Mein Wunderkind

Aaron Ackermann’s earliest memories of his childhood was watching Happy Days and the Mickie Mouse club on a small, shoddy TV with the orphan children, all crammed in a small room. He always was told his day would come, but like many other children he shared this room with, the day never did. Every day as a young boy, he felt his number would come up and a happy family would take him in. He stayed awake at night, dreaming of one day belonging to a loving family like he had seen on TV. A doting mother, cooking dinner for the family after being kissed by a hardworking yet loving father as he finished a hard days work. The American Dream had been advertised on TV, and seemed like something anyone could obtain if they wished deeply enough. Aaron’s dreams slowly faded into sadness as he aged, and watched some of his friends receive that calling he never would.

The caregivers always changed, each of them with different ways of discipline. One of the last caregivers, Dorothy, was his favorite and by far the longest caregiver to work at the orphanage. She was gentle, yet firm. Although she seemed to care about Aaron a great deal, she taught him an important lesson that for years rang through his head. “Aaron, you have to realize that if you care too much about what happens to you and the things you can’t control, you won’t find success. Stay unbothered, stay aloof – that is the only way to succeed in this world.” She was a spinster, still single at 36. She spoke of her time and travels, and how she prioritized her success over the model of the American dream, and being the homemaker most women craved. “Your own dreams are more important than the opinion and love of others. Always put yourself first.” Aaron hesitated to take this advice to heart, blaming her potential bitterness of still being unwed as her reason for such sour words. As he approached 18, he felt excited for a new dream – a chance to make his own American dream. He was excited for the possibilities – to marry, to have a family, to work hard. He craved the approval and love of others, and the weeks leading up to his 18th birthday, he spent looking for a job to get his feet on the ground.

Job after job, he was denied until he came across a low paying manufacturing job just a week before his 18th birthday. The day he turned 18, Dorothy gave him a little black notebook wrapped in a bow and ribbon. “I found this with your things when you were left at the orphanage,” she said, dusting it off. “It came with a note, but I lost it over the years. I haven’t looked in it, but it seemed important so I saved it for when you went out on your own.” He took the notebook with him once he saved enough money to leave the orphanage. Dorothy squeezed him tight and said, “You are the only person I think left out there with truly good intentions.” Aaron beamed with pride, and moved into the next phase of his life.

After several months, Aaron began to tire of his job. He worked hours and hours on end, with no time off. He came home one night late, unable to sleep. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about everything he had dreamed of when he was a kid. He almost wondered if he had it better at the orphanage; at least he had Dorothy. “I could always marry her…” he mumbled, rolling on his side. His eyes focused on the little black notebook, wrapped neatly with the fingerprints set in dust from Dorothy. He took off the ribbon, and opened the notebook. The first part of it was in some foreign language he was unable to read, written erratically. Looked potentially like German, but he wasn’t sure. He sighed, frustrated it didn’t turn out to be anything important. He dropped the notebook on the ground, laying face up and open, and fell asleep.

He woke up restless, only a few hours later. He had the day off, and he planned on making it count. He got out of bed, and stepped on the notebook. He grumbled and picked it up. He looked at the notebook again, but this page was different. It was readable, in English, and had a small set of instructions. The book read: “Your life started with pain and empty wishes. Your wishes can come true. Go to the Brooklyn Public Library, to Fiction, section M. Rent a book called: Mein Wunderkind.” Aaron was curious, unsure of what to do. He decided to use his day off to visit the library, and maybe find some answers on his lineage. After all, what could it hurt?

He made his way to the library. He hadn’t been much of anywhere in the city since leaving the orphanage. It was strange, and beautiful. He saw families holding hands, and young couples strolling through the streets. He craved for this life, maybe somehow this book would help him find his answers. He stepped into the library, and was impressed by it’s beauty. It wasn’t too busy, and had a cozy feel to it. He looked around, and was stopped by a beautiful librarian. She smiled and asked, “How can I help you? Anything you’re looking for?” He grinned bashfully, and said, “I am looking for a book called Mein Wunderkind. Do you happen to know where I can find it?” She looked confused, “I haven’t heard of it. We usually don’t have German novels available. Do you know who wrote it?” Aaron shook his head, and said, “Honestly I am not even sure it exists still at this point. I had someone leave me a notebook, and a lot of it was in German but the part in English told me to look in section M for the book.” She looked curious, and walked him to the section instructed by the mysterious notebook. Sure enough, Mein Wunderkind was sitting there, credited to no author. “I have never seen this before!” She flipped through it, “I actually know a little german myself! This title in English is ‘My miracle Child.’ Maybe I could help you find what you’re looking for. I love a good mystery, and my shift is almost over.”

She said her name was Sandy, and they left together to read the mysterious notebook. She went into his house, and found the notebook. “This book is manufactured in Germany, I think it’s from the war!” She flipped through excitedly. “It looks like someone wrote about their life during the war.” She concentrated, and seemed to come across something that made her face sour. “What’s wrong?” Aaron pressed as he was reading Mein Wunderkind carefully. “It seems to be an account of a relationship… a woman who was raped by a soldier in World War II. Wolfgang Reimant?” She continued to flip through, and as he was looking through the mysterious novel, he came across a note. It read: ‘Present your journal to JAB Holdings in Washington, DC to Stefan Reimant. Tell him the title of this book. He will know what to do.’ Aaron showed it to Sandy, and she insisted on him going, and offered to go with him. He called into his job, said he was ill, and then left to DC with Sandy. They arrived and immediately went to GAB Holdings. They spent every penny they had on cab fare to reach the building, in hopes of solving the mystery of his past. When arriving, they asked the secretary for Stefan. She smirked, “Stefan doesn’t just see anyone. Why do you want to see him, who are you? You don’t appear to have any business here.” Aaron looked worn, his clothes tattered. He froze, unsure of what to do. Sandy stood firm and sure. “Tell Stefan we came with a book called Mein Wunderkind.” The secretary called Stefan, and asked for him, mentioning the book. She abruptly hung up, and looked surprised. “I guess he will see you now. Upstairs, on the left, at the end office.” They headed to the office, both notebook and book in hand, nervous for what they might find. The door to the office had a plaque with Stefan Reimant’s name, beautifully crafted with what seemed like pure gold.

They knocked on the door. “Come in,” said a firm, deep voice from inside the office. They came in, and Stefan motioned for them to sit. “Who are you?” Stefan asked. Aaron told him both their names. “I know why you’re here Aaron. Why is she here?” Sandy smiled, “Just a pretty face that speaks German.” Stefan smiled back. “Ok I suppose I understand. I am assuming you were able to read that black notebook gifted to Aaron?” She nodded, and he sighed. “What I’m about to say will need to be kept secret. And I WILL make sure you keep it that way.” Aaron was tense and concerned, but Sandy squeezed his hand, and calmed him almost instantly. Stefan told the story of Aaron’s mother, Esther Ackermann. She was an Ostarbeiter woman in World War II, working in manufacturing as a slave. She was young, and beautiful but even so – she was Jewish, and forced to work under the supervision of a German soldier – Wolfgang Reimant. He began to try and pursue her, but when she rejected him, he raped and beat her to keep her silent. She gave birth to Aaron Ackermann, and sent him away with her younger sister to America, who then dropped him off at the orphanage. She loved him, but couldn’t bear to watch him grow to look like his Nazi father. Wolfgang went on to have children, who then became principal owners of GAB Holdings, a multibillion dollar company worth $16B. Stefan explained that each child/grandchild and family member inherited about 11% of the company. “This includes you, in the will. Wolfgang may have been crass and wrong, but he had a strong belief in the importance of family.” Aaron felt numb, and unable to think clearly. He was born of terrible circumstances, with family ties to the evils of Nazi Germany, and a direct child of a war criminal. Yet here he was, a now…MILLIONAIRE? He looked at Sandy, who looked speechless, grasping onto the book as if her life depended on it. “With your discretion, we will get you your fund immediately, and we would appreciate if you never spoke of this or to us ever again.”

After he came back home with his inheritance, he thought about the words Dorothy said about success, and his own goodness. He teared up, and felt defeated. Was this the dream he was chasing, at the cost of so many others? He felt angry of his own existence, and wondered if his dream about having a family was one that couldn’t be realized. “Sandy – if I have this history, does this mean I’m evil?” She smiled, and grasped his hand. “I don’t know you very well, but as far as I know, you seem like a good, hardworking man. You’ll know what to do.” He looked at her and smiled, and gently caressed her face. She looked into his eyes, and they shared a kiss.

A year later, the Ackermann foundation was started by Aaron and his new wife, Sandy. The non-profit organization aimed to help children who were in orphanages go to school, and have a better start. The organization was run by Dorothy, who was living with Aaron and Sandy, set to be an in-home nanny to their future son, set to be born in a few months. Aaron decided to write a novel about his time in the orphanage, called ‘Mein Wunderkind.’