*Timeline: On January 1944, Germany signs a peace treaty with Russia. The order to liquidate the majority of prison camps in Poland is announced in February. That same month Schindler submits his workers list to Amon and Helen attempts suicide. By early May, Helen is released from the hospital and travels to Vienna with Amon.
*In this story Amon Goeth is a bachelor and he's never been married.
*Disclaimer: This story is based on the characters portrayed by Ralph Fiennes & Embeth Davidtz in the movie "Schindler's List" and is purely fiction. I do not support Nazi ideology. *
Chapter 7: Departure
Amon stands before the office desk, performing a last minute check on his black briefcase. After careful inspection, he closes and locks it. He is finally done with packing. His other travel suitcases are already placed in the trunk of the limousine by the chauffer, who is waiting for him outside. Amon lifts the briefcase off the desk with his right hand and tests its weight. It's heavier than expected, but he doesn't mind. Hidden inside among papers, passports and stationaries are several small gold bars. During his post as the Płaszów concentration camp's Commandant, Amon had illegally, by Nazi party standards, accumulated wealth through stolen goods from the Jewish prisoners. So far he has succeeded in keeping his finances a secret. If caught, he can be court marshaled.
In recent months Amon also made additional income through his business transaction with Schindler. He decided early on to ignore what Oscar's true intention of purchasing those Jews could be… the same way he requested Oscar to ignore his intention of keeping Helen. Although Amon ridiculed Oscar's decision of purchasing those useless Jews to work in Brünnlitz, he realized he was no different from Oscar. Amon continues to make excuses in his head, the biggest one being that he needs Helen for her domestic abilities. But deep inside he has more malevolent reasons. He has unfinished business with her. He will not accept the fact that Helen has the power to slip out of his hands.
'That will never happen again.'
It is ironic that he used a significant amount of the stolen money in preparing for Helen's false documentations. Oscar gave him an excellent contact for such operation, which made Amon wonder what other sleazy business deals Oscar got involved in the past. If they ever meet again, Amon will try to learn Oscar's hidden tricks. For now, they must go their separate ways.
Amon has mix feelings about leaving Poland and returning to Austria. On one hand, the timing is great. He is done managing a filthy camp cramped with useless creatures. He is exhausted and wants to return home. Last week General Krüger informed Amon that he would soon be nominated for a promotion. If all goes well, he will be promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer (equivalent to major) for his efforts, making him the youngest at the age of 32. There is a promising future back in Vienna. Nothing is keeping Amon here anymore and he's ready to move on.
As for his girlfriend Ruth, their spark started dimming as soon as the victory of Germany was declared. Their affair was motivated by the frenzy of the war. Their sex life filled the inner anxiety caused from the ripples of the chaos that surrounded them. When everything calmed down, so did the passion. At first, Ruth secretly wished Amon might invite her to move to Vienna with him. Perhaps propose marriage. After all, Amon is an old bachelor and Ruth innocently thought she could be the one to become Frau Goeth. But in the last months, his mind seemed to be preoccupied elsewhere and he didn't share anything with Ruth. As days went by with the camp closing and his transfer being finalized, she knew her time with Amon was up. She wasn't invited to the villa anymore and Amon rarely called. She finally concluded that their relationship was no more than a pretty Polish girl and a German officer's fling away from home. They were done satisfying each other's needs. The relationship faded and ended unceremoniously. Ruth didn't even bother to pick her belongings left at the villa. Later she moved back to her hometown of Breslau.
On the other hand, Amon isn't completely thrilled over the idea of going back home. He left behind a lot of emotional baggage, most of them unresolved. He will delay confronting them as long as he could. The one person he can't ignore forever is his father. The news of his return will trigger his stepmother Liesle to invite him over for a reunion. Neither Amon nor his father will be pleased with her efforts.
The phone in his office rings sharply. Amon checks his watch. It's the call he's been expecting. He picks up the receiver. On the other line is the young chauffer he hired for Helen.
"Herr Goeth, I am at the hotel lobby and she's with me. She's in good condition. I will take her to the train station and straight to her seat."
"Good, well done."
He puts down the receiver with a grin on his face. Amon doesn't trust Helen yet. He had her under surveillance without her knowing since she had been admitted to the hospital. Amon has his reasons. The logical one is to make sure she didn't try running away or attempt suicide again. The other is to satisfy his need to know her every move. Obsessive? Perhaps. Amon knew about Schindler's visit as well, though not the content of the conversation they shared. Amon considers Schindler a fine chum, but sharing Helen with Oscar makes him uneasy. He admits he's extremely jealous of Schindler.
Amon picks up his briefcase and leaves the office. His heavy footsteps echo throughout the empty villa. Just as he reaches the front door, Amon suddenly stops. There is one thing he wants to do before leaving. He carefully places his briefcase on the entryway bench, turns around and walks down the hallway.
Soon Amon finds himself on the top of the basement staircase. He switches the light on. After a brief hesitation, he makes his way down the stairs. The basement is cleared and completely empty. Amon stands in the middle of the room, observing the area. Not a single trace of Helen can be found… her flimsy furniture, her clothes hanging on a clothesline… but most of all, her scent. The last time Amon came down here was to see Helen on that one hot summer night. He wasn't able to resist his sexual urges and the immense attraction he had for her. What started out as a heart felt confession, ended up pushing the object of his affection even further away from him…it was a grotesque scene. Amon bites his lips. He detests witnessing his own temper spinning out of control. It reminds Amon that he is his father's son. But Helen is still beside him, willingly or not. Amon takes a deep breath. He turns around and marches up the stairs. As he leaves he switches the light off. He walks towards the front door and picks up his briefcase from the bench. He turns the knob and leaves the villa for the last time.
Helen sits alone in the private train carriage. Soon the Commandant will join her. She tries to relish this brief moment of privacy. Amon didn't elaborate on their upcoming living arrangements but it's predictable that such privet moments may never be available to her.
Helen lets out a huge sigh and leans her forehead against the cold surface of the window. She watches the bustling river of travelers outside; an elderly gentleman with a luggage at his feet reading the newspaper, a young couple saying good-bye with a kiss, children running around while laughing in excitement. The whole setting seems surreal to Helen. She feels terribly misplaced. She didn't belong with these joyful people who are anticipating their future. She should be on the other side of the city in another train station, where the remainder of the camp prisoners is to be taken to Auschwitz tonight. Here she sits in a comfortably cushioned seat while others are cramped like cattle… taken to their final destination to the butcher. Helen squeezes her eyes shut.
'Is my situation any differ from them?'
Helen thinks about the absurdity of her destiny. Everything is still hard to comprehend. But when she made her decision last night in front of the Commandant, Helen agreed with herself to take life one day at a time… or she may end up insane. Her choice will have its consequences and Helen is fully aware of it.
It isn't death she fears. She attempted suicide after all. What Helen truly fears is Amon taking control over her life. His unexplainable obsession with her is disturbing. His infatuation towards her is so great that he decides to take her into the heart of a Nazi nation.
'He IS truly mad.'
The Commandant's madness is frightening. After hearing Herr Schindler's explanation, Helen feels Amon could be leading himself to his own demise by dragging a Jewish girl back to Vienna. Helen doesn't rule out the possibility of her becoming the outlet for his pent up killer appetite. In Vienna, he will be deprived of prisoners to shoot and she will be there to satisfy his daily needs.
'… Can there be other reasons….such as kindness…'
Helen shakes her head and quickly brushes off the thought. It's better to predict her future based on the Commandant's past behaviors … there is no room to hope for the impossible. She looks out the window again and tries to think of something else.
Helen spent her entire life in Kraków. She had a few relatives scattered around Poland whom she occasionally met for major family events, such as cousin Miriam's wedding that took place before the war. But she never crossed the boarder to another country. Her father once promised his children a trip to Prague where he spent a brief time during his youth. Helen remembers giggling with Ela as they fantasized their trip to Prague, touring the beautiful city dressed in finery. Those were the days when a girl was able to daydream. Never in a million years did Helen imagine her first foreign trip to be like this. The days of innocence are dead. Helen thought she grew up fast with the death of her parent, the beginning of the war and by entering the camp. By far, this is the moment where she has truly entered adulthood.
Suddenly the trains whistle blows and Helen awakes from her thoughts.
It's time to leave.
