Chapter Twenty-Eight

The italicized parts are what I'm unsure about.

    Now was it become silent in Rodenburg.  Life in the streets fell silent, the businesses saw only a tired traffic, the inns stood empty, and the houses were closed early.  That was the outer face that the city showed.  Inside, however, there was restless activity.  Dr. Stoltzman, who

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recently received his appointment to mayor, was now quite in his place.

    He gave his orders without any long-winded-ness.  All bureaucratic frills had always been hateful to him.  "Before, such rubbish was from evil, now it is a deadly sin; we have more important things to do," he said to the second mayor Kernstock, an older man, who held to the traditions and considered the routine as a blessing.  He himself had a stubborn capacity for work and demanded it from his co-workers and employees, but he was objective in everything and always fair.  They knew it and followed him gladly, even when he required much.  "Few words and many deeds!" was his solution.

    The meetings that with his predecessor lasted the whole morning were dealt with in two hours when it came to him, but twice as much was done in them.  Only under special circumstances were conferences with the individual departments allowed to extend more than five minutes.  That was known to everyone, and he had to follow it.

    Hans Warsow had just sat down to work on a war-time devotion when the mayor's visit was announced to him.

    "I have come in order to discuss a few necessary things with you.  It is essential that we work together in this difficult time.  Every splinter must be eliminated.  State and city, church and independent clubs, all must pull on the same rope.  Above all, it is necessary to bring every sort of act of love under one hat.  You have an association for the poor in your community to which now great tasks fall.  It must, of course, adjust to the whole thing.  We, I mean,

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give by ourselves with no backing, so far as it concerns your community, without us agreeing with you.  You do the same."

    "I agree."

    "Then the second:  the care of the wounded.  Surely we will receive many from the eastern battlefield, especially the severely wounded who cannot be brought far.  I was askt by the military authority and have placed a number of beds at its disposal, which I hope to increase considerably.  Our city military hospital is of course not enough.  A few private clinics and both lodges are already set up-"

    "I thought also of our new association building," said Hans, "it is spacious and would be suitable for use as a military hospital, the great hall for the regular soldiers, the side rooms for officers or individual care."

    "That's just what I was thinking.  Your sister would take over the administration there and look after the helpers; the medical administration should, as I just now heard, receive Doctor Moll - you know him, he is one of our best chirurgeons.  My wife, who took a Samaritan class in Königsberg, took over the lodge "For the Golden Key"... By the way, you look bad.  But that helps nothing now.  We must all get down to it, unto the last.  Healthy is the one who cannot leave his work, only he who has little to do is sick.  Goodbye, I have a meeting in city hall."

    Hans had to smile.  Now he dealt with him exactly as with the officers who were placed under him.  Without asking and hearing!  But it

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was rightly so for him, he followed gladly where he met real ability.  And in a time like this, there was only orders and obeying.  Everything else hindered and delayed.