Esther Stutzman

Esther Stutzman was the wife of Walther Stutzman, and the mother of Anna and Gottlieb. She and the rest of her family were secretly Jews living in Berlin. She and her family were present when their friends, the Gimpels, also Jews, informed their eldest daughter Alicia of her true heritage.

Although her husband made an excellent living at main computer company of the Greater German Reich, Weiss, Esther worked as the morning receptionist for pediatrician Martin Dambach. Among Dambach's patients was Paul Klein, the infant son of Maria and Richard Klein, themselves hidden Jews. When Dambach diagnosed Paul with Tay-Sachs disease, a condition most common in Jews, Esther had Walther enter the Reich's database and alter the Kleins' geneological report, adding some potential Jews in the past. Esther added this apparently authentic report to Paul's file. However, she neglected to remove the original report from the file of Paul's brother, Eduard. Dambach noticed the discrepancy, and reported it.

Esther had to deal with the guilt her oversight. She also had to deal with the unwanted attentions of the investigating officer, Maximilian Ebert. The investigation came to an end when it was learned that the head of the SS, Lothar Prutzman, had a nephew with Tay-Sachs.

When the fourth Furher, Heinz Buckliger, began instituting reforms, Esther and her family were cautiously optimistic about their futures. However, the SS soon attempted a Putsch to remove Buckliger. Remembering the Kleins, Esther asked Walther to help plant the rumor that Lothar Prutzman was in fact Jewish himself. The rumor spread quickly, and Prutzman shot himself when the Wermacht mobilized in support of Buckliger. Thus, in a small but important way, Esther Stutzman helped save the Reich.