Volk by Piers Anthony

are after all people, even as we are. It can be hard to blame them for the unfortunate accident of their birth. This one’s grandfather was a Jew; he himself did not follow their abominable religion.” Even here he was skating on thin ice, for he was not at all sure there was anything inherently abominable about the Jewish religious ritual. Was it really so different, fundamentally, from the ceremonies of Roman Catholicism? Obviously the Jews and Catholics thought so, but Ernst himself was disinterested in the various forms of religion. He believed in God, but was uncertain which forms of worship God actually favored.
    â€œA Jew is a Jew, to the sixth generation,” she said grimly. Tainted blood was extremely potent; a tiny drop of it could ruin an otherwise excellent Aryan.
    â€œTrue. Yet in America it is different. Their discrimination is very subtle. Their Jews can intermarry freely with others. Some hold responsible positions; some are honored in politics or industry. To many Americans, what they term racism is a worse offense than being Jewish.”
    â€œYou must be glad to be home!” she exclaimed.
    â€œYes, of course—but not for that reason. If I were to live in America all of the time, I would probably come to feel as they do, to accept Jews as part of the society. Jews are people too, after all.”
    â€œAre you testing me?” she demanded, growing worried and angry.
    He was, but not in the way she thought. He was verifying her horizons, which seemed not to have expanded as adequately as had her body. “Perhaps I am merely verifying my own beliefs,” he said carefully. “I did not object to Jews at first. It was only after I read
Mein Kampf
that I realized their nature. How they infiltrate quietly into society, like worms in fresh apples. How they pretend allegiance, but actually conspire to hurt decent folk and dominate the world. Even now I concede that some Jews could be good people. But they are indelibly tainted by their blood and their heritage. A tame python might be a worthwhile pet, but it re
    mains a python, and must pay the penalty of its kind.”
    â€œWhat penalty?” she asked.
    â€œWell, the python caused Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, so that she and Adam were exiled from the Garden of Eden. For that the python is accursed among animals—”
    â€œI meant the Jews,” she said.
    â€œThe Jews? Maybe they should all emigrate to America. I do not wish them any harm. I merely want my homeland pure. A Jew-free Germany.” He shrugged. He was expressing a safe attitude, rather than his own. “But this is no subject for parlor conversation! You were telling me how it is in the Youth.”
    â€œAs if you didn’t know!” She frowned. “You think I can’t tell you anything new? I’ll show you! Have you heard about Rommel?”
    â€œI know of no Youth by that name.”
    â€œLieutenant-Colonel Rommel, stupid—the war hero. Last year he joined the Hitler Youth.”
    â€œThe war hero? Holder of the highest decoration, the
Pour le Merite
? Certainly I know of him! But the war was twenty years ago; isn’t he a little old for—”
    â€œAs instructor, as advisor!” she said, laughing. “They decided to put in a real soldier, to give some practical military training. He was doing it too, organizing for sound education and character building. But our dear leader Schirach, who is no soldier, got jealous. He wants to run the Youth all by himself. Rommel told him right out that if he wanted to be the leader of a para-military force, he should first become a soldier himself. Oooo, Schirach didn’t like that! So he kicked Rommel out. They called it reassignment, of course, to cover up the truth. How’s that for news?”
    â€œIt’s a scandal!” Ernst exclaimed. “A man like Rommel—I wish my troop had had his