by Ward Wagher
“I understand,” Goering said. “What has your nephew done?”
“He is with the garrison in Lyons. He told me that he was making a visit to a French whore. She tried to kill him and he was forced to kill her.”
“I do not understand why that should become an issue, Herr General.”
“Nor I. It seems; however, this has excited the populace in Lyons and the garrison commander felt obliged to turn it over to the Feldgendarmerie. Nothing will come of the charges, of course, but it will put a blot on his record. Fritz has a future in the army and I would like to settle this quietly.”
“Say no more, Herr General. Please leave the boy’s name and unit information with my secretary and I will have a word with the appropriate people.”
Guderian stood up and gave a short, sharp bow. “Herr Reichsmarshall, you honor me. I know you are very busy, so I will take my leave.”
“No,” Goering said. “Please be seated again. I have coffee and pastries arriving shortly. While you are here, I would like to gain your thoughts on the directions we should take for armored warfare.”
§ § §
January 17, 1942; 2:30 PM
Reich Chancellery
Berlin, Germany
Some things do not change, Schloss thought. We engineered a massive change to the government of the Fatherland. We avoided war with the Americans and the Russians. We have stopped the deprecations on the Jews. And I am still stuck in this room.
As he gazed around the room, he had unconsciously tuned out Willem Kirche, as the man droned on about the committee he had organized to make recommendations on the sale of U-boats to the Americans. Whatever the man’s gifts as a secretary, they did not extend towards running a meeting. He had heard complaints from the other members of the governing council that the delegates to the meetings thought it was a complete waste of time.
“And so, in conclusion, we do not have a recommendation at this time,” Kirche said.
Schloss pulled himself back into the meeting. “And why is there no recommendation, Kirche?”
“We were unable to reach agreement, Herr Reichschancellor. There is a broad difference of opinion on a course of action.”
As Schloss glared at Kirche, he saw the man beginning to wilt. Okay, I pushed Kirche beyond his capabilities, so it is my fault. I do not want to destroy his effectiveness to me. He is too useful.
“Okay, Willem. Thank you for your efforts.” He looked down at the report in front of him. At least Kirche had carefully organized the arguments, both for and against. With that information, Schloss felt like he could make a decision.
“Does anyone here have any additional thoughts?” he asked, looking around the table.
“This is a good report,” Rainer said. “I believe we have enough information to make a decision.”
Ribbentrop nodded, but said nothing. Peter continued reading the report. Schloss looked down the table at Canaris.
“We haven’t heard from our military men. Admiral, your thoughts?”
Canaris frowned at the report, and glanced over at Goering. He then looked at Schloss. “I believe there is an opportunity here, Herr Reichschancellor. Like the Reichsmarshall, I am concerned about turning over to the Americans something that may get into English hands. However, the English have already captured a couple of our boats intact. So...” He thought for a moment. “May I suggest that we select two dozen of our oldest boats, perhaps from the VIIB class? Perhaps the Americans can send their crews to Italy where we can train them, and turn the boats over. That way, getting home would be their problem. If the English decide to sink them, we won’t lose our crews.”
Schloss pursed his lips in thought. Canaris had thought this through. He looked at Goering.
“Herr Reichsmarshall?” he asked.
Goering frowned as he looked at the report. “As you all know, I am not in favor of this move. The Admiral has a good suggestion, though. I believe the price suggested by the Kirche Committee is a bit low. Perhaps raising the price by a hundred thousand American dollars would make it more palatable to me.”
“That is more than it would cost them to build new boats,” Schreiber said.
“May I suggest that is not really our problem?” Goering asked.
Schloss chuckled. “A good point, Herr Reichsmarshall. Any objections, then, to selling two dozen VIIB U-boats to the Americans?”
He looked around the room, and no one said anything further. “Very well. Joachim, if you would inform the Americans of our decision. I will leave it to you to coordinate with the Reichsmarshall on the details.”
Ribbentrop nodded. “I will do so.”
“Next item?”
“The unrest in Lyons,” Kirche said.
“Yes,” Schloss said. “Who has details on this?”
“It seems one of our illustrious soldiers raped and murdered a five-year-old girl in Lyons,” Rainer said. “The man is in the stockade, but the local people are demanding justice. They have actually been in the streets protesting.”
“How have we responded?” Schloss asked.
“The local SS commander has acted with restraint, which surprised me,” Rainer said.
“That surprises me, too,” Schloss said. “That shows some perception.”
“Our people are angry about it, too,” Rainer said. “I suggest we make an example out of the soldier. For a lot of reasons.”
Schloss looked over at Goering. “Are the Feldgendarmerie capable of handling this?”
Goering had turned pale during the discussion. He looked down at the table and rubbed his chin to cover his confusion. “I would think so, yes.”
“What about turning him over to the French courts?” Ribbentrop asked. “It might give the Vichy government some credibility.”
“We will not turn over our people to the French for trial,” Goering stated. “We own France. They are subject to us. It is the price they paid for resisting us.”
Schloss looked over at Rainer. “Let the Feldgendarmerie take care of this. But I want the French to have representatives at the court martial. And I want you to make sure justice is served.”
He looked around the table. “I do not think we can afford to ease our boot off the necks of the French. On the other hand, people that go around raping and killing little girls do not deserve to live. Whoever it was will get a fair trial and then he will be executed. Does everyone read me on this?”
He looked around the table. I am becoming more dictatorial and that frightens me. Why can these people not see the things that are necessary to do?
“Very well. Next item, Willem.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
January 19, 1942; 8:30AM
Reichschancellery
Berlin, Germany
Heinrich Schloss had vague memories of Frau Marsden urging him to bed the previous night, and it appeared he really needed it. It frustrated him that the old woman was so often right. He wondered, once again, the source of her knowledge. There were two people on this world that knew about his other life in a divided, post-war Berlin. He did not understand how she could know these things. However, it appeared she was on his side. He had awakened at 7AM feeling the most rested he had in months.
He spent time over breakfast in conversation with his children. They were delighted that he was able to linger for a while. He was very relaxed when he walked into his office a little later than usual, even though he carried the usual guilt about not spending enough time with his family.
“Your morning digest, and your coffee,” Willem Kirche said.
“Thank you, Willem. Anything in particular I need to know about this morning?”
“No, Herr Reichschancellor. It was a quiet night.”
“Good, good. Perhaps I can accomplish something before my first appointment of the day.”
“Of course,” the secretary said.
The morning digest contained mostly news from the Pacific. After their series of very successful attacks on the American west coast, the J
apanese had continued their march through the Philippines and the East Indies. It appeared there was little to stop them short of Australia, and that continent was at risk.
The Germans had quickly duplicated a radio detection device captured from the English, and Goering had commissioned its mounting in a Condor. They had successfully tracked a raid of six Wellingtons into northern France where the Luftwaffe managed an interception. None of the English bombers made it home. Schloss was surprised Goering had not already called him to crow over the triumph.
“Kirche!” he shouted.
“Yes, Herr Reichschancellor?”
“See if you can get the Reichsmarshall on the phone.”
“At once.”
Schloss went back to his reading. A few minutes later the phone on his desk tinkled politely.
“I thought perhaps you had seen the military digest,” Goering said without preamble.
“I wanted to congratulate you,” Schloss said. “That was a nice piece of work.”
“Thank you, Herr Reichschancellor. I must give you due credit for the idea. It worked out even better than we expected. Our technicians on the Condor were able to vector the night fighters right up behind the Englanders. They had no idea we were there.”
“I trust you warned everyone to keep quiet about this,” Schloss said. “I would like to do this again and again. We want the Englanders to grow tired of beating their heads against the wall of Fortress Europe.”
“Indeed,” Goering said. “I have no doubt the Englanders will quickly come up with counter measures. They are frighteningly clever.”
“Well, we have an edge. I trust you have your fliers thinking about the next trick we can pull.”
Goering hesitated. “Er… yes. It is something we are actively working on.”
Probably as soon as you get off the phone, you transparent wind bag, Schloss thought. I do have to give credit where it’s due, though. Once he is convinced on a course of action, he goes at it with a will.
Following his conversation with Goering, Schloss began working his way through the stack of items Willem had indicated were critical. And this was the only way to reduce the stack. Once, in the past, he had scattered the paperwork across his desk in an effort to make it less imposing. Willem had calmly gathered things together and re-ordered his desk. He had purposely blocked out the morning with no appointments so he could do battle with the bureaucracy. This was one war he knew he had no hope of winning.
At ten o’clock Renate tapped on the door and walked into the office.
“Willem told me that you had been industrious all morning, and I thought perhaps you needed a break.”
Schloss stood up and walked around the desk so he could kiss his sister on the cheek. “I am always grateful when you rescue me, My Dear. I feel more and more like Sisyphus with all this paperwork. Willem pushes as much as he can on to the executive departments here in the building. But, there is still too much that I have to personally look at.”
“I am amazed at how much you are able to get done in a day, though,” she said.
“That is mostly because I have an outstanding secretary. But, do not tell him I said that. He would then be insufferable.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” she said.
“And how goes your work in the bowels of the party headquarters?”
“It is going well, actually. You are popular with the party members, so they are motivated to do their best for the Fatherland. The only problem is that Karl keeps stealing the best of the party people to staff the SS.”
“Yes, and you know why,” Schloss said.
“Oh, I am not criticizing Karl. His job may be even more difficult than yours. And he does it well.”
“And I worry that he will not succeed in cleaning up the SS before something terrible happens. There are still too many fanatical Nazis in the SS, who are talking to Heydrich.”
“Do we know that?” she asked.
“We know he has been talking to people within the SS – he is fiendishly well-informed. We do not know who he talks to. And, that frightens me. Reinhard Heydrich is a dangerous man.”
“I actually came over here to talk to Frau Marsden about the wedding.”
Schloss smiled. “I don’t know how she does it, but that woman is so organized it’s scary. She always knows exactly what we need next for the wedding.”
“It surprises me how well Gisela gets along with her,” Renate said. “With you, Frau Marsden gives all the orders and expects you to obey. She keeps pushing until you finally lose your temper. I’ve seen Gisela politely disagree and Frau Marsden just nods and accepts what she says.”
“Perhaps I should learn Gisela’s trick,” Schloss said. “The old lady is impossible sometimes. No, allow me to correct that. She is often impossible.”
Renate laughed. “Ah, Hennie, you have no idea how Frau Marsden admires you.”
And you have no idea why, he thought.
§ § §
January 19, 1942; 2PM
SS Headquarters
Berlin, Germany
“Thank you for agreeing to see me,” Colonel Otto Skorzeny said.
Rainer studied the scarred visage sitting in the chair on the other side of his desk. Skorzeny was one of the heroes of the Nazi movement and had accomplished some significant victories in commando warfare. What Rainer failed to understand was why Skorzeny had not bolted along with Heydrich in the confusion following Himmler’s death.
“What can I help you with, Colonel?”
“I am not quite sure how to phrase this, Herr Reichsprotektor, but I have been in regular contact with Reinhard Heydrich.”
“And, now you have come to kill me?” Rainer asked.
“No. Heydrich wants me to be an inside source for him.”
Rainer swung his chair back and forth as he struggled to think through what he was hearing.
“I see. And why are you telling me this? Just by admitting what you have just told me, I could have you taken to the basement and shot.”
“I understand that, Herr Reichsprotektor,” Skorzeny said. “I think the simplest answer is that I want to be on the winning side. Heydrich does not have the legs to pull off any kind of a putsch. I enjoy my life and would like to keep on doing so. You are gradually tightening the noose around Heydrich. He may not realize, but his time is limited.”
I believe I have met an honest mercenary, Rainer thought. He is either brave or foolish to come to me.
“What do you want?” Rainer asked.
“I want to work for the Fatherland. I have come to understand that Herr Schloss and you represent the Fatherland as it should be. Hitler was getting ready to take the nation down in flames, and Heydrich would do the same.”
Rainer studied the other man. “What was it that changed your mind, Colonel?” he asked.
“I have spent hours attempting to figure that out myself,” Skorzeny said. “I believe it was the result of Herr Schloss’s policies toward the Jews. I am not a moral man, Herr Reichsprotektor, but we were getting ready to do something grossly wrong. I do not want something like that on my conscience.”
Rainer stared at Skorzeny for nearly a minute as he thought. “I cannot welcome you with open arms, Colonel. In fact I wondered why you hadn’t joined Heydrich? You two are very similar.”
“One of the Reichschancellor’s speeches made an impact on me. Herr Schloss appealed to the people to work to protect and advance the Fatherland and not the state. That made a lot of sense to me.”
Rainer continued thinking, then reached a conclusion. He placed his hands on the arms of the chair and stood up.
“Very well, Colonel. I have a task for you. We need the time to ensure you are not simply taking advantage of us.”
“I am willing to serve anywhere, Herr Reichsprotektor.”
“I will take you to the special operations division for assignment. I want you to travel to Palestine and assist David Ben Gurion with whatever he feels he needs your skills to accom
plish. We will also equip you with a one-time cypher pad. I want you to report to me any contacts with Heydrich.”
“You have honored me greatly!” Skorzeny said, looking relieved.
“Understand, Colonel, you are traveling with a cloud over you. Do nothing to increase my level of distrust.”
Skorzeny jumped to attention. “I will do whatever you ask, to the best of my ability.”
“And one other thing I need.”
“What would that be, Herr Reichsprotektor?”
“You will speak to no one about the conversation we just had.”
“Absolutely, Herr Reichsprotektor.”
§ § §
January 19, 1942; 5PM
Reichschancellery
Berlin, Germany
“Your late afternoon visits always frighten me, Karl,” Schloss said. “It usually is a portent of bad news.”
“This is not bad news, Herr Schloss,” Rainer said. “At least I do not think it is.”
“You’d better trot it out, then. If Frau Marsden discovered you to be the cause of my being late for dinner, she will be unforgiving.”
“I hold Frau Marsden in the highest respect, Herr Schloss. I would not want her to lose heart.”
“Ha!” Schloss laughed. “It is clear that she terrifies you as she does everyone else.”
“Let us just say I am very respectful of Frau Marsden,” Rainer said.
“Very well, Karl. Let’s stop the palaver and let me know about what you are so obviously nervous about.”
“Otto Skorzeny came to my office this afternoon,” Rainer said. “He told me that he had been in communication with Heydrich, and acting as a information conduit. He wanted to change sides.”
Schloss whistled. “In the first place, I assume you have been watching him, anyway.”
“Yes, and we never saw anything to raise suspicions, other than Skorzeny and Heydrich had been close.”
“This is very interesting, Karl. And I really do need to go meet my family for dinner.”
