by Tim Townsend
81 to extract information: Hank Gerecke interview, 13 July 2011.
82 to that of a general hospital: Sullivan, “Historical Report, 16 July to 30 September 1944.”
82 “We feel highly gratified . . .”: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” December 1944.
82 a note of commendation: James P. Sullivan, Commendation letter for Gerecke, Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” December 1944.
83 soldiers from the front lines: Sullivan, “Historical Report, 1 January–31 December 1945.”
83 fire destroyed the bar: Ibid., 1 January to 8 May 1945.
83 he began taking cigarettes: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” March 1945.
83 to sew and mend their clothing: Sullivan, “Historical Report, 1 January to 8 May 1945.
84 “Opportunities for individual . . .”: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” January 1945.
84 “Our wounded men . . .”: Ibid., February 1945.
84 “A cheerful, loyal, devout officer . . .”: Sullivan, “Efficiency Report for Henry F. Gerecke, 1 March 1945.”
84 Sullivan chartered a boat: Sullivan, “Historical Report, 1 January to 8 May 1945.”
85 “An unforgettable experience . . .”: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” April 1945.
85 The unit set up delousing stations: Sullivan, “Period Report, Medical Department Activities, 1 January–31 December 1945.”
85 were to be sent back to the United States: Ibid., “Historical Report, 1 January to 8 May 1945.”
85 Hank was on the Champs-Élysées: Hank Gerecke interview, 13 July 2011.
85 “We thank God for Victory . . .”: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” May 1945.
86 breaking down the hospital: Sullivan, “Period Report, Medical Department Activities, 1 January–31 December 1945.”
86 The Ninety-Eighth stopped: Ibid., “Historical Report, 9 May to 23 May 1945.”
86 boarded the MS Dunnottar Castle: Ibid., “Period Report, Medical Department Activities, 1 January–31 December 1945.”
86 “ . . . and confidence in any future task”: Ibid.
86 The Ninety-Eighth landed in France: Sullivan, “Period Report, Medical Department Activities, 1 January–31 December 1945, Munich addendum.
87 Gerecke sent a message: Hank Gerecke interview, 13 July 2011.
87 He attended a conference: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” July 1945.
87 “ . . . need special attention right now”: Ibid., June 1945.
87 “Both were devoted . . .”: Sullivan, “Period Report, Medical Department Activities, 1 January–31 December 1945, Munich addendum.”
87 “enormous problems”: Descriptions of the hospital the Ninety-Eighth took over in Munich, and the lives the unit led there, come from James P. Sullivan’s, “Period Report, Medical Department Activities, 1 January–31 December 1945, Munich addendum.”
89 “Beautiful chapel . . .”: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” July 1945.
91 Hank Gerecke took a jeep: Hank Gerecke interview, 13 July 2011.
92 Rosh Hashanah services: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” August 1945.
92 The Mastersingers of Nuremberg: “Da Prinzeregentheater.”
92 Yom Kippur services: Gerecke, “Monthly Report of Chaplains,” August 1945.
93 Amid the snowball fights: Geist interview.
94 The two men conferred: Hank Gerecke interview, 13 July 2011.
94 “This area is being retained . . .”: Photo, collection of Thomas V. Geist.
94 Gerecke returned several times: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
95 He said it over and over again: Geist interview.
CHAPTER 5
96 “If your enemies . . .”: NRSV.
96 had asked for Gerecke: Andrus, Untitled manuscript draft “Gerecke.”
97 “ . . . possible spiritual benefit”: Ibid.
97 Andrus’s situation was “urgent”: Ibid.
97 “But I finally got it”: Ibid.
97 entered the army as a cavalry officer: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, pp. 13–14.
98 He was furious: Ibid., p. 12.
98 “ . . . a better man for the job”: Galbraith, “The Cure.”
98 “somewhat allergic . . .”: Ibid.
98 “They have religious statues . . .”: Andrus, Letter to the Recorder, San Diego Commandery No. 25, 15 March 1945.
99 When Andrus arrived at Ashcan: Andrus, Letter to Katherine Andrus, 18 May 1945.
99 “ . . . has to verify the signature”: Galbraith, “The Cure.”
99 any vantage point high in the town: Ibid.
99 The Palace had a veranda: Ibid.
99 the Palace’s gray stucco façade: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, p. 43.
99 He requested floodlights: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, pp. 18–19.
99 “I even feared murder . . .”: Ibid., p. 19.
100 “I hate these Krauts . . .”: Persico, Nuremberg, p. 50.
100 “Here is some paper . . .”: Andrus, Letter to Katherine Andrus, 5 April 1945.
100 “I am treated here . . .”: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, p. 33.
101 “ . . . a bunch of jerks?”: Galbraith, “The Cure.”
101 “ . . . a certain motion picture . . .”: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, p. 44.
101 “held a handkerchief to his mouth . . .”: Ibid., p. 45.
102 Andrus decided to use: Ibid., pp. 46–50.
103 “ . . . without a ‘chute,’ sir?”: Ibid., p. 51.
103 Andrus had first recruited: “Minister Counseled Nazi Elite.”
103 they refused to be counseled: Hank Gerecke interview, 23 March 2011.
103 “I absolutely needed his services . . .”: Andrus, Untitled manuscript draft “Gerecke.”
104 Sullivan had given Gerecke the option: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
104 Gerecke was badly shaken: Gerecke, “My Assignment,” and Hank Gerecke interview, 30 June 2011.
104 Gerecke had recently traveled to Paris: Hank Gerecke interview, 30 June 2011.
104 calling Hank for advice: Ibid., and Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
105 Christ’s forgiveness: Hank Gerecke interview, 30 June 2011.
105 Gerecke was staring: Gerecke, “My Assignment.”
105 “I’ll go,” he said: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
106 Translatio imperii came from: Remley, Old English Biblical Verse, p. 250.
106 “the God of heaven . . .”: Daniel 2:31–44, NRSV.
106 Biblical scholars mostly have agreed: Miller, New American Commentary, pp. 94–97.
107 a Danish prince named Sebald: Descriptions of Sebald’s life come from Collins, Reforming Saints, pp. 58–61.
107 peregrinatia pro Christo: Volz, Medieval Church, p. 35.
108 Romanesque and Gothic parish: Kootz, Nürnberg, p. 28.
108 fifteen-foot-high brass tomb: Schieber, Nuremberg, p. 34.
108 critical position in Germany’s history: Kootz, Nürnberg, p. 3, and Schieber, Nuremberg, p. 8.
108 The word Norenberc: Schieber, Nuremberg, p. 8.
109 The city housed: Ibid., pp. 28–29.
109 German cities with a history: Voigtländer and Voth, “Persecution Perpetuated,” p. 2.
109 defiling Holy Communion wafers: Hsia, Myth of Ritual Murder.
109 “the eyes and ears of Germany”: Brockmann, Nuremberg, p. 181.
109 “would deal severely . . .”: Luther, “On the Jews and Their Lies,” pp. 33, f96.
110 violence spread: Voigtländer and Voth, “Persecution Perpetuated,” p. 7.
110 Jews sought shelter: Schieber, Nuremberg, p. 44.
110 Germans began burning Jews: Voigtländer and Voth, “Persecution Perpetuated,” p. 7.
110 annihilation of six hundred people . . . synagogue had once stood: Schieb
er, Nuremberg, pp. 44–45.
111 “For the glory of . . .”: Kootz, Nürnberg, p. 52.
111 In the wake of the First World War: Dietzfelbinger interview.
111 he was interested in Nuremberg: Schieber, Nuremberg, p. 6.
111 blessing the Nazi swastika: Dietzfelbinger interview.
112 four times more Nazi Party members: Ibid.
112 Knight, Death and the Devil: Brockmann, Nuremberg, p. 181.
112 built more than three hundred churches: Dietzfelbinger interview.
113 “the worst in the history of human beings”: Ibid.
113 Gerecke didn’t press the issue: Geist interview.
113 “among the dead cities . . .”: “Nuremberg: Historical Evolution,” p. 7.
114 had increased 60 percent: Ibid.
114 Nuremberg’s remaining citizens: Gaskin, Eyewitnesses, p. 113.
114 seemed to hover in midair: Ibid., p. 117.
114 foraged from nearby farms: Ibid., p. 104.
114 mostly of bread and potatoes: Ibid., p. 108.
114 “there was no money”: West, “Greenhouse with Cyclamens I (1946),” p. 10.
114 to barter for food: Gaskin, Eyewitnesses, p. 104.
114 “He stared up at the clouds . . .”: West, “Greenhouse with Cyclamens I (1946),” p. 16.
114 lodged in the broken roof: Gaskin, Eyewitnesses, p. 103.
115 “exhaled the stench of disinfectant . . .”: West, “Greenhouse with Cyclamens I (1946),” p. 10.
115 death flowed from the wreckage: Gaskin, Eyewitnesses, p. 115.
115 were miraculously untouched: Ibid., p. 102.
115 Resurrecting a city: Description of the Allied rebuilding of Nuremberg comes from “Nuremberg: Historical Evolution,” pp. 7–10.
115 uncovered caches of machine guns: Gaskin, Eyewitnesses, p. 109.
117 You sure do, Gerecke thought: Gerecke, Toastmasters.
117 battling Indians: Persico, Nuremberg, p. 49.
117 “the story of a lost sheep . . .”: Gerecke, Toastmasters.
117 “ . . . to surprise you”: Ibid.
117 “Chaplain, just remember . . .”: Persico, Nuremberg, p. 116.
CHAPTER 6
118 “Beloved, never avenge . . .”: NRSV.
118 “ . . . I grew increasingly confused . . .”: Speer, Spandau, p. 52.
119 Andrus, who was furious: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, p. 53.
119 a show of force: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, pp. 145–146.
119 contained 530 offices: “Memorium Nuremberg Trials.”
119 $75 million today: CPI.
119 GIs removed courtroom walls: “Memorium Nuremberg Trials.”
119 The prison’s four wings: Schneider interview.
120 Two of the prison’s wings: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, p. 126.
120 Andrus oversaw about 250 people: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, p. 55.
120 the ground floor of Wing Four: Schneider interview.
120 could be run by five guards: Ibid.
120 Philadelphia’s Cherry Hill Prison: “Eastern State Penitentiary.”
120 Each cell measured: Fritzsche, Sword in the Scales, pp. 17–19.
120 a “Judas window”: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
120 a steel cot, fastened to the wall: Description of the Nazis’ cells is largely drawn from Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, pp. 68–74.
121 created by knocking down a wall: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
122 Guards were ordered to yell: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, p. 127.
122 freshly laundered underwear: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, p. 68.
122 could take a hot shower: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, p. 127.
122 hand the prisoner a spoon: Andrus, “Prisoner Routine, Nurnberg Jail.”
122 Breakfast usually consisted of: “Menus, Nuremberg prison, 17 June 1945 to 30 April 1946.”
122 he was handed a broom: Andrus, “Prisoner Routine, Nurnberg Jail.”
123 a small 140-by-100-foot: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, p. 128.
123 followed eight paces behind: Andrus and Zwar, I Was the Nuremberg Jailer, p. 67.
123 they prepared legal defenses: Tusa and Tusa, Nuremberg Trial, p. 130.
123 A typical dinner: “Menus.”
123 The creation of the Nuremberg Laws: Unless otherwise noted, the description of how the Nuremberg trials came to be come primarily from Taylor, Anatomy of the Nuremberg Trials (pp. 4–39) and Overy, “The Nuremberg Trials.”
124 wrote to Sir Cecil Hurst: Pell, Letter to Sir Cecil Hurst, 8 May 1944.
127 “considerable pressure . . .”: Archibald King, Memorandum for the Judge Advocate General, 7 September 1944.
128 The middle option: Ibid.
128 “ . . . no detailed directive . . .”: Ibid.
130 in the vicinity of Aachen: Aachen’s Wanted Nazis.
130 “Assuming that there is . . .”: Daniel, Letter to Colonel Joseph Hodgson, 4 April 1945.
131 “We believe that whatever their guilt . . .”: Dean, “The statement which appears below.”
133 outlining the plan for a major trial: Jackson, Letter to Lord Wright of Durley, 5 July 1945.
134 Jackson publicly stated: Jackson, Statement by Robert H. Jackson Representing the United States, 12 August 1945.
135 “We are all worried about”: Taylor, “We Are All Worried.”
136 “complete freedom . . .”: “Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War,” Geneva, 27 July 1929.
136 “granted the protection . . .”: Twelfth Army Group Headquarters.
136 the religious rights of POWs: European Theater of Operations Headquarters. “Standing Operating Procedure No. 49.”
136 there are no records: Brinsfield interview.
137 “He’ll be your assistant”: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
137 Gerecke met chaplains Sixtus O’Connor and Carl Eggers: Ibid.
137 “How does a man . . .”: Venzke, Confidence in Battle.
137 the son of a schoolteacher: John O’Connor interview.
137 enjoyed a classical education: O’Connor, Transcript of Record.
138 interested in how modern philosophy: O’Connor, “Augustin Gemelli,” pp. 450–451.
138 dropped out of St. Bonaventure College: St. Bonaventure’s College and Seminary Annual Catalogue, 1925–1926, p. 93.
139 O’Connor professed: Davies and Meilach, Provincial Annals.
139 rigged a sound system: John O’Connor interview.
139 was harassed by party thugs: Brian Jordan interview.
139 his love affair with teaching: Callahan, Provincial Annals, p. 134.
140 was anxious to become: Maguire, Letter to “Brothers in St. Francis.”
140 O’Connor listed his height: Sixtus R. O’Connor, Application for Service.
140 The closest person: John O’Connor interview.
140 on any official army documents: Ibid. Biographical Data, 10 August 1944.
140 guessed the priest to be: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
140 Gerecke was frightened: Gerecke, Toastmasters.
140 Gerecke offered the Nazi: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
140 It wasn’t an easy gesture: Ibid.
141 “in order that the Gospel . . .”: Gerecke, Toastmasters.
141 “ . . . of an all-loving Father . . .”: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
141 “ . . . on the Cross for them”: Gerecke, “My Assignment.”
141 leaving Gerecke and Hess alone: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
141 they had all been boys: Hank Gerecke interview, 23 March 2011.
141 He fought in the same regiment: Kelley, 22 Cells at Nuremberg, p. 18.
141 the rank of first lieutenant: Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 110.
&n
bsp; 141 a chest wound: Kelley, 22 Cells at Nuremberg, p. 18.
141 studied with a geography professor: Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 110.
141 traditional German imperialism: Wistrich, Who’s Who, p. 126.
142 Hess had taken stenography: Kelley, 22 Cells at Nuremberg, p. 19.
142 including those on lebensraum: Wistrich, Who’s Who, p. 131.
142 third in line to lead the Reich: Ibid.
142 Hitler addressed in the familiar: Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 110.
142 He had sought out father figures: Wistrich, Who’s Who, p. 131.
142 “There is one man . . .”: Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 111.
142 Hess’s take on “the Jewish problem”: Kelley, 22 Cells at Nuremberg, p. 20.
142 to be rid of Jews: Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 110.
142 his part in planning: Ibid., p. 125.
143 “Would you care . . .”: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
143 a copy of St. John’s Gospel: “Kesselring Cried at His Sermon.”
143 “My first attempt . . .”: Gerecke, Toastmasters.
143 he dreaded meeting: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
143 “You want in now, Chappie?”: Gerecke, Toastmasters.
143 “I heard you were coming . . .”: Gerecke and Sinclair, “I Walked the Gallows.”
144 his mother, Franny, sailed to Haiti: Mosely, Reich Marshal, p. 8.
144 “highest aspiration . . .”: Bewley, Hermann Göring, p. 19.
145 Red Baron . . . Goering was married: Wistrich, Who’s Who, pp. 102–103.
146 with huge feasts: Ibid., p. 103, and Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 63.
146 a man who loved animals: Davidson, Trial of the Germans, p. 63.
146 in style on his own train: Ibid., p. 93.
146 a title held previously: Ibid., p. 96.
147 “I hereby charge you . . .”: Ibid., p. 75.
147 the end of his favor with Hitler: Ibid., p. 60, and Wistrich, Who’s Who, p. 104.
147 packing up as many rugs: Unless otherwise noted, the description of Goering’s final days on the run comes from Mosely, Reich Marshal, pp. 338–348.
148 Hitler had become hysterical: Kershaw, Hitler, 1936–45, p. 807.
148 better without him: Ibid., p. 804.
148 hounding Hitler for months: Ibid., p. 807.
148 Bormann drew up a document: Ibid., p. 808.
