The American Dream Ended, and a New One Began: The Story of Al Henry from New Ulm, MN (Semi-collaborative)

Al Henry was born to Alois Hitler, and Klara Hitler, in Austria-Hungary.

Alois Hitler was a very rough man. He would constantly beat his son Adolph every day, for not taking his studies seriously. Klara was despondent because she loved her dolphie. One day, Klara had enough. In 1886, She left Alois and took the boy with her to New York City. She left on a boat from Hamburg.

Klara spent some time in Ellis Island. Klara and Adolph were then re-settled to the German-American town of New Ulm, Minnesota.

Things were rough for Klara. Klara had few skills. She learned how to be a seemstress on the boat ride from Hamburg to America. She also knew how to milk cows. She found a place in New Ulm that could give her a job. She worked really hard, which impressed an older, but handsome 2nd generation German American farmer. He hired her to be a milkmaid. And in turn, he watched over Dolph. Dolph had some disturbing behaviors, which troubled Alfred Henry Sauerbraun. But Dolph seemed to draw close to him. Dolph didn't act strange around Alfred, but he acted strange around other people bedises for Alfred. Later on, Alfred and Klara married, and had 2 other children.

Alfred was concerned for young Dolph. Dolph would often times torture small animals and torment children. But he wasn't going to give up on his Dolphie. Unlike his other children, Dolph and him had a bond.

One day, Dolph went hunting together. Alfred and Dolph started bonding, and his tormenting of small animals and children went away. Alfred taught Dolph empathy. That empathy later encouraged Dolph to become a Vegetarian in his adult life. Dolph became a popular student, with a gift for acting.

Alfred and Klara hit hard times during the Panic. Alfred's business started drying up. Alfred and Klara had 2 children, which Dolph cared for like they were his own. Dolph, being sickly as a child, couldn't go out and become a field hand. So he did the only other thing he could do. Act. But there weren't that many acting jobs in New Ulm. Or even in the big cities east of him, in Minneapolis or Saint Paul.....

Dolph knew he had to head west to get his big break.

Dolph's going to Hollywood.

Dolph was known for his deep, intense, cold stare. He got acting jobs left and right. Right up until 1917, when the Americans joined WWI.

Suddenly, Dolph's jobs started drying up.....

He telegrammed his stepfather.

"Father, what should I do? "

Dolph referred to his stepfather as his father, since as a boy, he remembered the beatings his biological father gave him, and had no desire to see his biological father.

A telegram came back 2 days later.

"Son. I call you that, because I helped raise you to be a fine young man, even if you're not my flesh. I couldn't give you my blood, but I will give you my name. From here on out, you will be known as Al Henry. Make me proud, son".

Which he did. Al Henry went on to star in many silent movies again.

Dolph, now known as Al Henry, earned enough to buy his stepfather and his mother a telephone. He talked to them every day, .

"Dolph, when are you going to eat some chicken. You're looking quite thin"

"Mutti, I don't feel like killing an animal for food. I think animals should be free, much like humans, or the American Negro".

Both of his parents laughed...

"Poor Dolph. Maybe he will come to his senses". they said.

He was annoyed, but he loved his stepfather and mother.

It was no surprise when Dolph got some tragic news, he was crushed.

One day, he heard a phone call.

"Is this Al Henry, also known as Adolph Hitler?"

"Yes this is."

"There was a powerful cyclone that struck New Ulm. Your stepfather and your mothercouldn't get into the root cellar in time. Their bodies were found 10 miles away. I'm so sorry, Mr. Henry"

The next 2 responses carry where Al Henry goes in life. After this, he's going to hit the Talkie Wall, and his career is going to get interesting.
 
*Sigh*

Nobody wants to take this.


Al Henry, saddened by the death of his adopted father and his mother, goes into a deep depression. Acting roles started drying up for him, because he simply didn't have the same cold hearted stare anymore. His once cold, menacing stare, which made him the star villain in such early silent movies, such as "A Vampire In Paris", where he played the villain protagonist who kills vampires, is now a sad, cold, dark glare.

He takes up a job in Hollywood as a grocery store clerk. One day, Al noticed a mob being formed around a man with a funny looking hat. He hasn't seen a person like this before. This man looked like he was beaten by this mob.

The mob is about to beat the man to his death. Al quickly gets the poor man up from his feet and out of the way.

This man was very strange. He was a swarthy man. Had a strange haircut. He wore a tiny hat on his head. This man had a strange resemblance to his father. No, not Alois. Alfred Sauerbraun. His real father. The man who loved him. Dolphie saw his father being beaten.

Being a boy who grew up in New Ulm, he's never seen a man like this before. Yes, he looked like Alf Sauerbraun, but he didn't dress like him.

"Sir, what is your name?" Al asks.

"My name is Hans Rosenfelds" The man says.

Al was elated. Back home in New Ulm, everyone was German. Even though Al was technically Austrian, he absorbed the German-American culture where he grew up. And since Austria was Germanic, Al considered himself to be a German from America, not Austrian.

Al rarely saw a German in Hollywood.

"So, you're German?" Al asks.

"I'm from Germany, but I'm not German"

Al takes the man back into the grocery store, and asks the shopkeeper for the day off so he can care for this injured man.

The shopkeeper, seeing the state of the bloodied and bruised man, gives Al the day off.

Al buys some pork from the shopkeeper. Just enough to make 3 bratwursts for the man.

When Al takes the man to Al's apartment, he cooks him the best German feast he could think of.

German potato salad. Al being a vegetarian, didn't have any bacon on hand.

Al also made some sauerkraut and pretzels. He also ground up some pork and made some bratwursts for the poor man.

He strikes up a conversation with the man, while he's lying on Al's couch.

"So, what part of Germany are you from?" Al asks Hans.

Hans responds "I'm originally from Hamburg."

"A German like you must love bratwursts. I don't eat meat, but I'll make you some bratwursts from the finest pork.", said Al, in a most sympathetic tone.

"I do not eat pork, my son", the older man replied in a weak, but alert manner.

Who was this strange German man who didn't enjoy a bratwurst? Al was confused. Al made his own bratwursts using glutenous wheat, mushrooms and peas. cooked in a flour wrapper. It was more like a dumpling than a bratwurst. But it was spiced as such.

"You silly man, can't you see I'm Jewish"? " says Hans.

Al's never met a Hebrew before. Yes, he's heard his father make snide comments about them, but Al's never actually met one. But this day will change Al Henry's life forever.

(Anybody else?)
 
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