[ WP ] WWII never happened and Hitler became a famous painter .

The class listlessly moved through the halls of the Smithsonian, perhaps 3 of the 20 students paying attention to the tour guide, much to their history teacher's chagrin. They sped through the exhibit of early 20th century American art and entered The Hall of Post Great War Europe. 
 
 As the tour guide began her spiel, two of the class clowns began silently mocking her. Probably equally as bored, yet annoyed all the same by his students' improper behavior, Mr. Peters shot the two boys a stare that would make any high school kid think twice. 
 
 Without missing a beat, the tour guide continued over the slight interruption. 
 
 `` And here you can see one of our finer pieces on loan from Moscow, an original Adolph Hitler, painted in Munich 1944. It's called _Lunchtime in the City_. Clearly Hitler focuses on the industrious workers going to and from work, and the setting and backdrop illustrate a thriving Germany. This was painted only a few years after Germany was incorporated into the Soviet Union, which of course brought it out of terrible poverty that the reparations from the Great War caused...'' 
 
 The class had seen this before, of course. The painting was synonymous with the Communist movement in the 40s and 50s, a period incredibly boring to Mr. Peters' class and teens across the globe for its largely uneventful three decades. Everyone loved learning about the Great War in the beginning of the 20th century, and everyone was fascinated by the Wars of Containment between the US and USSR in the 70s, but the 1930s to 50s were decades of immense nothingness in the view of the average American 16 year old. 
 
 The Smithsonian tour guide continued her hagiography of Hitler and endless praise of his magnum opus, when Ruth raised her hand. Mr. Peters groaned inwardly -- though his brightest student by far, Ruth was always the thorn in any authority's side. 
 
 `` Ma'am, I know this painting is universally beloved and praised for its promotion of peace and the greater good and all that'' Ruth said. `` But I ca n't help but notice the subversive elements in the background. The factory workers back there hazing the Orthodox Jew. The banker in the dingy house over there counting money is clearly portrayed as a Jewish stereotype.'' 
 
 The tour guide briefly looked to the painting and laughed, `` Oh yes, good eye dear. Scholars have noticed those images as well, but it's universally considered a practical joke. Everyone knows Jews did n't live in Germany or the USSR in that era. There's hardly any record of any Jews living in the Soviet Union at all, even today none live there. So really, it's a very clever joke Hitler inserted into the background of his most popular work.'' 
 
 Ruth looked perturbed, but sufficiently embarrassed she and the rest of the class followed the tour guide as she ushered them to the next work. Mr. Peters, relieved to not have a large quarrel between his best pupil and the reputable Smithsonian chaperon, stayed back to examine the work at his own leisure. For the first time his focus was drawn to the Orthodox Jew painted in the deep background, blonde Germans roughing him up in an alley. He saw the face of the boy in the painting, clutching his Torah and prayer shawl, and was startled by the look Hitler painted onto him. Surely it was meant to depict evil; but the small face only showed fear. To Mr. Peters, the boy was more than scared though, and much more than depressed. It looked like he was resigned to be forgotten. 
 
 `` What a terrible fate'' Mr. Peters said aloud. He turned and caught up with his class.
