of famous politicians, such as President Roosevelt, New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia (29) and Lindbergh (30), which he keeps secret because of fear from his parents. The children on the street play a game called “I Declare War” (32).“who had denounced Jews over the airwaves to a national audience as “other peoples” employing their enormous “influence… to lead our country to destruction” (…) (18).
Lindbergh starts his electoral campaign by flying across the land and giving publicity speeches (34) in summer 1940:
When “Lindy” appears in Newark, he is welcomed by the disputed Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf, an intellectual and well-educated man who offers him support “because the political objectives of my people are identical with his” (42) – which means, amongst other things, to stay out of the war (46). After Philip’s cousin Alvin (21 years), who stays with the Roths, exposed Bengelsdorf’s commentaries as permission for every Jew to vote Lindbergh, Philip has a nightmare: each of his stamps changed and suddenly shows a black swastika (52).“Your choice is simple. It’s not between Charles A. Lindbergh and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It’s between Lindbergh and war” (36).
2. November 1940 – June 1941: Loudmouth Jew
21 year-old cousin Alvin gets a job at Abe Steinheim’s, the boss of a building company, on the recommendation of father Hermann (54). Alvin converses heatedly with Herman on politics and capitalism (55f). Becoming increasingly frustrated by his job, Alvin decides to join the Canadian forces in their fight against Hitler. In the elections, Lindbergh gets 75 percent of the popular vote (63). The media ascribed Roosevelt’s defeat to Lindbergh’s heroic appearance, his courage and power (64). Some weeks later Lindbergh travels to Iceland to meet with Hitler, where he signs the so-called Iceland Understanding, guaranteeing a peaceful relationship between Germany and the US. He also signs agreements with Japan, and thereby with Italy (65/66). The American public accepts Lindbergh as their new leader of peace, if not the Jews were against him (66). On January 20, 1941, Lindbergh is sworn into office.Family Roth takes a holiday trip to Washington D.C, where they enlist the assistance of Mr. Taylor, a polite official tourist guide they meet on the street (71). In front of Lincoln Memorial, the Roths encounter someone referring to Philip’s father as “a loudmouth Jew” (78). Back in their hotel, the waiter throws them out of their rooms because the clerk “made a mistake. The room he gave you was being held for another family” (81). Because Herman assumes anti-Semitic motives of the hotel staff, he stays until the police arrives (85) who force them to leave. Outside, the family hears Lindberghs low-flying plane and sees passers-by raise their arms to the sky and burst into applause shouting “Hurray for Lindy!”(86). On advise of tourist guide Taylor, the family moves to the Evergreen Hotel (87) and continues its holidays in Washington D.C. One evening, Lindbergh takes another one of his flight tours, driving people to burst out in applause again (90). Herman invites Mr. Taylor for dinner, where they talk about Lindbergh being a friend of Hitler. A mustached elderly man steps to the table announcing “If ever there was a case of a loudmouth Jew with too much power… ” referring to Walter Winchell (93). The guest and Herman are about to have a fight, but staff members force the harasser to calm down.
3. June 1941 – December 1941: Following Christians
Hitler breaks the Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact by attacking Russia’s east. Lindbergh’s comment:apparently happy to have allied with Germany and not with the USSR. In June 1941, brother Sandy leaves Newark to work on a farm in Kentucky with Just Folks, a volunteer work programme introduced by the Lindbergh administration to incorporate religious and national minorities into the larger society. In fact, the aim of the programme was to remove hundreds of Jewish boys from the cities and their families (101). Father Herman and Sandy have a dispute on that, especially because Aunt Evelyn – Bess’s sister - wants the boy to go and make a good experience. Aunt Evelyn sees no discrimination in the programme and says Herman would be “another Jew afraid of his shadow” (103). She even works for Rabbi Bengelsdorf in Lindbergh’s OAA (Office of American Absorption), which is organizing Just Folks.“Adolf Hitler has established himself as the world’s greatest safeguard against the spread of Communism and its evils” (99),
Alvin has left for Canada already to fight against Germany, and shortly later is wounded (106) – he looses his leg. Sandy returns from Mr. Mawhinney’s farm in Kentucky and is very excited about farm life (109), which makes his own family seem boring to him. Mr. Mawhinney can do so many things, “while my father, of course, was only a Jew” (112). When Philip asks his mother, why Alvin went to war, Sandy answers:
Herman fears that Hitler breaks all Pacts on a long run and turns the US into a fascist country (120). Rabbi Bengelsdorf comes to visit the Roths (124) and to speak about Sandy’s experiences. “The Jews of America can participate fully in the national life of their country”, Bengelsdorf says, and in this agrees with Lindbergh (127). Father Hermann tries to warn Bengelsdorf of Lindbergh and his mate, Hitler, but without success:“Because of Dad. […] Dad wants the whole country to go to war […]. Isn’t that why he voted for Roosevelt?” (114).
Nevertheless, Sandy is elected as recruiting officer to join Just Folks another time. Philip’s mother starts to save money for a possible escape to Canada (133). It becomes one of Philip’s and Earl’s (a schoolmate) hobbies to follow people on the bus and then return home (136).“Hearing a person like you talk like that - frankly, it alarms me even more” (132).
4. January 1942 – February 1942: The Stump
Philip’s rich uncle Monty visits the Roths, and talks to his brother about Alvin, Lindbergh and the economy. Alvin returns from Canada and the war in a wheelchair, having lost his leg (150). A nurse accompanying him describes him as “angry” – angry “at how things turn out” (154). While Philip first fears Alvin and his stump, he gets increasingly used to it and their relationship normalises (162). It even becomes Philip’s regular task to bandage Alvin’s stump (169).Because the family knows about the opposing attitudes of Alvin and Sandy towards Lindbergh, no one speaks about politics. Meanwhile, Lindbergh’s isolationist policies begin to win the support even of many Jews (173). Monty offers Alvin a job, apparently feeling bothered by Alvin’s complaints and his weakness (180).
5. March 1942 – June 1942: Never Before
Alvin learns about Sandy’s transformation (he became supporter of Lindbergh) when he discovers the portraits of Lindbergh under Sandy’s bed. The Roths’ neighbourhood begins to acknowledge Rabbi Bengelsdorf’s positive attitude towards Lindbergh and many believe that Lindbergh’s anti-Semitism has somehow been neutralised by the Rabbi (186). Philip discovers the interesting orphans at St. Peter’s and learns how to throw the dice from Alvin, who makes good money with bets. Someone pretending to be from the FBI interviews Philip and his family on what their attitude towards the president (196, 202). Meanwhile their neighbour, Mr. Wishnow, commits suicide, leaving Philip even more confused than he already was (204). Alvin starts to work for Uncle Monty again, but is soon fired because the FBI accuses him to be aFinally, Alvin leaves the town (207).“self-declared traitor plotting with Anti-American malcontents like himself to assassinate President Lindbergh”.
Mr. and Mrs. Lindbergh give a state dinner at the White House to honour Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, which is criticized by FDR and other leading Democrats. Vice President Wheeler then denounces Roosevelt’s reckless “war-minded” rhetoric (209).
On Madison Square Garden, crowds of Lindbergh-supporters wear buttons stating: “Keep America out of the Jewish war” (210). Philip, Sandy and their father go to the cinema regularly (216) to watch the newscasts – a place where half of the audience applauses at Lindbergh’s appearances, the other half boos. Aunt Evelyn and Rabbi Bengelsdorf are invited to the state dinner (219) and Sandy is supposed to attend the dinner due to his work for Just Folks (221). Because Herman and Beth won’t let him go, a quarrel rages between them and Aunt Evelyn whom they force to leave their house. Sandy desires to join the state dinner, telling his father he’d be going “whether you Ghetto Jews like it or not” (230) and increasingly alienates from his parents.“The deep fascist fellowship uniting the (German-American) Bund was now masked by vociferous patriotic declamations on the peril of a worldwide Communist revolution” (209).
Mr. Tirschwell, a close friend of Herman, decides to flee the US and to head for Canada. Nevertheless, Herman wants to stay. Philip sneaks into the cinema to watch his Aunt and Rabbi Bengelsdorf at the state dinner on the newscast (238).
6. May 1942 – June 1942: Their Country
Homestead 42, another programme introduced by Lindbergh to officially assimilate Jews into American society, calls Philip’s father Herman to Danville, Kentucky (243). While Herman does not see anything unusual in the transfer of people by big companies like the one he is working for, his wife Beth is against the move.Philip secretly makes his way to the OAA office of Aunt Evelyn to question her about the state dinner (252). As Philip tells her he would miss his mate Seldon Wishnow and his mother in Kentucky, they surprisingly receive a letter from the Homestead 42 programme the next day, announcing they had been chosen to move to Kentucky as well (260). Philip steals Seldon’s clothes. In Winchell’s radio show, he publicly debunks Homestead 42 being phase one of organised Jewish persecution in America (272). Its introduction had been arranged between Hitler and Lindbergh at the Iceland Understanding (273).
Philip steps into Seldon’s clothes and steals out of the house, ready to leave everything behind, but is kicked by a horse near St. Peter’s and ends up in a hospital (279). On his excursion he looses his stamp collection.
7. June 1942 – October 1942: The Winchell Riots
Philip’s father Herman decides to quit his job to avoid the move to Kentucky, which was the aim of Homestead 42. He begins a new job at the Miller Street market, working physically hard in the night and starting to drink (284).After the last argument with his parents, Sandy looses his anger and returns to the family fold. America’s leading radio reporter, Walter Winchell is fired for his comments on the aims of Homestead 1942, which takes him to announce that
and to announce his candidacy for president in the next election (289). Rabbi Bengelsdorf and Aunt Evelyn get married without Philip or his parents visiting them. The First Lady, Mrs. Lindbergh, sends a telegram to the wedding, congratulating the bridal couple, which is read out loud and rewarded with applause (296). The FBI agent appears again to investigate against Herman. Uncle Monty bribes the agent, but Philip’s father has to repay him and has to work even more.“the Lindbergh fascists have openly begun their Nazi assault on freedom of expression,”.
In the meantime, Sandy becomes crazy for girls (302). Some of the Roths’ dearest friends were chosen for Homestead 42 and would have to leave soon. Winchell begins his congressional campaign (310), travelling through the whole country giving speeches on the “fascists in the White House”.
Violence against Jews occurs, worst of all in Detroit, the home of the secretary of the Interior, Henry Ford, who publishes an anti-Semitic newspaper (316). Jews are terrorised, bombs are thrown on schools, Jews are beaten up and their stores are burned – just like in the Reichskristallnacht. Fearing serious riots in New Jersey, too, the Newark Jews establish the Newark Committee of Concerned Jewish Citizens (321) to provide public safety. A provisional Jewish police is established, assembled by some incorrigible Jewish kids.
Walter Winchell is shot and killed (326) in Louisville, Kentucky, so that the Newark Jews barricade and Philip’s mother Bess calls Mrs. Selma Wishnow and Seldon, their former neighbours, in Kentucky to warn them (330). The Roth’s new neighbours are a family from Italy, the Cucuzzas. Mr. Cucuzza works as a night watchman, his son Joey is in Philip’s age, and his mother and grandmother stays with them, too (336). Mr. Cucuzza, after the Winchell assassination, offers Herman a pistol, which he neglects (338). “Mussolini, Hitler – make-uh me sick”, Mr Cucuzza states (340). At the Winchell funeral, among others, New York mayor La Guardia, Democratic senator James Mead, and former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt give speeches: FDR is back.
8. October 1942: Bad Days
Well-of Alvin and his fiancée Minna Schapp appear at the Roths’ and stay for dinner. Outside, there are still synagogue bombings and looting of Jewish-owned stores (346). At Winchell’s funeral, there are demonstrations and counter-demonstrations leading to a tense atmosphere. Policemen are stationed at the schools, Philip’s mother Bess avoids to leave the house. While the relationship between Alvin and Herman has not been good at all before, they now mob each other and have a bloody affray (350-356). The outer violence has at least reached the private life of the family. A shootout later that night, which the Roth’s believe to be a pogrom, forces father Herman to give up – and to decide to flee to Canada (360).
Thirty-thousand people come to Winchell’s funeral, wearing “Where is Lindbergh?” badges, also solidarising with the victims of Nazi-violence. La Guardia gives a speech asking for democracy, the end of Nazi terror, accusing Lindbergh to be a Nazi and claiming that Winchell was assassinated by the Nazis of America:
Lindbergh takes a flight to Louisville, Kentucky, holds a speech an on his way back ominously disappears. Vice president Burton K. Wheeler accepts his office (368). There are rumours Lindbergh has been kidnapped, and German state radio announces the kidnapping has been organised by a Jewish conspiracy plot, masterminded by the warmonger Roosevelt (369).“It can’t happen here? My friends, it is happening here – and where is Lindbergh?” (365).
America is under martial law. Rabbi Bengelsdorf, advising Mrs. Lindbergh and giving spiritual guidance, is publicly denounced (371) for his contact with her. Then it is assumed Lindbergh stays in Berlin, having been rescued by a German U-boat from America’s east coast (374). Anti-Semitic riots occur in many US cities, at the expense of 122 American citizens who lost their lives so far (375). Acting President Wheeler makes the “British government and their warmongering American supporters” responsible for the riots. The First Lady asks to ignore all speculations, Henry Ford demands to arrest her spokesman, Rabbi Rasputin (376).
A front-page Chicago Tribune article announces that Lindbergh has been reunited with his son, who had been held prisoner in Krakow’s Polish ghetto by Jews who took his blood for their rituals (377). A bill declaring war on Canada is introduced, should it not deliver the whereabouts of America’s missing president. Another article ascribes the anti-Semitic riots to being instigated by “local Jewish elements”. The next day, October 15th 1942, the “ringleaders of the Jewish conspiratorial plot against America” are arrested by the FBI, including Rabbi Bengelsdorf, NY mayor La Guardia and former president Roosevelt. Tank and infantry units enter New York to restore public order (378). The First Lady, Mrs. Lindbergh, manages to escape an asylum she’s been locked into, demanding to remove Wheeler and to restore liberty and justice (382). Roosevelt eventually wins the re-elections and America enters the global conflict. Charles A. Lindbergh is not found or heard from again.
According to Aunt Evelyn, who stayed with Rabbi Bengelsdorf while he was arrested, Lindbergh’s son had been arrested early on by the Nazis to force his cooperation with Berlin (385). Thus, “the Nazis plotted every maneuver of the (Lindbergh’s) election campaign” (386). Programs like Just Folks and Homestead 42 had been applied by Lindbergh on command of Himmler, allowing him to leave the Jews quite unharmed and to evoke the impression to meet Himmler’s expectations.
