Düsseldorf Radio Station

Düsseldorf, Germany

November 1944

Day 5

Reigels and Anna stayed in the control room for nearly an hour, watching Miller work with the band. Although Miller tried his best to ignore their presence, he cast the occasional furtive glance over his shoulder. Hogan noted that the Major seemed to chafe at the scrutinizing gaze of Reigels and Anna. What the Major couldn't see, but Hogan could from the drum set, was as the band played through such songs as In the Mood and Sun Valley Jump Reigels appeared to chafe at the sound. Hogan found that to be satisfying.

Toward the end of that hour, Miller called for a break. The two members of the Propaganda Ministry came out of the control room and Miller was ready to explain that he wasn't about to run the band into the ground with unrelenting rehearsal. But neither Reigels nor Anna seemed bothered by the break. In fact they seemed to find it appropriate.

"It is close to Mittagessen," Anna said. "I'm sure you and the band are hungry?"

Miller glanced at the band. "They've worked very hard this morning. I think they deserve something."

Anna nodded. "Of course."

The door to the studio was unlocked and one of the Gestapo guards came in. He stopped before Reigels and saluted the Ministry Captain. "Herr Hauptmann, die Mittagessenmahlzeiten sind hier." Herr Hauptmann, the lunch meals have arrived.

"Sehr gut," Reigels replied. "Danke."

The guard nodded and clicked his heels, saluting again. He turned and left the studio.

Reigels turned to Miller. "The Düsseldorf Hotel is providing the mittagessen."

Miller nodded. Reigels and Anna turned and walked to the studio's doors. When they were gone, Miller turned to face the bandstand.

"Mittagessen is lunch," Ahren offered.

Miller smiled. "I figured as much. Thank you."

A worthwhile lunch was served consisting of Maultaschen (Swabian-style ravioli filled with meat, vegetables and seasoning) Schlachplatte(platter of various sausages and cold meats) and Schillerlocke (pastry cornet with vanilla cream filling). However, it would not be enjoyed quietly. After the kids, the heroes and Miller settled themselves on the steps on the bandstand risers, Reigels took the opportunity to address everyone, basically going on about the great and glorious Third Reich and how the future of the Reich was in the hands of the young people.

Although his audience was quiet, nobody was really listening to the Ministry Captain. And he knew it by the time he got to the end of his speech. Embarrassed, and annoyed, Reigels was hardly acknowledged when he and Anna turned to leave. Everyone just continued on eating. 

After a moment, Hogan looked at Kinch, LeBeau and Miller. "Were any of you paying attention to what Reigels was saying?"

The three shook their heads. "I think he was saying something about the youth and the future of the Reich," Kinch said. "And...something."

"In other words, nothing important," Hogan said.

"Right."

All four chuckled and grinned. Hans and Ahren had heard what the American Colonel had said and glanced at one another, sharing a smile too.

With Reigels and Anna gone, the kids began to talk amongst themselves. The heroes and Miller did the same.

"I don't know what it is about Germans," LeBeau said. "They certainly like to do a lot of talking."

"There's an old saying," Miller said, "it's better to keep your mouth shut and appear the fool, than to open it and remove all doubt."

"Obviously that's not a German proverb," Hogan said.

"Obviously not," LeBeau said, "especially since Reigels opens his mouth all the time."

Miller placed his empty plate down beside him. "Well, they may talk a lot but at least this time I got a decent meal," he said.

LeBeau looked at him. "Don't tell me you enjoyed this?" He held his still half full plate up.

"As a matter of fact, I did."

"Ugh," the Frenchman rolled his eyes. "If we were all back at Stalag 13, I would prepare for you a meal ten times better than this!"

"Hey," Kinch said, "after the bland stuff he got at Stalag 13, anything's going to taste better to him."

"All German food is bland. French cuisine, however, that is un plaisir pour la palette." LeBeau smiled. A pleasure for the pallet.

"Well when the war's over," Hogan said, "we'll have a party in Paris, we'll invite the Major and LeBeau can prepare a feast."

"Pour la victoire!"  For the victory!

"I'm all for that," Miller said.

"We all will be," Kinch said.

"Oui," LeBeau added.

Hogan's plate was now empty and he looked at the Major. "Grab your plate, Major..." he said quietly and stood up. Miller followed Hogan to the cart the lunches had been brought in on. They placed their empty plates in the dish wash tub.

"I'm sorry about last night," Hogan said quietly, out of ear shot of the band.

"Wasn't your fault, Colonel. Just wasn't meant to work."

"It should have worked...if it hadn't been ten minutes from the changing of the guard." Hogan paused. "Crazy as this may sound though...I'd like to try to spring you again, tonight."

Miller hesitated. Reigels' threat of the band suffering the consequences tugged at him. He looked at Hogan, taking in a deep breath. "I don't know, Colonel..."

Hogan paused. "What did Hochstetter do about last night?"

"Gave me hell. Took my kit. What he'd really like to do is show me his Gestapo jail."

Hogan nodded. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"That's not what bothers me though. You try this escape attempt tonight, and it works, those kids may end up paying a high price. Heck, you try this escape attempt tonight, and it doesn't work, they won't be firing the rifle in the air. They'll be firing it at me....and anybody who looks to be trying to help me."

"You seemed to accept that risk a couple of days ago."

"And I still do." Miller looked directly at Hogan. "But what happens if this thing goes awry again, and they find you this time? I doubt the Propaganda Ministry will be keeping you here in town, Colonel. They'll truck you back and forth from Stalag 13. So how do you explain what the senior POW officer is doing in Düsseldorf at odd hours of the night?"

"That's the risk I have to take. That's the risk I take every day."

"You may take the risk, Colonel, but can you afford the gamble?"

"Don't you want to get back to England?"

"Of course I want to get back to England. But I don't want to see the entire Allied underground network smashed to pieces on my account, not at this point of the war. I'm just a bandleader, I'm not Eisenhower."

"No, but Eisenhower would probably send an entire battalion in to get you back. And I'm no different." Hogan paused a moment to look around the studio, making sure he and the Major hadn't attracted an audience. He saw LeBeau and Kinch were talking to the kids, keeping them distracted. He looked at Miller again. "You took your own risk by taking all the responsibility for the escape attempt last night. The Underground is going to be looking to return the favor, by getting you out of here successfully. You let me worry about how much risk I and the Underground should take. You just worry what about you're going to do once you get back to England." Hogan paused. "As for those kids…" Hogan let it hang there.

"Isn't there anything you can do?"

Hogan sighed. "I…I don't know. My plans and contingencies are only for getting you out of here."

Miller gave a critical look to Hogan. "You haven't even thought of them have you?"

"Major, I can't save everybody."

"I'm not saying you have to, but don't you think you owe them something?"

Hogan's look was pointed. "You're concerned about the risk the Underground and myself are taking to get you back to England yet somehow you expect us to pull a miracle and get you and nine kids out of here too?"

Miller raised a hand, indicating he was backing off. "All right, all right…" he said. He knew the idea of the kids making the escape with him would be asking too much. He only hoped the risk the Underground was taking wasn't asking too much either.

Hogan paused. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have my orders."

Miller nodded and let out a heavy sigh before changing the subject. "Am I going to have to switch uniforms again tonight?"

"No," Hogan said. "But I am."

Miller stared at the Colonel. Hogan gave a small smile and patted Miller on the shoulder before walking with the Major back to where LeBeau and Kinch were keeping the kids pretty well entertained in conversation.

"...besides, we sound better than Charlie and his Orchestra," Avril was saying.

"Howling dogs sound better than Charlie and his Orchestra," Adler said.

"Are you saying we sound like howling dogs?"

The kids chuckled and Adler smiled. "Nein. But Charlie and his Orchestra are a sham. Ja, they're pretty good musicians but Goebbels put that band together. They are not a true swing band. Besides that, Charlie hardly ever speaks German..."

"That's true, and the things he says in English are ridiculous," Hans added.

Ahren looked at the Major. "Herr Miller, have you ever heard of Charlie and his Orchestra?"

"Isn't that the band Goebbels put together?"

"Ja."

"I've heard of it but have never heard the band."

"You don't want to," Hans said.

Miller chuckled, but as the boys continued to chatter he suddenly wondered...if Goebbels already had a swing band, what was this outfit for?