The Journey

By Alan A. May

This is a story about Detroit in good times and bad. This is a story about a vibrant Jewish community in Detroit, its successes and its coping with anti-Semitism. This is a story about athletics in the Detroit community and its meaning to it. This is a story about the growth of a virulent cancer in Europe leading up to and including World War II and about those who tried to retard and overcome it.

Most of the events and people in this work are real. The story is told through the lives of two fictional characters from their coming of age onward.

When Detroiters lifted their champagne glasses and toasted in the first day of the 20 th century, their city was already a growing metropolis, boasting a population of over 285,000 residents. In the 19 th century, those moving west would buy their stoves in Detroit and load them onto their Conestoga wagons. In 1900 Detroit was still a great producer of heating and cooking ovens. It was also a city filled with many small machine shops making parts for industry. Things were about to change.

Young Henry Ford had worked for Young Tom Edison for eight years. He had just been made Edison's chief engineer. Henry, however, had an idea of his own. He wanted to make a horseless carriage that everyone could use. Henry left Tom, and after a few failures, the first Model A Ford rolled onto the streets of Detroit.

The cars kept rolling and the city kept growing. Ty Cobb brought the local baseballers three pennants, and skyscrapers started to dot the skyline along the Detroit River. 8

Ford needed workers for his new concept of mass production, so he announced an unheard-of wage of $5 per day. Blacks migrated north from the South and whites from Eastern Europe. With this mighty influx came racial tensions. Detroit's Ku Klux Klan membership rose, and with it, the spewing of racism and anti-Semitism increased.

Ford was guilty of his own anti-Semitism. His newspaper, the Dearborn Independent, pulled no punches when it came to Ford's distaste for the Jewish people as a whole.

As our story begins, Ford himself has issued a public apology, acknowledging that some of his attacks had gone too far.

It is in this cauldron that The Journey begins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667852829

Book preview

Prologue

This is a story about Detroit in good times and bad. This is a story about a vibrant Jewish community in Detroit, its successes and its coping with anti-Semitism. This is a story about athletics in the Detroit community and its meaning to it. This is a story about the growth of a virulent cancer in Europe leading up to and including World War II and about those who tried to retard and overcome it.

Most of the events and people in this work are real. The story is told through the lives of two fictional characters from their coming of age onward.

When Detroiters lifted their champagne glasses and toasted in the first day of the 20th century, their city was already a growing metropolis, boasting a population of over 285,000 residents. In the 19th century, those moving west would buy their stoves in Detroit and load them onto their Conestoga wagons. In 1900 Detroit was still a great producer of heating and cooking ovens. It was also a city filled with many small machine shops making parts for industry. Things were about to change.

Young Henry Ford had worked for Young Tom Edison for eight years. He had just been made Edison’s chief engineer. Henry, however, had an idea of his own. He wanted to make a horseless carriage that everyone could use. Henry left Tom, and after a few failures, the first Model A Ford rolled onto the streets of Detroit.

The cars kept rolling and the city kept growing. Ty Cobb brought the local baseballers three pennants, and skyscrapers started to dot the skyline along the Detroit River.

Ford needed workers for his new concept of mass production, so he announced an unheard-of wage of $5 per day. Blacks migrated north from the South and whites from Eastern Europe. With this mighty influx came racial tensions. Detroit’s Ku Klux Klan membership rose, and with it, the spewing of racism and anti-Semitism increased.

Ford was guilty of his own anti-Semitism. His newspaper, the Dearborn Independent, pulled no punches when it came to Ford’s distaste for the Jewish people as a whole.

As our story begins, Ford himself has issued a public apology, acknowledging that some of his attacks had gone too far.

It is in this cauldron that The Journey begins.

BOOK ONE

Chapter 1

New York Times / Page One / Business Section / February 5, 1927

Highland Park, Michigan

Edsel Ford, president of the Ford Motor Company, made two announcements yesterday. The production of highly successful Model T automobile, sold since 1908, will be discontinued this May. Production of a new model A will commence this fall.  The Model A will be a larger vehicle, gaining 24 inches in length, and will weigh more than the T by 1000 pounds for a smoother ride. The A will not be as tall as its predecessor. The new model will have a top speed of 65 miles per hour, 20 more than the model T.

Mr. Ford also unveiled plans for the completion of the River Rouge state of the art plant by 1928. All operations in Highland Park will be closed at that time. The company is also pleased to announce changes to Ford–Germany. Ford–Germany has been operating since 1924 and in 1926 produced and sold over 1100 model T’s. A new plant is being built in Berlin to produce the model A. Ford expects to commence production in 1928.

Ford President, Edsel Ford, announced that the chief architect for both new plants is the world renown Albert Kahn. Kahn constructed the Highland Park Plant and numerous office high rise buildings throughout the world. Kahn is responsible for designing more than 15% of all the industrial plants in the world.

It is noteworthy that Ford senior, known for overt anti-Semitism, has chosen a member of the Jewish faith to lead both endeavors. Kahn, active in the Detroit Jewish community, is Ford’s right-hand man when it comes to architecture and design. Ford is responsible for reprinting the grossly anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion in his own newspaper, the Dearborn Independent. Henry Ford is the only American mentioned in anti-Semite Adolph Hitler’s screed Mein Kampf, published in 1925. You can tell Herr Ford I am a great admirer of his and will do my best to put his theories into practice in Germany. I regard Henry Ford as my inspiration, Hitler wrote.

Neither Mr. Ford responded to the Times when asked to explain this paradox. Rumors abound that The General Motors corporation is exploring talks with Opel, a German Producer of Vehicles.

Chapter 2

Come in Sam, said Albert Kahn in his normal, cheery baritone voice. Close the door.

Samuel Gross entered the boss’s office and closed the door. The office was spacious but simple. Large picture windows gave a wonderful view of downtown Detroit. Detroit was booming. Each year found the automotive industry and its top tier suppliers pumping out profits and the highest industrial wages in the county. A new middle class was forming—parents were now capable of taking their kids on a vacation or to more than one baseball game per season. Even at 2’oclock in the afternoon, Woodward Avenue was packed with uptown and downtown traffic.

Although the Tigers had finished 6th last year, they were hopeful of bringing home a pennant in ‘27 with the likes of Charlie Gehringer, The Mechanical Man, Harry Heilman, and the strong arm of Earl Whitehill.

In Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan Wolverines were coming off an 8 and 1 record and expected to open the largest football stadium in the country in the fall. Even with the loss of All-American Bennie Friedman, great things were expected of the Wolverine 11.

Prohibition still prevailed, but the proximity to Windsor, Ontario, assured a constant source of real liquor not made in bathtubs with denatured alcohol.

Have a seat, Sam, intoned Kahn.

Although friends and associates for years, Sam recognized rank and would not have seated himself until asked.

How’s that son of yours? asked Kahn.

Growing daily, Gross replied. "Eats like a horse. He’s going to be a monster. No one in my family was bigger than five-foot-eight. If it weren’t for his nose, I’d be wondering about the postman.

I take it your postman is a gentile, chortled Kahn.

Now that you mention it, I’ll have to ask, laughed Gross in return.

Well, Sam, Mr. Ford has thrown another job on our plate. That’s good news and bad news. I know we’re running two shifts, but we’re going to need more hands on deck. Like a pyramid, I’d like you to reassign the Chicago project and take on the two Ford plants: Michigan and Germany.

Boss, said Gross, do you really want to pick another Jew?

Well, Sammy, he’s never complained about your work so far, and if he did, he’d get an earful from me. Mr. Ford is an odd duck. He has this great relationship with our rabbi, Rabbi Franklin. Gives him a new Ford every year. When Ford spouts off, Dr. Franklin gives it to him, and it hasn’t broken the friendship. So, no. If you had a twin, I’d let the both of you do it. Frankly, if the Germans balk, I think Mr. Ford will set them straight.

Well, the Ruskies don’t like us much either, and my brother Moritz hasn’t had a problem setting up the Moscow plant. I’m not saying there wouldn’t be a pogrom if the plant blows up, but until then, things are just hunky dory.

You know the uses of reinforced concrete better than anyone, so you’re the man.

Sam smiled.

This will mean some travel, some team building, and, of course, a bigger bonus and a raise, Sam.

As always, boss, thank you very much, said Gross.

You deserve it, Sam. It will help pay for that new house you and the missus bought on Boston Blvd. One more thing, Sam. Once we have the preliminary Berlin plans drawn, I’d like you to go over there and eyeball the situation. See if the plans will conform to reality. See if we have all the necessary permits. Talk to our lawyers and accountants. See if their staff estimates are realistic. The plant manager is a gent named Karl Klein. Spend some time with him. He’ll be coming over in ‘29 for training. Looks like he’s a comer. Moving up the ladder. Good man to know.

Klein, replied Gross.

Yes, but I doubt he’s a member of the tribe.

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Berliner Tageblatt / August 1927

The National Socialist Party Nazis—their black and red flags flying—held their third-party conference labeled the Day of Awakening. The storm troopers were treated to a vicious film: Eine Symphonie des Kampfwillens. Prominent in The Will to Fight was Adolph Hitler telling his faithful that despite the Versailles Treaty, the Ruhr and Austria must be taken and foreigners expelled from Germany. Herr Hitler made no hidden agenda of his inclusion of Jews as foreigners. Nuremberg was chosen because of Marxist activity there. Hitler proclaimed that he would not allow such an historic cite, symbolic of Germany’s glorious past, to be a playground for Jewish-Marxist denial of essential Germanic values. NSDAP leaders from all over Germany joined their cohorts from what they described as the stolen territories, including Czechoslovakia.

Berliner Tageblatt / March 1928

Adolph Hitler’s National Socialist Party captured twelve seats in the Reichstag and a majority of seats in Bavaria. The speaking ban on Hitler in Bavaria was lifted in March. Hitler immediately called for expropriation of all Jewish agriculture.

Berliner Tageblatt / September 28, 1928

Prussia has lifted its speaking ban on Adolph Hitler.

Berliner Tageblatt / November 16, 1928

Adolph Hitler appeared today in Berlin’s largest stadium, the Berlin Sportpalast. Although only capturing two-and-one-half percent of the seats in the Reichstag in the March election, the largest stadium in Germany was filled to capacity by his faithful.

Berliner Tageblatt / March 17, 1929

General Motors announced today it has purchase 80% of the Opel car manufacturer for $33,000,000. The purchase covers all avionics, including the first manned rocket plane, the idea of Fritz von Opel.

Berliner Tageblatt / June 27, 1929

President von Hindenburg announced that Germany will no longer pay any remaining debt from the Great War. Calling it an albatross that holds open Germany to Marxist territorial aspirations, the President said that Germany still intends to observe the terms of the Versailles Treaty, but can no longer afford payments which impair its very existence.

Chapter 3

July 16, 1929 / Bremerhaven Germany

A dreary overcast day. Yesterday it had been sunny and in the mid 70s. Not so today. The fog seemed to overshadow an otherwise happy day for the family of Karl Klein. Karl, his wife Sophie, and their young son Rudi walked the first-class gang plank to the sparkling clean S.S. Bremen. The Bremen was making for New York in the United States. It was her maiden voyage, and the 170-man crew in snowy white uniforms welcomed the VIPs. The Bremen had a cruising speed of 27.5 knots, but in trials it had cruised at higher speeds.

Klein was quickly introduced to the captain, Commodore Leopold Ziegenbein. The commodore took the Kleins on a tour while their cabin was readied. The commodore took pride in showing Rudi the Heinkel sea plane that the ship carried. Ziegenbein took pride in informing the Kleins that the plane would take off from the ship when the ship approached the United States. The plane would be carrying mail and would set a record for cross-Atlantic mail delivery: three days. The pilot waived to the group as he inspected his plane. The Commodore asked the family to share his table at dinner.

The family was shown to their spacious cabin, courtesy of the Ford Motor Company. Karl, at age 33, oversaw the Berlin Plant. A graduate engineer of the technical university in Berlin, he spoke fluent English, as did Sophie, age 31, and Rudi, 11. The family looked forward to living in Detroit, Michigan, while Karl was in the States to learn as much as he could so that he could ultimately lead the Ford brand in Europe upon his return. They loved their native land, but inflation was rising. The family also looked forward to being paid in U.S. dollars.

Rudi inspected all the accouterments of the cabin. To call it a cabin denigrated it. The proper name for this group of rooms was a suite deluxe. It was reposed on the B deck, in the middle. Rudi was impressed by the Teleflunken shortwave radio. He immediately turned it on and tuned to a station broadcasting yesterday’s football scores. Soccer was his favorite sport. Sophie perused the passenger list while Karl looked at the brochure describing the facilities of the ship.

The family decided to walk the ship before dinner. Rudi loved the gymnasium and 36-foot indoor swimming pool. There was a juvenile area at which Rudi turned up his nose. He felt more adult than the kinder he had observed. The family ended their tour at the elegant porcelain room, where they would dine with the captain.

–––––––––—

At 19:00 hours there was a soft knock on the door of the Klein suite. Karl opened the door. There stood a young man in formal attire who said, I am here to escort the Klein family to the captain’s table.

Thank you, Karl Klein replied. Sophie was dressed in a formal gown, and Rudi, though eleven, had his own formal attire. They followed the young cabin steward. The lighting in the hallway was dimmed, but not sufficiently to obscure the beauty of the fabric on the walls and the artwork that adorned them.

The porcelain room was about half full when the Kleins arrived. The steward left them and entered the serving area. Other stewards, looking very much like the one who had escorted the Klein family, appeared and escorted other VIP guests to the captain’s table. Out of nowhere an officer in formal naval attire appeared and introduced himself. "I am Lieutenant Gunner Bernard. Herr and Frau Stiglitz, may I introduce the Klein family: Karl, Sophie, and Rudi. Klein and Stiglitz family, let me introduce you to Herr William Shirer. Herr Shirer is a reporter from the Chicago Tribune in the United States."

Bernard seemed to announce this more as a warning than as a courtesy as if to say, Watch what you say. The entire introduction was in German, which Herr Shirer apparently understood.

Quickly thereafter, Commodore Ziegenbein appeared. All were seated. A steward appeared and filled the champagne flutes, including that of young Rudi. It was not unusual for a juvenile to partake in a toast if his parents were present and allowed it.

Ziegenbein raised his glass. To a pleasant and safe voyage, to our noble fatherland, and to world peace.

Innocuous and proper. Shirer did not flinch at the reference to Ziegenbein’s noble fatherland.

The food service began with a coquille St. Jacques. A still white Moselle was served, none to Rudi.

So, Rudi, the captain began, what is your favorite sport?

Football, replied Rudi.

You know, Junger Mann, in America they call that soccer. In America, football is more like rugby. Did you know that?

Yes, replied Rudi, although I’ve never seen either played.

Perhaps you can enlighten him, Herr Shirer.

With pleasure, Captain Ziegenbein. I would be happy to speak with Rudi about America. Perhaps tomorrow on deck?

I would appreciate that, Herr Shirer, replied Rudi.

What brings you to America, Rudi? inquired Shirer.

We are going to Detroit, Michigan. My father is associated with The Ford Motor Company in Berlin. We are building a new plant for a new car.

Will you be going to school in Detroit? asked Shirer.

Yes, replied Rudi,

"Do you speak English, Rudi?

Yes, replied Rudi, and French and Russian as well, Rudi precociously iterated.

Son, you will have no trouble at all. In fact, your shuls are more advanced than the American elementary schools.

Until this point in time, Gertrude Stiglitz had said nothing. I hope you don’t have to go to school with those black animals that those Jews allow to run around America.

The captain and the lieutenant exchanged worried glances. There was a tense lull, and then the commodore spoke. Herr Stiglitz will probably produce the steel for your plant. He is with Krupp.

Perhaps, replied Karl.

Stiglitz, of course, knew what the lack of affirmation meant. Krupp produced steel, but not as they did before the Great War. Ford Germany imported steel from America. Ford was a vertical enterprise and produced its own steel. It even sold the slag waste.

Stiglitz replied, I’m sure you know that under the Versailles Treaty imposed on us a decade ago, our most productive field for iron ore, the Ruhr, is controlled by Belgium and France.

Shirer really didn’t want dinner to turn into a joust, but the provocation by both Mr. and Mrs. Stiglitz grated on him. Well, Herr Stiglitz, your country signed the treaty ending a war which you started.

Stiglitz reddened, tapped his water glass with a spoon, put it down, and then replied, My good American friend, when the Soviets declared war on Austria, we had a mutual assistance treaty. We Germans honor our commitments. As for signing the treaty, you and the other Allies hadn’t taken one inch of the fatherland as of the armistice. The German-hating Jews sold out their fatherland by sowing havoc with our armed forces and forcing the government to sign the treaty to protect their interests. Now they control reparations. The Jews never helped the fatherland during the war.

Finally, Karl Klein spoke. What about Walter Rathenau? He was Jewish. He organized the whole economy and placed us on a war footing. He located raw materials worldwide and got them, despite the British blockade. After the war he led the reconstruction of Germany.

Aach, the exception that proves the rule, replied Stiglitz.

He and half my front-line platoon. I wasn’t awarded my iron cross posthumously because of three Jews who charged into no man’s land after I had destroyed a machine gun emplacement, risking life and limb. I joined Rathenau after the war and was an engineer on his staff. I never met a prouder Prussian.

Klein’s reply seemed to impose a steely silence as the entrée was served: cutlets of veal with a vintage Bordeaux.

Rudi had been taking everything in and remained silent. Finally, he could not contain himself. He leaned over to his mother and asked in French, Mama, will I really be going to school with wild grizzly bears?

Shirer, who lived in France and spoke the language, roared with laughter.

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The next morning at breakfast, the Klein threesome dined alone. Rudi piled his plate with hot cakes, bacon, and syrup; Karl eggs and toast and Sophie fruit. The waiter, dressed impeccably, served coffee, juice, and milk, but did not hover.

Rudi spoke up. "Daddy, why don’t our people like the Jews? I hear it in class, on the soccer pitch, and even on the radio. We like all the Jews we know. We have even had Rabbi Finklestein for dinner.

Karl thought, He deserves to be told. He paused mid-bite and addressed his son with a smile. "Well, son, there is no good reason; there are just a lot of excuses. First there is religion. Many Christians believe that Jews were responsible for the death of Christ. The Church hasn’t helped much; they really believe it. Whatever truth there is to this, it happened over 1900 years ago and doesn’t make much sense. Frankly, one might say if Christ hadn’t died, he would never have risen, but bigots don’t want to hear that. Then there are those that are envious because a small group of people have used their intelligence to succeed. It is true that they excel and are heavily involved in the commercial world as well as the arts, but they did it legitimately and by merit. Lesser souls resent them for that. When I worked for Rathenau, I learned from him and admired him. When he came to dine with us, he was just like any successful man. Then there are those who feel a Jew is a member of a race and will always have loyalty to their people. As I told Stieglitz, I saw an awful lot of Jewish blood shed for the fatherland in the war. I can only assume that British Jews bled for Great Britain. It was the Jews that defeated the Turks in Palestine. I doubt that they suffered no casualties. Then there are the dumb ones like Frau Stiglitz. They think the Germans are called Aryans and are a superior race, descended from blue-eyed geese, while Jews are descended from Africans.

I don’t feel like a goose, Daddy, replied Rudi.

Nor should you, Rudi. You’re going to meet good and bad people of every type. Judge them for who they are and what they do, and you’ll be just fine.

Sophie smiled, I’ll have to tell Grand-mama to stop calling you a silly goose.

–––––––––—

Later in the day Rudi found Herr Shirer sitting on a deck chair smoking a cigarette and drinking a Coca-Cola.

Guten tag, Herr Shirer, said Rudi.

Und dir, replied the journalist.

Bitte hinzetzen, invited Shirer.

Rudi seated himself.

Would you like a Coca-Cola? asked the elder.

No, thank you, Rudi replied.

Son, said Shirer, that’s the first thing I have to tell you about America. Everyone drinks Coca-Colas and ginger ale. They call it sodapop. Where you’re going in Detroit, they just call it pop. And as long as we are on the topic, a frankfurter is called a hot dog. Don’t ask me why, but it’s beef or pork; it’s not dog meat.

Rudi smiled. What about schnitzel?

Still schnitzel, Shirer replied.

There are many people of German heritage in the United States, said Shirer. Not where you are going, though. They are mostly in Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Pennsylvania."

How are they treated? asked Rudi.

Good question, said the reporter. During the Great War, not so good. Broken windows, harassment at times. Now, not so bad. Americans are a forgiving people. They also want to leave Europe to the Europeans. I don’t think you’ll have a bit of trouble. And Ford? Henry Ford had loads of Germans in big roles. America is more concerned about Russia than Germany.

What about sports? inquired Rudi.

Baseball. It’s called the national pastime. Know anything about baseball?

Just a little, replied Rudi. Some of the kids whose fathers are over from America talk about it. I do know about Babe Ruth.

Good start, Rudi, said Shirer. Learn the statistics and you’ll fit right in.

I’m awfully good at the maths, Rudi replied.

Shirer’s face took on a more anxious look. Want to talk about last night’s dinner?

Sure, said Rudi. My dad says we all are not like those people, but I do hear more and more about things like that at school. Our family has lots of Jewish friends. What about in America?"

Well, Rudi, some American people feel the same way, but few say it out loud. We don’t have a history of that type of hatred, and that helps. There are Jews in business, government, finance, and education. Some universities do limit the number of Jews, but not many. To the extent that there is anti-Semitism, the good Americans speak against it. Germans are mainly one nationality, people born and raised there. America has all kinds; we are called the melting pot of the world.

And the Blacks? asked Rudi.

Well, young man, we don’t have a good history there. It’s only been 65 years since many were slaves. The rights of the Negro are moving too slowly for some, too fast for others. They really need good education, but it’s not easy to come by.

Shirer stood up. Son, nature calls. I look forward to seeing more of you.

Rudi made for the