Chapter 14

Colonel Klink came one more time into the cooler, at the fervent request of General Burkhalter. The guards, who Klink noted were one of the former prisoners and one of his former guards, stepped aside to allow him a modicum of privacy.

"Klink, you traitor, where have you been?" The general started.

"General Burkhalter, I can leave right now. You're no longer in a position to bully me anymore." The former Kommandant turned to leave.

"Wait, Klink." Burkhalter replied. "I need to talk to someone. I have no idea what is going on."

"What is going on? We have lost the war, that is what is going on," Klink answered.

"The war – is it over?" The general almost whispered.

"Not quite yet," Klink replied. "There are still too many who have to die before it's all over. Too many good young men, and too many civilians who will die with them."

"But was has happened? Hogan was having me sign orders, but now that has stopped, and these guards tell me nothing."

"I do not know everything that has occurred, and I don't pretend to understand how Hogan has accomplished it, but it seems that Hogan is in control of most of Southern Germany and perhaps Southern Austria as well."

"But how?" The general asked.

Klink turned away from the general. He faced a blank wall and his eyes focused on something that wasn't there. "You ask how. It's because Hogan is a better military man than any of us. I have watched him, General. He inspires his men. Even Rommel never had the blind devotion I have seen of the men following Hogan. They believe he can do anything. The difference with Hogan is that he doesn't bask in their devotion, he challenges them to be as good or better than him. Those men work ten times as hard as our men would, just so they don't disappoint him. We Germans control out of fear – we use the Gestapo. Hogan uses his charisma to challenge his men and they accept. We were outmaneuvered by a genius," Klink paused for a moment.

"Bah, we are the Master Race," Burkhalter spit out contemptuously.

"Now you sound like a propaganda recording. There is no master race. I have watched American, Brits, Frenchmen, Russians, Poles, and yes, even Jews outmaneuver and outperform your Master Race at every turn. There is only will to survive and respect of others that make the difference." Klink allowed his eyes to come back into focus. He turned back and faced the general. "Tell me, general, where is your family?"

Burkhalter raised his head up suddenly to Klink, but his gaze fell and his head slowly lowered again. "They hopefully made it to Switzerland. I was going to meet them there."

Klink actually laughed. "So, which of us is the bigger traitor? I have only been a fool, you have aided Hogan far more than I have Herr General."

"A fool?!" Burkhalter exploded. "This is all your fault! You let Hogan take over! Hochstetter was right about Hogan!"

For once, Klink didn't back down. He actually drew himself even more upright. "Yes, Hochstetter was right, but not even close to enough. I have been shown enough to realize that Hogan has been controlling this part of Germany for years. Hundreds of Germans reported to him. He ordered London things to do. He could order air raids, get commandos, smuggle people out, eavesdrop on all our communication, and all from right here. Should I have seen it? Yes. But no one, not Hochstetter, not you, not Berlin could have believed the scope of what Hogan was doing. Do you know there is more counterfeit money in Hogan's tunnel than there ever was money in the Berlin banks? Hogan probably has the only real currency left in Germany. Now he only pays out the real stuff. Many farmers won't even deal with the Army and they bring their food to a Hogan supplier – they know the army is using Hogan's old counterfeit bills."

Burkhalter stared incredulously at the former Kommandant.

Klink continued, "I have seen the warehouses and supplies Hogan had built underground. There are literally miles of tunnels under your feet. They were able to have the Allies drop supplies almost at their whims. They made their own explosives, they have hundreds and hundreds of every type of uniform, and more people processing paperwork than all of Berlin. With a few hours' notice, Hogan could have a hundred Allies patrolling a street in any German city, and their papers would be better than any civilian. Yes, it has all been under my nose, and I will have to live with that, but I have also seen that for all his planning and plotting, Hogan has treated all the Germans under his control fairly and humanely. Can we say the same?"

Burkhalter looked up and was about to give a retort, but something made him stop. After a moment he simply said, "And what is to become of us?"

"I have no idea General. We deserve to be punished for the evil things we have done, yes, I have known about some of the other camps. Some of them under your control, some run by the S.S., and I have some idea how many have died. I don't know what Hogan will do, maybe some of your assistance will be helpful for you, or maybe we are both doomed."

Burkhalter faltered, eyes downcast, and whispered, "This is not how this was supposed to end, the Fuhrer promised us."

Klink stared at the broken man. "And you think I was a fool. All that he has brought us is death and destruction. You were a fool for following him. You were a fool for being a loyal party member. You were a fool for turning your back on humanity to serve a madman's cause. You no longer have any right to call me the fool." With that Klink turned and stormed out of the cell. Turning to the guards, he ordered, in a voice he had never known he had, "Lock that fool up, and I never want to see him again."