Chapter Ten
Majole did not report me. This alone surprised me. Then I found out the reason why.
Several weeks after the incident with Meg, Majole came up to me while I was working at my desk. "Herr Ratigan, you know how loyal I am to the Fuhrer and to Germany."
"Yes Majole," I said, somewhat irritated. I did not care if she was a Hitler- worshipper or not, as long as she was running my business well.
"Herr Ratigan, the SS are rounding up homosexuals."
"I know," I said indifferently.
"Well, my brother.... He is a good German. He's just not right in the head. Sick. He... can't have a normal relationship with a woman... he..."
"He's a homosexual," I finished for her.
"Yes." Majole seemed relieved. "You understand, there's nothing wrong with his loyalty."
I raised my eyebrow. She was asking me to stand up for him, defend him, and prevent him from being taken away.
"Please, the SS came to his apartment last night... took him to prison. Could you tell them about his loyalty? They would listen to you."
I knew my answer immediately. I did not care about Majole's brother. I was not a homosexual, what did I care about her brother? Besides I knew the consequences of asking to defend him. The SS would think that I was a homosexual. No, it could not be done.
"I cannot do that, Majole. It's policy now."
"Please, Herr Ratigan," she begged. "He'll change. Please, he'll change!"
"No." She looked like she was about to cry. I could not stand it when women cried in front of me. It made me feel very nervous and gullible. "Don't you dare cry," I said angrily.
She glared at me. "We'll see how they respond to you kissing an enemy of the state!" she said dramatically, running out of the room.
Majole reported me, but because Meg was an Aryan, my embracing her was of little consequence to me. I was given warning, however, that any incident involving a Jew could have me sent off to a work camp or political prison.
Majole quit her position, so I found a middle-aged woman, Alexandra, to take over her job.
As the war and the "Final Solution" progressed, so did these incidents.
One day I found out that one of my own henchmen, Bill, had been arrested for being a Communist. The officials knew that he worked for me, so I was also thoroughly questioned. I met with Bill once. He begged me to tell them how faithful he had been to them, all the work he had down for them. I refused, knowing that they would suspect me next. Bill was not a vital part of my dealings; he would have to go through the system without my aid. He was eventually sent to a concentration camp.
There were a few more SS officials who were put in camps for espionage, being 'Communists', and even for being of Jewish descent. Haupsturmfuhrer Rymer's grandmother had been Jewish, so he was kicked out of the SS. Lasner was arrested because his girlfriend had Jewish blood in her as well. They came to me, asking me to defend them. I refused. What did I care? These men meant nothing to me. As long as the system was working for me, it was working.
Oh, how ignorant I was!
