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WHEREVER THEY MAY BE
© 1972, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation
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political life on a new course because they
really want to do so and because they have shown proof of their political
maturity. Attaining the Foreign Ministry of the Federal Republic is the first
step in their achievement of power. It is in the interest of countries that
fear Germany's ambitions to help Brandt become Chancellor. The countries of the
East in particular should welcome him with all the consideration and admiration
due a man who was and still is their ally in the war against Nazism. They
should also regard him as the only true spokesman for Germany, and should
refuse to deal with Kiesinger. Finally, they should do their utmost to help
Brandt in his efforts to solve the German problem by bringing the two Germanys
together in a socialist framework. Thus the German people will, doubtless with
satisfaction, grow accustomed to the prospect of having as their Chancellor not
some former minor official in the Nazi regime, but a foreign minister who is
the pride of his country. In that respect the interests of France, and of all
Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals and beyond, are the same.
At that time Brandt was almost unknown in France, and no one, not even in
Germany, dared gamble on his political future.
All of my political
stands increased the hostility of my superiors and colleagues at the OFA. No
one ever mentioned my articles in my presence, but there was a noticeable
effort to make my working conditions more and more unbearable. A confrontation
was at hand.
Though I felt the storm gathering at work, the joys of my
home life absorbed me completely. Our private life was more easygoing and gay
than if each element of our commune had lived apart. Arno was growing up and he
delighted me. Serge had resigned from ORTF and joined Continental Grains, the
leading multi-national cereal firm. He was being trained as a specialist in
complicated brokerage matters, and so he traveled frequently, especially in
Eastern Europe, where his knowledge of Russian was of great help to him.
We were so well organized that I could go traveling alone, as Serge had
done ten years earlier. In May I went to the United States and to Guatemala,
where Serge had relatives.
When I returned to Paris, I spent a day with
Serge discussing events in the Middle East. The next day – June 6, l967
– war broke out. Serge and his constant companion Josy, who also worked
for Continental Grains, enlisted as volunteers at the Israeli Embassy. They
took a leave of absence, bought plane tickets for Tel Aviv,
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WHEREVER THEY MAY BE
© 1972, The
Beate Klarsfeld Foundation |
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