The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to Bing Crosby Productions. No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, and no infringement is intended.

Weaving a Web to Freedom,

Undoing the Past

By Marty Miller

Background information, for this story, is from the HH Episode "The Meister Spy"

Chapter 12

"Are you sure we can't use the 'coffee pot', Kinch?" Newkirk asked, as he joined the others.

"No 'coffee pot', Colonel's orders!" Kinch replied without pause.

"This is murder, not knowing what's going on," Carter turned from the window and faced the group.

"Hey, is that…yeah, they're taking the Colonel somewhere," Newkirk watched as they paraded Hogan out of Klink's quarters. "They're taking him to the 'infirmary! He doesn't look injured. What's going on?"

Wilson ran to take a look. "You're right, he looks okay."

"Where are you going Wilson?" Carter asked.

"I'm going to see what I can find out!" Wilson pulled his collar up and headed out the door."

The remaining four made their way back to the table in the center of the barrack.

"When do you think they will come for us," Carter asked?

"I think we can safely assume, it will be before the sun sets on this day. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine." Newkirk answered.

"Don't worry Carter, this will all be over before we know it. Just remember your orders, and do your job. It's no different than any other assignment." Louis answered, not sure who he was trying to convince, Carter or himself.

Wilson, dripping wet, stepped back into the barrack.

"Well, I got a quick peek into the infirmary before the guards came back around. It looks like their going to give the Colonel a physical."

"A physical?" Kinch and LeBeau said together.

"What are they up too?" Kinch continued. "How does that tie into Strasser? Are you sure, they weren't planning anything else?"

Wilson frowned. "I'm not sure of anything. I just know there were a couple of Kraut doctors in there, and it looked like they were getting ready to examine the Colonel."

Kinch turned and paced. They had their orders. But no one anticipated this. Do they continue? Nodding to himself, he answered his own question."We have to stay with the plan. Whatever they've got up their sleeve, it doesn't change our objective. Does everyone have their story straight in their heads?"

"Oui, we've rehearsed it several times," Louis confirmed. Newkirk and Carter nodded.

Wilson shook his head and asked, "You feel prepared for this?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't make it any easier," Kinch confided.

Sighing, Wilson asked, "If you're really set on doing this, is there anything I can do?"

"Oh, I sincerely hope not," Newkirk, exclaimed. "The need for your expertise, I am hoping to avoid."

"We'll let you know, if we need you." Kinch answered.

"Or at least we hope somebody will," Louis added.

"But for now you'd better be getting back to your barrack." Kinch tapped on the bunk and opened the tunnel entrance.

'Carter," Kinch ordered, "Go tell Miller they've come for the Colonel and he needs to be ready. And hurry, we may be next."

Carter shook his head affirmatively as he threw his leg over the bunk railing and followed Wilson into the tunnel.

"Will do!"

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As Hogan entered the camp hospital he immediately saw two officers standing at the opposite end. As they turned from their preparations to look at him, he got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The older officer, probably in his early fifties, appeared to be in command. He had already removed his jacket and rolled his sleeves up, while the other officer, a Captain, looked to be in his late thirty's.

The Captain walked up behind his senior officer and as he removed his uniform jacket, announced, "I will prepare him, Major, while you finish getting ready." Then, looking at Hogan, he ordered, "Take off your shirt and lay down on that table."

Hogan didn't move. Instead he looked around at the equipment in the room. His mouth went dry. He could feel his heart begin to pound in his chest.

The senior doctor looked past Hogan to the two guards standing in the shadows and motioned them forward.

"We have a job to do here, Colonel. We can do this the easy way or the hard way." He paused and gestured in the direction of the guards. "Either way is fine with us, but you will end up on that examining table. It's your call."

Hogan took a quick look at the guards. Not seeing any alternative, he decided to preserve what dignity he could, took off his jacket, and began unbuttoning his shirt.

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Strasser had just spent several hours, listening to his captors describe events he had supposedly been subjected to as a child, the indoctrination process, subliminal programming, and explanations of his periods of "lost time."

"Why are you telling me all of this? You don't actually think I would believe anything you told me?"

"You'd be wise if you did. There's a way out. You do not have to continue to be controlled or die at the hands of the Nazi's."

"You want me to betray my country?" Strasser questioned.

"We are not asking that of you. We are simply giving you the opportunity to sit out the remainder of the war in a nice safe POW camp, as opposed to dying for no reason, at the hands of a country that exploited you, taking away your youth and your will."

So, Colonel Hogan, your underground unit is offering me an option, but why? They already have me. They don't need me to agree to anything…do they?

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Preceded by the two doctors he had been recently introduced too, Hogan stepped into the Kommandant's office followed by the same guard that escorted from the Kommandant's living quarters. The guard placed him in front of Klink's desk where he was on display for the Officers in the room. The senior physician laid a folder down in front of Knefler, who picked it up and thumbed through it.

"Except for being on the light side of your weight range, which we can attribute to prison diet, and your blood pressure being a bit high, which I will contribute to stress, you appear to be in good health, Colonel Hogan."

Hogan stared silently at Knefler.

Knefler passed the medical folder to the officer on his right, who also thumbed through it.

Hogan shifted his weight uncomfortably and clenched his teeth as the details of his physical exam were shared.

Klink, who was standing off to Knefler's left, broke the silence. "Colonel Hogan, You've already met Colonel Knefler. These other officers have come to talk to you and your men about Major Martin."

Hogan stopped staring at Knefler and looked at Klink.

Klink recognized the detached look in Hogan's eyes. He hadn't seen that look since Hogan first arrive at Stalag 13.

Knefler watched with interest as he leaned forward in his chair and commented, "You're very calm for a man who knows he is about to be interrogated." Looking down at the bulging dossier in front of him, he added, "You're the last of a vanishing breed, Colonel."

Looking straight ahead, Hogan quickly responded, "I wouldn't count us out just yet."

Klink's hand tightened around his swagger stick. "Hogan!"Klink chastised.

Knefler smiled. "That's not what I meant, but you'll find out soon enough." After a brief pause, Knefler continued, "Herr Strasser said you were keeping secrets from us."

Hogan looked at Knefler and answered, innocently, "I don't know what you mean? I've already told Kommandant Klink what I know."

Knefler, smiled. "Have you? We shall see."

Holding out some papers for Hogan, Knefler continued, "I have written some questions out and I would like you to write down your answers."

"Hogan, Robert E, Colonel, United States Army Air Corp. Serial number 0876707." Hogan recited, again keeping his eyes forward.

Knefler wanted no less from the American Colonel and was relieved not to have been disappointed. After what he had read at Dulag, he wasn't sure if he would still find a willful "alpha".

Knefler smiled, picked up the bulging dossier, and stated. "This is Corporal Schaffer, indicating the officer to whom he had just handed Hogan's file. He is your interrogator. You belong to him now."

The guard stepped in front of Hogan and, pulling his arms forward, revealed red wrists onto which he slapped handcuffs and tightened them down.

"After you, Colonel," Schaffer motioned toward the door.

The guard grabbed Hogan and shoved him into the outer office. Schaffer saluted, turned, and followed.

Knefler grinned as the door closed behind Schaffer and looking at the doctors commented, "By the look of his wrists, he put up some resistance."

The older physician nodded.

Knefler scribbled a few additional notes down in his file.

"I want to thank-you for coming to Stalag 13 to exam the prisoner. We're not sure how much, if anything, he remembers from his previous testing. But if we had taken him to you, at the hospital, it may have triggered a memory. Once he breaks, we will examine him again. It should help us set a standard for the finished program."

Klink turned to Knefler. "Testing? Triggered memories? I don't understand."

"That is good, Kommandant. Perhaps Colonel Hogan is as confused as you are. All you need to know is that in this first phase, we are going to make Colonel Hogan realize that by refusing to answer our questions he has chosen to turn control over to us. He will have definite limits as to how and when he can respond to us. And that food, tobacco, praise, and the only social contact he has comes from his interrogator, who exercises control over him.

The loss of control, the dependence on his captor, and the ensuing physical duress should break down previous patterns of behavior. Some of which we hope will be the loss of barriers to his psyche. Corporal Schaffer will question, argue, indoctrinate, threaten, cajole, and deprive, making himself the source of Hogan's conflict. He will also be his source of comfort.

During the second stage, the Gestapo will add their expertise. Major Hochstetter will administer the physical force, under what will appear to be Schaffer's direction. Colonel Hogan's interrogator will then becomes his champion, by being the only one who can stop the Gestapo.

This emotional turmoil, coupled with mental and physical exhaustion, will re-manifest into a desire to please and force Hogan to seek out what is desired by Schaffer. This is where we have achieved, mental breakdowns, delusions, hallucinations and a weakened psyche from our other test subjects. It is at this point we are ready to begin the third and final stage. The reprogramming or placement of a different value system."

Klink's head was spinning. Knefler had just revealed the primary purpose of this investigation. But…

"What about Strasser's claims."

"Those could be interesting if true. But it is more likely that Strasser may be suffering a breakdown of his own. The result of an earlier brainwashing study gone bad."

The light went on. Brainwashing, this is about brainwashing, Klink realized. Germany has been studying indoctrination for years. We must be far ahead of other countries.

Briefly proud and then horrified, he wondered how many lives they had been toying with during these studies? It appeared that at least two of those lives were Strasser and Hogan, two human beings who would never be the same when they finished with them.

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