Hammelburg, Gestapo Headquarters,
August 11, 1944, 0825 hours
Major Hochstetter was so happy that he almost skipped down the hall towards his office. He had finally caught his break. Not only did he capture a major Underground leader, he captured four of them. "Now Berlin will stop overlooking me," he muttered happily. "I should get a promotion for this!"
Indeed Hochstetter had gotten lucky. Several days ago, he had received notice from SS Intelligence that four of the major foreign leaders of the Underground planned to meet somewhere in the area around Hammelburg to plan their combined strategy. When he heard that news, he knew that if he could capture even one of them, his standing in Berlin would rise. This was the best thing that could happen to him, short of capturing Papa Bear himself.
He entered his office and picked up the phone. "Get me General Schlesinger," he ordered. He bounced around impatiently while he waited to be connected.
"Schlesinger here," a voice said suddenly as the connection was made.
"General, Major Hochstetter here," Hochstetter said. "I have good news for you."
"What have you done this time, Hochstetter?" Schlesinger asked skeptically.
"I have captured them!" Hochstetter replied excitedly. "Not just one of them … all four of them!"
"What are you talking about?" Schlesinger asked.
"The four Underground leaders," Hochstetter replied. "The ones that were to meet in this area. I have got them!"
"Are you sure it is them?" Schlesinger countered.
"Positive, General," Hochstetter said. "I have Leiden from Austria, Calarusso from Italy, Belay from France and Albins from Belgium … who seems to be the leader of the four."
Hochstetter heard a low whistle over the phone connection. "Well it does seem that you do have the four we were informed about," Schlesinger said. "I guess congratulations are in order, Major."
"Danke, General," Hochstetter replied. "I shall begin interrogating them this morning."
"You will do no such thing," Schlesinger ordered. "These are four very important prisoners and I want them interrogated at Headquarters in Berlin."
"But sir," Hochstetter started.
"But nothing!" Schlesinger interrupted. "I will send a special guard from Headquarters to escort them to Berlin. You will hold them until the guard arrives."
"I can interrogate them until the guard arrives," Hochstetter suggested. "And then accompany them to Headquarters."
"Nein, Schlesinger replied. "You will hold them until the guard arrives. And if you cannot handle that order, Hochstetter, you can accompany them as a prisoner yourself!"
"Jawohl, General," Hochstetter replied dejectedly. "I will hold them here at Gestapo Headquarters until the guard arrives."
"Hochstetter, these are very important people to the Underground," Schlesinger said. "They will try to rescue them."
"I will be ready for them," Hochstetter said.
"Like you were ready when they freed the Allied paratrooper at the beginning of the year?" Schlesinger replied. "You will take them somewhere safer – where the Underground cannot reach them. Take them to the Luft Stalag in your area until the guard arrives."
"But sir," Hochstetter protested. "Need I remind you …"
"Remind me of what, Hochstetter?" Schlesinger asked. The tone of his voice warned Hochstetter that arguing with this order might not be the best thing.
"I will take them to Stalag 13," Hochstetter said through clenched teeth. "They will remain there until the armed escort arrives."
"Good," Schlesinger said. "It looks like you finally have done something right, Hochstetter!"
Hochstetter felt the anger rising in him. "Jawohl …" he said, but the line clicked dead before he could finish, "General." Hochstetter slammed the handset down on the phone. His good mood had evaporated. "I will make sure those prisoners make it to Berlin!" he screamed at the phone. "And then I will make sure that I get what is coming to me!"