Historical Significance of Quotes

What does Matt mean when he talks about the Prussian, the Uke, the Lat, and the “probable” Lit? Or, “people in Europe being very wasteful of other people.” Or “Europe is the child’s game of may I.”

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“Europe is a child’s game of may I”

 

Matt’s cynical quote references the growing wave of anti-Semitic (prejudiced attitudes towards Jews) behavior and sympathies of Europe in the 1900s.  During this time period, anti-Semitic practices and beliefs caused millions of Jews to uproot their families and seek out more religiously tolerant living conditions. However, the nations of Europe were already beginning to find themselves in turmoil as tensions rose during the events that would result in the outbreak of the First World War. As a result of these tensions, Matt’s family was detained by the French government because of their ties to Fritz Haber, a German chemical weapons scientist. Matt’s father was suspected of having potentially overheard sensitive information regarding Haber and his work. His family was later permanently detained by the German government as a result of the growing anti-Semitism in Europe. “A child’s game of May I” refers to the conditions Jewish immigrants faced trying to escape hostility having to ask “may I cross the border?” and then being denied by governments for “childish” arbitrary reasons.

 

“People in Europe are being very wasteful of other people”

 

The 1900s were a time of rising anti-Semitism across Europe, particularly in Germanic and Slavic nations. During this time frame, Jews technically had equality according to German law. However, anti-Semitic beliefs were becoming more and more commonplace within the platforms of German political officials. Jewish political candidates for judgeships had unfavorable chances, and the one Jewish candidate would only be allowed to take the role if he renounced his religion and converted to Christianity. Matt’s father, who was a Prussian in Germany in the early 19th century could have been an engineer, which Matt tells Sally, he would never have been given the opportunity to advance within the Kaiser’s army.

 

“Prussian, the Uke, and the Lat”

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Matt’s Mother was the “Uke” that the quote refers to due to being a Ukrainian woman who had fled the influence of Russia, where Jews were considered to be useless and unhelpful members of society. At this time Matt’s family lived in Latvia, where his sister (the Lat) was born. Treatment of Jewish people in Russia had already become violent, and between 1903 and 1906, a wave of “pogroms” (large riots targeted specifically at Jews) broke out across Russia and countries under its influence, resulting in the injury and death of thousands of Jewish people. Which causes Matt’s family to flee across the border in order to escape persecution.

 

Both of Matt’s parents were loyal citizens of their respective nations, and would have perhaps gladly served their interests, but due to the rising popularity of Anti-Semitism, the countries of Europe turned against their Jewish citizens. These countries refused to include them as part of the nation, or protect them from harm. Which is what Matt means when he refers to European countries being “wasteful” of people.