The Berlin Family's Secret: A Historical WW2 Novel by Baruch Cohen

Author:Baruch Cohen [Cohen, Baruch]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

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Ditmar was one of the only SS members who were allowed to see the confidential reports of the Supreme Headquarters, so he knew exactly what Buchenwald was. Since 1937, the concentration camp near the city of Weimar became the new, undesired home of various enemies of the regime, such as communists, socialists, and, of course, well-known, wealthy Jews. Starting in 1940, gypsies captured throughout Europe were also sent there. As of 1941, Polish and Russian POWs, whom the Germans used as cheap labor, joined them.

Ditmar had all of this information racing through his head. He came home and informed his wife of the verdict. Utterly shocked, she began crying hysterically. It was heartbreaking.

"Don't go there, I beg you. No one survives such a place," she pleaded.

"What will I do? Escape? Where to? They will catch me anyway, so why worsen my situation?" replied Ditmar.

They held each other for a long time. Eventually, Ditmar said that he was going to see Helga in her room.

Martha followed him. The seven-year-old girl was playing with her puppy, a gift from her father for her sixth birthday. Ditmar stood at the door and gazed at his beautiful little daughter, whom he might never see again.

"My little girl," he said. "Daddy was drafted to the army and is going to the Russian Front. It is now your duty to look after your mother. Study hard, and excel at school."

He lifted her up and kissed her.

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Helga asked in her innocent voice. "I am not going anywhere."

"Auf Wiedersehen, meine Liebling" (So long, my love), said Ditmar.

Martha stood by the door, crying. Ditmar bade her farewell with a broken heart, knowing that they might never see each other again.

He drove his car to the Brandenburg Gate, wearing his uniform and colonel shoulder ranks upside down. He felt as if this attire, of which he was once so proud, was now mocking him. A guard was already waiting for him at the gate. It seemed as if the facility's commanders have already been updated about the top official who was to be transported to Buchenwald.

The officer scanned Ditmar's file and then lifted his eyes to look at him.

"I received an order to keep you here overnight. Tomorrow morning you will be transferred to Buchenwald. First, though, you must remove your insignia, unless you prefer we do that."

The officer didn't wait for his answer and ripped the tags off aggressively. Ditmar was deeply offended, but decided not to react.

The officer looked him in his eye.

"Are you ready, or do you need to know anything else?" "Where are my four agents from Dortmund, who were

supposed to be here this afternoon?" replied Ditmar.

"Don't you worry about them! They won't sabotage the organization's work ever again," the officer answered vaguely.

What does that mean? Were they killed? Ditmar wondered to himself. Judging by the officer's tone of voice, it appeared that that was their fate. He held the desk tight and looked at the officer with hatred in his eyes.

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