A fanfic of Hetalia: Axis Powers, it is an AU fic set in WWII Italy. The plot follows Feliciano, who is the grandson of a resistance leader, when he meets Ludwig, a German soldier. Can be read here
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It is the most famous fic of the Veraverse, called so since all of the fics are named after songs by Vera Lynn, a series of crossover fanfics by George Devalier all set in the same universe during the Second World War.
As it is an AU fic, the main cast is known as their human names. It also ties into the writer's other story, "We'll Meet Again", except Auf Wiedersehen tells the events from Ludwig and Feliciano's point of view.
As an extra bonus, someone even made a song entitled "Auf Wiedersehen" that tells the story through Feliciano's eyes. It can be found here.
This Fanfic contains examples of:
- All Germans Are Nazis: Averted and discussed. The fact that Ludwig and Gilbert are not Nazis is heavily emphasized by the people who love them - they're just patriotic kids who joined the army without realizing what they were fighting for. In the end, both of them defy orders to do the right thing and save lives.
- An Arm and a Leg:
- Among other things, Antonio looses one of his arms after being tortured by the SS. It's unclear whether they maimed him or if he had to be amputated after being freed.
- After the war ends, the Nazis botch Ludwig's execution and he takes a bullet to the spine that prevents him from ever walking again.
- And I Must Scream: Feliciano can't tell Ludwig that The Americans are going to ambush his base.
- Anyone Can Die: Subverted in that Feliciano and Antonio don't die, per se...
- The Apocalypse Brings Out the Best in People:
- Bilingual Bonus: While Ludwig and Feliciano speak English to each other, they'll sometimes speak German or Italian too.
- Break the Cutie: Feliciano, when Ludwig gets imprisoned by the SS.
- Cassandra Truth: Ludwig doesn't believe Feliciano when he tells him that the Americans are going to attack them. Justified, since Feliciano is a member of the Resistenza.
- Character Development:
- Feliciano grows from naive boy to a pretty tough man.
- Ludwig goes from thinking My Country, Right or Wrong to risking his life to save his enemy.
- Chocolate of Romance: On their first "date", Ludwig brings Feliciano a bar of chocolate. Keep in mind, this is WWII-era Italy where chocolate is hard to get ahold of.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Antonio had a mostly carefree youth, Walking the Earth with his two best friends — unfortunately, he was struck by reality after the Spanish Civil War resulted in the destruction of his hometown of choice, Guernica.
- Gayngst: Mostly averted. Even though its switfly pointed out that their romance wouldn't fly easily in peace time either, the real conflict of this story is that Ludwig and Feliciano are on opposing side of a war.
- Also averted in partner fic Besame Mucho: the reason Antonio and Lovino shouldn't get together, and run into some opposition, isn't that they're both men, but that they're both resistants, and that Antonio especially is living a dangerous life fighting the Nazis which might endanger Lovino as well.
- Played straighter in partner fic We Will Meet Again, in which the homophobia Arthur and Alfred face is a major plot point.
- The Greatest Story Never Told: Unfortunately, only two of the ten-ish fanfics of the Veraverse were ever completed. We therefore never learn exactly how Lovino saved Antonio from the SS, what Gilbert did to earn Roderich's respect and how he died, or what Ivan and Natalya's actions that require a redemption from their older sister were, which are all aluded to in this fic.
- Everyone Is Related: Due to the nature of the source material, characters with a near-zero chance of ever meeting in this context happen to know each other. Most notably, Antonio, a Spanish freedom fighter who happens to be in Italy during WWII is surprised to see that the one German pilot Feliciano has met happens to be his best friend's brother.
- Fate Worse than Death: Antonio's torture at the hands of the SS. He gets better, but it takes him years.
- Freudian Excuse: Roma is so smotheringly protective of his grandsons because his daughter eloped and died without him ever seeing her again.
- Handicapped Badass: Ludwig can still win barfights even after his paralysis.
- My Country, Right or Wrong: Ludwig initially believes this, but his love for Feliciano and the growing obviousness that he's working for the bad guys make him evolve.Ludwig: Sir, I used to live and breathe for my country. Now I do it for him.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Roma. His real name is Augustus, but he never lets anyone call him that.
- La Résistance: The Italian Resistenza, which fights against the German occupation.
- Retired Badass: Roma, the youngest commanding officer of the Italian army, who followed the Call to Agriculture after WWI ended. The badassery quickly came out of retirement when the Germans invaded his country, however.
- Years after WWII ends, all of the characters involved are more or less this.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: After his torture at the hands of the SS, Antonio suffers from debilitating PTSD.
- Taking You with Me: Ludwig plans to do this to Alfred after being shot down, but doesn't succeed.
- Took a Level in Badass: Feliciano when he tries to free Ludwig.
