Heroes Without Honour

by Alan David

  The next instant he was jerking at his fly with trembling fingers, and his nervousness filled him with eager haste. She did not move, and when he looked into her ashen face it was to see that her eyes were closed.

  ‘Look at me,’ he snarled. ‘Here’s a real man for you, not a half-sized Jew bastard! See if you can take this.’

  He grasped her and leaned his weight against the wall, anticipation making him clumsy. He peered through the window, sweating in a fever of anxiety. But he had a few minutes at least. He set down his machine-pistol and lifted her to his level, his big hands under her buttocks, grasping the soft flesh of her thighs, spreading them, pushing his forehead against the wall to maintain his balance. He was throbbing with lust, and lunged at her with his member, unable to use his hands to guide himself. She turned her face to one side, her eyes closed again, and Steine breathed heavily as he tried to penetrate her. Twice he failed, and once he rammed himself against the wall behind her.

  ‘For Christ’s sake!’ he snapped. ‘Help me. If you want to see your husband again then get hold of it and put me where I want to be.’

  ‘Can you save him?’ she cried.

  ‘If I can’t then nobody can,’ he retorted. ‘Come on, damn you.’

  She grasped him with one hand and opened herself with the other. As soon as he felt her moist inner flesh, Steine slammed home against her. He was a big, powerful man, and he hurt her. She started to scream but set her teeth into her bottom lip and buried her face against the field-grey serge of his shoulder. Steine groaned in ecstatic agony, almost driving her into the wall with his vigour. There seemed to be an explosion inside him and he hit a climax which burst upwards from his inner thighs. It spurted through his loins and erupted from his organ. She was limp in his hands, heavy upon his forearms, and he twisted convulsively as he pumped the very stuff of his life into her.

  Then he relaxed against the wall, drained and spent, his knees trembling from his exertions. Dimly he heard a hoarse voice yelling his name somewhere in the background and knew his time had run out. He recognised Sergeant Meyer’s voice and dragged himself from the woman, letting her fall to the floor. Wiping himself on her skirt, he hurriedly fastened his fly and picked up his machine-pistol. He had to remove his helmet, and snatched up the woman’s torn underwear to wipe away the sweat coursing down his face.

  ‘Steine! Where in hell are you?’ Meyer’s voice was coming nearer, and Steine tried to restrain his gasping. He looked down at the woman, who lay sobbing silently, and finally caught his breath.

  ‘Don’t say a word about this,’ he snarled. ‘It never happened, all right? And I’ll do what I can for your husband.’

  Without waiting for a reply he hurried out of the flat and closed the door, reaching the top step of the flight of stairs as Meyer appeared on the landing below.

  ‘Where in hell have you been?’ the sergeant demanded. ‘I had to use the toilet,’ Steine replied, and Meyer frowned as he studied his subordinate’s flushed face.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he demanded. ‘You look out of sorts.’

  ‘I’m all right. I feel much better now,’ Steine retorted.

  ‘Come on then. We’ve got to get this over with.’ Meyer led the way down to the street. ‘There are a number of Jews we can’t find so we’ve got to come back later.’

  The street was a scene of frenzied activity, and Meyer went to report to Leutnant Eckhardt. There were some twenty prisoners in the trucks, and the sections stood around warily, weapons held ready.

  Eckhardt went to Dantine’s side, checking his list.

  ‘Well?’ Dantine demanded. ‘How many haven’t we got?’

  ‘Six, sir. I don’t suppose they got word of our coming. It’s just that they’re out.’

  ‘We’ll be making frequent raids here now,’ Dantine replied. ‘We’ll get them next time. But the ones we have got are to be executed immediately, so let’s get out to that anti-tank ditch as quickly as possible.’

  ‘No trials, sir?’ Eckhardt demanded.

  ‘No.’ Dantine’s voice had a rough edge. ‘Doesn’t that bother you, Leutnant? Or are you concerned? They are only Jews. It isn’t the first time you’ve dealt with Jews, is it?’

  ‘No, sir.’ Eckhardt shook his head. ‘I’ve taken part in most of the early actions in Germany. I’m not concerned about it. I was merely trying to ascertain the exact situation.’

  ‘Don’t talk to your men about this, but you will see a lot more of these operations before we have finished. We have to make room for true Germans here in Poland, and this is the only way that is effective. Now let’s get moving.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’ Eckhardt saluted and turned to yell orders at Meyer, who was waiting by the trucks. They quickly boarded the vehicles, and Eckhardt sat in the cab of the leading truck.

  As they made their way to the city outskirts and the place of execution, Eckhardt considered what they were doing, and came to the conclusion that Dantine was right. This was the most effective way of getting rid of the enemies of the Third Reich. If the Führer was issuing orders to this end then it had to be right. There was no other method of cleansing the country.

  At the clearing in the wood the SS Company on cordon duty was still in position, and twenty male Jews were forced out of the trucks. They were of all ages, and scared by their surroundings. They could see the anti-tank ditch but not what was in it.

  ‘Make them strip off. Their clothes must be saved.’ Dantine motioned for Eckhardt to carry out his duties, and Eckhardt issued orders to Meyer.

  He half-expected trouble from the Jews, but they offered no resistance, stripping off without protest, and ten of them were made to stand on the edge of the ditch. They could see the bodies that were already in the ditch and must have realised what was going to happen, but some merely prayed, their hands clasped together. The rifles of the firing squad crackled and their bodies slid into the pit to join those already dead.

  Steine watched the Jew whose wife he had raped, and there was a salacious grin on his thick lips as he saw the man being forced to the edge of eternity. He changed places in the firing squad in order to get the man for a target, and aimed dead centre when they fired. A pang stabbed through his abdomen when he saw the figure crumple out of sight, then hurried forward with some of the others to ensure that all the prisoners were dead.

  Eckhardt stood on the lip of the ditch after the last of them had been shot and gazed dispassionately at the mass of bodies. He and his men had fought like soldiers to capture Poland, but now they were doing work the Führer could not ask of ordinary soldiers. He felt a sense of pride because they had been selected to help with the purification of the State and his conscience was easy as they made their way back to barracks.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kurt awoke early on the first morning of his leave and at first was unable to accept that he was in his own room at the farm. He half expected Schultze to appear with the usual mug of coffee, but outside his window a cock was crowing, and he arose, shivering slightly in the cold October air. Crossing to the window, he peered out at a frosty but bright morning, and his senses were overwhelmed as he gazed around at the familiar scene. Nothing seemed to have changed. The month of war which he had experienced was like a bad dream, and now he was back home he really could not believe that it had taken place.

  There was a knock at the door and Aunt Gretel called gently. He jumped back into the warm bed, invited her to enter, and she appeared in the doorway with a large breakfast tray.

  ‘You’ll spoil me, Aunt Gretel,’ he protested as she set the breakfast before him. ‘We don’t get anything like this in the army, you know.’

  ‘You’re not in the army for the next two weeks,’ she reminded, kissing his forehead. ‘It’s so nice having you home, Kurt. I was dreadfully worried about you while the fighting was going on. But let’s try to forget all about it now. I’m sure you’ll not want to be reminded.’

  ‘All I want is to see Anna,’ he replied, beginning to
eat.

  ‘She’s coming over first thing this morning, so you’d better eat that breakfast then get up.’ Aunt Gretel chuckled and arose from the foot of the bed. ‘I expect Viktor will be coming as well. What do you think of him, Kurt?’

  ‘I like him. He’s a good officer.’

  ‘I liked him better when he was a schoolmaster. Now he’s in the army he seems to be totally different.’

  ‘He is different. Everyone is different. I’m different! Doesn’t it show? I’m not the Kurt you knew before the war started. It has changed everything it touched.’

  ‘I can quite believe that war can change a man, and very quickly.’ Aunt Gretel paused at the door and turned to look at him with a frown upon her usually gentle face. ‘I can remember your father, Kurt. He was completely changed by his war experiences. And I think Max is taking after him. I’m worried about Max. I wish he hadn’t joined the SS.’

  ‘Max is all right. I told you I saw him in Warsaw.’ Kurt paused in his eating and looked up at her. ‘But he struck me as being a very lonely person, Aunt Gretel, and that’s why I pressed him to come here and see you when he gets the time. I hope you’ll be kind to him if he takes up my offer.’

  ‘Max was always a favourite of mine,’ she replied. ‘I can remember quite clearly when your mother used to bring him here during the last war. He was a lovely child, a very good boy, obedient and kind. He loved all the farm animals. But he changed when your father came home. Then your mother died when you were born. Your father kept Max in Berlin to be educated. I think that was wrong. He should have stayed here and lived in a family atmosphere. I didn’t make any mistakes with you, did I, Kurt?’

  ‘No, Aunt, you did a very good job with me.’ He chuckled. ‘But I’m sure Max is all right. He is with a very disciplined regiment and seems to be doing well.’

  ‘Those SS! If they are the same as the SS I’ve seen on the streets of Hamburg then they can’t be worth much. The way they are treating the poor Jews these days!’

  Kurt’s eyes narrowed for a moment. Then he suppressed a sigh.

  ‘Aunt Gretel, it would be better if you did not talk like that,’ he warned. ‘You know it is wrong to criticise the government. Lots of people have got into very serious trouble by voicing protests. The Führer is supposed to be making a new Germany for us, and God knows there was a lot wrong with the old one!’

  ‘I speak as I find,’ she retorted. ‘But I would never say anything outside of the house. You are not likely to report me for speaking my mind, are you, Kurt?’

  He shook his head, his eyes shadowed. ‘What a foolish question! You are the dearest person in the world, Aunt Gretel.’

  ‘I know one who has taken my place in your heart,’ she responded. ‘Are you thinking of asking Anna to marry you?’

  ‘Yes. It is in my mind to do so. But the future is so uncertain. There is supposed to be a war on between us and the Allies, but nothing is happening.’

  ‘You sound as if you want a war.’ Aunt Gretel shook her head. ‘I pray every night that there won’t be. I remember the last one, Kurt. I lost my husband in it. All the young men were being killed. It was terrible. There seemed to be no end to it, and if the same thing happened again it would be even worse. That’s something I dare not imagine.’

  She sighed heavily and departed, closing the door gently, and he resumed eating his breakfast, thoughtful, recalling the battles in which he had fought, and his eyes darkened. He did not want a war. If he could stay at home now he would be very happy.

  After breakfast he arose leisurely, and had barely shaved and made himself presentable when there was the sound of a car outside. Rushing to a window, he peered out to see Captain Zimmermann arriving, and Anna was seated in the car beside his superior. Kurt gazed at the tall, blonde-haired girl who had captured his heart. She was looking eagerly towards the house as she alighted from the car, her expression showing that she was afraid he would not be here. He moistened his lips as he looked at her perfect figure and beautiful face.

  The next moment he was running towards the front door, and when he threw it open she was standing before him, a smile upon her face. Captain Zimmermann came up the path behind her, a good-natured smile upon his face.

  ‘Kurt!’ Anna threw herself into his arms and he trembled at their contact as he hugged and kissed her, then pressed his face into her neck. He sensed rather than saw Zimmermann passing him, but the Captain greeted him with a cheerful ‘Good morning’, and a moment later there was the sound of Aunt Gretel’s voice, highly pitched, sounding in the parlour.

  ‘Anna!’ He held her tightly, keeping her close. ‘You’ll never know how much I’ve missed you.’

  ‘Oh, Kurt, when I saw those terrible newsreel films and thought of you in all that fighting! I was afraid I’d never see you alive again. Was it really as bad as it looked?’

  ‘I’d rather not talk about it.’ He held her at arm’s length, peering into her flushed face and glowing eyes. ‘This is all I want. To be with you. Nothing else matters. We are together again. But what about your job? How have you managed to get away from the shop?’

  ‘I explained to Herr Langer about you coming home and he said nothing is too good for our heroes. He’s given me time off with pay so that I can be with you.’

  ‘That’s wonderful! We can go out together all day. I want to get you on my own, have you all to myself. And there is something very important I must talk over with you, Anna. It cannot wait.’

  She looked into his serious face, smiling, hardly able to believe that he was home, and he hugged her again. They went into the house and Aunt Gretel called from the parlour. Kurt led Anna into the room and greeted his superior, who waved a carefree hand.

  ‘I don’t know what your plans are, Kurt,’ Zimmermann said, ‘but I am stealing your aunt for the rest of the day. I want to take her into Hamburg.’

  ‘But, Viktor, I cannot leave Kurt on his first day home from the war,’ Aunt Gretel protested.

  ‘Nonsense.’ Zimmermann glanced at Kurt and smiled. ‘Anna is here, and I am sure the two of them would rather not have you around.’ He spoke masterfully. ‘Now don’t argue with me, my dear Gretel. Go and change into your best clothes and leave these two youngsters to their own pleasures.’

  ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t mind, Kurt?’ Aunt Gretel insisted.

  ‘Not in the least. I want to be with Anna. She and I have something to talk over.’ Kurt squeezed the girl’s hand. ‘All I plan to do today is visit the cemetery to put some flowers on Mother’s grave. Anna can cook dinner here for me and show me what kind of a wife she will make.’

  ‘Is that a proposal, Kurt?’ Anna demanded, blushing.

  ‘You will know when I propose,’ he replied boldly.

  ‘You seem to have changed,’ she observed.

  ‘That month of war was enough to change any man,’ Zimmermann cut in.

  Aunt Gretel went up to her room to change and Kurt sat with Anna and the Captain. They chatted, but Kurt was experiencing a growing impatience to be alone with Anna, and when his aunt finally appeared, wearing her Sunday best and looking quite attractive, his impatience was almost overflowing.

  ‘I am concerned about rushing off like this, Kurt,’ Aunt Gretel said. ‘But these are unusual times and it seems natural to do strange things.’

  ‘Go and enjoy yourself,’ Kurt replied, leading her to the door. ‘Captain Zimmermann deserves some relaxation, and you will be doing your bit for the Fatherland by helping him to enjoy himself.’

  ‘Well spoken, Kurt,’ Zimmermann said, slapping Kurt’s shoulder in passing, and he winked as Kurt looked at him.

  Kurt stood motionless, an arm around Anna’s shoulders, until the car disappeared from sight along the lane. Then he heaved a long sigh and turned to face the girl.

  ‘You’ll never know how I’ve longed for this moment, Anna,’ he said. ‘All those endless days of fighting! I thought I would never get back here to the farm. While it was going on I realised how st
upid I had been with you, shy and unable to speak my mind, and I vowed that if I was lucky enough to survive then I would treat life as it should be handled. I’m not tongue-tied any more. I want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and I am asking you to be my wife. I want to marry you the next time I come on leave.’

  Anna’s blue eyes were sparkling, and she clutched at him with both hands.

  ‘Kurt, I’ve waited so long to hear you say those things,’ she whispered.

  ‘Then you will marry me?’

  ‘Yes. Whenever you say. I love you, and I didn’t realise it fully until you were in Poland and there was a chance I might never see you again. Now you are back and I can see and touch you, and my only wish is that you could stay for ever.’

  ‘I don’t want to go back. But I don’t think there will be a war with the Allies. The Führer is talking of peace. I think it will all blow over now.’

  ‘Do you really think so? It would be marvellous to have you come home and work on the farm again. Then we could get married and settle down.’ She flushed, looking self-conscious, and Kurt kissed her, feeling a tingling in his thighs as he did so. He thought of the unknown Polish girl he had taken in the barn, and the experience rekindled in him some of the lust he had felt at that time. But he was in love with Anna and felt that it should be different. He kissed her again, and she was eager for his caresses.

  ‘Let us go and sit in the parlour,’ he suggested, holding her hand tightly. He led her into the room and closed the door. They went to sit upon the couch, and he put his arms around her.

  ‘If we are to get married then I shall have to start making preparations,’ Anna said, returning his kisses with an ardour that set him aflame. ‘There will be so much to do. When will you get your next leave?’