Angel of Mercy

by Celphirio

Adalwin Eberly, an aspiring enlistee to the German Army, belives his cause is just when he joins as part of the Nazi party. He is immediately assigned to guard duty at Auswitz. He realizes that what they are doing is wrong, and plans an escape.

The Angel of Mercy

"Name?" asked the German Military Enlistment officer. He had a boring pasty white face with the intense blue eyes and blonde hair of an Aryan. He seemed to have no interest in helping me enlist to the German army. I assumed the man probably wasn't married, and devoted his life to serving his all-ruling Der Führer, our noble and trustworthy leader Adolf Hitler. I did not know much of the man, only from what my parents and the radio had told me. He was the most valiant leader Germany had ever followed under. Adolf had taken charge of Germany as a Chancellor, soon after which he planned on bringing our disgraced country to a victorious state more powerful than it had been during World War I. I knew he wanted to rid the country of the Jewish stain. When I listened to the radio with my parents at our home in Munich, I heard all the horrible things Jews were involved in that had hurt our country badly. I was 18 years old, and I worked at the local machine shop. During World War I, I became very interested in worldly matters. It made me furious to know what they had done, so my Patriotic spirit and thirst for justice drove me to leave my job with a pack on my back to the shabby corner on the street and sign up to join the Army. It was here I found myself, face to face with the slightly annoyed German officer who sat at a wooden table. His hand was poised over a sheet of white paper listed with names and information of the other men who had enlisted.

With a sigh, he asked me again, "Name?" With his voice rising in anger. I gulped, realizing I had forgotten to answer.

"Adalwin Eberly." I said with pride. He nodded, with barely a glance at the paper as he scrawled out my name in unpleasant handwriting. He dipped his spoon pen in the glass ink bottle and readied it over the paper again, and a drop of ink hit the paper.

"Alter?" He questioned.

"18 jahre." I said, my pride slowly diminishing every second I was here. I watched the two sentry-men behind the officer as he wrote down the information. They wore the blue uniform and helmet of a Nazi soldier. Their boots were knee high, and a swastika adorned their right arms. I assumed they had a pistol behind their backs in the rare case of someone attacking the officer. But by their bleak looks, I would not have been surprised if they used it on the officer himself.

"Ich werde Sie wissen machen wie eine Waffe zu behandeln?"(Do you know how to handle a weapon?)
He said in a well practiced tone. I guessed he had said that line today more than a hundred times today.

"Ja." (yes) I replied.

"Gut." (Good) He nodded. The other questions he asked were a variety I hadn't expected. He asked me for a Serial Number, Residence, Army Branch I was interested in, Nativity, German Citizenship, Year of Birth, Race, Education, My Occupation, and Marital Status. There was a physical test following the quick interview. It involved recording my weight and height, and some simple strength tests. When finished, he wrote something on a pre-printed sheet of paper, and handed it to me.

"Sie zu einem Feld getrieben, wo Sie zu Polen transportiert werden warden." (You will be driven to an airfield where you will be transported to Poland) He said, handing me the sheet of paper, glad to be done with me.

"Nachdem dort, werden Sie grundlegende Ausbildung erleben." (Once there, you will undergo basic training)He then gestured to a lorry that was parked down the street. I nodded and said my thanks to him, and the unmoving guards, while placing the sheet of paper tenderly in my pack, so as it would not be lost. I walked down the concrete sidewalk, and readied to climb into the truck. It was covered in blue tarp over the wire fittings. I noticed 5 other youth sitting on the small wooden benches in the closed bed. They waved to me as I climbed into the small space.

"Name?" They all asked as I sat down, far more enthusiastic than the officer.

"Adalwin." I nodded to them.

They all stated their names.

"Hans"

"Conrad"

"Dagmar"

"Garan"

"Rinehart"

I acknowledged all of them, and couldn't help but notice that they were perfect Aryans, blonde hair with blue or green eyes. The only exception was Garan, who was light brown haired, but looked very German. We conversed for the time we had to wait. The driver looked through the window and told us we would depart in moments. He also said the Airfield was nearly 1 hour away.

"Macht es nicht fühlt groß, unserem Land zu dienen?"(Does it not feel great to serve our country?) smiled Rinehart.

"Selbstverständlich kann ich nicht warten, die jüdischen Schweine eine Lektion zu lehren!"(Of course, I can't wait to teach those Jewish swine a lesson!) Laughed Garan, who imitated firing an automatic rifle.

We all laughed merrily, imagining the revenge we could enact on them. From what I had heard, the Jewish were detained and put in organized camps to live in. Serves them right, I thought, they deserve at least some bit of punishment for how they demoralized the glorious Third Reich I called home. I noticed in my revelations while we conversed, that Hans held a book. It was entitled Mein Kampf, or in German, My Struggle. There was a faded picture of a man who looked vaguely familiar; the quality of the photograph was incomprehensible.

"Hans, Was das ist?"(Hans, what is that?) I questioned. He looked at me and tossed the book. I caught it deftly and examined the cover with more interest.

"Seine die Autobiografie von Adolf Hitler" (It's the autobiography of Adolf Hitler)

I glowered in amazement. It was not of my knowledge that our brave leader had published such a book about his past. I opened several pages in, glancing at the first few sentences.

"Tis ein großes Buch" (It is a great book) He said, and I passed it back to him.

"Ich bin nahe am Ende, deshalb können Sie es leihen, wenn ich beende" (I am near the end, so you can borrow it when I finish)

I thanked him as he placed it in his knapsack. In this moment, the truck roared to life, and soon we were rolling down the city roads. Past the entrance road, we transitioned into the lush beautiful countryside in Germany. Dagmar yawned and stretched out on the hard bench to relax, on boot resting on his leg. For the next hour, we conversed about life, and what we would be doing when we arrived on the front. They told me what they did for jobs, most of them single and living with parents. We all talked about our future wives, which was a conversation not easily forgotten, considering their great importance at this age. Young Women were the top thing on our list next to the War and Weapons. Garan produced a beautiful Luger .45 automatic pistol, which he passed around.

"Der feinste Stahl von Russland, und Sitte, die gemacht ist, um ergonomischen Trost zu haben" (Finest steel from Russia, and custom made ergonomically to fit.) I smiled with pleasure at the beauty which could deliver suffering in an instant. I had lived with my uncle on a farm for 3 years, and had learned to shoot a rifle and a shotgun. One time I had shot a thief when I was 15 who tried to take our livestock. The man had lain on his back on the ground, after I gunned him right in the leg. It had hurt me to see this man in pain, but I knew he had taken the risk. The fear in his eyes as he looked up was a sight I forgot to rid the feeling. Now I could easily take the life of another man without too much consideration. It was this strength I thought would help me fight this war and bring Germany to victory, as I moved the pistol around in my hand.

"Wie viele Runden?" (How many rounds?) I asked.

"10" He replied.

"Kann ich?" (May I?) I asked, holding the pistol carefully. He nodded. With this approval, I whipped it out to full arm extent and aimed at a tree we were passing by. With dead accuracy, I shattered the branch that was in my sights. I handed Garan his weapon, as we watched the splinters from my target fall to the ground in the distance. They clapped and cheered at my amazing shot.

"Ziemlich ein scharfer Ballermann, den Sie sind, ein sehr nützliches Talent!" (Quite a sharp shooter you are, what a useful talent!)

Garan appraised, clapping after he pocketed the pistol. The others agreed, stating their appraisals. I smiled, glad that such a simple ability gained me the friendship of my future fellow soldiers. We conversed some more, as the time passed by.

Soon, the driver alerted us that Adlig Airfield was near, and that we would immediately board a cargo cruiser plane. We cut short our conversation to assure that our packs were ready. Out the back of the lorry came sounds of flatulent engines and the smell of gasoline. The truck suddenly started to slow and eventually stopped with a rattling jolt. We trooped out of the bed and walked out into the open green field, suddenly immersed in the sounds of the landing strip and hangars located about 30 meters away. The driver eased himself out of the dome, and tossed his cigarette into the dirt road, stamping it out as he stepped down. He motioned to us to come over. I noticed the man was in blue German soldier uniform, albeit a weapon.

"Sammeln Sie um die Fracht hinter Arado Ar 232, und Wartezeit für weitere Anweisungen!"(Gather around the cargo behind Arado Ar 232, and wait for further instructions!) He shouted over the commotion of roars coming from the strip. Without another word, he re-entered the truck. As we walked quickly over to the strip, we heard the driver start the engine and drive off the same way we had arrived. I assumed he was probably transporting recruits all week.

The airstrip was extremely busy, and they crossed the runway just as a cargo fortress flew over. Hangers sat unmoving at the other end of the second runway, while on the second runway itself was the Arado Ar 232 they were ordered to gather by. The plane was decorated with Luftwaffe Air Force and a swastika on each wing. The cockpit was a half globe, and 4 massive engines loomed on the wings. The back hatch ramp was down, and recruits such as us loaded some cargo into the plane. As we approached within 20 feet, the engines roared to life and began to spin slowly, faster and faster as every second past. A Waffen-SS officer in uniform saw us arrive and put one hand behind his back and performed a Zeig Heil as greeting, and we followed suit.

"Willkommene Junge wirbt an!" (Welcome young recruits!) He said in a voice raised over the engine.

"Wir werden breif Sie innerhalb des Flugzeugs, erhalten auf Ausschuss!" (We will brief you inside the plane, get on board!) He continued, gesturing to the plane where the fellow recruits, finished with the cargo, entered. The Officer followed them in, and we ingressed likewise, as a group.

The inside of the plane was like the belly of the beast, skeletal and metallic. Normally it was designed for a majority of cargo. The inside, however, had been adapted to carry 12 people. The 4 man crew consisted of the pilot, the navigator, the radio operator, and a loadmaster. The pilot was obscured by his large seat which sat high up in the cockpit. Beneath him was the navigator, who occupied the nose gun, and the other crewmembers that cradled weapons mounted in the belly and the loadmaster who climbed a ladder into a gunner seat above the load doors.

There were 6 other men including the Officer who were seated in the first six seats of the plane close to the nose. We eased around the cargo and chose a seat. With a quiet hiss, the hydraulic clam-shell door lifted closed. We gazed at the other occupants. There was a short silence while the Officer waited for us to go airborne. The engines roared loader than before, and we felt the place taxiing onto the runway. Out the window I saw the ground disappear, and the plane felt weightless. The engine noise was minimal enough to allow raised voices. After waiting nearly 20 minutes of flying with complete silence except for ambience, the Officer finally spoke. He said we passed the first test; patience.

"Willkommene junge Männer zum Waffen-SS!" Welcome young men to the Waffen-SS). We all thanked him quietly, before he continued. The Officer spoke like he was proud of us.

"Sie sind gerufen worden, im Konzentrationslager Aushwitz zu dienen, wo Sie als ein privates auf Wachdienst beginnen werden." (You have been called to serve in the concentration camp Auschwitz, where you will begin as privates on guard duty.)

He then gave us a talk about the area. It was in Poland, and we would be there in a matter of hours. He ordered us to open some of the previously loaded cargo boxes. One of the crates was filled with blue uniforms of a Nazi. We found our size in pants, tunics, undershirts, an armband, and helmets. We were all members of the Nazi party by our parent's consent, so the armband was not a hassle. We were told that because of it, we earned more rights. I also noticed the lightning bolt like SS insignia.

The next container held rifles wrapped in rough blue linen. We were given a choice between a Karabiner 98k, or the MP-40 sub-machine gun. I lifted out a rifle and cradled it. The Karabiner 98k, as the Officer told us, shot 5 rounds from a stripper clip. The bolt action allowed us to fire rounds faster with better accuracy.

The Officer taught my friends and I how to reload, clean the gun, fix damage, clear jams, and better aiming technique. My new rifle had a feel of power to it that I felt just by holding it close. Turned out that all the boxes had our gear. I was given an ammunition sling loaded with 12 of the 'stripper clips'. We were allowed to carry and wear some of our personal items, including knapsacks. Another box held German-made pistols wrapped in cloth, all identical. The whole ordeal took at least an hour. He then lectured us on tactics.

We learned about maneuvers such as the ' Attack and Retreat ', a popular and effective form of guerilla formation. We had plenty of waiting time before we reached Auschwitz in Poland. The Officer was an amazing teacher, and we all understood his lecturing quite clearly. We learned that the Jews were to be treated with utmost disrespect. They were to be slapped across the cheek for any form of opposition. From what we heard, the camp rebellions occurred occasionally because of the laziness of the overlords in those camps. One slip of control, and the Jews could easily kill or fight back against our German brethren. The soldiers already enlisted in the camp would help us with the ropes, so we didn't have to worry about going in blind. We also learned the importance of obedience towards higher ranks Officers, Commanders, and Generals. The Officer also emphasized that the Jews were horrible people whose previous interest had been invested in feeding off of Germans depression after the war. I listened to him like I listened to the popular radio show host Joseph Goebbels, who really gave my family and I a feeling of Germany pride and anger. The other enlistees listened with as much vigor as I did, completely succumbed to it. A gesturing from the pilot abruptly interrupted him. The pilot noted to below him in the nose gun turret. The Officer disappeared below the pilot's seat for seconds. He reappeared, and rather that seating himself, stood up in view of everyone.

"Der Navigator hat mich erzählt, dass wir an der Rollbahn außerhalb Auschwitz in zehn Minuten wären. Bevor wie viele von Ihnen abgesprungen haben?" (The navigator told me we would be at the runway outside of Auschwitz in ten minutes. How many of you have been parachuting before?)

The off topic question caught nearly everyone by surprise. Of course we had not! Parachuting was a sport only acrobats and wealthy men could afford. And since the invention of the aircraft, war was in full swing. Parachuting in homeland was just as dangerous as it was in enemy land. People might assume the one for being enemy, and might attempt to shoot the descendent for fear of invasion. We all shook our heads in definite negatives. But the frightening question immediately begged the answer. We were parachuting into Auschwitz? The multitude of us shifted uncomfortably. The Officer explained that he was needed in another camp with the other recruits we were oblivious of. He handed parachutes to the 6 of us. We accepted the pack with wonder. He quickly explained the basics of parachuting. The altitude would allow us to free-fall for 8 seconds before the chute had to be deployed. We had to fall in an eagle position, all four limbs extended. He told us that before impact, flaring would have to be used to prevent injury once we hit the ground. A greased landing was an easy way to land standing up strait. Without flaring, we could land botched and possibly break a nose. And there was watching out for the trees.

As the few minutes' left passed, the Officer opened the rear door. It locked into the position it had been while we were grounded. Gazing out, I viewed the ground we hadn't seen for 4 hours. A red light turned on above my head. I gulped nervously, knowing I was seconds from doing something irrevocably insane. The light turned green, and upon the second my wide vision registered the fact, I felt my heart skip a beat. I walked to the edge of the ramp and jumped.

A rush of adrenaline filled me as I floated without gravity for a time. I gazed over the breath-taking landscape of Poland. Oblivious to the time, I was alerted by my friends what to do. Garan nudged me on the arm, motioning to my pack. The 8 seconds had nearly passed, because of my attention being guided to the senses. He streamlined ahead of me and pulled the chute cord. I did the same, and felt like I had been pulled up suddenly. The anti-gravity feel disappeared, but was quickly replaced with a feeling of hazard and little protection. Below me, I saw the white circles of 2 parachutes. I assumed Garan and someone else were ahead. I noticed how fast the ground was coming, and pulled on the chute. The ground rushed up to me like a brick wall I would run into. I curved in, coming parallel with the wooden floor that had been set up for us. I hit the position like a sack of potatoes. With a stumble, I stood upright awkwardly, and pulled the blanket-like parachute off of me. Less than 4 seconds later, my friends grounded, and removed the apparatus. We left the chutes there as ordered by the Officer. The camp Auschwitz suddenly made itself known to us. It was a massive complex surrounded by barbed wire and red brick wall. There were railroad lines leading to the entrance, and guard towers perched out on the front entrance. A gate with something written saying"Arbeit macht frei", seemed to be the only entrance. We walked anxiously towards the steel gates. The camp seemed dead and empty from the distance, but as we neared the entrance, we noticed the sound of families and children, mixed in with shouting in German, and the chink chink of a spade or perhaps an axe. Two German Generals welcomed us at the gate, greeting us with the Zeig Heil. We responded nervously. These were Generals, a far higher rank than the commonplace Waffen Officer.

"Heißen Sie willkommen zu Aushwitz, Brüder. Wir werden Sie dem Ausbuht einführen, und gibt dann Ihnen einen Lauf durch von wie diese Einrichtung zu bedienen." (Welcome to Auschwitz, brethren. We will introduce you to the Barracks, and then give you a run through of how to operate this facility.)

We bowed to them, and the beckoned us to stand and follow. We came behind anxiously, our rifles still strapped to our backs.

The gates seemed cold and unforgiving, just by simply walking through. To the left, was a brick building. We walked farther, and soon were immersed into a Jewish work area. I was amazed to see nearly 200,000 men, women, men, and children. The number was massive, and I couldn't imagine how much control it took. German Officers circled around the grounds, thrusting their guns at the slow moving slaves. I watched all of them, noticing the weak clothing they wore, and skinny, deathly thin bodies. There was not a single strong-looking man among them. It was sort of destroying to see these sub-human conditions. But I knew that they deserved what was happening to them. It was a punishment they would endure until the war ended. When I thought about it, I hoped with all my heart that Germany would prevail. Upon entering the camp, I was immersed in the flow. The Jews were dressed in prison clothes, and either wandered around or dug holes and built buildings.

One lank Jew in shredded clothing went to talk to an Officer, who in turn angrily lashed out at the man with a thick palm. The savage blow knocked the Jew off of his feet. I noticed that he had lost 3 teeth in the process, and the heel of the German's hand was stark red with blood. He swore, and kicked the Jew harshly in the stomach, knocking the man to the ground once again. I returned my attention to our group.

Dagmar and Rinehart laughed merrily at the Jews punishment, pointing their blunt fingers at the poor man and shouting off their comments. The General told us to silence. I was surprised to see what had just happened. That couldn't be right. Hitler had told us the Jews were being imprisoned in a work camp, for the purpose of labor, and no more. But the wondrous thought left my head when reason took its place. Of course there would be punishment and beatings. This was literally a prison camp. I laughed at myself, knowing the Jew had most likely offended the Officer by begging or cursing. But his beating was no the only one. Everywhere, I noticed that when a Jew stepped out of line for even a second, the strict Officers harshly assaulted men, women, and children alike. As we passed the Middle of the work area, the Generals paused, and motioned around us.

"Dies ist, wo die Juden während des Tags arbeiten. Ihre Aufgabe wird sein, sie während jener Zeit zu überwachen. Wenn sie aufhören, zu ruhen, oder redet für eine Sekunde, gibt ihnen einen guten Schlag zu den Rippen, die sie nicht vergessen werden. Ansonsten werden Sie einen Bruch zum Mittagessen haben." (This is where the Jews work during the day. Your job will be to monitor them during that time. If they stop to rest, or talk for a second, give them a good blow to the ribs that they won't forget. Other than that, you will have a break for lunch.). I couldn't believe it. So the Officer had intentionally hit the poor Jew, and we were advised to as well. We continued on. But before we had walked even a few feet, the General quickly added one extra command.

"Jedoch, wenn ein Jude schwierig wird, zu kontrollieren oder zu laufen, durch das Haupttor zu entkommen, das ist, wenn Sie Ihr Gewehr benutzen sollten, und tötet den Täter. Oder wenn Sie nur nicht den Juden mögen." (However, if a Jew becomes difficult to control or runs to escape through the main gate, that is when you should use your rifle and kill the offender. Or if you just don't like the Jew.) He said with amusment at his last comment.

My friends chortled, but I was shocked. I kept my feelings to myself at the moment. Right now was not a pleasant time to allow my aura to seep through the cracks, and certainly not in the presence of a man who had surely been given directs orders from Hitler himself. I could not believe it, not one bit. I had dreamed for years of serving Germany for Leader, People, and Pride. Now seeing what was happening as casually as breathing had disturbed me. My dream was like a thin glass window, and someone was attempting a physical strike with a mental hammer, intent on destruction. But worst of all, the people I had called friends for nearly an entire day were in quite the opposite opinion. They were more demon-like than noble. Hitler was morphing from the valiant German Leader he had been ever since 1935, into the corrupted, dishonorable creature he was.

But then my natural man jumped into the internal debate as we walked. What if the Jews really were so horrendous that they had to be restrained like pigs in wait for punishment? Did they commit a crime that had to contradict an entire race? That didn't seem possible, I knew no one could deserve it. But then I heard something that blew me away even more than the unfair beatings the Jews received. We were walking past the workplace, when we passed by a brick building that spewed smoke from blackened metal pipes.

It smelled rancid, like rotting, fetid carrion left to ferment in the sun. The stench was mixed in with the taste of burning meat in the air. The smell was so disgusting I was forced to shut my nose and breath through my mouth. The German Generals motioned a hand towards the brick building, followed with something that would scar me for eternity.

"Hier ist die Gaskammer und Krematorium. Wir vergasen das Schwein mit Zyklon B, das sie in Minuten tötet. Glücklicherweise werden Sie hier drinnen nicht arbeiten, lassen wir die Gefangenen ihre Freunde verbrennen, ist der Wohlgeruch tödlich. An einem guten Tag können wir 50 Juden in einer Frage der Stunden töten." (Here is the Gas Chamber and Crematory. We gas the swine with Zyklon B, which kills them in minutes. Luckily, you won't work in here, we have the prisoners burn their friends, and the scent is deathly. On a good day, we can kill 50 Jews in a matter of hours.) Upon hearing this, my fellow recruits bowed in reverence, smiles on their face. I couldn't hold in the gasp that strangled up in my throat. To my own surprise, it was also incredibly noticeable. Everyone turned to me, as I had receded to the back of the group. They all viewed me like an ignorant child, unwelcome to adult matters. Garan rushed forward to the Generals and pleaded in a casual voice, treating me like I was nothing.

"Bitte ist mein Freund sehr schnell zu seinen Gefühlen, hat er nicht bedeutet, traurig für die Schweine zu fühlen." (Please, my friend is very quick to his emotions; he did not mean to feel sorry for those pigs.) He waited for the Generals response. They shrugged, putting it off.

"Selbstverständlich. Ich wurde gestört, als ich meinen ersten Mann getötet habe." (Of course. I was disturbed when I killed my first man.) They then turned, and told us we would be led to the Officers barracks. Garan turned to talk to me when an inquiring Officer obscured the Generals attention. He asked what in God's holy name I was doing. I explained it had caught me a little off guard to know. He shook his head in annoyance. He told me he couldn't keep protecting me for long, because the Nazis would get onto him and soon me. He told me to lay low, and follow orders well, or we could be jailed, or killed. I asked him why he had laughed at the Jew pain, suffering, and elimination. I had assumed that he didn't know about what they had been doing for so long. He explained that his father had told him when a spy reported back to a secret group of members. The spy had revealed all the holocryptic information Hitler had covered. At first, it had hurt Garan. But he had gotten over that wall months ago, so it didn't bother him much.

We arrived at the barracks, which were beautifully arranged to fit tired Officers at the end of the day. I set my pack and rifle down. An idea was formulating in my head. I imagined it would work. To start it out, I emptied my pack and hid away the contents in the crack between the mattress and the bunk. Garan was busy with his own business, and did not seem to suspect any treachery. I had seen a laundry-mat for the German use. My plan was simple, but would take careful precision to execute. If I were caught, death would be certain. Why was I deciding to do such a thing in the first 30 minutes of being here? I couldn't stay one more second here. Seeing the treatment of the Jews, Poles, and Gypsies had hurt me in just seconds of learning what was really happening here at these camps. The secret Hitler's clever propaganda had covered up like a diaphanous door behind the lowly bookcase. Knowing what happened revealed everything to me in seconds. The German people had been lied to, and Germany was as dishonorable as the people it unethically portrayed. I could not let my once noble country be demoralized by this madness. It was now I decided to put a plan in action.

I would collect as many pairs of German uniforms, armbands, and helmets as I could fit in my pack. My plan was to convince some prisoners to come with me dressed in uniform, followed by other Jews in normal clothing. I could then pass through the gates, stating that I was transferring them to Birkenau, the nearby camp. Then I could find a form of transportation to travel back to Germany, where I could testify with witnesses that Auschwitz was an extermination camp in cover. I knew there was no other way to get out of here. If I asked for honorable discharge, then they would surely kill me, or suspect I was leaving because of what I had seen and now knew. And even if that ploy had a possibility of success, then I would not have any witnesses. With this plan, I could liberate the innocent, have vouchers, and save my life. If I died in the ordeal, it would be honorable. By the position of the sun, I assumed that I had 3 hours left before dark. I went over the fine details of my plan with practice. With a smile on my face, I dosed off for a nap, until the time my plan would be executed.

I woke at around 8 o'clock that night, by the dim glare on my watch. Everyone in the barracks, by my observation was dead asleep. I eased out of bed, bringing my pack along. I left, shutting the door with nothing but a muffled bump. I glanced around, the camp entirely empty. In my hand, I cradled a silenced pistol, stolen from one of the higher ranked Officers. Should I have to use it, then no unnecessary commotion would have to occur. The watchtowers focused on the outside of the camp, not the inside. My only problem would be the night patrol. I walked casually, at a brisk stride. I passed by and Officer making his rounds who cradled a sub-machine gun and held a flashlight. He raised his cap to me, and I responded. My plan was working smoothly; I assumed the only trouble would be getting through the gate. I rushed over to the laundry room, and slipped inside. German outfits sat dormant in baskets. I chose 7 uniforms of different sizes, and stuffed them hastily in my pack. Because of the helmets size and weight, I chose blue caps with a swastika. I peeked out of the laundry room, and sped across the paved road and into the prisoner barracks. Inside, the beds were packed tightly together, and I saw a few Jews look up in fright. I strode in, ready to ask the first simple question.

"Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" (Do you speak German?) I whispered to each one as I passed by. I was able to find 5 who spoke the language, and brought them over to an uncluttered corner. They looked miserable, but I handed them loaves of bread the Officers had given me for dinner before I had retired. They ate hungrily, and seemed more apt to listen to me. I explained in a near silent whisper what my plan was. It took me nearly 20 minutes to convince them with little arguing. Three of my chosen ones ran back to their beds in fright. To my advantage, I gained the loyalty of 4 more. They trusted that I wasn't here to trade them in. The next stage of my plan executed. I dressed 4 of my volunteers in German uniform. I handed them each a pistol. The best part was that I was able to steal 5 pistols from the sleeping Officers. I kept the 5th one, should the situation demand it. I spent another 10 minutes explaining to them every little detail about the plan. They listened, seeming anxious to get on with it. I also noticed they were young and well. The previous choices were old and wise. These young ones were like me, and wished to take risks for freedom. With one last check, we then left the building.

I ordered the 4 in uniform to surround the 'prisoners'. I lead the group. We passed the night watchmen again, and he nodded, still oblivious to my plan. We walked briskly to the gate. I had told my men to keep quiet and not to talk. They were to walk in a specific motion I had deemed. We neared the gate, and I felt the sense of fear rise up in my new friends. I was a savior to them, and if they escaped alive, then they would thank me forever. We arrived at the entrance. The Guards at the gate nodded to me and halted us.

"Was ist Ihr Geschäft?" (What is your business?) Asked one. 2 others accompanied him. The other guards manned the towers. Luckily, my men kept deadly quiet.

"Reihenfolgen von Allgemeinem Labonen, transportieren wir diese zwei zu Birkenau. Wir sind gebeten worden unmittelbar verlassen." (Orders from General Labonen, we are transporting these two to Birkenau. We have been ordered to leave immediately.) I said with perfect fluency, having practiced the order in my head for an hour.

"Dann, warum er hat, hat nicht mich von irgendeinen Übertragungen heute gewarnt?" (Then why has he not alerted me of any transfers today?) He said, not about to let us through without consent.

"Er hat nur kürzlich diesen decision gemacht, und hat entschieden, Sie nicht zu erzählen. Gute Nacht Ihnen Herr." (He just recently made this decision, and decided not to tell you. Good night to you sir.) I replied, and began to walk through the gate. He allowed us to pass, and we continued, following the railroad tracks. I smiled with joy, not making a word. We walked briskly, and I said quietly when we were 100 feet away, that we would break into run once out of range of the spotlights. Once we were a decent distance of 300 feet from Auschwitz, everything changed for worse. A loud yell broke the night, and I recognized it as the night patrolman.

"Juden! 6 Juden sind von ihren Betten entkommen! Halten Sie die Männer, auf entkommen sie!" (Jews! 6 Jews have escaped from their beds! Stop those men, they are escaping!) I knew right away what had happened. The watchman had gone to the barracks to make sure we had only taken 2 Jews. Seeing that 6 were missing, he had immediately chased after us before we could escape. I uttered one incredibly simple word in German. Run.

We ran for our lives. The whole camp was alive now, and the spotlights tried to shine at us, but we were far from range. They shouted curses and named the punishments we would receive if caught. While we ran, I ordered them to shoot backwards, to cause a short confusion and regroupment. They turned while running to fire. I turned and stopped for a moment. My Karabiner rifle was loaded, and in only 2 seconds of aiming, slugged a man in the leg. He fell forward, seriously injured or unconscious. Hopefully, some men would have to carry the injured away. One of the Jews fired over his shoulder as he ran, and hit a guard in the foot. The guard tripped and distracted another Officer.

We headed into the forest where I had landed nearby. They followed me, and we quickly found a hiding place. It was a hole hidden behind 2 trees that was invisible from someone coming in the opposite direction. We crawled in, nice and fit. I knew there was no way to out run the Germans once they got out the Jeeps and tanks. The hole was deep, and we slid farther into it. The shouts were still loud. We kept deadly still. They had flashlights, and we saw them pass by us. The trick had worked. All we had to do was escape when the Germans were farther away. I whispered to my men to stay silent, and wait for my signal before we ran. It would be a long night.

We hid in the hole from the Nazis for, according to my watch, nearly 5 hours. It was 3 in the morning, which meant the sun would wake at 6 in the morning. The whole while that we hid, the alarm at Auschwitz had gone off, and continued for an hour before retiring. We heard dozens of Officers around us, unknown of our secret place. I told the impatient Jews that we would wait for 30 more minutes before our escape. I told them to spare themselves, and leave me victim of the Nazis. They nodded, with impossibly strong gratitude for my deed. I told them to travel to Britain and keep a low profile until the war was over. I told them to wear long sleeve shirts to cover their tattooed names. I also ordered them to flee if they ever felt unsafe. My life was devoted to saving them, not my own. I only cared about correcting this horrible mistake. We felt slowly that we were alone, free from the Nazis. I knew that guards might be set up, but that idea was abolished when I heard some very interesting information from a nearby Officer. He said,

"Der General denkt ihre Meilen von hier bis jetzt. Sie haben die Lastwagen geschickt, aber sie können nur so weit gehen. Er hat eine Nachricht geschickt, Armee 60 Meilen von hier auf Alarmbereitschaft zu haben. Er zweifelt, dass sie sich sorgen werden, deshalb sieht es aus, wie es ernste Strafe zu den übrigen Gefangenen geben wird." (The General thinks their miles from here by now. They sent out the trucks, but they can only go so far. He sent a message to have army 60 miles from here on alert. He doubts they will care, so it looks like there will be serious punishment to the remaining prisoners.)

Soon after, I assumed they were gone, so my men and I crawled out. We began to walk cautiously, in fear of Officers returning from the hunt in our direction. I told the Jews to keep going, and I would catch up. If not, they were to leave me and complete my plan. They nodded glumly, and continued on. I headed over to a place I had noticed looking suspicious that may contain bullets. We needed ammunition and food, which would be hard to scavenge for. I walked past a bush, and found a huge surprise. Garan leapt out of the bushes, and tackled me to the ground.

"Adalwin, Was Sie macht, denken Sie, dass Ihres Sie machen, schmuggelnd Juden aus hier auf Ihnen zuerst Tag. Sind Sie unsinnig?" (Adalwin, What do you think your doing, smuggling Jews out of here on you first day. Are you insane?) He whispered harshly in my early, spraying me with flecks of spit.

"Ich mache, was ich hätte machen sollen, als wir angefangen haben, verfolgend Juden falsch." (I am doing what I should have done when we started persecuting Jews wrongly.) I spat back at him harshly.

"Ich muss Sie berichten, und Sie werden sicherlich getötet werden, damit aufgibt, und erzählt mir, wo Ihre Freunde sind." (I have to report you, and you will surely be killed, so give up and tell me where your friends are.) He asked with fatigue in his eyes.

I laughed, and his face turned in shock at what I was about to say.

"Seines zu spät, sind die Juden gegangen, und sie arent hat zu Deutschland geführt. Ich habe erzählt, dass sie für Britannien führen, und sie wissen genau, wie dort anzukommen. Töten Sie mich, wenn Sie wollen, ist meine Arbeit gemacht." (Its to late, the Jews are gone, and they aren't headed to Germany. I told them to go to China, and they know exactly how to get there. Kill me if you want, my work here is done.) I said with pride, which only increased his rage. He called out for help, and Officers came in minutes. They dragged me back to Auschwitz, and woke up 50 other Jews and put us on a firing line. As I stared down the barrel of Garan, who had chosen me, I listened to what the announcer told the other Jews. I smiled with pride, and he said how the punishment of escape would be shared with all prisoners. The last sound I heard was a gunshot, and then heaven. My life's work had been incredibly short, but immensely satisfying.

3 months later, a group of Jews arrived in Britain, wearing tattered Nazi uniforms. The British police arrested them, and soon found that they were Jewish, and had escaped from Auschwitz, the death camp in Poland. They set them free, and allowed them to live freely in Britain. They held in their hearts for the rest of eternity the valiant and courageous act of the mysterious German man. May the legacy of heroes live on forever.