by Ward Wagher
He looked around the table. Schloss met his eyes. Ribbentrop looked down, as did Goering. Hess stared into space. Goebbels gazed around the table. Then he looked over at Himmler.
“I am sorry, Herr Reichsprotektor. I believe in the Fuhrer’s plan and I believe in ultimate victory.”
“But?”
“But I think we are wise to wait, considering the circumstances.”
Himmler stood up. “You are all a bunch of old women. I do not know how the Fuhrer managed to saddle himself with such losers. But get this, Mein Herren,” and he shook his finger at them, “you will regret your timidity.”
They watched as he stormed out of the room. It was quiet for several long moments. Finally, Goering spoke. “I believe we know where the Reichsprotektor stands.”
There was a collective sigh, then the men around the table chuckled. Schloss thought it was nervy of the Reichsmarshall, and then he reminded himself not to underestimate Goering.
Hess cleared his throat. “Do we continue?”
“What is left on the agenda?” Ribbentrop asked.
“The Reichsprotektor wished to discuss the Final Solution.”
Goering snorted. “I suppose that is off the table for today.”
“What’s next?” Schloss asked.
“We were to discuss allocations for fighter aircraft.”
“Hermann and I discussed this,” Schloss said. “We felt it a good idea to start shifting investments to the next generation of fighter aircraft. Does anyone see any issues with that?”
Ribbentrop shrugged. “The Reichsmarshall has been managing the industrial complex. If he is comfortable with this, then who am I to argue.”
“Is there any way we can publicize the new equipment?” Goebbels asked.
“I would prefer to keep it secret for as long as possible,” Goering said. “Once the English are well and truly aware of the new inventory, then we can perhaps do something for propaganda.”
“I am fine with that,” Goebbels said.
“Then let us consider that action approved,” Schloss said, nodding to Goering.
Goering nodded vigorously and made a notation on his pad of paper.
“That’s everything, then,” Hess said. “Without objection we can adjourn.”
Rainer quickly scribbled his final notes into the minutes and snapped his binder closed. He stood to the side as the others filed out. Schloss slipped up next to him.
“How many people can we count on, Karl?”
He looked shocked. “Do you expect trouble from the SS, Herr Partieleiter?”
“I don’t know, but it is best to be prepared for anything.”
“I understand. I believe we can augment security to battalion strength.”
“What about heavy weapons?”
“That would have to come from the Army,” he said. “Colonel Meinhaus can be trusted.”
“Meinhaus?” Schloss asked, without thinking.
Rainer looked at him in shock. “Are things so bad, Herr Partieleiter, you cannot trust him?”
Schloss cursed himself for his inattention. Based upon Rainer’s reaction, Meinhaus was someone he knew well. How to recover?
“What I meant, Karl, was that I am reluctant to pull the Colonel into the line of fire.”
“But, Herr Partieleiter, you and the Colonel swore to uphold one another’s honor. I heard you.”
“Quite correct, Karl. But one desires to preserve friends like that.”
Rainer nodded, but also looked at Schloss curiously. Schloss decided he needed to reinforce the point.
“Do you have a problem with that, Herr Rainer?”
“No, Herr Partieleiter. Of course not.”
It was now time to pour on the oil. “Very well. If you think we can profitably use the colonel’s help, then by all means call him.”
“Thank you, Mein Herr,” Rainer murmured.
“Let’s get back to the office.”
“Of course.”
Schloss was fairly confident that Hess and Goering were successful in pulling the German armed forces away from the frontier with Russia. He had received several back-channel communications from various party members attached to the Wehrmacht questioning the moves. He replied with messages strongly endorsing the moves and suggesting they do everything possible to quell dissent. He wondered why the SS members attached to the army units had not contacted Himmler, or if they had then Himmler was keeping quiet about it for his own reasons.
He would deal with the fallout from that as necessary. He was getting ready to spring another surprise.
# # #
June 18, 1941 4:00 PM
Nazi Party Headquarters, Berlin
Colonel Fritz Boetzel looked distinctly nervous as he stood in front of Schloss's desk. Schloss allowed him to remain standing as he studied the man, further increasing the nerves. While being summoned to the party headquarters would not induce the terror which would result from a visit to the SS headquarters. Nevertheless, Schloss was not someone to be trifled with by those familiar with his reputation.
“Please, sit down, Colonel.”
“Jawohl, Herr Partieleiter.”
Boetzel dropped into the chair as though he had been shot. Schloss wondered if the man had other reasons for being frightened.
“You run the Cryptologic Bureau, Herr Colonel?”
“Yes, Herr Partieleiter, I have managed the bureau for fourteen months.”
“And you are responsible for the Enigma machines?”
“That would perhaps be an exaggeration, Herr Partieleiter.”
“Explain,” Schloss commanded.
“We generally supervise the use of the Enigma machines, however the individual service arms control them, and they do not always cooperate.”
Schloss tapped a pencil on the desk. “I understand. Tell me, please, how secure is the device?”
In another time, Schloss had been keenly interested in accounts published during the 1970's of Britain's successful cracking of German cyphers during the war. After the war the allies had been amazed at how incurious the Germans were of allied efforts to break the codes. Schloss intended to change this.
Boetzel cleared his throat. “Of course, one cannot be completely sure of the coding systems, absent other evidence.”
“Have you tried breaking your own machines' codes?”
“Yes, Herr Partieleiter. Unsuccessfully, I might add.”
“So then you really do not know,” Schloss said.
“No, but our confidence is high.”
“Tell me, how long have we been using the Enigma machines?”
“Nearly twenty-five years with improvements.”
“And how long is the current model in use?”
“Almost four years,” the colonel said.
“Do you suppose it might be time to develop an improved device?” Schloss asked.
“I would think so. We have suggested some improvements to the mechanism that would make breaking the cypher a hundred-fold more difficult.”
“Then why have you not done so?” Schloss shouted. “This seems like negligence to me.”
“Herr Partieleiter, the service arms have resisted the changes we suggested. There are thousands of the machines in use. It would be very expensive.”
“Listen to yourself,” Schloss said. “You have told me about improvements that greatly improve the machine. That indicates to me there are weaknesses.”
“We really do not think so, Herr Partieleiter. It would merely be a prudent upgrade.”
“Prudent?” Schloss stood up. “We are talking about the safety of the Reich! That is prudence.”
He turned and gazed out the window. This was part of the theater he created for this meeting, but he was truly amazed at the passivity of some of the Germans. He turned back and glared at the hapless cryptologist. He tossed the pencil on to the desk and sat down again.
“Go ahead and make plans to upgrade the cryptographic network. I will see to it that the armed forc
es make the necessary changes to adopt the new equipment.”
“It will be very expensive, Herr Partieleiter,” Boetzel said.
“So it will, Colonel. But do you not think it will be money well spent?”
“Yes, Herr Partieleiter, I do.”
“Very well, then go make it happen.” Schloss picked up the pencil again and pointed it at the colonel. “And never, ever make me do your job for you again. You should have ramrodded this through yourself.”
“Of course, Herr Partieleiter. You have my most humble apologies.”
“Apologies are for Jews and untermenschen, Colonel Boetzel. Just get out there and fix things. If you encounter resistance, please let me know personally.”
The colonel jumped to his feet. “Jahwohl, Herr Partieleiter.”
“Now get out of my office.”
“Heil Hitler.” the colonel saluted.
Schloss waved his arm vaguely in return and the colonel almost trotted out of his office. A few moments later, Rainer slipped into the office.
“What was that all about, Herr Partieleiter?”
“I was lighting a fire under our head cryptologist. We have been using the same equipment for twenty-five years. It was last updated maybe four years ago. What do you want to bet the English are reading our mail?”
Rainer blanched. “I had no idea.”
“This is something we should not have to worry about, Karl. And that frightens me.”
“Is there something I can do to help?”
Schloss nodded. “Yes. Call Hess's assistant and ask him to put the Cryptographic Bureau on the agenda for the next meeting. I am going to have to twist Himmler's arm yet again. And probably Goering too.”
“I will do so.”
“And, one other thing, Karl,” Schloss said.
“Yes, Herr Partieleiter?”
Schloss put his elbow on the desk and rubbed his face with his hands. “I actually feel embarrassed about this...”
Rainer looked surprised. “No matter. How can I help you?”
Let’s see if I can manipulate this situation, he thought.
“It seems that in the recent events I have forgotten the combination to my office safe.”
Rainer gave him an old fashioned look. He stepped behind the desk next to Schloss. “Please allow me to show you something, Herr Partieleiter.”
“Eh?”
He opened the right hand drawer and pulled out Schloss’s address book. He flipped through the pages and pointed to the entry for Rudolph Hess. A series of numbers were printed below his name.
“After the last time you forgot the combination, I wrote it down here. The numbers are completely backwards. This was, of course, after you yelled so when we had to call in the Doettling people to open it for you.”
“And you are thinking, as always, Karl. Thank you.”
Rainer shrugged. “It is my job, Herr Partieleiter.”
“That should be all for now, Karl,” Schloss said. Maybe I can get him out of here so I can look at what is in the safe.
“Very well, Herr Partieleiter. Tomorrow you have an appointment with the managing director of Blohm and Voss. May I ask?”
“You may ask,” Schloss smiled to remove the sting. “I had some ideas related to our U-Boat forces I wanted to talk to him about.”
“Would you not speak with the Kriegsmarine?”
“I want to get some idea of what is technically possible before I stir up another hornets’ nest.”
“Of course, Herr Partieleiter,” Rainer said. “You have been successful of late in discovering hornets’ nests.”
Schloss laughed. “My intentions, Karl, is to avoid being stung.”
After Rainer left the office, Schloss spun around and opened the doors of the credenza. It required three tries to open the safe, and he was not about to ask Rainer to come back in to help him open it. At last, he held his breath and turned the lever to open the door. The safe contained two items: a large stack of Reichsmarks and on top of the currency was a cocked pistol.
He pulled the pistol out and examined it. There was a bullet in the chamber, so he eased it down on top of the credenza. He then pulled out the top bundle of money and ruffled it. He then noticed a note lying on top of the stack, so he looked at that. In his handwriting was100,000 RM.
He slipped the pistol back into the safe and closed it up again. Curiouser and curiouser is the English phrase, I believe, he thought. I will not solve this mystery today.
CHAPTER NINE
June 23, 1941, 8:00 AM
Nazi Party Headquarters, Berlin
Chapter Nine
Heinrich Schloss heaved a sigh of relief. June 22 had come and gone without any unusual incidents. Schloss had feared an attack would commence against the Soviet Union in spite of his and Hess's efforts. While he lay awake at night pondering his sudden transfer to World War II Germany, he was satisfied that he was making changes that were gradually changing this world to something better – he hoped.
In the two weeks he had existed in this world, he had become much more familiar with the culture and its mores. While it was a close analogue to the era he had specialized in his historical studies, it was not identical. Obviously the biggest change was the death of Adolf Hitler. Schloss's role as the Partieleiter was another change. Schloss himself had introduced a massive change in canceling Barbarossa, and regardless of what others called the postponement, it was canceled as far as he was concerned. And he often stumbled across details he was sure were different than his memory of the history he had studied. For one thing, Eva Braun did not exist in this universe. As far as he could tell, based upon some very subtle questions, Hitler had never had a mistress.
Yet, as he pondered during the night hours on his bed, he felt that it was almost inevitable that Churchill would find a way to draw the United States into a war with Germany. While having American troops marching through Berlin would not be as culturally devastating as suffering the Russians, it would still effectively destroy the German state in this generation. Schloss pondered this on his bed and wondered if that was such a bad thing. And yet, he felt the need to engineer a geo-political solution that would leave the Germany supreme in Europe.
To accomplish this would involve reaching an accommodation with Churchill. It would also require, in Schloss's view, a Jewish state in the Middle East. This state would need to be allied with Germany and supreme in its position. Controlling the Persian Gulf would be nice, but Schloss did not think that was possible. At least in the short term.
Schloss was falling back upon the recommendation the high command of the armed forces gave to Hitler – that they would not be ready for a war before 1945. Hitler has pushed forward, convinced he was correct. He very nearly was. The trick now would be to postpone further warfare for several years and give German industry a chance to introduce the next generation of weapons into the mix. The greatest challenge would be to find adequate supplies of petroleum for Germany. If there was one thing that lost the war for the Germany he knew, this was it. And the solution would not be simple.
Karl Rainer knocked on the door and stuck his head in. “Ready for your first appointment, Herr Partieleiter?”
“I suppose. He looked at the appointment calendar on his desk, although he knew what was on it. This very possibly could solve a lot of Germany's problems. “Yes, please. Send him in.”
Rainer nodded and opened the door further to step in and usher in the undistinguished looking man. Schloss stood up.
“Herr Heisenberg,” he said, stick out his hand. “So good of you to visit. I know it was an inconvenience.”
Werner Heisenberg walked across the office and reached to shake Schloss's hand.
“If I may be of service, Herr Partieleiter, I am only too happy to see you.”
“Please, be seated. Would you like coffee? Some pastries?”
“No, thank you.”
Schloss studied the man across the desk from him. In his world, Heisenberg led Germany's postwar
atomic projects. He wondered if what he was getting ready to propose was wise. He mentally shrugged and began the conversation.
“I suppose you must find it odd that I asked to speak with you. I have become aware that we have allowed academic politics to perhaps divert a critical area of study for the Fatherland.”
“You would be speaking, of course, concerning our research in the nature of the atomic structure.”
Schloss nodded. “I am curious to discover whether the program has been irretrievably damaged.”
“Some in the government concluded we would not be able to develop usable weapons in time to affect the war.”
“That may be so.” Schloss hesitated. He picked up a pencil from his desk and tapped the eraser on his blotter. “On the other hand, knowledge of these things is not limited to Germany. If you think about it, the British and the Americans are almost certainly working on this. Who knows what the Russians are doing. Might not our current stance be short-sighted?”
Heisenberg nodded. “I firmly believe so, Herr Partieleiter. However, some of my colleagues have become so absorbed in proving that I am a Jew Lover they have overlooked things that could well impact the security of the Reich.”
“The Reichsprotektor is your patron?”
“Patron may be too strong a term. Herr Himmler succeeded in stopping the worst of the issues.” He smiled slightly. “After all, the SS engenders respect in our nation.”
Schloss snorted. “Delicately put, Herr Heisenberg.” He folded his hands on the desk. “Here is what I propose: we will create a new organization dedicated to this special research. We will consider it to be a state secret. You will manage the organization, and report directly to me. You will have a free hand to pull together whatever personnel you need. I will arrange with the Reichsprotektor to have the SS prevent interference from other... parties. I will also ask the SS to provide security. This must be one of our most closely held secrets.”
“What kind of a budget might I have, if I might be so forward?” Heisenberg asked.
“Not as much as you will desire or need. There are numerous weapons projects that have a higher priority at the moment, and I cannot change that. Your job will be to guide the team to work efficiently and avoid blind alleys.”
