Bormann gave a pale smile and replied, `I am glad that we understand one another, Herr Major. Go out now and wait in the sitting passage until I call you.'
It was two hours before the summons came and during that time Gregory was as near panic as he had ever been. He tried to take comfort from the fact that, although pale, Malacou seemed calm and unafraid. But there was no way of disguising his markedly Jewish features and in them lay a terrible danger. It was possible that the very sight of them might drive thee mad Fьhrer into one of his fits of ungovernable rage, in which he would not listen to assurances or explanations. Should he decide on the instant that a Jew had been brought to him, before either Gregory or Malacou could open their mouths he might order them to be taken up to the Chancellery garden and shot.
Gregory wondered if that possibility could have occurred to his companion and thought probably not; for during their time in Berlin Malacou had played his role as a soldier servant admirably, happy in the obscurity that he considered his best protection, confident that by doing so he would, in due course, be able to strike a great blow in revenge for the persecution of his race, and armoured against fear for himself by his conviction that he would outlive Hitler.
At last the almost unbearable strain ended. Bormann opened the door in the partition and beckoned, then led them through the little ante-room to the Fьhrer’s study. With a silent prayer of thanksgiving Gregory realized that this must have been one of Hitler's good days for, although his face was shrunken and blotchy, he looked calmer and more normal than the first time Gregory had' seen him.
The moment Gregory had pronounced his `Heil Hitler 1' he went straight on, `Mein Fьhrer, permit me to present my servant Ibrim Malacou. His home is in Istanbul- but so convinced was he that you had been sent to regenerate the world that he left it voluntarily to fight for the great cause.'
Having got out his statement, Gregory waited for a moment that seemed an eternity. Hitler was just finishing a cup of tea and a cream bun. Still chewing the last mouthful he smiled, shook hands with them both and said to Malacou, ` Germany has always been the friend of Turkey and it is good to meet Turks who are our friends. You are very welcome, Herr Malacou.' Then he told them to sit down and to proceed.
Like all the rooms in the bunker, except those that had been made by dividing its broad central passage, Hitler's study was not more than twelve feet square, so they were decidedly cramped. Malacou moved a chair so that he could sit in it with his back to the door, Bormann sat near but sideways on to him, and Gregory remained standing at the side of the Fьhrer’s desk so that he faced them both. He then made his usual passes at Malacou.
They were by now so used to their act that they slid into it easily and, in anticipation of this critical moment, they had gone with great care into the question of what Hitler was to be told. As Malacou's duties while at the Air Ministry had been very light, he had continued to spend the greater part of his time checking and improving the results of the astrological calculations he had made at Karinhall, and they had qualified these by the information about personalities and events that Gregory had obtained from day to day.
For a few minutes after Malacou had closed his eyes he remained silent, then he began to mutter and gradually his mutterings became intelligible to anyone who could understand Turkish. His voice took on a high shrill note and Gregory started to interpret his utterances, which were mostly brief and at times were punctuated by spells of silence.
As previously arranged, some of the things he said had no bearing at all on the situation but appeared to be communing with the spirits about friends of his who were dead and soon to be born again in a new incarnation; but Hitler showed no impatience because these were skilfully interspersed with predictions about the course of the war.
During the three-quarters of an hour that the stance lasted Malacou's forecasts of general interest were: That between five and seven days hence General Montgomery 's army would cross the Rhine in force and there would follow several weeks of desperate fighting in the West. German losses would be extremely heavy and some ground would have to be given up to the British and the Americans; but on the Northern front there would be an improvement in the situation. Within a few days the Russian onslaught would be checked and for at least three weeks they would make no further advance of importance. The coming day would be a very trying one for the Fьhrer. He would receive two communications. One would be the request of one of his most trusted Army Commanders to be relieved of his command; the other a letter from one of the pillars of the Nazi regime stating that he had lost faith in victory; but the Fьhrer was advised not to take the letter too seriously, because the writer had a great affection for him and would remain loyal to him to the end. It also appeared that within a week the Fьhrer would decide to make an important change in the High Command of the Army by dismissing one of his Generals. Lastly, in mid-April there would come to him from an unexpected source great consolation for -the trials with which he was being afflicted and support in his struggle, but whence this would spring it was not yet possible to divine.
Deliberately, in order to win Hitler's confidence, Gregory had made the general tone of this first occult communication as optimistic as possible, by suppressing several of Malacou's bleaker predictions. At the mention of the two communications he was to receive the following day Hitler had temporarily gone off the deep end and raved about the betrayals of which he was constantly the victim; but after ten minutes he had subsided, and at the end of the session he was obviously pleased by what he had: been told. Turning to Gregory, he said
'Herr Malacou several times mentioned dead people he has known who are shortly to be born again. Do you also believe in reincarnation?'
`Most firmly, mein Fuhrer,' Gregory replied promptly; which was the truth, for he had frequently discussed it with Erika and had become fully convinced. Moreover, it was with a definite intention that he had told Malacou to mention the subject several times in his ramblings. Keeping his eye on Bormann in case he indicated disapproval Gregory added, `To anyone who accepts the survival of the ego after death, which I regard as beyond, doubt, reincarnation is the only logical belief, and the wise men of all nations have taken it as a guide for their actions.'
Hitler nodded. `Several people have told me that they hold that opinion, Herr Major, and the subject is a most interesting one. Sometime we must talk of it together.' With a friendly wave of thanks he then dismissed them.
When they reached the conference room Bormann signed to Malacou to go through to the far side of the partition, then turned to Gregory. `This Army Commander who is asking to be relieved. I saw your hesitation when you spoke of it. You held back something. You know who he is. Tell me.'
There had been other occasions on. which Malacou, when uttering on a subject, had suddenly been inspired to add particulars of which he had not previously been aware. That had happened in this case, and it had given Gregory a very nasty moment.
`You are right, Herr Parteifuhrer,' he replied. `It is Herr Himmler; but I thought it more tactful not to name him.'.
Bormann glowered. `It's as well for you that you did not. Are you sure of this?'
Gregory shrugged. `How can I be? I can only say that I have confidence in the Turk's predictions.'
`I see. Well, this must be stopped. At the moment, if Himmler were free to come frequently to Berlin he would exert a bad influence on the Fuhrer.'
As Goering had told Gregory that Bormann was scheming to replace him as Hitler's successor and that Bormann, regarding Himmler as his most serious rival, had got him out of the way by securing for him the command of an Army Group, Gregory knew what was really in Bormann's mind. But he simply bowed and said, 'Herr Parteifuhrer, you may rely on me to accept your guidance at all times.'
The following afternoon the storm broke. Guderian, the Chief of the General Staff, arrived with a letter from Himmler in which he asked to be relieved of his command on the grounds of ill health. A conference was called and those o
n the far side of the partition heard a battle royal take place, with shouts and screams, between the Fьhrer and his General.
Later, Gregory learned that Guderian had defied Hitler and told him that Himmler had proved such a disaster as an Army Group Commander that he had forced him to offer his resignation, then insisted that it be accepted. Keitel and Jodi had, as usual, played for safety by saying, the Fьhrer was the best judge, while Bormann had insinuated that this was another plot to weaken the Fьhrer’s control of the armed forces. After hours of wrangling Hitler, near collapse, had got up from the table and, mumbling that he would `think it over', staggered off to his room.
On the following day Gregory heard about the other letter. It had been from Albert Speer. In it he had stated his conviction that Germany 's situation was now hopeless, so an armistice should be asked for in order to save Germany 's cities from further bombing and conserve as much industrial plant as possible to aid in Germany 's recovery. The letter invoked another outburst of self pity in the Fuhrer and vituperation against the young Minister who had made his dreams of magnificent buildings and splendid autobahns come true. But he took no action.
Malacou had told Gregory that it was his belief that Speer was now actively plotting to put an end to Hitler and as that, above all things, was what they desired they had at the stance done their best to protect him. One thing was certain. He was the only decent and honest man in the whole of Hitler's court.
On March 22nd Hitler suddenly made up his mind about Himmler and, despite Bormann's endeavours to prevent him, accepted his resignation.
Gregory immediately took alarm; for that could lead to Himmler visiting the bunker and it was possible that he might bring Grauber with him. He endeavoured to calm his fears by the thought that at least for some days that was unlikely. But, with Koller's consent, he used the private line from the Air Ministry to Karinhall to telephone Goering and also, with apparent casualness, took the first opportunity that offered to discuss the results of Himmler's resignation with his representative at Fьhrer H.Q., the horrid little ex jockey, Obergruppenfiihrer Fegelein.
From both sources he received reassurances. Himmler had had a breakdown and was unlikely to leave the clinic at Hohenlychen for some time, while Grauber was remaining on the Russian front to keep an eye on General Heinrici, who had been appointed as Himmler's successor in command of the Army Group.
Yet Hitler, with his now chronically illogical assessments, having decided on Guderian's advice that Himmler must be replaced, suddenly made up his mind to get rid of the unpopular but extremely able Panzer expert too; so overnight Guderian was replaced as Chief of Staff by Colonel-General Krebs.
On the 24th General Montgomery launched his great offensive on the lower Rhine and the Luftwaffe's attempts to prevent the crossing proved hopelessly ineffective. When the news came through Hitler sent for the unfortunate Koller, and so lashed him with his tongue for an hour without stopping that when the poor old man emerged from the Fьhrer’s sanctum he was white, shaking and in tears.
By then the Remagen bridgehead was thirty miles deep, and further north the British and Americans were streaming over the new crossings in their tens of thousands. In a frantic effort to stave off complete defeat another spate of murderous decrees was rushed out. That issued by Keitel read:
In the name of the Fьhrer.
Any officer who aids a subordinate to leave the combat zone unlawfully, by carelessly issuing him a pass or other leave papers citing a simulated reason, is to be considered a saboteur and will suffer death. Any subordinate who deceitfully obtains leave papers or who travels with false leave papers will, as a matter of principle, suffer death.
And General Blaskowitz, the Commander of Army Group H, in Holland, supplemented it by issuing a decree of his own, announcing that any soldier found away from his unit who declared himself to be a straggler looking for it should be summarily tried and shot.
The Replacement Army was scraped to the bottom of the barrel and new units of teenagers or sexagenarians, for whom it had not yet been possible even to find uniforms, were sent up to the front. Their pleas that if captured while still in civilian clothes they would shot as franc-tireurs were ignored, and they were being driven into battle by S.D. men threatening to mow them down with machine guns from behind.
From von Below Gregory learned that Hitler had sent for Speer and in a demonic spate of words that had gone on for hours poured out his reaction to the Minister of Armament's letter. The Fьhrer had said, 'If the war is to be lost, the nation will also perish. This fate is inevitable. There is no need to consider the basis of even the most primitive existence any longer. On the contrary, it is better to destroy even that, and to destroy it ourselves. The nation has proved itself weak, and those who remain after the battle are of little value; for the good have fallen.' In vain Speer pleaded that, for humanity's sake, those who survived should at least be left the material means by which they could sustain life. Hitler would not listen and ordered Speer to go away on permanent leave. Speer had refused, saying that it was his duty to remain at his post.
When he had gone Hitler, trembling and purple in the face, issued further orders through Bormann. As the Allies advanced, everything in their path was to be destroyed: factories, railway junctions, power stations, houses; everything was to be blown up or burnt down. Nothing was to be left. Since the German people had betrayed him they were not entitled even to the means to continue to exist after Germany 's defeat.
Next day, March 3oth, as so often happened the storm was succeeded by calm. After the daily conference Hitler sent for Gregory and told him that he wished him to accompany him on his late afternoon walk round the Chancellery garden. Together they ascended the stairs at the far end of the bunker and emerged into the spring sunlight. Immediately they began their promenade Hitler said, `Tell me your reasons for believing in reincarnation.'
`?Mein Fuhrer, they are quite simple,' Gregory replied, and proceeded to produce the arguments he had thought out as most likely to appeal to his megalomaniac companion.
`No sensible person can believe in the Christian God or, for that matter, any personal God. The very conception of a universal resurrection followed by a judgement, awarding all of us either perpetual bliss or consigning us to eternal torment, on our conduct during one short span of life, is absurd. One has only to think of those who are born half-witted or as the children of criminal parents. What chance in life have they? To condemn such unfortunates because they had led evil lives would be a travesty of justice. And what of young people who die when still in their teens? Are they to be held fully responsible for their actions? Were you or I brought before such a tribunal we should feel only contempt for a God who had given life to men on such arbitrary terms; so the teaching that He exists must be false.'
`I agree. I agree,' Hitler said huskily.
`Yet,' Gregory went on, `that the spirit which animates man continues to exist after death none of us who knows anything about the occult can doubt. If, therefore, there is no personal God to whom our spirits are accountable, it follows that we are our own masters and responsible only to ourselves for our acts down here. But nothing stands still. The declaration of Gautama Buddha, when he said that everything of which we are aware is in a state of either growth or decay, cannot be challenged. It applies not only to vegetable and animal life, but also to mountains, the earth itself and every heavenly body in the universe. Since it is a universal law our personalities must also be subject to it. This could not be more clearly demonstrated, mein Fuhrer, than by giving only a moment's consideration to your own personality. One thinks of your wisdom as a law giver, your great abilities as a strategist, your extraordinary flair for creating beautiful buildings, your immense knowledge of every aspect of life of the people over whom you rule. All these abilities could not conceivably have been accumulated in the short space of fifty odd years.'
`I see that. Yes, you are right.'
`Between your mind and that of an Australian
aborigine there lies an immense gulf; and the explanation of that is simple. Such a man can have lived only a few lives whereas, in different bodies, as men or women, rich or poor, healthy or crippled, you have had many hundreds; and in each you have progressed, learning some lesson which is stored up in your subconscious. It is rarely given to people to be able to recall their former lives, but the lessons they have learned remain. How can one doubt that it is owing- to this vast experience that in your present incarnation you have emerged as the genius that everyone acknowledges you to be?'
At that moment Bormann came hurrying across the garden, a piece of paper in his hand. Having given his `Heil Hitler!' he said, "Mein Fuhrer, only my duty and my devotion to you give me the courage to make this report. But it would be wrong to conceal even the worst news from you. This signal has just come in from Field Marshal Model. His entire army has been cut off in the Ruhr, and he asks permission to fight his way out.'
The blotches on Hitler's face stood out more clearly as it drained of blood. Suddenly he screamed, `Abandon the Ruhr! Never! Never! Dolts! Fools! Traitors! These Generals should be burnt over a slow fire for their cowardice and crimes. Model is to hold the Ruhr to the last man. If they are driven in, as the circle narrows they are to destroy everything. Everything. What good will Krupps be to us if we lose the war?
The plants must be blown up-not one brick or girder left upon another.'
Ignoring Gregory, he trudged off with Bormann, still shouting at the top of his, voice and wildly waving his good arm.
Speer was again summoned, but remained in the outer bunker for some time before Hitler would see him. He told the officers there that nothing would induce him to carry out the Fьhrer’s orders for the destruction of everything in Germany which could help those of the German people who survived to carry on their lives somehow and, eventually, enjoy prosperity again. On the contrary, he was using his own immense powers as the Controller of German. Industry and Labour to ensure that everything possible should be saved from thee wreck. He had ordered that no more explosives were to be made and that as the Allies advanced every piece of undamaged plant was to be handed over to them intact. To check the fanatical S.S. in attempts to enforce the orgy of destruction the Fьhrer had decreed, he was now issuing hand grenades and sub-machine guns to the staffs of all factories and installations, so that they could prevent the sabotaging of the plants on which their future would depend.
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