Author's Note: This chapter contains modified elements from episode 41, "Tanks for the Memory" and episode #139, "Standing Room Only" both written by Laurence Marks.
Beyond the End - Part 8
By Diane Maher
Klink walked behind Crenshaw and the Red Cross inspector, a dark haired, goateed, gray suited civilian wearing wire-rimmed glasses who methodically checked off points on his clipboard. Colonel Rodney Crittendon of the RAF paced beside him in silence, his brow furrowed and his mouth a thin line. Klink stole a surreptitious glance at him. The Englishman seemed aloof and Klink didn't know what to expect from him. Glancing back towards Barracks 1, Klink saw Geist standing there alone, with his arms crossed over his chest, his brow furrowed and a slight frown on his face as though he was deep in thought. What is he thinking?
Crittendon quietly asked, "Colonel Klink, what happened to your prisoners? I heard that a lot of men were killed because of Hitler's last order."
Klink lowered his voice, "I surrendered Stalag 13 to Colonel Hogan. I couldn't carry out that monstrous order. All my prisoners were freed, unharmed by me or my men, by the Allied forces that arrived shortly afterward. I'm sure they're back in England by now. My men and I were brought here by those same Allied forces that arrived at Stalag 13 shortly after I surrendered the camp."
"Good show, old boy. I'm glad to see that you did what was right," Crittendon said with a grin.
"Herr Colonel, what are you doing here?" asked Klink.
"They've put me in charge of the POW camps in this area," replied Crittendon. Klink gaped in amazement. He saw the irony of his predicament. A former prisoner was now one of his jailers.
Klink looked away from Crittendon and saw that Crenshaw and the inspector were talking as they stood just inside the fence near a guard tower. Crittendon and Klink walked over to where the two men were standing and followed them as they continued their tour through several buildings and around the camp. The inspector examined the barracks, the mess hall and even the latrines with a fine-toothed comb. At one point, they came across Schultz and Klink noticed the inspector frowned as he looked at the portly sergeant.
The inspection party returned to Crenshaw's office. The inspector carefully pocketed his pencil and looked over his wire-rimmed glasses. "It seems that everything is in order here, Major Crenshaw. Do you have any complaints, um, Colonel Klink?" asked the inspector.
Klink blinked his eyes and then replied, "The prisoners would like more food."
The inspector nodded. "So would half of France. However, due to the combination of the harsh winter and the scorched earth policy of you Jerries, I'm afraid that you'll have to live on what you're getting now."
"So you don't abide by the Geneva Convention?" asked Klink scornfully.
Crenshaw turned his gaze towards Klink and stared at him. It seemed to Klink that Crenshaw was furious if he even dared to open his mouth. Crenshaw's boorish mannerisms reminded him of Major Hochstetter.
To Crenshaw, Crittendon said, "Be glad we don't plan to send more prisoners here. We're shipping most of the Generals and staff men to London for more intensive interrogation. Many of them will be tried as war criminals."
Klink heard this and froze. He swallowed nervously. The generals of the Third Reich were being taken to London? He wondered whether General Burkhalter was one of those captured. Will they try me as a former POW camp Kommandant? Maybe they know about the murder of General Metzger and will try me for that? Klink shuddered at the thought of being tried for anything. He suddenly wanted to run back to his barracks, crawl under the blanket on his bunk and hide.
Crittendon lightened up the mood somewhat as he looked around disapprovingly and said, "Major, why don't you plant some geraniums around this place? It would boost the morale of your men and the prisoners."
"What do you mean, plant geraniums, sir? asked Crenshaw, mystified.
Crittendon swept his arm in an arc, indicating the dreary compound, the bleak landscape. "It was something that I once suggested to the British High Command. The whole idea was to boost the morale of our flying chaps when they returned home. They named the whole thing after me - the Crittendon Plan. I think I'll put out a memo to all of the POW camps in this area. I'll set up a contest with the winning camp getting more food as the prize. What do you think, Major?"
"But why do you want to boost the morale of the enemy?" asked Crenshaw.
"These men are human beings, Major. The war is over as far as they are concerned," Crittendon replied.
"They're bloody Krauts and don't deserve the food they're getting now," retorted Crenshaw angrily.
"Then think of it as a way to de-Nazify them," Crittendon said calmly.
"What? Planting bloody flowers isn't going to de-Nazify these men!" Crenshaw's tone rose a notch with each of Crittendon's replies.
"Geraniums, Major." Crittendon frowned at Crenshaw's attitude. "And I shall return to see how you are treating these men. I expect things to be running smoothly."
Crenshaw glared at Crittendon and replied through gritted teeth, "Yes suh!"
Klink suppressed a smile as he watched Crenshaw's face become tomato red with his anger and unuttered curses. "I like the idea."
Crittendon said, "Good show, Klink." Crittendon commended him with a hearty smile. Crenshaw turned and stared at Klink and Crittendon continued, "I take it that you'll see to it that the prisoners in this camp participate?"
Klink nodded and said, "I'm sure I won't have any problems in finding at least one volunteer. He'll do anything for food."
Crittendon burst into laughter. "You must mean Schultz! He's the only one I know that will do anything for food."
* * * * * * *
Geist had followed the inspection party at a discreet distance. He listened as Klink talked to the English officer. They seemed to be acquainted. As he walked past Barracks 9, Captain Gruber came out. Geist motioned for him to come over.
"Captain, you served with Colonel Klink for some time, correct?" inquired Geist.
"Jawohl, Herr Oberstleutnant. I have the utmost respect for Colonel Klink," replied Gruber.
"Tell me, how does Klink know this English officer?" asked Geist.
"Unless you know his name, I'd have to see the officer's face," replied Gruber.
"I believe the name I heard was Crittendon," said Geist.
"Ja. I remember him too. Colonel Crittendon was a prisoner at Stalag 13 for a short while," said Gruber.
Nodding, Geist said, "I see."
* * * * * * *
Late that night, the alarm bells startled Klink awake. He climbed down from his bunk, grabbed his cap and opened the barracks door. A moment later, the bells were silenced. He saw some guards near the fence outside of Barracks 1 surround and then escort several men inside the administration building. Klink shook his head in aggravation at having his sleep disturbed. I know my duty as senior POW, but do I have to do it in the middle of the night?
The sentry stationed at the door grabbed Klink's arm as he was about to enter the administration building. Klink yanked his arm away. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
"No one is allowed inside by orders of the commandant," said the guard.
"Nonsense," Klink protested as he pushed past the guard.
"If you go in there, you'll share their punishment," the guard warned.
"What?" asked Klink with a twinge of fear in his voice.
A door on the other side of the room opened and Crenshaw came through, dressed in a red velvet smoking jacket and pajamas. The Englander didn't even notice Klink standing in the door of the outer office and the sentry behind him said nothing to alert Crenshaw.
Klink scrutinized Crenshaw's appearance and frowned disdainfully. He thought Crenshaw was dressing above his station and overly gaudy at the same time. Crenshaw thinks he's sophisticated by wearing the smoking jacket over his pajamas. HA! At least my smoking jacket looked good and fit properly. He looks like he's about to pop the buttons with that beer belly of his! Crenshaw went into his office; Klink followed him inside, and found three men standing there - Corporal Langenscheidt, Captain Gruber and Oberstleutnant Geist.
Crenshaw went behind his desk. "What have we here? A few chickens trying to fly the coop?"
Sergeant Hawkins, the guard next to them, reported, "I caught these prisoners trying to escape. They were at the fence near Barracks 1."
Crenshaw frowned, "Your punishment is thirty days in the cooler for attempted escape." He seemed to notice Klink for the first time since entering the office and said, "Him too!"
"What? I wasn't anywhere near the fence when the alarm sounded!" protested Klink. "I was sound asleep in my bunk!"
"Did you not hear what the guard outside this building said to you?!" shouted Crenshaw.
"I heard!" shouted Klink.
Klink crossed the room. Crenshaw came around the desk, his eyes wild with anger. If he were taller, he would have been nose to nose with Klink. "And yet you still came in here?!"
Klink met Crenshaw's angry gaze, his eyes blazing. "Yes. You have three prisoners in here and as the senior POW officer, it is my right and my duty to be here for my fellow prisoners. I demand to hear their side of the story!"
"What side of the story? They were found at the fence!" Crenshaw shouted.
"We weren't trying to escape," interrupted Geist.
"What the bloody hell were you trying to do?" asked Crenshaw.
"We were looking for Langenscheidt's missing ring," replied Geist.
"What?!?" Crenshaw asked, incredulous.
"Ja, we were looking for my ring. My girlfriend gave it to me a few weeks ago and it must have gotten lost during our exercise period earlier today," Langenscheidt added.
"And we thought there was something shiny on the ground over by the fence," said Geist.
"How could this be? I was certain that you were escaping!" Hawkins exclaimed.
Klink smugly folded his arms across his chest and waited for Crenshaw to respond. Crenshaw looked towards Klink and frowned before finishing, "I'll reduce their sentences to five days in the cooler for being out of the barracks at night and you will not have to share their punishment, Klink. Satisfied?"
To Geist, Klink asked, "Did you find the ring?"
"Jawohl, Herr Oberst," replied Langenscheidt. He held out his hand with the ring on it as proof.
Klink turned to Crenshaw and said, "Major, the man now has his ring back. Give them the benefit of the doubt."
Crenshaw frowned and muttered, "All right. I'll let them off the hook this time, Colonel Klink. Next time, they – and you - won't be so lucky. Dismissed!"
"Danke, Herr Major," Klink said through gritted teeth. He would speak to Geist tomorrow to find out what was really going on or if the ring was truly the reason for all this mess. He glanced at Geist. What is going on and what role did this man play in it? Why would they be looking for a ring in the dark near Barracks 1? He made a mental note to speak to Geist first thing in the morning after roll call.
As they left Crenshaw's office,
Geist came over to Klink and was about to say something when Hawkins
intervened. "Back to your barracks!" he
barked.
Klink strode over to his barracks, entered and removed his cap. He hung it on the bunk post over his coat and then climbed up to his bunk. Once he was settled, Klink found that he was unable to sleep. He tossed and turned, willing himself to forget the incidents of the day and relax. Lying on his back, Klink closed his eyes and found himself thinking of Sofia Lindemann.
Ah, my dear, lovely Sofia! Klink thought wistfully. He could see her beautiful brown eyes, her long, lustrous red hair and smell her perfume as he held her in his arms. He recalled hearing Schultz describing Sofia Lindemann to Colonel Hogan as 'the local tomato'. Such an inadequate description of Sofia, yet it was true of her as a woman. Her lips were red and her kisses were every bit as juicy as a tomato.
With a lascivious grin, Klink focused on his inner vision of Sofia again. He remembered how her womanly curves pressed against his body as he last held her; the taste of her lips as they kissed and the softness of her skin as his hand cupped her cheek. Oh how I long to be with you, to touch you and experience the sheer bliss I feel when I'm with you!
The next thing Klink knew Schultz was shaking his shoulder, murmuring that it was morning and time for roll call.
"Why do you want me to nibble your ear, Herr Komm…I mean, Herr Oberst?" began Schultz.
Klink glared at Schultz and replied flatly, "You must be joking."
"No, Herr Ob-" Schultz got the idea and fell silent when he saw Klink's angry expression.
Klink sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bunk and jumped down. To his surprise, he felt well-rested despite his interrupted sleep. It's amazing what the love of a beautiful woman can accomplish, he thought with a soft smile. He attributed his well-being to thinking about Sofia last night.
When he opened the door and walked outside for roll call, Klink noticed that the visitors' car was gone. Crittendon and the inspector must have left late last night after all the ruckus. He found himself wishing he'd said goodbye to Crittendon. Of all the Allied officers he'd encountered since watching Hogan leave Stalag 13, the only one who had been even remotely civilized towards him was Crittendon.
* * * * * * *
During the morning roll call, Crenshaw announced the contest that Crittendon had insisted upon having. A lot of the prisoners scoffed at first, until they heard what the prize was to be and then they cheered.
Next to Klink, Schultz's eyes went wide with surprise. "Herr Oberst, they want us to plant flowers for a chance of winning a contest? And the prize is more food for the prisoners?"
Klink could practically see Schultz drooling over the prospect of more food. "Yes Schultz. I think it will be good for our men to have something other than our defeat to occupy our minds for a while, even if it is planting flowers."
"The geraniums will arrive tomorrow. Any questions?" asked Crenshaw. Klink noticed the sour expression on Crenshaw's face when he added, "If not, you are dismissed."
As the men dispersed, Klink headed towards Barracks 12 to speak with Geist. Barracks 12 was situated closest to the water tower in the center of camp. He noticed that Gruber and Langenscheidt were standing near Barracks 12 and went to speak to them first.
"Captain, I want an explanation of your actions last night," began Klink. "And you too Langenscheidt. You both were stationed at Stalag 13 and you should know better than to be outside the barracks at night."
Langenscheidt turned to Gruber and hoped that the officer would answer. Gruber saluted Klink and replied, "Some of the other prisoners had their doubts about you. They wondered whether you would really protect them from Crenshaw or be a cringing bootlicker, sir."
Klink considered Gruber's reply when he turned and noticed Geist going inside his barracks. He followed and found men racing around to cover up something in the corner of the barracks.
"Geist, what is going on here?" demanded Klink.
Geist folded his arms across his chest and put himself between Klink and the corner. "Nothing's going on, sir."
Klink walked around Geist and crossed the room to the corner. Looking down, he saw a small pile of dirt. "Uh huh. I see…"
Geist quickly ran over, covered Klink's mouth with his hand and looked up at the lamp that was above them. Klink pulled Geist's hand from his mouth and his brow furrowed in anger. Geist motioned for Klink to follow him outside. Klink noticed that Gruber and Langenscheidt were no longer in sight around Barracks 12 and presumably returned to their barracks. Geist closed the door and walked to the corner of the barracks. He looked around the corner to make sure that no one was listening.
"What was that for?" demanded Klink in a hushed whisper.
Closing his eyes, Geist shook his head. "Crenshaw has all the barracks bugged. If I'd let you continue speaking, you might have revealed our little project. We've covered the microphones with tape to cover the sound of our activities, but with the condition of the tape, you never know when or if it will fall off."
"Oh, I see," commented Klink as he nodded in understanding. "So you and the men of your barracks have been digging an escape tunnel."
"We're just about halfway to the fence," replied Geist. "And we don't want any trouble from Heinzmann or Crenshaw. You're welcome to escape with us when the time comes."
Klink rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, "I'll think about it." He turned to leave, but then stopped. "Geist, what were you, Gruber and Langenscheidt doing by the fence near Barracks 1?"
Geist replied, "Corporal Langenscheidt overheard Major Heinzmann plotting with one of his men to kill our two visitors and Crenshaw and then escape. They had planned it for last night."
Klink's jaw dropped in amazement. Geist continued, "Langenscheidt returned to his barracks, told Gruber and Gruber came to me. I suppose the reason that Gruber came to me first is that your barracks are further away from Barracks 9 than mine."
"Why would the three of you be over there?" asked Klink.
Geist lowered his voice. "Because, Herr Oberst, they were going to make it look like you were the one responsible for killing them. I couldn't tell you because I had so little notice of Heinzmann's plot. I made the decision to stop them by creating a diversion. The guards were more likely to watch that area since we were found there and that restricted Heinzmann's movements."
Blinking, Klink was speechless. He leaned against the wall to steady himself. "Danke Geist. I…I don't know…"
Geist put his hand on Klink's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Herr Oberst. I've nothing against you. I want to live long enough to see the end of this miserable war."
Klink silently nodded his agreement and left to return to his barracks. As he walked through the compound, he saw Major Heinzmann and headed over to speak with him.
"Major!" called Klink.
Heinzmann stopped and waited just outside the door to Barracks 1. When Klink arrived, he asked, "What do you want?" He grudgingly added, "Sir."
"I never got to speak to you after we were interrupted the morning after I arrived. Where were you stationed?" asked Klink.
Heinzmann's eyes narrowed. "I was stationed at Gestapo headquarters in Düsseldorf."
"Did you know Major Hochstetter?" asked Klink.
Heinzmann nodded. "What of it?"
"He was a frequent visitor to Stalag 13," replied Klink.
A sneer came over Heinzmann's face and he asked, "Why, did he suspect you of being a traitor?"
Klink's brow furrowed and his lips pursed into a straight line. "I don't have to take that from you!"
"No, I suppose you don't. Just remember that you asked me," Heinzmann said with a mocking salute before he turned and went into Barracks 1.
Klink balled his fist and swung it into the air. "Hmmph!"
When the door closed behind Heinzmann, he could hear the man laughing. Klink turned away. He felt his anger at Heinzmann building. How can I find out whether the major is trying something behind my back? wondered Klink.
Looking up at the blue sky, Klink decided to walk and clear his mind. As he rounded the side of Barracks 1 nearest the fence, he heard voices inside the building.
"Herr Major, what about our
plans to kill that fool Crenshaw and escape?" someone asked.
Klink paused outside the slightly cracked open window and listened. "I don't know how Geist found out about our plans, but it would have been great to frame that bumbling fool Klink for the murders," said Heinzmann.
"Speaking of that, I have Klink's riding crop here. What shall I do with it?" the first voice asked.
"You'd best put it back before he knows it's gone. Klink may be a German, but I think he's either a collaborator or a traitor," replied Heinzmann.
"How do you know that?" the first man asked.
"I don't. But he was cozying up to that officer who accompanied the Red Cross inspector," Heinzmann replied. "A friend of mine in the Gestapo was a frequent visitor to Stalag 13 where Klink used to be Kommandant. He always suspected something fishy going on there, but could never prove any of his theories. Either Klink is smarter than he looks, or the people investigating Klink were stupider than he is."
Klink frowned as he continued on
his way around the barracks. I thought that all the barracks had been
bugged! Maybe they tore out all the microphones in that room. Instead
of walking around the camp, he returned to his barracks. When he entered, he reached up to where he
had put his riding crop and it was indeed missing. Although he used to carry it with him all the
time at Stalag 13, it didn't seem proper now that he wasn't in charge anymore.
Schultz entered the barracks then and moaned. "Oh, how I wish I could have some food!"
Klink ordered, "Schultz, go to Barracks 12 and have Oberstleutnant Geist report to me."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant," replied Schultz.
Klink was so furious at what he had over heard outside of Barracks 1 that he didn't bother reprimanding Schultz for calling him by his old title this time. When Geist came through the door, Schultz at his heels, Klink acknowledged them with a curt nod. He motioned for Geist to follow him outside. They sat on a bench that was located next to the barracks.
"What is it, Herr Oberst?" asked Geist.
"Karl, I've just overheard Heinzmann and at least one other man discussing their plans to eliminate Crenshaw and escape," began Klink.
Geist looked intently at Klink. "What do you intend to do about it?"
Klink shrugged. "I'm not sure. I spoke to Heinzmann and he believes that I'm a traitor."
"Did he call you that to your face?"
"Not exactly," said Klink, fearful. "He thinks I'm either a collaborator or a stupid fool. He suggested that one of his colleagues suspected me of being a traitor."
"But you're none of those things!" whispered Geist.
"Perhaps not to you," said Klink as his shoulders sagged and he put his chin into his hands.
Geist leaned back on the wall of the barracks and said, "Wilhelm, you should know that the majority of the prisoners believe that you're willing to stand up to Crenshaw for us. If Heinzmann should suffer an accident…" He left the sentence unfinished. Klink would have to fill in that blank himself.
