A Present from the Sergeant of the Guard

"Colonel, you mean we have to bribe Schultz with all of the chocolate bars we got from last month's Red Cross packages? 30 bars!" LeBeau was incredulous.

"Blimey I'm not giving up my candy," replied Newkirk.

"Pierre, you can live on cigarettes, so why do you need any chocolate?" LeBeau shot back.

"We need Schultz on guard duty Saturday night outside the barracks. He will look the other way during the Seder. I mean look what he's done for us. Give up the chocolate. And that's an order!" Hogan looked at the corporals.

Later Thursday night, Barracks 2

''Schultz, what are your plans? Going home for the weekend?" asked Hogan.

"Nein Colonel Hogan. I have duty Saturday. It's safer here. Gretchen has still not forgiven me for that incident with the flowerpot. I'm still on probation, as you Americans say."

"Who has duty outside Barracks 2 Saturday night? After sundown, I'm kind of curious." Hogan was formulating another one of his devious plans. To protect the Jewish prisoners Saturday night.

"Corporal Schmidt, but why Colonel Hogan? Are you planning some monkey business?"

"I understand Corporal Schmidt's wife just gave birth to a son. Doc Steiner told me via Schnitzer. And Corporal Schmidt hasn't seen his son. Can you arrange it with Klink to see that Schmidt gets a 12 hour pass for Saturday night to visit his wife at the Hammelburg hospital? And you switch duty with him Saturday. Starting at sundown of course."

"As an incentive, here is ein Geschenk from the boys. 30 chocolate bars. Don't eat them all at once."

"Thank you, Colonel Hogan, but what are you planning?"

"April, spring, Saturday after sundown?" Schultz realized what was going on.

"Passah, Passover? That is what you are planning? You will be in big trouble!"

"Schultz, how do you now, you're not Jewish? Although I know a few delis in New York you might enjoy."

Schultz started to talk...

"I know Colonel Hogan. Please do not think I am an idiot."

When I was still owner of the Schatzi Toy Company before it was confiscated for war production, I had Jewish employees. And they were the hardest workers. Before the Christmas holidays, they would work extra time so that we could meet our deadlines. And when their Christian coworkers had their holiday, they would still come to work. No child in Germany ever failed to have a toy for Christmas."

"In my gratitude, my Jewish employees would always get a week of holiday in the spring. And with full pay of course."

"My chief toy designer was Jewish. A brilliant man and a true craftsman. Our toys are still sold in all the department and toy stores in Germany. KaDeWe has an entire floor with our toys. Funny that the toys that every child in Germany enjoys is courtesy of a Jew."

"He was very lucky. The Lionel Company in America got him out of Germany and he is working for them now. I tried to protect the factory workers, but when the Nazis came for them, I was powerless to stop them. I am but one man and those thugs are now in power."

"In the last war, my second commanding officer after Leutnant, I mean General Kammler, was Jewish. Hauptmann Hartmann was his name. He took good care of us. He made sure we had decent food in the trenches and gave me a pass so I could visit Gretchen after she gave birth to our first child. Hauptmann Hartmann recommended me for the Iron Cross Second Class as well."

"Schultz, I never knew. That is very interesting. And touching" Hogan was visibly moved at this point.

"I will be on guard Saturday night. And load my rifle for once. No one will come in. I will shoot the Kommandant myself if he interferes! Germany was a better country under the Kaiser."

"This is my present for the Jewish prisoners celebrating. On behalf of my workers I could not save from the Nazis. I say nothing, I know nothing, I see nothing! And keep your chocolate for now. The boys need them more than I do today."

The Sergeant of the Guard was adamant.

"Thank you Schultz." Hogan gave our favorite sergeant a salute. "And by the way, you are a big man Schultzie. In heart as well as stomach." The Colonel smiled.

"Good night and take 2 candy bars. Down payment for the next time of course."

Notes

A quick update for my Passover story. Hopefully it's plausible. Made a change. Schultz uses the English 'present' instead of 'gift' to avoid the different meaning of the words in English and German.

Passah is the German word for Passover.

I can fully imagine Schultz doing something like this. For he did mention that Germany was better off under the Kaiser than the government in power at the time.

Corporal Schmidt is mentioned in 'Art for Hogan's Sake' as a guard who introduces Schultz to a local lady in Hammelburg after the success of Hogan's Paris mission with Manet's painting. Plus Schultz gets to be a General again.

The flowerpot and Schultz's wife-forgot what episode it was. If someone chimes in, I'll update the notes

KaDeWe-Kaufhaus des Westens. A famous department store in Berlin and the largest one in continental Europe. Harrod's in London is the only department store in Europe larger than KaDeWe.

The Lionel Company is famous for toy trains.

German Jews served honorably during World War 1. I have seen a photo of a rabbi serving as a chaplain who was decorated with the Iron Cross for bravery. Hitler's commanding officer was Jewish as well and recommended him for both the Iron Cross First and Second Class.