The Junkers by Read Piers Paul

Author:Read, Piers Paul [Read, Piers Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B00GMKY10C
Goodreads: 21018495
Published: 1968-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

Soon after Edward’s posting to the east, Strepper was himself transferred from the headquarters of the General SS to the SS Economic and Administrative Main Office. It was in this position that he committed his crimes — notably the liquidation of three hundred Russian prisoners-of-war to ease a shortage of accommodation for which he was responsible; the personal torture and molestation of a Jewish woman; the verbal order that led to her death; the ordering and organization of medical experiments of his own concoction and compelling a German woman to take part in them. The first and third crimes were uncovered in official memorandums — one regretting the loss of a labour force, the other querying the relevance of the medical experiments to the war effort. The second crime which, as far as is known, was the only personal crime, was disclosed by a lieutenant (Untersturmführer) of the Deathshead Battalion on duty in the camp when the crime occurred.

The first crime. Throughout the night before in the guest room of the camp commandant’s house, Katerina had complained to her husband. ‘I hope you realize,’ she said, ‘that your new job is just a way of getting you out of the way. You are only duplicating Glueck’s work and getting in his way.’

‘Please be quiet,’ Günter said. ‘I think they can hear you.’

‘I am sure they can. In these shoddy wartime houses the walls are as thin as paper. But it doesn’t matter. The commandant is sure to know you’ve been shunted into this job and I should think by now he can guess why.’

‘Shut up.’

‘No I won’t.’ Katerina sat at the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. Günter sat very much to the edge of the one bed in his pyjamas.

‘I’ve a good mind to ask for another bed,’ Katerina said.

‘Please, Kat. They probably haven’t got another.’

‘Well, the sofa, then. You know I can’t sleep in the same bed as you these days. And if I can’t sleep I get awful headaches.’

‘I’m sorry … but please … just tonight.’

‘You’d think that a major-general in the SS would be asked about his sleeping arrangements.’

‘I dare say they asked Klaus.’

‘You’re blaming him?’

‘He doesn’t know we don’t sleep in the same bed.’

‘Well, tell him.’

‘I’d rather not.’

‘Then I will.’

‘Please don’t.’

Katerina sighed and almost laughed but kept a glum expression on her face.

‘Well, here goes, I suppose.’ She stood up and crossed to the bed, climbed in it and sat in the middle. ‘How are you going to cover up your blunder tomorrow?’ she asked.

‘What blunder?’

‘The Russian prisoners.’

‘I don’t know. Shoot them.’

‘What a stupid idea.’

‘It’s been done before.’

Next morning. It was so hot that the field-grey uniforms were soon covered with dust up to the waist. The Russian prisoners who had been kept out in the open all night now stood. The commandant of the concentration camp was arguing with Günter Strepper.

‘You see, general, we need these Russians here to meet our quota of industrial production set by your own department. And we have had specific orders not to liquidate prisoners with a productive capacity.

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