Hope at Dawn Read Online Free PDF

seat and voiced her question to her friend seated behind them. “What is all the talk about, Hannah?”
    Hannah leaned forward, her buxom frame pressing against the pew, her heavy perfume overwhelming Friedrick’s nose. “Pastor Schwarz has an announcement. And not a good one, if the rumors be true. Something about the new language law.”
    Friedrick faced the pulpit again. Concern tightened his jaw. What would the pastor say? Friedrick had expected more trouble after his dealings with Joe and the vigilance committee two weeks earlier, but not this soon.
    The moment Pastor Schwarz took his place behind the pulpit, the noise in the church plummeted into silence. In the sudden quiet, Friedrick could hear the squeak of a boot against the hardwood floor and the soft snore of a baby several rows behind them.
    The pastor cleared his throat. The lines around his eyes appeared deeper and his shoulders slumped forward. Today his body showed every one of his sixty years.
    “ Geehrte mitglieder und freunde ,” he began before stopping. He coughed. When he opened his mouth again, he repeated what he’d said, only in English this time. “Dear members and friends.”
    Even to Friedrick’s ears, the words sounded as garish as a fire gong. The songs, sermons, and prayers had always been conducted in German. Friedrick exchanged a glance with Elsa. Her eyes were large with shock.
    “It is with heavy heart,” the pastor continued, “I announce that our humble services will no longer be given in German. As you well know, our governor has decreed no foreign languages may be spoken in public, which includes church meetings.”
    Startled cries of outrage swept through the congregation. Pastor Schwarz raised his hand and the chatter faded to fierce whispers.
    “I have been informed that those of you who do not wish to worship in English or who do not understand the language must hold services in your own homes.” He took a long, visible breath and squared his bony shoulders. “Now we will begin today by singing…”
    Friedrick hardly heard the rest of the service. His family had always worshiped in German. Like most of the American-born children of the congregation, Friedrick felt deep pride for his German heritage. Joining with others each Sunday who spoke his parents’ native language allowed him to honor a culture as much a part of him as his American one and helped him feel connected to those relatives who hadn’t immigrated.
    It wasn’t enough his people were being robbed of their savings. Now they were being forced to give up their very identity—all in the name of being loyal citizens. The injustice galled him and he couldn’t sit still.
    He rested one leg on top of the other, his knee moving in a steady tense beat. How many of these families would choose not to attend anymore? Like the Wagners, most of them had been coming here for decades. Friedrick hated to think of their close-knit congregation dividing.
    Would things ever return to the way they’d been? Or had life for him, his family, and his people been changed forever? Friedrick dropped his foot to the floor and rested his arms on his knees, his forehead nearly touching the pew in front of him. He couldn’t sit by, but he couldn’t openly protest either.
    By the time the last song had been sung, in halting English, and the benediction given, Friedrick had made up his mind to speak with Pastor Schwarz. There had to be something he and his family could do to help.
    “I’ll be a minute,” he told Elsa. “I need to talk to the pastor.” Elsa nodded before speaking with Hannah—in whispered German. Friedrick would have to remind her it was no longer safe to do so, even in church.
    Hat in hand, Friedrick headed toward the back of the building, where a line of people had already formed near the pastor. Clearly he wasn’t the only one wishing to speak with the man.
    He nodded at the couple waiting in front of him. He and the husband exchanged predictions about the