When I was growing up...
in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia...
during the Depression of the 1930s,
times were often difficult and unsure.
But I don't think any of us ever realized
how safe and secure our lives really were...
until that summer when a family arrived
in Walton's Mountain from Germany.
Never thought I'd live to see a taxicab in Walton's Mountain.
What are they doing here, John-Boy?
-Lost, more than likely. -Who was in it? Did anybody see?
Looked like three or four people to me.
Wouldn't it be something to ride in a taxi cab?
It would be something else to pay the bill.
It sure would.
Stay here.
Take care.
Here you go, ladies. Here's your change.
Ya'll come back.
Good afternoon. What can I do for you?
-Are you Mr. Godsey? -That's right.
I am Professor Mann. David Mann.
Oh, Professor Mann, I've been expecting you.
Welcome to Walton's Mountain.
And this is my wife, Eva.
Very pleased to make your acquaintance, ma'am.
We, too, are pleased to meet you, Mr. Godsey.
If you would be so kind as to give us the key to the cottage.
The key to the cottage. Of course, Professor.
I've got it right here in the cash register.
Listen, if there's anything you need...
you don't hesitate to ask old Ike.
First time I heard of anybody coming here in a taxi before.
-Must have cost a fortune. -I reckon.
$7.50. I heard my father say this.
Oh. Too bad my Daddy didn't know.
He was in Charlottesville yesterday.
Could have given you a ride for nothing.
That would have been nice.
-You are.... -I'm sorry. John-Boy Walton.
How do you do?
This is my sister Mary Ellen, and my brothers Jason and Ben.
Happy to make your acquaintance.
My name is Paul. Paul Mann.
You figure to stay around here, Paul?
Figure to stay?
I am sorry. My English is not yet very good.
What my brother means is are you going to be staying....
Will you stay here in Walton's Mountain for a while?
Excuse me.
Why do you wish to know?
No reason. Just asking.
If you do not mind, we will be on our way.
Come, Eva.
We will stay for a while, ja.
Bye, Paul.
-Pleased to have met you. -Same here.
Auf Wiedersehen!
Bye.
Sure talk funny, don't they?
If that's his daddy, he's not very friendly.
-Mr. Godsey. -Hi, kids.
-Who are those folks? -Where did they come from?
Where're they going to live?
Their name is Mann. M-A-N-N. And it's Professor and Mrs.
-Professor? -Right. From Berlin University.
-Berlin in Germany? -Right again.
What are they doing here?
Doc Harrison wrote me from Richmond last week...
said some friends had arrived in the United States unexpectedly.
And he'd loaned them his summer cottage.
Doc Harrison's cottage. That's a little aways from our house.
Germany?
Miss Hunter at school says there's gonna be
lots of trouble there.
-It's already started. -What's started?
It's not easy to say.
We get the information in bits and pieces over the radio...
and in the newspaper, but ever since Hitler took over...
there's been a lot of changes.
It is charming. Ja, Paul?
Yes, yes.
I think we will like it here, Mama.
And you will have many friends, too.
One moment, please.
Understand, both of you.
We will be polite.
We will speak when spoken to...
but we'll not encourage conversation with these people.
Why not, Papa?
Because it is the best way, believe me.
Also we will speak English only.
-David, this is not-- -Eva, please.
Inside.
John-Boy, do they speak English?
They do, with a German accent.
Did you see that funny box he was holding?
I'll bet they're spies.
-Spies. You reckon, Jim-Bob? -Sure.
They got a radio in that box for sending out coded messages.
I declare, you two.
Elizabeth, eat your squash.
Tastes better if you call it squish.
What kind of people did they seem to be, son?
They are real polite.
The father was kind of formal.
The boy, was he young or old?
He must have been some years younger than Jason.
But there was something odd about him.
Odd? What do you mean by odd?
When you look at him, when I looked at him anyway...
at his eyes...
I don't know, I got the feeling he was older than I am.
Probably tired out from the journey.
No wonder.
Tomorrow I'll bake an applesauce cake and take it over to them.
-I wouldn't go there, Mama. -Why not?
Suppose it's not a radio they got in that box.
Maybe it's a bomb.
Bomb?
Where in the Lord's name does that child get those ideas?
-I told him. -Elizabeth.
Eat your squish.
You children start using your napkins.
This is H.V. Kaltenborn with the news.
Beneath the surface of a Germany united
by Hitler, the government's official persecution
of Jews quietly continues.
Marriages between Aryans and Jews are forbidden by law...
and now no Jew may teach or hold public office.
Already, persecution has joined hands with suppression.
One night recently, in the streets
near the University of Berlin...
an enormous bonfire was ignited.
Into the flames were thrown more than 20,000 books...
books by authors of international reputation
and importance.
Sigmund Freud, H.G. Wells, Stefan Zweig...
Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, Emile Zola....
Did you hear what that man was saying?
It is hard to listen to.
Burning books is like burning people.
Why would people do such craziness?
Seems like this Hitler has some idea of a master race.
Aryans, he calls them.
You heard what Kaltenborn said.
You have to fit into a pattern. If you don't, get rid of them.
I don't understand. How can people fit into a pattern?
I mean, all of us here are completely different.
I just don't understand that at all.
Will somebody turn on that radio?
John-Boy.
We're missing One Man's Family.
I tell you,
I don't know how you can listen to One Man's Family...
when some maniac in Europe is burning books!
-Get a hold of yourself. -No, I don't care, Mama.
I don't know who those writers are.
I never read any of their books, but I'll read all their books...
and find out just what they had to say.
And what I don't know...
is how all of you can't feel what I am feeling right now.
He's a writer, alright.
Words on paper must be very important.
Otherwise they wouldn't be burning those books.
You missed it.
Eva.
-I asked you, please. -What?
Oh. I am sorry. I forget. Only English.
That's where those German spies live.
That's just a bunch of baloney.
-Bet you can't hit that rock. -Bet I can.
Get down!
Look what you did. Now let's get out of here.
What happened?
Here, too. It begins.
I cannot go through it again.
When in the name of God will they leave us alone?
Come, Eva.
Guess nobody's home.
-Should I try around back? -No.
If anybody was home, they'd have heard us.
We'll come back later.
Mama, there is somebody there.
-Let's go back. -No.
Some other time.
Come on, children. Let's go home.
There we go. A little bit more there.
That ought to just about do.
Boy, I love the smell of fresh-ground coffee.
Is that about it, Olivia?
There's a lot more things I need...
but I have to watch every penny these days.
I know what you mean. We're all in the same boat.
What are the damages?
Let me figure it up here. Let's see now.
With the coffee that will be $97.
Out of $100.
Hi, Professor. Hello, Mrs. Mann.
-How are you today? -We're well. Thank you.
-Did you get settled in okay? -Yeah.
I need a piece of glass. A window glass.
-Do you know what size? -Ja, 10 inches by 21 inches.
Reckon we can take care of that.
If you would just follow me right around.
Want a cracker?
-Mrs. Mann. -Ja.
I'm Olivia Walton.
My children met you here the other day.
Ja, that is so.
We'd love it if you'd come around and call on us some time.
I think that might be most nice. I'll speak to my husband.
Eva.
Would you come here a minute, please?
-Bye, Ike. -Bye, Olivia.
Real nice people, the Waltons.
In the whole of Jefferson County...
you'd be hard put to find a better woman than Olivia Walton.
Person's lucky if they can count her among their friends.
Mr. Godsey, I'm afraid here, we cannot afford to make friends.
-Why not? -Because here we are not wanted.
David.
-Not wanted? -Yes.
You see, yesterday someone deliberately...
broke our window with a rock.
For the life of me, I can't imagine anybody
wanting to do that around here.
Deliberately, that is.
Maybe it was a mistake or an accident.
No, Mr. Godsey.
For us...
it is most difficult to believe that such things were accidents.
Hey, Paul, you want a lift?
-Yes, please. -Hop in.
Thank you.
How old are you, Paul?
12. But very soon, I shall be 13.
I remember when I was 13, I didn't care for it too much.
-Why? -I don't know.
Seems like I was always stuck somewhere in the middle.
-Not a boy, not a man. -But that is not so.
Thirteen is a very important age, very important indeed.
That is when you become a....
Become what?
We are here.
-Thank you, John-Boy. -You're welcome. See you later.
John-Boy, could you come in?
I would like to introduce you to my parents.
Sure.
-Come in, please. -Thank you.
Papa.
Papa, are you home?
Mama.
They are not back yet. Will you wait, please?
-Sure, if they're not too long. -They only went to the store.
These are very dull.
"Liver ailments of the elderly."
I reckon you're right.
But upstairs in the attic, I find many good ones.
Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities.
Your Zane Grey, which I read to learn about America.
Would you like to see them?
-Yes, I sure would. -Come on.
-I have James Fenimore Cooper. -You have The Deerslayer ?
Yes, I think so.
Great. I read The Last of the Mohicans,
but not The Deerslayer.
Those up there, I could not reach.
I'll get them for you.
Here we are.
Paul!
Are you alright? Just stay right there. Now don't move.
Is it your head?
-I knocked into him-- -What are you doing here?
-I was getting-- -What have you done to my son?
Nothing, just....
-Get out of this house! -Let me explain!
Papa, wait. You don't understand!
-Please get out. -Professor, you don't under--.
I do not wish to understand. Get out.
I do not wish any more trouble in this house.
Get out!
John-Boy.
Yes, sir.
You hardly said a word all through supper.
You still worried about what happened over at the cottage?
No, I'm not worried. I just feel so darned stupid.
Maybe you should go over there, have a talk with Professor Mann.
Straighten him out about it.
It's not that important.
If it bothers you, son, it's important.
You do like I tell you.
It's a long time since I worked with my hands.
It is a good feeling.
As good as new.
Not another moment too soon.
Paul, I am sorry about yesterday.
But when I heard you cry out...
and I see you lying on the floor...
suddenly I think we're back in Berlin
and someone is trying to hurt my son.
My anger burst out. So I could not hold it back.
David, how can you think that?
The people here are so friendly with us.
Yes.
So were our friends on Friedrichstrasse, most friendly.
And yet when the bad times came...
they were the first to turn against us.
That will not happen here.
How can we be so sure?
In this country also, there is a terrible depression now.
Many people have no jobs.
They have lost their homes and their farms.
This condition breeds fear. They need someone to blame.
But why would they blame us?
Because they need a scapegoat.
Do you know how many times in history...
the Jews have been used this way?
I do not wish this for our family again.
David, we cannot change what we are.
This will be with us wherever we go.
No.
Not if we are careful.
Do you mean we can no longer be Jews?
Exactly.
Not even in secret.
There will be no Friday night prayers.
There will be no observance of the Sabbath...
or any other holy days.
We will forget we are Jews until this nightmare is over.
But what about my birthday?
Yes, in two weeks he will be 13.
I know.
You mean, I cannot have my bar mitzvah?
I'm sorry, Paul. Not even that.
It hurts me to do this, but I cannot.
I will not allow us to take any more risks.
Professor Mann, I've got to talk to you.
Please, come inside.
No, sir.
What I've got to say is just between us two.
I don't rightly know what I did to offend you.
But I came here to tell you...
that you had no right to yell at me the way you did.
I was hurt. My feelings were hurt.
I didn't come here to look for an apology.
I just want you to know how I feel.
Please. Come in.
Ja.
-Paul. -John-Boy.
This is my wife.
Eva, this is young John Walton.
I'm most happy to meet you.
My son explained to me what happened...
and I do owe you an apology.
I was terribly upset about something...
and I misjudged the situation.
I ask you to forgive me.
Sure, Professor.
Sure.
We will, as you say...
turn over a new leaf, yes?
Okay. Yeah.
John-Boy, I want you to know that I am most happy...
that my son will have friends as good as you and your family.
That's our pleasure, ma'am.
Okay, all ready down here.
Okay, Ben, let's heave.
Careful. Don't drop him. Don't be scared, Reckless.
Remember, Charles Lindbergh wasn't scared.
-But Reckless is. -What do you think you're doing?
Mary Ellen, you crazy or something? Let him down.
He was whining to come up.
That's no reason to hang him from a tree...
like a Christmas ornament.
Go on, let him down.
Alright. Untie him.
-What is his name? -Reckless.
Reckless?
-That is a good name for him. -Yeah.
I have always wanted to have a dog like that.
And also one of those.
-A tree house? -Ja.
Come on up.
Let's all go up.
Maybe your folks'll give you a dog for your birthday.
No, I don't think so.
Why not? It's not like being in a city...
with no place for it to run.
-It is not that. -Don't they like dogs?
No, Elizabeth. I think they would like to have a dog.
But you see, this year...
I do not think I'll be celebrating my birthday.
Everybody has to celebrate their birthday.
You told me this one was real important
'cause you were gonna be 13.
-I know. -Why is being 13 so important?
Is it some kind of custom in Germany or something?
Not only in Germany, but anywhere in the world if you...
If you're what?
It is late. I must go.
No, don't. Wait.
Paul, our Daddy's always telling us...
not to pry into other folks' affairs...
and I know that none of us here want to do that.
But if something's bothering you,
and you want to tell somebody about it...
then I just want you to know that you can trust all of us.
Come on, tell us why you aren't celebrating your birthday.
Well, you see...
I am a Jew.
A Jew? What's that?
It's a religion in the Bible, Ben. You ought to know that.
Jesus was one.
I still don't know what a Jew is.
Does that mean that you believe in special things?
We believe that God created the heaven and the earth...
and made the mountains and the seas.
We believe that, too.
We believe in the Ten Commandments:
"Thou shalt not kill."
"Honor thy father and thy mother."
"Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy."
We learned all that in Sunday school.
Seems to me that being a Jew...
isn't all that different from being a Baptist.
Perhaps it is not.
Except when you are 13. Then I think it is different.
Why is that?
When a Jewish boy is 13, he has his bar mitzvah.
-Bar what? -Bar mitzvah.
This is a very solemn ceremony...
which celebrates his arrival at manhood.
It is performed by a rabbi.
What's a rabbi?
He is something between your minister and a teacher.
He is most good and wise about many things.
Also there must be nine other Jewish men with him.
They are called a minyan.
What do they do?
-They are witnesses. -Like in court?
For the service, I must say...
certain prayers which I've been studying for a long time.
Also, I must wear special things.
Are Baptists allowed to go to your bar mitzvah?
Anybody is allowed to come if they are your friends.
-You've just got to have it. -We're your friends.
I am afraid that is not possible.
But why not?
You see...
my father says that we can no longer be Jews.
I still can't figure out what a Jew is.
Come on, get in. Let's go!
John-Boy...
your father, did he ask where we were going?
I told him. To Charlottesville.
You didn't tell him why, did you?
Not exactly.
I just told him it was important...
and I asked him to trust me.
It's John-Boy.
I didn't hear the truck drive up.
Since when did John-Boy knock?
Children, stay right here now. Finish your meal.
-Good evening. -Good evening.
I am Professor Mann.
Yes, won't you come in?
I'm John Walton. This is my wife Olivia.
-How do you do. -We've met.
We were looking for Paul.
We thought he might be here with you.
I haven't seen Paul all day.
You children seen anything of Paul?
Go on now, speak up. Have you seen him?
Paul went into Charlottesville with John-Boy.
-Charlottesville? -Yes, sir.
Now this might be them just now.
Now you children stay right there.
I'm sorry, Dad. We had a flat tire.
I reckon you owe the Professor and Mrs. Mann an explanation...
and an apology. They've been real worried.
Why did you go into Charlottesville...
without asking your mother and me?
There was something I had to do there.
-What? -We've been concerned, Paul.
We certainly have.
I went to see a rabbi.
I do not know what he's talking about.
My bar mitzvah. I went to see a rabbi--
He is talking nonsense.
-Come, we will go home. -No.
Did you say no to your father? Have you no respect?
No.
Not anymore.
Paul!
Is that you, John-Boy?
Son, I've been looking everywhere for you.
-Come on, I'll take you home. -No.
You can't stay out here all night.
I'm not going back there. Not ever.
Come on, Paul. Be sensible.
Paul!
If you're gonna be a man at 13...
you better start acting like one.
Stay away from me, John-Boy.
Stay away!
Don't worry, Mrs. Mann. He's perfectly alright.
Just a little shaken up.
Paul.
I'm alright, Mama.
I'll be back in a minute. I was fixing him some hot soup.
Thank you, Mrs. Walton.
Oh, we were so worried.
Here, let me take that.
He ate only a few mouthfuls, and then he fell fast asleep.
The best thing for him. By morning, he'll be right as rain.
Sit and have a cup of coffee before John drives you home.
David will be worried.
Already he is so hurt by all this.
It'll only take a minute.
I am tired.
Lying there he looked so young.
Like a little boy again.
Sometimes I wonder if all this will ever end.
It seems now like a bad dream that will not stop.
Living here in America...
it must be so hard for you to understand.
But how can anyone understand madness?
A country where you're born and raised...
and you call your own, suddenly changes.
Your husband for no reason is threatened...
and forced from his job.
At school, your child is taunted and ridiculed.
On the streets, the neighbors, they turn away when you speak.
Then one night...
the windows in your house are smashed.
The door is smeared with paint and slogans.
Words so filthy...
that you must quickly clean them before your child can see them.
Because of these memories we are afraid.
So here we hid...
and decided to pretend we were not Jews.
But you knew that already.
Knew, and never for one minute paid it any mind.
Unfortunately not all people are so good as you...
and your family.
The first day we arrived...
someone threw a rock through our window.
That's an accident, I'm sure.
Yes.
I'm sure it was.
I hope you are right.
Good morning.
-Paul, he's alright? -Sure, he's just fine.
I'm so glad. Come in, Mr. Walton.
-Mint. - Danke schoen.
-David, did you hear that? -Yes, I heard.
Excuse me, I've some work to do.
Just a minute, Professor.
I'd like to have a word or two with you.
Mr. Walton, has not your family already interfered quite enough?
Maybe it does seem like we've been interfering...
but I do believe, sir, that John-Boy was right.
You defend the actions of a boy...
who deliberately turns a son against a father?
I think Paul had already turned away somewhat...
and he was just trying to get you all back together again.
David.
I haven't finished yet, Professor.
Please listen to him. He is older.
Take a seat, Mr. Walton.
I thank you.
First off...
You ought to know that my two young grandchildren...
broke your window accidentally with their slingshot.
And they are sorry for it.
What's more, they're going to pay for it.
Then, too...
perhaps I don't understand what you feel or been through...
because I'm not of your faith.
But there is one thing that I do understand.
It doesn't matter what your color or your religion is.
You got to be proud of your heritage.
Stand up to it, like a man.
If you denied your heritage, you'd be false to yourself...
and it would rankle inside of you just like a canker.
You're not ashamed of being a Jew, are you?
It is not a question of shame. It is a question of survival.
Suppose you do survive on the outside...
inside you die.
Just look around you, man.
Already, your whole family is all torn apart.
Your wife, she is in deep pain.
Your own son, he won't come home to you.
And you yourself, sir.
I do believe that you're not a happy man.
You see, sir...
I was born here in the shadow of this mountain.
My father before that and his father before that.
There're generations of Waltons buried up here on the hill.
That's my heritage.
I know it's not much compared to yours, but it's mine.
Why, my ancestors, if they ever denied their heritage...
my grandchildren wouldn't be what they are today.
I know that same sort of feeling is deep in your heart...
just like it's been in the hearts of all your people...
for over 5,000 years.
Thank you, Mr. Walton.
Well, you just mull that over.
Good day, sir.
Come in.
-Mama. -Paul.
You will have your bar mitzvah.
Oh, good.
And Papa? Will he come?
I do not know, Paul.
He is a very proud man.
Look.
Your Torah, your talliths.
Let us declare the greatness of our God...
and render honor unto the Torah.
Professor.
I have a present for my son.
Would you give it to him?
Why don't you give it to him yourself?
"Praised be the Lord, our God...."
My father.
I had bought this for you a long time ago.
Today I am thankful for many things.
My father and mother...
for bringing me up through these troubled times to manhood.
We came here to escape hatred and violence...
and have found love and friendship.
I think the rest my father would like to say.
This is a very proud day...
for me and my wife.
And I wish to thank all of you...
for helping to make it so.
It has restored my faith in people.
But most of all, I wish to thank Grandfather Walton...
for reminding me of who I am...
and what I am.
I promise him...
and I promise my son...
I shall never forget.
[CHANTING IN JEWISH]
By the end of that summer...
Professor Mann had found a position...
in the History department...
of a university in a nearby town.
That was nearly 40 years ago.
But the house in which we grew up is still there...
and my mother lives in it today.
Often I go there in memory
and hear again those voices from long ago.
-Mama? -Yes, Ben.
How did Jews get to be Jews and Baptists get to be Baptists?
By following in their father's footsteps.
If we follow in Daddy's footsteps, what will we be?
You'll be a fine man.
-John. -Huh?
When are you going to get yourself baptized?
Livie, this is no time of night to start that.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, honey.
In a moment, some scenes from the next episode of
The Waltons.