“Now they’re declared of age,” the girl says, “that makes it legal. Here, this is what they brought me from the registry — a present, they thought it was a good joke.” She watches him closely, with an appraising, laughing look, as he reads:
Umdruck Fam. 397/21. Berlin-Lichtenberg ________________ 19____ Circuit Court, Division 6. Before: A.G.R as judge there have appeared 1. -------------------- 2. --------------------(his father) 3. --------------------(his mother) all identified by papers and documents. The aforementioned I. declared: I appeal to you to declare me of age. I have been engaged since ____________ to ____________, ---- years old, who bore a child on ----------------, whose father I am. (Or, who is in the ---- month of pregnancy by me). I wish to marry my fiancée, who is a proper, industrious girl and a good housekeeper, so that I may be better able to take care of her and the child than is possible for me under present conditions. I am earning ------ a week, and can therefore provide for a family. We have a domicile (or, we will have a domicile). I understand the meaning of marriage. The aforementioned 2. and 3. declared: I -- We -- give our consent to the declaration of majority of my -- our -- son; we can but confirm his statements. Our son is a serious man and sufficiently mature to manage his affairs himself. The declaration that he is of age will be for his best. The aforementioned were informed of the decision that this request has been granted, as per this date. They declared: We renounce the right of having this judgment served on us, and we waive all rights to contest it legally. The aforementioned 1. asked for a copy of the judgment with certificate of legality attached. His birth certificate ------ family tree ------ were returned to him.
The young man hands back No. 397/21 with thanks. Here is no exception, but a common situation that requires printed forms and court orders — one of the matters common to Nazi everyday life. “‘Our son is a serious man and sufficiently mature’ to steal this stupid paper for me,” the girl remarks, and laughs like a child; but the young foreigner does not know what to answer now; he looks away.
WANTED — ENEMIES
The entire existence of the State Youth stands under the sign of battle. A defensive battle; and we must discover, in an honest search, whether there is, somewhere, in some corner, an opponent to meet this challenger.
The life of German youth is filled with hatred. Against whom?
Against the future enemies of the nation — we read that in its songs and plays—against a world of enemies; and, further, against all the weak in Germany, against the conquered. Looking for real enemies, Germany would drag the dead — Rathenau, Eisner, Erzberger — from their graves, again to be murdered, this time more decisively, “legally” at the command of the State!
The institutions which the State Youth does battle against are, as a matter of fact, half-dead, ghostly, with a shadow-life that has just enough reality to constitute a shadow-enemy without which the Nazi, and especially the youth, movement could not exist.
The Jews have a part to play, but there is not much for the State Youth to do there. They are too finished, as a group; there is hardly a twitch of life.
The State Youth knows, as sadistic children know about a caught frog, that you can pull off the frog’s legs, and watch the body try to hop; then stick a pin into the belly, and watch the shocked wrench; and hit its head until it does not move. But pretty soon after that, the frog bores the child, and he turns away to more amusing things. The Jewish enemy is locked out of schools and youth organizations. Forbidden to sleep in inns or swim in lakes, or even play in the playgrounds, he is becoming a little boring.