Chapter 36: The Last Christmas Eve

"Your Excellency, Admiral, this..."

After reading the document that Röder had given him, Zhang Hainuo's astonishment was akin to Columbus discovering the New World, but the joy was relatively subdued. It was a strongly worded protest letter, directed at the Emperor and his government—recently, Nazi fanatics across Germany took to the streets, violently destroying Jewish-owned shops and residences, burning down synagogues, openly persecuting and humiliating Jews, and indiscriminately arresting them. While anti-Semitic movements were not uncommon in Europe, the scale and violence of this incident were unprecedented. The German government not only failed to maintain law and order during this event but also covertly encouraged and facilitated the violence, causing outrage among all who held justice dear, including Röder and his senior officers.

The infamous "Night of Broken Glass" was something Zhang Hainuo had read about in history books. Though the timing and method differed from historical records, the essence remained the same. To him, anti-Semitism seemed ingrained in the Nazi Party's ideology, and with Hitler, a staunch anti-Semite, in power, the plight of the Jews began: the initial Nazi measures against Jews included boycotting Jewish-owned businesses, prohibiting Jews from holding civil service, medical, or judicial positions, and restricting their access to public facilities like baths, concert halls, and art galleries.

By autumn 1935, Hitler announced new laws at the Nuremberg Nazi Party Congress, stripping Jews of their "citizenship" and relegating them to "national subjects" without voting or candidacy rights. Intermarriage between Jews and Germans was forbidden, Jewish households were barred from employing German women under 45, and Jews were even prohibited from using the German flag or colors symbolizing Germany.

Subsequent measures by the Nazi regime included deporting Jews, forcibly relocating them to other countries and regions. While Hitler's economic development plans temporarily tempered their actions, an all-out wave of anti-Semitism was only a matter of time.

"They have no right to treat Jews, who hold the same citizenship as us, like this!" Röder exclaimed indignantly. "During the war, Jewish soldiers fought alongside us, shedding blood for Germany; in peacetime, they contributed to the nation and the military! In daily life, they are just like us, eating, drinking, and dressing. They are human beings, so why should they be driven out of Germany or thrown into prison?"

Röder, known for his integrity and apolitical stance, surprised Zhang Hainuo with his progressive views on the Jewish issue. Several naval officers had already signed the document, including Wilhelm Marshall, Helms Heyer, and the commanders of the submarine fleet, Roderick von Hessen and Carl Dönitz. Without a doubt, Röder hoped to join this protest movement.

At this moment, Zhang Hainuo didn't have the luxury of considering the consequences. He pulled out his pen and swiftly signed his name at the bottom of the document.

"Hainuo, I knew I could count on you!" Röder retrieved the document, pleased. "Anyone with a sense of justice cannot tolerate such things!"

"Yes, Your Excellency, Admiral!" Zhang Hainuo stood up, saluting. "I am proud of you!"

Röder nodded, but his mood still seemed heavy.

The "Night of Broken Glass" did not mark the end of anti-Semitic movements. Shortly after, the Nazi leadership secretly discussed further persecuting Jews, including proposals to have Jews clear the debris from burned-down synagogues and convert them into parking lots for Germans, requiring Jews to wear identifying marks, and demanding hefty compensation from persecuted Jews—all of which were eventually approved.

However, the protest letter from the Naval High Command, along with letters of protest from various sectors of society, seemed to vanish into thin air after being submitted to the Emperor's Palace. Strangely, the usually assertive Emperor didn't retaliate against these "offenders" in any form, nor did he handle them like he did with Generals Blomberg and Fritsch—doing so would undoubtedly alienate the entire officer corps, and without these senior officers, his military would become fragmented.

On December 24, 1938, the last Christmas Eve before the outbreak of war, the Emperor's Palace hosted a high-level banquet as usual, attended by senior officers from the army and navy, as well as their families. Many government officials and foreign ambassadors were also present.

Despite the protests, the military leaders did not use this occasion to challenge the Emperor's authority. Veterans and newcomers alike attended the banquet.

Anna came to Germany during this Christmas season, which greatly delighted Zhang Hainuo and momentarily eased his previous confusion. They had been together for seventeen years, respecting each other like partners. Though they had no children, they found contentment in focusing on their respective priorities—Anna had long cared for her bedridden mother, while Zhang Hainuo was engrossed in his career. Though they didn't enjoy the family bliss of the Hessens, they were satisfied with their lifestyle.

The lack of children also had its advantages, particularly in terms of physical appearance—Anna, at forty-one, maintained her youthful appearance, both in looks and figure. She radiated freshness and maturity, looking like a woman in her thirties. Not as tall as Fenna, she complemented Zhang Hainuo's stature perfectly.

For the Emperor's Palace banquet, Anna wore her most glamorous gown, while Zhang Hainuo had gradually adopted the attire of a naval commander—aside from uniforms, his wardrobe consisted mainly of formal naval attire, making it the obvious choice for such prestigious events. The navy's provision of a second-hand Mercedes had since been upgraded, and as Deputy Commander of Naval Aviation, Zhang Hainuo had his own dedicated driver. The navy-blue six-seater Mercedes looked impressive as it cruised through the streets.

In the magnificent hall, amidst the elegantly dressed crowd and the clinking of glasses, this year's Christmas banquet seemed unchanged by the recent ugly events or the impending war. Every time Zhang Hainuo saw Mrs. Röder, who excelled in cooking, he felt a strange sense of fondness, much like his feelings towards Röder himself. The young and beautiful wife of Edvin became even more charming in her elegant gown, her curves captivating, especially her long legs, which fascinated the opposite sex. As for the rare appearance of Mrs. Heilem, she had brought her troublesomely charming wife, and on such occasions, the Emperor was always alone, despite his well-known affair with Eva being common knowledge among the upper echelons. To "avoid losing female voters' favor," he never allowed Eva to appear publicly in any form and never disclosed their intimate relationship—on such nights, Eva was undoubtedly the most pitiable woman in all of Germany.

"Ah... Frau von Finkenstein, it's an honor to see you again!" Adolf Hitler was exceptionally courteous, using the title "Frau" and politely kissing Anna's hand, a treatment that was the envy of countless German women. According to a survey, three-quarters of German women found the Emperor to be charming, and over two-thirds considered it an honor to meet him. Some even admitted they would willingly become his mistress unconditionally.

"Your Excellency, it's like a dream to see you again!" Anna responded politely and gracefully. Having spent most of her life abroad, she had been spared from the peculiar charm of the Chancellor that affected ordinary German citizens. However, after hearing from Zhang Hainuo about the Chancellor's various deeds, she at least knew that such a figure had appeared only once or twice in several hundred years of European history — setting aside dictatorship and anti-Semitic policies. Hitler rose from nothing, becoming Chancellor at the age of 44 and ruling the entire Germany at 45, leading the country out of severe unemployment and other social phenomena caused by the global economic crisis within five years. From these achievements alone, even someone as forward-thinking as Zhang Hainuo found it difficult to emulate.

"Haha, I met Hainuo in 1919, I remember he was looking for you all over Germany at that time, which made me very curious! Now, seeing a lady who has maintained her youthful appearance for ten years is indeed worthy of the admiration of our most outstanding naval generals!" Hitler complimented in his once-favored humorous style. However, in Zhang Hainuo's eyes, the Chancellor had become increasingly profound in his thoughts, often talking endlessly about his Germanic ideals and anti-Semitic issues, resembling a woman in his incessant chatter and tirelessness. Once upon a time, dining with Hitler was a pleasant experience, but now it had become internally acknowledged as "time for suffering!"

Zhang Hainuo always believed that Hitler's way of pleasing women was somewhat peculiar but often effective. Anna looked happily at Zhang Hainuo and then smiled politely at the Chancellor, saying, "Thank you for your help, Your Excellency!"

"Speaking of help!" Hitler looked at Zhang Hainuo, "I will never forget the help Hainuo has always provided to our cause! When your child is born in the future, I will definitely be his godfather!"

"Deeply honored!" Zhang Hainuo responded promptly, sensing that Hitler's words probably had a hidden meaning — according to Edvin, Hitler had been exceptionally angry upon receiving the protest letter from the military, then forced himself to calm down. Perhaps when he saw Hainuo von Finkenstein's name on the naval protest letter, he was very disappointed.

"Lady, I wish you a pleasant evening!" Hitler politely kissed Anna's hand again, like a pure English gentleman, full of romanticism comparable to the French. After that, he turned and socialized with other guests in a calm and unhurried manner.

"No wonder the whole of Germany is fascinated by him!" Anna innocently said to Zhang Hainuo, "He is indeed a courteous person!"

"Tonight, the Chancellor is a perfect gentleman, which is rare!" Zhang Hainuo's reply was simple yet profound.

Europeans attach great importance to Christmas, and on this night, everyone displayed their most active side, even the disillusioned Herr Schleim was no exception. However, when talking with him, Zhang Hainuo always felt there was more to his words, but he couldn't fully grasp it at the moment.

"Do you like to dream, General?" Herr Schleim asked.

"Dream?" Zhang Hainuo was a bit puzzled by the question, giving an ambiguous answer, "It depends on whether it's a good dream or a nightmare!"

"People always think that good dreams are hard to come true, while nightmares are easy to appear. But I think, General, it's just the opposite: good dreams are easy to come true, while nightmares are hard to appear!"

"Perhaps only God knows that!" Zhang Hainuo replied.

"No, not only God!" Herr Schleim smiled, "Our great Chancellor is the god of the entire Germany!"

For this kind of rambling speech, Zhang Hainuo smiled without replying, but to clink glasses and drink with Herr Schleim was obviously not something that made him happy. In the "Night of Broken Glass" over a month ago, this chicken farmer's henchmen made a big splash, and he was praised by the Chancellor for it.

Herr Schleim continued, "But God is not omnipotent. Sometimes he is interested in things he didn't know before, and ... God should be very disgusted with being deceived!"

"Can anyone deceive God?" Zhang Hainuo calmly asked.

"Of course!" Herr Schleim leaned in and whispered, "Because God is not omnipresent!"

If this was a threat against himself, Zhang Hainuo felt there were only two things that could make him so interested: his former engagement with Fenna and the secret of U-148 and Schneider Shipyard. Keeping secrets forever was extremely difficult. With the passage of time, both of these could be known to outsiders. But he knew he couldn't show the slightest panic or unease. If this guy had already obtained concrete evidence, there was no need to play these tricks here.

"Can people deceive God when they pray?" Herr Schleim asked.

"But people often say 'may God bless' when they pray, which suggests that God is indeed omnipresent!"

"Yes, may God bless!" With that, Hillel raised his glass towards the other person, drained the champagne in his cup, and walked away with a happy expression.

"Is he a theologian?" Anna asked, puzzled.

"A theologian? Um... if he is, then it's a kind of approaching sorcery!" Holding Anna's arm, Hillel continued to stroll around the hall, thinking about Hillel's question while greeting familiar or unfamiliar guests.

Strangely, he didn't see Fenna today— if she were here, with her outstanding appearance, she would at least be one of the focal points of attention. However, a wealthy businessman should not frequent such occasions. At the Christmas banquet at the Chancellor's residence, only industrial giants like Krupp and Thyssen Steel were eligible to attend.

At such gatherings, Hillel was fortunate to meet many historically famous faces, but what interested him most were the elite army officers who were about to embark on the battlefield. Guderian, one of Hitler's favorite generals, and his armored corps were one of the most formidable forces in the army. With Czechoslovakia soon to be resolved, Hitler's move against Poland was only a matter of time, which would be a place where the German blitzkrieg tactics would shine. Wilhelm Keitel, Hitler's closest advisor and loyal assistant, firmly believed that military obedience was a duty. Von Manstein, a talented army commander, was over fifty but showed no less vigor than younger officers. Von Kleist, another outstanding armored unit commander, was a staunch supporter and executor of blitzkrieg tactics. Von Leeb, a veteran who participated in the Eight-Nation Alliance, was sixty-three years old and an expert in army defensive strategies, known for his integrity, and was one of the initiators of the army protest letter after the "Crystal Night." Also noteworthy were Von Rundstedt, Von Kuechler, and Rommel.

Most of these army generals were well-mannered, though some were arrogant, they didn't refuse to communicate with naval officers. However, as a naval officer who had never served in the army, Hillel found it difficult to give them more advice on tactics and weapons—naval and army officers generally disliked interfering in each other's affairs, and being interfered with was even more intolerable. Therefore, in recent years, apart from the necessary cooperation in resource allocation, the navy and the army could be said to mind their own business. However, because the SS established a batch of armed forces according to the Führer's instructions, Hillel could still exert a little influence on land warfare through his close friends. But for now, he was focusing more on the navy.

Today's German Air Force was obviously not as dominant as it was under Goering's leadership in history, but the Führer and the high-ranking officers of the Defense Ministry still did not lower their expectations for the Air Force. Leveraging the foundation laid during the Weimar Republic, the Air Force Department had developed many first-class combat aircraft. The "pencil" planes from Messerschmitt, Stuka, and Dornier companies were achievements of Germany's military expansion. Even without Goering's recommendation, Erhard Milch, the CEO of the state-owned Lufthansa, was still appointed to oversee the Air Force logistics work due to his outstanding organizational skills. Without Goering's meddling, the Air Force Department, under the management of Air Force Minister and Air Force Commander-in-Chief Hugo Sperrle and Chief of Air Force Staff Friedrich Grauert, still operated smoothly. They maintained a long-term and friendly cooperation with the Navy Aviation Department, with a ratio of resource allocation roughly at eight to one, so the development of naval aviation did not restrict the development of the Air Force as some feared.