"Wir sind das deutsche Afrikakorps,
des Führers verwegene Truppe.
Wir stürmen wie die Teufel hervor,
Versalzen dem Tommy die Suppe."
"Rommel Marsch" - The Marching Song of the Afrika Korps
Another day breaks for the German Hauptmann Hans Dietrich, as he wakes up in his current command location, a small fort in an equally small oasis town in Lybia. Whether the Germans will still be holding the town by the end of the week is unclear, as will be his orders for the day except for the usual logistics and supply tasks. As it is late October the cold nights of the Saharan winter start to demonstrate their existence and soon sleeping without his warmest clothes will not be an option anymore. When Hans sits up in bed, yawning and hanging his legs over the edge, a soft yelp greets him which quickly turns into excited barks, as the small dog that the Rats have once dumped on him rises on its hind legs, placing his front paws on the German's thigh. Fawning enthusiastically, the furry animal begs his master to pet him with practiced big puppy eyes, filled with affection and adoration. "Ruhig, Fritz. Sitz!", Hans Dietrich orders the excited animal to be quiet and sit down, as he stands up and stretches his arms. The past weeks spent with the strict German officer have indeed shaped Fritz' behaviour to the better, as he sits down obediently and stares at his master with unerring adoration, while his tongue lolls out at the left side of his snout. "Brav, Fritz!", the Hauptmann praises him, while he turns to wash and shave, before putting on his uniform.
Fritz obediently follows at the German officer's heel, while the tall man walks toward the mess hall. Once inside, the dog runs off toward the kitchen where Fritz knows he will reliably find somebody to feed him with scraps. By now the kitchen crew likes their unit mascot enough to lovingly put together a selection of any burnt meat and bakery scraps. Meanwhile, Hauptmann Hans Dietrich sits down for breakfast next to his second in command, Oberleutnant Wilhelm Wagner, a tough, honest and straight-forward young Bavarian officer. "Guten Morgen, Herr Hauptmann", Oberleutnant Wagner greets him with an honest smile, expressing his sympathy for his commanding officer. "Guten Morgen, Oberleutnant Wagner. Ist alles in Ordnung bei den Jungs?", the tall Hauptmann inquires about the current situation and their, while pouring himself some coffee into a mug. "Alles in Ordnung, Herr Hauptmann. Keine Ratten weit und breit", Wagner adds half-jokingly that there are no rats anywhere near, when he reports that all is well. Dietrich almost chokes on his coffee, swallowing with a grimace that clearly speaks of him not sharing the humor of the statement. "Verschreien Sie es nicht, Wagner. Die Ratten suchen uns früher heim, als uns lieb ist", Hans Dietrich sighs wearily, already envisioning that the Rat Patrol will be harassing them soon enough again.
After breakfast, the German Hauptmann inspects his fort's troops, facilities and supplies, as has become his routine during the last years spent in the North African desert. Once, Dietrich has assured himself that all is in proper order, he gives his men the orders for the day which include training, patrols and requisition of provisions. Since they cannot expect any convoys with necessary supplies before the next week according to headquarters, he will have to make due with the local food supply and trade with the Sheikh who luckily holds some sympathies for the German commander since Dietrich has spent two weeks riding through the desert to acquire direly needed antibiotics for his troops and the local town. As the only one able the speak Arabic and some of the local dialects of the Bedouins to a certain degree, the Hauptmann is typically in charge of buying additional provisions at the market himself. Since his teenage days, when he has learnt the ropes of organizing supplies and haggling with the vendors, Hans has enjoyed this little cat and mouse game of pressing the prices which nowadays he uses as a chance of buying some intel in addition to fresh food which adds to the nutritional value and undoubtedly the taste of their tinned rations.
Before leaving Oberleutnant Wagner in charge of the fort for the morning, Hauptmann Dietrich checks with his aide who serves as his clerk and sometimes driver of his staff car. "Leutnant Brunner", he addresses the thin young man from Berlin who looks up at him with almost the same expectant expression as Fritz, their dog mascot. Brunner has been a student of philosophy before joining the Wehrmacht and sometimes the young Berliner has no realistic footing in reality which is why his commanding officer tries to keep the young man protected by keeping him busy with the office duties of writing tedious reports and countless list for supplies which will mostly not arrive anyways. "Gibt es Nachrichten vom Hauptquartier?", Dietrich inquires sternly and Brunner shakes his head indicating clearly that no news from HQ has arrived. The Hauptmann nods contemplatively. "Dann bleiben die existierenden Befehle in Kraft. Halten Sie Kontakt und melden Sie, dass ich in der Stadt bin zur Ergänzung der Nahrungsreserven und Auffrischung unserer Informationen über die Alliierten", he informs him on his intentions of gathering provisions and information in town. "Jawohl, Herr Hauptmann", Brunner salutes swiftly which Dietrich answers with a salute of his own, before leaving the office.
As he walks into the oasis town, the German Captain greets several of the local townspeople and vendors who at least respect him more than most Westerners since obtaining the medicine for their families and town. Several children play in the street, some of whom Hans recognizes from having given them the medicine himself, when Doktor Sommer, his Stabsarzt, has still been too preoccupied with treating all his sick soldiers. When two of the boys wave at him, as he passes by, the tall officer smiles gently and gives a waving salute, before he continues on toward the courtyard where the Sheikh resides with his family.
"As-salamu 'alaikum", Hauptmann Dietrich greets the leader of the Bedouins who has traded food and information with him for many times in the past months, whenever the Germans have held the oasis town or camped nearby. "Wa-'alaikumu s-salam", Sheikh Sulaiman greets the Afrikakorps officer with his typical reserved smile. Neither party trusts the other fully, yet they both profit more from collaboration than antagonism and thus have kept their truce ever since the arrival of the Germans. After learning from his own mistakes, Hans Dietrich has made sure that his men would always behave well enough and not harass the locals in any way to keep this state of affairs intact which has served him well. Also, providing his people with medicine in addition to his own soldiers has bought the young officer some respect with their leader and several of the townspeople who have profited from this, as their children have been in danger.
"*What can I do for you, Hauptmann?*", Sheikh Sulaiman asks in his local Arabic dialect the German is familiar with by now, as the Arab applies the sly tone of an experienced vendor preparing for the haggling to come. Dietrich gives him a non-committal smile, before answering in the same language with a slight German accent: "*I would like to buy some of your chickens and goats for meat and a few sacks of dates.*" The legend among Bedouins says that some camel or goat milk and 5 dates are enough to keep a man alive for a day in the desert. Hans Dietrich remembers well enough when he has had put this theory to the test with water instead of milk and he can only hope that it will never happen again that he should need to survive like this. However, given the amount of supplies regularly destroyed by the Rat Patrol and the rest of the accursed LRDP, he would rather err in the direction of caution by gaining additional food supplies for his men than having them starve. The Sheikh spreads his arms and gives the tall European a wide grin. "*Ah. Of course, Hauptmann*", the Bedouin struggles a bit with the pronunciation of the German word of the officer's rank. "*Our animals are the best you can find all around.*" The German officer keeps himself from rolling his eyes at the boastful statement which is part of the local haggling process, as this would be undignified behaviour. With no competition around, their animals would undoubtedly be the best which still does not say anything about them being good or well-fed.
Keeping up his polite half-smile and non-threatening appearance, Hauptmann Dietrich proceeds with the typical haggling, answering exaggerated praises of the goods with cautious counters which yet must not affront the Sheikh. Even though he enjoys the thrill of it, he always feels like treading a verbal mine field in these situations. Finally, they come to an agreement over the prize and Hans Dietrich intends to use the now more satisfied atmosphere for inquiring about any news regarding the Allies, when the sound of vehicles makes him spin around and reach for his side arm instinctively. Knowing that he has not ordered any of his men out to patrol with their vehicles to save fuel, the arrival of the Rat Patrol is his first thought triggered on instinct by now, whenever he hears the whirring sound of motors. After a few seconds, Dietrich realizes that the noise sounds not at all like a Jeep, but also not like any of his half-tracks or tanks, but rather like a large car.
Cautiously, he steps outside the Sheikh's central courtyard, followed by the Arab, to check the situation in the main street outside. A black limousine turns around the corner and slowly, almost menacingly drives toward the central square where the Captain is standing next to the wary Sheikh. At the sight of the small flags marked with the Nazis' Swastika symbol, Hans Dietrich swallows involuntarily and his eyes narrow. "*You better leave, Sheikh Sulaiman*", he warns the other man with as calm a tone as he can manage. "*We will conclude our deal later.*" The Sheikh has observed the situation with growing anxiety and suspicion and is clearly relieved by the German officer's words to let him leave with his dignity intact. Ordering his men to retreat to their courtyard, the Bedouin leader leaves the Germans to their internal affairs.
As the car stops next to him, Hauptmann Dietrich straightens his posture rising to his full height, as he stands at attention. Raising his hand to his cap in a crisp military salute, Hans observes cautiously, as two SS officers and two armed guards get out of the back of the vehicle with a driver and third armed guard staying in the front of the car. All of them bear the Swastika armband, marking them as members of the NSDAP, actual Nazis unlike Dietrich himself. "Heil Hitler!", the SS men greet him with the classical Hitlergruß extending their right forearm and frown in annoyance as the Hauptmann is clearly unwilling to answer this with anything but a neutral military salute. The older man is in his mid-forties with a balding head and piercing grey eyes which speak of neither humor nor mercy. The younger officer is likely ten years older than Dietrich himself and about as much younger than his superior officer and looks like the role model Arier with piercing blue eyes and blond hair cropped in a military cut.
"Sie sind der befehlshabende Offizier?", the older man asks whether Dietrich is the officer in charge. "Jawohl", the Hauptmann answers and introduces himself: "Hauptmann Hans Dietrich, 5. Leichte Division des Deutschen Afrikakorps." Both SS officers eye the tall lean officer suspiciously, before the older one answers with an introduction of their own: "Sturmbannführer Friedrich Waldheim und Hauptsturmführer Hermann Metzlich." Dietrich swallows hard, as his stomach twists with a premonition that these two can mean nothing good for him and his command post. Not only is their presence alone a good reason enough to worry, but also does one of them outrank him. This situation could turn bad very quickly and he has to tread cautiously.
"Was kann ich Für Sie tun, meine Herren?", the youngest of the three German officers tries to gain information while appearing as nonchalant as possible. "Sie haben hier den Oberbefehl über die Truppen, Hauptmann?", the Sturmbannführer answers the Captain's question with another question of his own about whether Dietrich was in command of the local troops. "In Abwesenheit eines höherrangigen Offiziers der Wehrmacht", Dietrich insists on pointing out that he would only bow to the order of a higher ranking officer of his own military unit, the Wehrmacht, "habe ich den Oberbefehl." Although he does not say so loudly, he cannot consider the personal army of the NSDAP real military and does does not consider them his actual colleagues or comrades in the least, but rather views them as fanatics who do not have the guts to serve their fatherland. The younger man now speaks instead of his superior with a harsh tone that Dietrich immediately dislikes: "Sie haben den Befehl von Berlin zum Umgang mit Juden erhalten?" Metzlich spits out the word 'Jews' while asking whether the officer has received the orders from Berlin.
Hauptmann Dietrich is well aware of the attitude the headquarters in Berlin have about Jews as well as other minorities and races they consider inferior without knowing anything about them or their culture. Yet, like any other officer of the Afrikakoprs, Hans listens to Generalfeldmarschall Rommel's orders rather than Berlin's and Rommel is no supporter of the Nazis and their crazed racial politics, especially when he and his troops rely on good relations with the local native tribes in many regions. Dietrich does not fail to point this out to the two SS officers resisting the urge to sneer at them: "Ich gehorche den Befehlen von Generalfeldmarschall Rommel und hätte von ihm keinerlei Befehl erhalten, der mich zu Handlungen jedweder Art zwingt."
The older SS officer regards the insolent young Hauptmann with a look that classifies him as something like a nasty insect, while the younger officer just glares at him with undisguised antipathy. Despite their hostile attitude, Hans Dietrich proudly stands his ground, meeting their eyes with a steady and determined gaze. Priding himself on his sense of honor and chivalry, he would not bow before the Rat Patrol and Allied troops and just as surely would not cower in front of the SS. "Hauptmann, Sie werden Ihre Männer beordnern, alle Juden zusammen zu treiben und ein Erschießungskommando aufzustellen." For a moment the tall Hauptmann takes a gasping breath, as he hears the command to order his troops to rally and shoot all Jews in the oasis. "Das werde ich nicht tun", Dietrich refuses stubbornly and continues with an explanation of their reliance on the collaboration with the natives, when lack of supplies would threaten whole German battalions, arguing the he refuses to risk German solders' lives for shooting a few Jews. "Wir sind auf die Kooperation die hiesigen Stämme angewiesen, wenn uns wegen Versorgungsengpässen nicht nur das Bezin sondern auch die Nahrung oder Wasser ausgehen. Dann brauchen wir die Unterstützung der Stämme hier, um Fleisch, Datteln und Zugang zu Wasserstellen zu bekommen. Es wäre Wahnsinn, das Leben ganzer deutscher Einheiten wegen ein paar Juden zu gefährden."
"Sie sind eine Schande für die Herrenrasse, Hauptmann. Wie ein Wurm vor diesen dreckigen Wilden im Sand zu kriechen!", the SS Sturmbannführer shouts at him in anger. Hans Dietrich does not take being called a disgrace for his people and a worm crawling in the sand lightly. With rising anger, he growls: "Bei allem Respekt, Herr Obersturmmbannführer, Sie haben nicht die letzten zwei Jahre in einer Wüste mit stets wechselnden Bedingungen verbracht, mit Hunger, Durst und Hitze als mindestens so großen Feinden wie die Alliierten, es sind!" Even though he uses terms like 'with all due respect' and argues with hunger, thirst and heat as more formidable foes than the allied soldiers, his lack of respect for the pair is rather obvious.
Just when the dialogue is about to escalate, they are interrupted by Dietrich's aide. "Herr Hauptmann, ein dringender Befehl vom Hauptquartier", Leutnant Brunner shouts from a distance, as he comes running, before he stops short, staring in shock and horror, when he sees the SS soldiers and officers surrounding his commanding officer. "Wie lautet der Befehl?", Hauptmann Dietrich asks about the urgent command from headquarters with a sharper tone than his aide has expected. "Sie sollen ... die Sicherheit von ... General König gewährleisten, Herr Hauptmann. Die Alliierten sollen hinter ihm her sein", Brunner reports a bit short of breath. Hearing the orders, Hans Dietrich feels like he had just jumped from the frying pan into the fire. "The Butcher"'s reputation is legendary - a sadistic man without care for friend or foe. And the order to protect him is the only thing keeping him from falling into the clutches of the SS within this very day, as he is already dangerously close to annoying them enough to warrant his arrest. The universe truly has a strange sense of humor.
A spare the readers the recount of the final episode of the Rat Patrol which is meant to take place afterwards, before the next chapters continues its story line.
