The Nazi Woman by Subhadip Majumdar

The sense of emptiness came to me the moment I sat in the cafe. It is a peculiar feeling and it started gripping me all over. As if I have forgotten something. My eyes missed something. Like I opened a door then forgot where to walk. I am completely lost. The waitress brought me the menu card then and on the cover there are pictures of some frescoed wall paintings.

Something struck me.

Stirred me within.

I smiled at the girl and said, ' Pardon me! '

Then I ran out of the cafe on the busy streets of Vienna and jumped into a tram. It's almost eight in the evening and a gorgeous twilight still hangs all around. After twenty minutes I dropped into a stop and then start running on the road which leads to a famous cafe called 'Top Kino.'

I ran till I reached the cafe.

I stopped.

I retreated my steps.

Came to the main road and I stand at a place where before me there is a old closed shop.

'Is it the antique shop? '

I asked the adjacent shopkeeper.

'Yes, it is. '

'It's closed? '

'Well, Yes, Wilhelm always closes the shop at eight in the evening. '

'When it will open again? '

'Well, after a week!'

'Week?'

'Yes. Wilhelm is going to his village.'

'When?'

'Tomorrow morning train from Wien Central!'

'But why you are asking me so many questions?'

'Well, I need to buy a thing from him. It's urgent.'

'I am afraid it's late. Now nothing can be done.'

'But there must be some way.' I pleaded.

'The only way meet him at the station, tomorrow.'

'Which train?'

'The train to Salzburg.'

'And what's your name?'

'Mine? I am Fredrick!'

I hold his hand.

'Danke! ' I thanked him in German and smiled.

That night, I hardly can sleep well. I keep on looking at the watch.

The moment first light came, I put a backpack on my shoulder and take the metro to the station. Fredrick told me, that Wilhelm always takes the seven. a. m. train to the village.

The train to Salzburg.

The train is quite empty and after searching the two carriages on the third, I found Wilhelm sitting by the window. The same old man whom I saw last evening at the antique shop.

'Guten Morgen, Wilhelm!'

The old man looked at me through his specs and tried to recognize who I am dropping before him so early this morning!

'I came to your antique shop yesterday evening.'

'Well, Yes I can recollect that now. '

'Wilhelm, I just want to buy one item from your shop. '

'Which item? '

'The portrait of the Nazi woman below which it is written, 1944.'

He didn't answer. He keep on looking at me.

'Wilhelm, I want to buy that portrait . I am ready to pay any amount you may charge. '

Still he keep shut.

I sat opposite him.

The train whistles and start moving.

I got no time to buy a ticket.  But now it's not the moment to think of that.

After a full one minute of silence, Wilhelm, moved his hands towards a large box that he is carrying. He opened the lid.

From inside he pulled out an old faded frame.

He now hold it before me.

'Is this the Nazi woman you are speaking about?'

There she is!

Those deep ocean eyes. Those painted beauty of silence yet a restlessness spread all over as if engraving the disturbed world of Second World War all over that face. The headscarf that she is wearing. The old tweed coat she wore, the faint smile that her lips hold, the stare of her. It looks she is staring straight at me. This is the look that made me empty when I passed that antique shop yesterday. The moment I entered the cafe I found out what I have done. The woman looks exactly like Anne,  my girl friend for whom I came to Vienna. But I didn't found Anne. No where. Except here in this portrait . I know, it seems absurd  but that's the truth! So, I want to buy that portrait.

'Is this the portrait you are talking about? '

He asked again.

'Yes. How much it will cost? '

'This sketch is not for sale. '

Wilhelm said calmly, stressing each word as if to give them each a meaning.

'Wilhelm, I need this. '

'But I cannot sale it!'

'But why? '

'Why you want to buy it?'

'Because in her I find Anne , my girlfriend whom I have lost!'

Wilhelm, looked at me.

'What do you want to say? '

'Well I know, it's absurd to hear. But ,I don't know why, I feel there is a connection 

between this Nazi woman and Anne! This much I know. I came to Vienna for her. But she has vanished!'

'I don't care about your story!' 'Wilhelm said all of a sudden rudely and the train entered a station.

'Wilhelm, why is this portrait so precious to you?' I asked him softly once the train left the station again.

'Because this portrait is a treasure to me. The only thing I preserved for life.'

'Why?'  I asked him.

'The Nazi woman in the portrait is my own grand mother.'

'What?'

'Yes. It's a long story.'

'Tell me, I want to listen.'

Wilhelm looked outside as if to collect his thoughts. Then after a long breath he said,

'Do you know which day this sketch was drawn? The very day Second World War broke out. Freda, my grand mother at her twenties then fled away from home with an artist the same day. She never came back to Vienna again. Only much later she sent us a letter saying that she is in Salzburg and she spent the rest of life there. She died in 1962 out of cancer. Along with her things came this sketch,  where it is written that, "My love is as timeless like this sketch of Michael."

He went to the war for Germany and died a martyr's death.

I stared at Wilhelm. He continued.

'This one sketch changed all her reputation in our family. She was not dumped but she was the wife of a martyr and a timeless art of an artist. Now tell me, how can I give this portrait to you? What you will do in my place? '

I keep silent.  I am speechless.

'I have now no one left now. Only before death comes, I want to give this to one soul who can truly value this.'

'Who is that soul?'

'Why don't you come to Salzburg where this lady sleeps.Do you know which date she died?'

'No.'

'19th July.'

'It's tomorrow.'

'Yes, I want you to pay my homage to the lady there.'

'Well,  I would. '

I cannot say anything more. I put off my backpack and relaxed in the seat for the first time.

It's two hours to Salzburg.

After spending the night at a hotel Wilhelm and I rented a cab in morning  and made our way towards the cemetery.

The gatekeeper helped us to find out the tomb we are looking for.

Freda Herbst.

There in the glorious sunlight Wilhelm now bring out the framed portrait and slowly kept it over the tomb.

'This is where it should belong.' He said.

'You are right.' I said.

We both stand silent.

Only some petals of a yellow flower dropped on the tomb.

After how long, I don't know we both heard a footstep.

'I think she is coming.'

Wilhelm said.

'Who?'

'The woman?'

Which woman, Wilhelm? '

'Turn around.'

'Why? '

'Turn my son.'

I turned and I found that the whole world came to a stand still for me. All the colors dazzled. All the flowers around bloomed and even in a cemetery it is life which is singing.

As the woman who is walking towards us is Anne, my lost girlfriend!

'Anne!'  I whispered in disbelief.

'Well, Yes, Anne is the great grand daughter of Freda. She died single mother. They never got time to get married.

And, I am the uncle of your girl friend Anne! I know where ever she may be on 19th July, she would come to Salzburg at her great grandmother's tomb. So, I brought you along with me here.'

Wilhelm stopped.

I am stranded. The world came to stand still for me.

Anne came and stopped before us.

I know we both have thousand words to say but we both spoke nothing.

Wilhelm, picked up the framed portrait and gave it in Anne's hand.

'I think, you are the right person to treasure this.' Wilhelm said.

Anne tried to say something but lost it.

Then Wilhelm slowly start walking.

'Where are you going? '

I asked.

'Well, back to my roadside antique shop at Vienna. Drop in there sometime! You two, if you please!'

'Uncle..' Anne said.

Wilhelm walked and then exited through the gate of the cemetery.

I looked at Anne.

Anne looked at me.

Before the tomb of Freda now we both hold the portrait below a breathtaking blue sky and snowflaked Alps.

Then we touched hands.

Between us I for the first time feel that even Freda, the Nazi woman too is smiling.

After five years when Wilhelm died, Anne take over the ownership of the shop and the very first picture that is kept on the wall framed is of her great grandmother.

The shop is renamed too as 'Freda Antique Shop.'

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