1938 (June) -- German heavy-weight boxer Max Schmeling loses badly in a rematch with American boxer Joe Louis.
A bombshell is dropped on Maria and Otto. Paul Simon of Simon Electric Incorporated, Detroit, Michigan, USA, has written to Maria telling her that he is returning to Germany on August 30, 1939, two days before the start of World War II. Paul wrote that he has been worried because of all the bad news about Germany in the press and wants to make sure his family is all right.
Maria is devastated and almost panicky. This could not have happened at a worse time, since she now loves Otto and no longer loves Paul. In fact, she is very resentful of Paul who abandoned her and her two children. But as the day of Paul's arrival arrives, Maria becomes so scared of the unknown that she sends Otto away. Naturally, Otto is devastated by having to leave. (Otto, because of some Jewish ancestors, is fired from his job as chief engineer.)
On August 30 Maria learns that Paul cannot get off the ship without proof of his Aryan ancestry. To the fascists, the last name of Simon sounds too Jewish. Paul has only three days to get the proof. He talks with Maria on the phone about his problem. Maria has Eduard try to get the necessary papers, but three days is just too little time to get the necessary proof. Paul has to remain on the ship and then has to return to the United States. Maria returns to her village without really seeing Paul.
1939 (September 1) -- Hitler invades Poland starting World War II.
1942 -- the Wannsee Conference fine tunes the Final Solution to eradicate European Jews.
