The Abbeville Boys

Chapter One: The Hunters

      The year is 1932 in the hill country of Leipzig, Germany. A fourteen year old boy is roaming the countryside of his family’s vast estate on horseback. He’s a good looking Aryan. Kurt Reichard is a well-built kid with a square jaw. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He’s wearing a red riding jacket, black pants and black riding boots. He also has a small black riding crop and round white cap. He’s the perfect specimen for the man currently rising to power in Germany, Adolf Hitler. Kurt doesn’t know it yet but he’s about to get caught up in a vicious war for his survival, the country’s survival, and the survival of a dear Jewish friend. 

      For the past several years there’s been a civil war going on in Berlin, an actual war in the streets. Many people are shot and killed. Different political factions are fighting for control of the German government. The Nazis, the communists, and parliamentary rule. The economy is in bad shape. Most people are penniless and scared. Violence rules the streets. By 1932 parliamentary government seems to have taken hold for the time being. The political issues in Berlin and Munich didn’t affect Kurt or his family. They lived in the countryside and had considerable wealth.

      Kurt attends a local private school and has tutors come to his house. In 1932 the schools and educational philosophy were not yet converted to Nazism. School has a comfortable feeling, and kids enjoy the warmth of their friends and teachers. The next year, 1933, Hitler comes to power as Chancellor of Germany. All the schools will change, and the kids become indoctrinated into Nazi propaganda. At this point, Kurt still has the innocence and luck of living a good life. He also doesn’t have to deal with hate, yet.

      On this crisp fall morning Kurt is riding through the countryside. The air is invigorating. He sits high in the saddle and looks around with bright eyes and a smile. It’s something a young boy takes for granted and doesn’t think about. The area is majestic. It has thick beautiful woods with the smell of pine trees. There are magnificent green meadows. The entire scene looks like a masterpiece painting. He decides to head back to the house because his good friend, Joseph Benowitz, is coming over. Joseph lives on the estate next to Kurt and they’ve been close friends since they were small children. He’s the same age as Kurt. He’s a Jewish boy slightly shorter than Kurt but built in the same trim body. He’s got brown hair, and brown eyes.

      Kurt approached the house and saw Joseph coming over a small hill on his horse into the meadow. Joseph was wearing the same thing as Kurt for riding. As he approached Kurt said, “Good morning Joseph. It’s great riding out today.”

      “Yes, I’ve been riding at my place since sunup. You want to go down by the river?”

      Both boys got a big smile on their face as they headed off towards a small river in a gallop to explore and do some hunting. The trek to the river eventually became a race. Each boy pushed his horse faster and faster. They arrived and it was a dead heat. They were laughing as they got off their horses and let them drink from the river. Joseph said, “I had you beat but you closed in at the last second.”

      “Yes, I was surprised I caught up. Sometimes you get lucky.”

      The clear cool river was full of interesting things. As it flowed there were turtles and brown trout. Occasionally they would fish but their passion was hunting. The game was plentiful, there were red squirrels, and red foxes. Both boys were good shots, but Kurt was a marksman. The boys tied their horses to a tree, and took off their red jackets so the game wouldn't notice them. They unsheathed their small 17MM rifles (about the size of a 22 caliber rifle) and began walking along the side of the river. They came to a large log that had fallen into the river and protruded onto the bank. They kneeled behind it and waited. They had to be quiet but would whisper back and forth.

      Kurt whispered, “Did you see Gretchen at school the other day. I think I really like her.”

      “Yes, she’s pretty, but so is Hilda. The next time I see her I’m going to talk to her. She has such beautiful brown hair.”

      Suddenly, the boys heard a rustling noise twenty meters away. They both stuck their heads just over the top of the log and saw a red fox moving towards the river for a drink of water. They ducked back down, and Kurt whispered, “You take the shot. Sneak around the end of the log on the ground and take him.”

      Joseph nodded and crawled towards the end of the log. He came around the corner and took aim. He pulled the trigger, and the fox went straight up in the air and landed. He squirmed around for a second and then stopped moving. The boys went up to the fox, and they had their first kill of the day.

      They walked back to the log with their bounty and kneeled behind it again. It wasn’t long before two red squirrels came up to the river for water. They were further down, forty meters or so. Kurt came around the end of the log and aimed at the first squirrel. He pulled the trigger. There was a pop, and a puff of smoke came out of the barrel. The squirrel just dropped to the ground. The second squirrel was shocked. He stood up wondering what happened for a split second. This gave Kurt a chance to quickly chamber another round. The squirrel decided to run. He took off for the bushes at full speed. As Kurt aimed, he led the runaway perfectly and pulled the trigger. The squirrel went down instantly. The boys grabbed their prize and headed back to the log to wait for more. This went on for most of the morning. More squirrels came up as the boys picked them off. This was a great place to sit. Apparently, it’s a heavily attended watering hole. There were squirrels coming up behind them, but they didn’t shoot for fear of hitting their horses down the river.

      After a while they had a collection of six squirrels and one fox. The fox isn’t good eating, but the pelts are great. The squirrels, on the other hand, are good eating and the boys love it. They skinned the squirrels and took them to Kurt’s family cook. She makes a fine meal out of them along with hot potato soup, and potato pancakes. When the boys finished, she had some apple strudel for them.

      Kurt and Joseph had a feast and rode the grounds for hours pointing out things of interest in the woods. There was talk about school and girls. The boys were like brothers and enjoyed being around each other.

      As it got dark the weekend was over, and they split up to go home for the night knowing all was right in their world.