Hammelburg Area, Farm of Erich Jonach
November 4, 1943, 2200 hours
Johann Mueller approached the barn where he was to meet with the rest of the Hammelburg underground leaders. The barn belonged to Erich Jonach, who was the head of the local underground. It seemed to Johann that all their meetings took place in barns, either Erich's or one of the many abandoned barns in the area. Markets and barns, Johann thought to himself. People meet contacts in markets and groups have meetings in barns. I wonder if all of the underground units in the German occupied areas do the same.
When he reached the barn, he opened the door and entered quickly. The light from the lanterns inside was dim, but he didn't want to keep the door open too long, for risk of it being seen. Johann entered and found that he was the last to arrive.
"Guten abend, Johann," Erich Jonach said to him. Johann returned the greeting and greeted the others who had gathered. Besides Jonach, there was Oskar Schnitzer, the veterinarian, Detlef Hauser, who was a doctor in town, and Oskar Meyer, the local butcher.
"Let us get started," Jonach said. "With what happened yesterday, we shouldn't take chances of being out too late."
The men nodded. They were quite aware of the dangers of being out late. Doctor Hauser was the only person of the group who could make a legitimate excuse for being out late, as he could say he was making a house call.
"Does anyone know who was responsible for the explosions last night?" Jonach asked.
"Could it have been Colonel Hogan?" Oskar Meyer asked.
Oskar Schnitzer shook his head. "Nein," he replied. "He passed me a note this morning when I was changing the dogs in the camp asking if I knew what happened and who was responsible."
"Besides, Colonel Hogan would not target such an insignificant target as an automobile, unless there was someone important inside," Jonach added. "All this did was to irritate the Gestapo."
"Ja," agreed Oskar Meyer. "They stopped in my shop today and asked if I knew anything."
"They will be very suspicious for a while," Schnitzer said. "I think we will have to lay low for a few days until they relax."
Jonach nodded. "In the mean time, it would be good to find out who did this. If they continue, it will not only interfere with our operations, but also Colonel Hogan's," he said.
"Who could have wanted to do this?" Doctor Hauser asked. "They should know that it would only have made the Gestapo angry."
Erich Jonach shrugged. "I don't know," he replied. "Most likely someone that was angry with the Gestapo for some reason."
When Johann Mueller heard that, he immediately thought of Hans Wagner and how angry he was after his sister was attacked. Was he angry enough to do something like this? When he spoke to me he did mention that they would pay. Is this what he meant? Ach, the stupid boy. He should know that this would accomplish nothing. Johann now had a problem. Should he tell Erich about what happened to Ilse Wagner and how Hans had promised to pay them back? I promised Ilse that I would say nothing about this. But to say nothing could lead both her and her brother, as well as whoever else is involved, into a lot of trouble. But I do not know for sure that this was the work of Hans Wagner. If it is, I should tell. But if not ...
"Could there be another underground group in the area?" Osker Meyer asked.
"Maybe," responded Jonach. "But if so, why would they just target parked automobiles?"
Erich Jonach didn't like the thought of another underground group in the area. It wasn't that he thought of it as competition. When Colonel Hogan had started his operation, Erich had gladly offered to work under the direction of the American officer. He knew the value of a coordinated effort, and the problems that would happen if they worked independently. If there was now another group in the area, he had better find out who it was, before any of his men, or Colonel Hogan's men, found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Erich looked at the men assembled in the barn. To say they were all middle aged was being kind. They were all tired men, tired of the war, tired of the hardships and tired of the men who abused the power of the government. But all of them felt the necessity of the activities that they performed, and knew the inherent dangers involved. Erich didn't want to see any of them pay the ultimate price for those activities.
"Oskar, please get word to Colonel Hogan that we do not know who is doing this, but we will try to find out," Jonach said to Oskar Schnitzer. "Tell him that we are out of action until the Gestapo relaxes a little."
Schnitzer nodded. "I will do that when I change the dogs," he replied.
"Everyone be careful on the way home," Jonach said. "Be safe."
The men disbursed, each of them heading towards their home. Jonach knew they would be careful, but he still couldn't help worrying about them. Oh God, when will this war end, he thought tiredly.