Chapter 3: No Frauleins Allowed
STALAG 13, THREE MONTHS LATER
Shultz lightly tapped on Colonel Klink's bedroom door. He really did not want to wake him up at one o'clock in the morning.
"This better be a matter of life and death or it is going to be!" Klink shouted as he yanked opened the door.
"Sorry Colonel, but there is a Gestapo Captain out front with a new prisoner." Shultz said sheepishly.
"At this time of the morning!"
Colonel Klink along with Shultz walked out front.
"What is the idea of delivering a prisoner here at this time of morning and waking me up!" Klink shouted
"Sorry Colonel, but Major Hochstetter's orders."
Klink visibly flinched at his name. His jaw dropped as he saw another guard push a big lump out of the back of the truck. There was a flash of lightning and thunder echoed as rain started to pour from the sky. In the flash of lightning, Klink could barley make out that the lump was a person. However it never moved.
"Here is the file on the prisoner." The Captain handed Klink a file that wastwo inches thick.
This file is as big as Colonel Hogan's when he first arrived here. Just what I need another Colonel Hogan. Klink thought to himself. He opened the folder to see the name of his new prisoner.
"Captain! I think you have made a mistake. You cannot leave this prisoner here. This is a Luft Stalag. We don't house civilians and especially not females!"
"You will have to take that up with Major Hochstetter. Have a good night Colonel."
Shultz and Klink stared at each other. Neither one could believe it. They both walked up to the unconscious person lying on the wet ground. "Shultz, bring her into my quarters. Be careful with her. I am going to call Fraulein Helga to see if she can come in now to take care of her." That Hochstetter! He is always causing me trouble.
It took Fraulein Helga about 30 minutes to get dressed, get a spare change of clothes and to make it to Stalag 13. She could not believe that the woman she saw in front of her was still alive. She was wearing a pair of German coveralls. Her hair was messed up with dry blood andmud. Her face was covered with blood and mud also. Shultz had place the woman in the bathroom so Helga could try and get her cleaned up. When Helga removed the coveralls, she almost fell backwards at the sight. Her body was covered in bruises, soars, burns and open wounds. Further examination showed that she had some broken ribs also. It was going to be a long night.
Helga emerged from the bathroom a few hours later. " Kommandant Klink, she is going to need a doctor. She is injured very badly. I have her cleaned up and covered her wounds. I also put one of my outfits on her. She is still unconscious though."
You could see the mixed emotions playing on Klink's face. He was saddened at what has happened to her, and angry with the ones who have done this. "Fraulein Helga, can you get Dr. Rosanna Klinger on the phone and see if she can come to camp. I am going to have Shultz move her into the guest room. No one is to mention her to any one with out my permission. Is that understood?"
Dr. Klinger arrived at the camp about an hour latter. "Kommandant, what have you done to this poor woman?"
"Me? The Gestapo are the ones to blame. They are the ones that brought her to me." Klink answered with a hurt look on his face.
"Sorry Kommandant. I should have known that you could never be responsible for doing this. Fraulein Helga can you please help me?"
Later that morning…
"Hay Kommandant! Where's Helga? Is she sick? Please tell me you didn't fire her?" Hogan asked worriedly.
"First of all Hogan, it is none of your concern. Second, no on both accounts. Now why are you bothering me?"
"Did you not sleep well last night? You look tired. Where you with a fraulein last night?"
"My personal life is none of your business also. But you could say that."
"You sly dog. Don't hold out. Tell me. Is she pretty? Do I know her? Can I…"
"Hogan! That is quite enough! As I said my private life is private."
"But Kommandant, it gets lonely here. If it wasn't for Fraulein Helga, I would forget what a woman looks like."
"Not my problem, now leave."
"Alright Kommandant, I will drop it. The men are complaining about the leaky roofs, and was wondering if we could have some supplies to fix the problem?"
"Colonel Hogan, where do you think the money is going to come from to get those supplies? With the cutbacks Berlin is making, there is no money for trivial supplies. Sorry Colonel you will just have to make do."
The thought never crossed his mind that Klink had to buy the supplies or pay for a lot of other things. He has heard about how tight Berlin is getting with supplies. "Sorry Kommandant. Didn't realize that money was so tight. What if I get a work detail together to get the wood needed from the woods around camp?"
"What about the Geneva Convention? Are you not going to see what you can get out of me also?"
Hogan could not help but notice the tone in Klink's voice. It was laced with anger and resentment. "How about no work details after this for a few weeks?" Don't want to disappoint the man. Hogan thought to himself.
"Very well Hogan. Get the men together and have them ready to leave in an hour."
Hogan gave is sloppy salute and left. In an hour, Colonel Hogan and fifteen men were waiting by the front gate. Shultz and Langenscheidt met them there. And off they went to chop wood.
"Kommandant Klink?" Dr. Klinger said as she stuck her head in the door.
"How is she?" Klink asked with a little more concern than he wanted to admit.
"She is really bad. I have done what I can for her and made her as comfortable as possible. She never regain consonance though. I don't how she is still alive?"
"Thanks for coming. Now what am I going to do with her? We are not equipped to handle a female prisoner."
"That is a job for you. I will be back tomorrow. If there is any change please call me."
Klink put his head in his hands and thought. What else could possibly happen? As if on queue, Major Hochstetter came in through the door. Great, justthe personI need to deal with. But maybe I can get some answers.
"Ah! Major, how nice to see you." Klink greeted with the best smile he could muster.
"Did you get my present last night?"
"I have been wanting to speak to you about that. We are not capable of handling a female prisoner. How long is she going to be staying here?"
"Until I decide to remove her from here. Just remember that she is a Gestapo prisoner and not Luftwaffe" Hochstetter growled
"If she is a Gestapo prisoner then why is she not at Gestapo headquarters?" Not that I want her there. Klink thought to himself.
"I have a plan in mind that requires her staying here and that is all you need to know. Where have you placed Maria at?"
"AS I have stated, we are not set up…."
"KLINK WHERE IS SHE?" Hochstetter yelled loosing his patience and temper.
"In my guest room. I didn't know where else to put her."
"I want her moved to barrack 2. I also want to speak with Hogan."
"But Major… You can't stick her in there. This is not a co-ed camp. Colonel Hogan is out on a work detail chopping wood."
"You let the most dangerous man in all of Germany out of the camp! And I do what I want with my prisoners?"
" Sergeants Shultz and Langenscheidt are with them."
"If he escapes, I am holding you personally responsible! I will wait here until he comes back."
Just great! That's all I need is for Hochstetter to hang around all day. Klink thought disgustingly. I really don't like that man. The more time I spend with him the more I don't like him. Out of all the German officers that have disappeared around here why doesn't he. Given his popularity, I don't think he will be missed.
That evening, everyone returned from chopping wood. Klink and Hochstetter went on the porch and waited for Colonel Hogan. As Hogan and his men came in through the gate, they noticed the welcome party. Great! What does he think I did now? Hogan thought to himself. Hogan walked over to the two waiting men. "Thanks Kommandant for letting us cut the wood."
"Your welcome Hogan." Klink answered
"Hogan, you are to remove your belongings from your room. There is a new prisoner who is moving into your room." Hochstetter said with a sly grin.
"Another officer?" Hogan asked curiously.
"No Hogan, but do as you are told and do it now. Or shall I find some reason to take you to headquarters."
Hogan wanted to deck Hochstetter when he was acting this way. Klink was wondering, is there a way I can push Hochstetter down the stairs and make it look like an accident? "Shultz meet me in my quarters."
Without a word, Hogan went to barrack 2 and started to move his things out. "Colonel, what is going on?" Kinch inquired.
"I don't know but I don't like it."
A few minutes latter, Klink, Hochstetter, and Shultz carrying Maria, who was still unconscious, walked into barrack 2. "Sergeant Shultz, place the prisoner in there." Hochstetter barked as he pointed to what use to be Hogan's room. Every one was silent as Shultz did as ordered. "Hope you like the new prisoner Hogan. You two have some catching up to do….maybe."
Colonel Hogan recognized Maria, and just glared at Hochstetter. "Later Hogan." With that they turned and left. The men in the barracks turned toward Hogan. All with the same question, but no one asked. Quietly Hogan tapped on the door to what use to be his room. No answer. He cracked opened the door and poked his head in. On the lower bunk he saw her lying there. Is she alive he thought? He walked into the room and over to the bed. The rest of the men stayed outside.
Hogan bent down to look at her. He hardly recognized her through the cuts and bruises on her face. Hogan could feel his heart start to sink and his eyes start to tear up. Was there something more I could have done to help prevent this? Hogan asked himself.
Hogan quietly stepped out of the room and closed the door. He took a deep breath and tried to compose himself a little better as he walked over to the table and sat down. He sat there silently with his head in his hands. No one dared speak to him. They had a feeling by Hogan's reaction, they knew who it was.
No one talked much or did anything for the rest of the day. Shultz knocked on the barrack door that evening. Carter answered it. "I don't want to disturb you, but can I come in?"
"This is a change. Since when 'ave you ever asked permission to come in, or knock for that matter?" Newkirk inquired
"Kommandant Klink just wanted me to let you know that tonight I am going to be right outside the door and if you need Sergeant Wilson to tend to her, let me know. I am sorry about this gentlemen."
"Thanks Shultz, we appreciate it." LeBeau stated.
Shultz felt bad for Maria. She might be the enemy, but doesn't like to see anyone hurt. He left the barrack and shut the door behind him.
During the night, the men heard some moaning coming from Maria's room. Since Hogan was now sleeping on the bunk closest to her room, he was the first one in there. When Hogan reached her bed, he noticed that she was crying and still not awake. He noticed the muscles tightening as if trying to withstand intense pain. "Its ok." Hogan whispered, "For now you are safe." Hogan didn't know if she heard him or not, but he noticed her muscles relax. I am going to do what I can to try and get you out of here, he promised silently.