During WWI, my Jewish grandfather was an artillery officer in the Bavarian army.




During WWI, my Jewish grandfather was an artillery officer in the Bavarian army. He risked his life, was wounded and decorated for bravery, including the Iron Cross. In Nuremberg, it was said at the time that he was 'tapfer' – a German word meaning brave, courageous.

After the war, he returned to work in the family law firm, and his Pickelhaube (see image, courtesy Engelberger@Wikipedia) was stored with the uniform and sword in the safety of the basement at home.

Under the emblem of Bavaria is the motto: “In treue Fest“, which means “In steadfast loyalty”. My grandfather remained loyal for a long time, though his military reputation and decorations proved irrelevant in the face of the Nazi persecution inflicted on him, his wife and his two children.  Despite my grandmother begging him to leave Germany, he remained steadfast, until the great pogrom of 1938.

“There was a garden in Nuremberg” is a novel based on the family’s harrowing experiences and their last-minute escape. It includes a true story about the Pickelhaube.

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