The Nazis Knew My Name by Magda Hellinger & Maya Lee

Author:Magda Hellinger & Maya Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 2022-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

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There were always rumors about Grese’s love life. Depending on who you listened to, she had affairs with Mengele and Kramer, among many other men, and with a few women as well, including prisoners. These things may have happened. I did hear from Dr. Perl once that she’d been forced by Grese to carry out an abortion on her. But Grese didn’t tell me about any of this, and I took no notice. It was nothing to do with me and I had enough to worry about.

However, she did use me as a confidant.

She came to me one day and said, “Magda, tomorrow I will introduce you to Hatchi, my new boyfriend. You can tell me what you think of him.”

The next day, a Kommando from the male camp was doing some work in Camp C. I had got to know one of the men a little, as we had exchanged a few words on previous occasions. This time he knocked on my door and asked if he could speak to me. I beckoned him inside quickly—to be seen together would likely have meant punishment or death for both of us.

“What is it?” I said.

“I admire you very much. If we survive, I would like to get together after the war. Before the war I was a world-famous jazz drummer.”

He promised me a wonderful life touring the world with his music.

At that moment Grese walked in with Hatchi. Grese was surprised to see another prisoner in the room.

“He is working with the Kommando,” I said, then added, “He’s a world-famous drummer,” hoping it might distract from the “crime” of us talking to each other.

“Really? We’ll see if he’s a drummer,” said Hatchi. He bent over. “Here, drum on my bottom.”

The prisoner drummed quickly with his hands, then lifted one of his boots off the ground and used that as a third “drum,” tapping out a complex rhythm.

“Well, he certainly is a drummer,” Hatchi said with a laugh.

The drummer decided this would be a good time to rejoin his Kommando. The distraction had worked.

Grese and Hatchi stayed, and we talked for a few minutes. As they turned to leave, Grese looked back at me, eyebrows raised in question.

I nodded my approval, then went back to my work. I didn’t see the drummer again.

During Grese’s trial after the war it would be revealed that she had followed Hatchi, whose real name was SS-Sturmmann Fritz Hatzinger, to the Bergen–Belsen camp in early 1945.

Another time Grese came to me and said, “Magda, come with me to the men’s camp.”

“Why do you need me? You can go there anytime you want.”

“There is a man there who I like very much,” she said. “I want to visit him. If you come it will look like an official visit.”

Again, she didn’t order me, but asked me as if I were a friend.

“When will we go?” I asked.

“Tomorrow,” she said.

I realized this was a rare chance for some of the women to exchange messages with their men in Camp D.

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