This story concerns the early life of Magda, who later in her life married
Erik Lensherr (A.K.A. Magneto). 

Magda is the creation of Marvel Comics. They copyright her, Everything else
in this story is (c) 1999 Prairiedog. Ask before you Archive. 


The Book of Wisdom, Chapter Nine

15 For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly
habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.

16 And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth: and with
labour do we find the things that are before us. But the things that are in
heaven, who shall search out?


Early in the 20th Century,
Germany


It began at the dinner table.

Father was there, so was Mother. We had the best linen set out, and we were
eating dinner... almost silently. Father was reading his paper with his
reading glasses on and Mother was eating her food.... as was I. There was a
slight grey rain outside which sort of drew us together because we were all
inside the house... then Father snorted and pointed his finger at some
article inside the paper he was reading. 

"Look at this!" he loudly stated. Mother politely looked interested, and so
did I. 

"What is it Father?" Mother asked him.

"Our new government is creating new laws to stop gangs." Father stated
proudly. True, the Weimar Republic had been slowly being changed into a new
form of government... a 'new civilization' as the papers put it... I did
not yet then believe it was really different from what came before. 

And then he started reading the full article for us. He believed in the
education of women, and the improvement of the mind. And even if we were
eating dinner, it was still time for our education he would say.

Father said, "The Reichstag today announced its bold new plan to crack down
on gangs and street time. They have announced new and responsible weapon
laws for the _security_ of our nation, and to protect its people against
further attacks by these criminals. "Registration is our responsibility"
was one of the many quotes this reporter heard at this important meeting of
our congress. In other news right wing extremists attacked the new measures
to increase security..," Father's voice trailed off as he put the paper
down on the table, and then laid his reading glasses down on the table
folded his hands in front of him. Now would come the questions to verify
that we had learned something from this.

But before our customary question and answer period could begin... Mother
put her foot down in a manner of speaking. She told Father that we would
not stand to be questioned at our own dinner table.. and that we would eat
dinner now, and he could talk about this later to her. I was slightly
shocked... but then again I was slightly hungry too so I remained silent. 

The next day, Father took me for a walk around the open water areas of our
city. It was very pleasant then, the rain had stopped and the cement was
practically dry from the rain that had prevented us from going out the
previous evening. I was carrying the duck food we would customarily throw
to the ducks when we went on our walks... I really enjoyed them, now as I
remember it but I didn't think so at that time.

He talked about the Fatherland. About how he met Mother. About his defense
of our country in the Great War. He talked about many things; he was always
full of stories to tell us. I did not listen though... my mind was on other
things then. I was much closer to Mother then to Father, but I wasn't
really very close to Mother once I think of it now. My parents had always
seemed somewhat distant from me. It was normal then, for a parent to be
distant from their children. I tried to correct that with my own
children... but their marriage lasted while mine did not. Anyways
eventually we reached the ducks in their own area and began feeding them.

They were hungry beggars, their thin necks stretched forward to accept the
food offered to them. They crowded around each other, scamps every last one
of them. I sort of had a liking for the beggars. No worries (Or so I
thought), no parents.. just a team floating around doing 'great things'
which basically meant making certain the grass didn't grow to high, and
that they could find food. 

I was thinking then of what dress to wear to a party I was planning on
attending (even though I had not yet found someone to go with) when Father
informed me that the ducks were like the Juden. Crowding each other with
their numbers, breeding like locusts. I tried to convince him as I remember
that they were not like that... that they were people too. He finally
grumpily admitted that they weren't all bad, like Goldberg our Grocer who
always dealt honestly with us. But he still said that they deserve some of
the guilt too, for what they have done to our country.

I just stood there worried. He thought he was being reasonable... perhaps
even enlightened. He knew that Jews weren't all bad... but if he could not
tar and feather then, he would still say that they deserve some of the
guilt.. some of what they get. 

I could not argue with him when he was like that... I wish now that I did.

Magda

April 2, 1988
Israel





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(c) 1999 Prairiedog