Chapter 8
Eberhard was hanging up the phone when the doorbell rang. His secretary had already gone home, so he got up to open the door himself.
“Anton, what are you doing here?”
His old friend was red in the face and snorting so violently he couldn’t utter a word.
“You’d best come in. Would you like a coffee?”
Anton nodded, breathing heavily.
After pouring two cups of coffee from the Thermos, Eberhard asked, “What is bothering you so much that you’ve come all this way to see me?”
“This.” Anton handed him a letter. It was a demand from the Gestapo to make an inventory of his valuables.
“Oh sh… oot,” Eberhard exclaimed. A statement of assets was usually the first sign of imminent deportation.
“That’s exactly what I said.” Anton slumped in his chair, blowing on the lukewarm coffee.
“I’ll go to Lieutenant Ruben right away to ask whether the Abwehr can help.
” It wouldn’t be the first time Hans von Dohnanyi’s department had held a protective hand over a Jew destined for deportation.
Eberhard put down his cup and strode across the office, taking his hat and coat from the coat rack.
Anton watched him, perplexed. “Right now? It’s after 5 p.m.”
“I think haste is in order. If I don’t find anyone at the Bendlerblock, I can return tomorrow morning. Will you pass me my briefcase, please?”
Anton still wasn’t quite himself, but at least he had the presence of mind to slip the inventory demand into the briefcase. “In case you need this. I know what it says.”
“Courage, old friend. We’ll work it out somehow.” As he was leaving, Eberhard added, “When you leave, lock the door and put the key under the doormat.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
“I’ll phone you tomorrow.” And with that, Eberhard hurried away to the Bendlerblock. Once again, he was grateful that his practice was in such a central location, unlike Anton’s on the other side of the city.
He arrived to find Herr Marbach had already been relieved by a night watchman who didn’t recognize him. “What is your business here?”
“Good evening. I need to speak to Lieutenant Ruben urgently. Do you think he might still be in his office?”
“Business hours are over for the day.”
“I understand, but it’s an urgent matter of the utmost importance to the Reich.” Eberhard slid his visitor’s identification under the glass partition. “I have a permanent visitor’s permit for exactly such cases as these.”
The watchman inspected the identification from all angles before leaning to pick up the phone and ask for Lieutenant Ruben. He turned back to Eberhard. “You’re in luck, Herr Lange. Lieutenant Ruben is still in the building and prepared to see you.”
Relieved, Eberhard stepped through the gate and into the building. He was sure the Abwehr would find a way to prevent Anton and Gerda’s deportation.
Lieutenant Ruben was striding down the corridor toward him. He led Eberhard to his office, which lay on a different floor from Dohnanyi’s. “What can I do for you, Herr Lange?” he asked, as soon as he had closed the door.
Eberhard showed him the letter from the Gestapo. There had been a few isolated deportations in the past, particularly of Jews of foreign origin, but in October 1941, mass deportations to camps and ghettos in the East had begun.
“I’m glad you came to see me right away. I’ll report to the Gestapo first thing in the morning and have Herr and Frau Seifert’s deportation rescinded.”
“Thank you.” Eberhard hesitated. He barely knew Lieutenant Ruben, having only met him once before.
But Hans von Dohnanyi had appointed him as his contact person, and he certainly wouldn’t task anyone he didn’t trust unconditionally.
“First of all, I would like to say that it has always been a pleasure to work with Herr von Dohnanyi. He’s a man of the highest integrity, who shows genuine sympathy for the situation of our Jewish population, and is always ready to help. ”
Lieutenant Ruben looked him in the eye, but said nothing.
“I am prepared to work with you on the same basis, and hope to change many things for the better.”
“That’s a very optimistic view. We do what we can, but it’s just a drop in the ocean.”
Eberhard nodded thoughtfully. “The important thing is that we never give up. I survived the Great War, the subsequent famine years, hyperinflation, and the Great Depression. I never believed things could get worse than they were back then. Regrettably, I have learned otherwise. Nonetheless, I am firmly convinced we will survive these times as well. It is possible that I personally may not, since I’m over fifty and not in the best of health.
But as a nation, we will overcome Hitler’s rule, I’m certain. ”
“Perhaps the end of the Thousand-Year Reich will come much sooner than most suspect,” said Lieutenant Ruben with a sphinxlike expression.
An involuntary shudder ran down Eberhard’s spine, though whether it was of fear or joy, he couldn’t say. Whichever it was, this meeting had restored his belief in the existence of other honorable men.
“Tell the Seiferts not to complete the statement of assets under any circumstances. Nor should they comply with any order to present themselves at an assembly point.”
Eberhard swallowed hard. The thought of defying a Gestapo order was outrageous. “But—”
Lieutenant Ruben raised his hand. “That’s a worst-case scenario. Most likely, it won’t come to that. As I said, I’ll take care of their case first thing tomorrow morning and apply to the Gestapo for suspension. But you know that when the mills of state begin to grind…”
Eberhard nodded. From his many years of professional experience, he knew the official processes all too well. Once a procedure was set in motion, it was difficult to stop. And that was exactly what worried him.
“Once the Gestapo get their hands on the Seiferts, there is very little I – or my superior – can do about it. Therefore it’s important not to let that happen in the first place. It’s much easier to get a charge of evading justice dropped than it is to get a Jew out of a transit camp.”
Lieutenant Ruben was right, of course. Eberhard knew of a few cases where they had succeeded in getting a detainee released from Sachsenhausen concentration camp – but the number of prisoners for whom every intervention had been in vain was considerably higher.
“I owe you a huge debt of gratitude.” Eberhard gave a slight bow. Although the representatives of the Abwehr always worked within the legal framework, every employee who stood up for a Jew risked his career, if not his life, if there was any suspicion this was done for humanitarian reasons.
“I wish that wasn’t the case.” A great sadness spread over Lieutenant Ruben’s face.
“The political situation in Germany is not your fault.”
“Probably to a lesser extent than other people. But I haven’t even managed to dissuade my closest family from idolizing Nazi racial ideology.”
Eberhard felt an urge to comfort this man, who was young enough to be his son.
He knew nothing about Ruben’s family background and could only guess at the grief he was carrying with him.
“Please, don’t blame yourself. Each person is responsible only for their own actions.
Of course, we can, we must, try to keep others from straying down false ideological paths.
But if we have tried, and our arguments fall on deaf ears, then we have nothing to blame ourselves for. ”
Eberhard was proud of his understanding of human nature, something which he had refined over many years in the courtroom.
He paused briefly to gaze at the tall, blond man, whose eyes seemed to hide a sad secret.
“You will not change people’s minds. The important thing is that deep in here,” he held his hand to his heart, “you feel that you are doing the right thing. All else is secondary.”
“You have no idea how much I needed those words.” Ruben seemed to need a moment to collect himself before continuing.
“I want to do more. If you…” Eberhard perked up his ears, though careful not to interrupt the other man, who struggled to find the proper words.
“I mean, if you hear about others in the same predicament… or even…” Lieutenant Ruben fidgeted with his hands.
“I’m trying to offer my help, should you hear of anyone in need.
Perhaps in a less official way than with the Seiferts. ”
Eberhard schooled his features to conceal the shock. Lieutenant Ruben was sticking his neck out issuing the unexpected, and criminal, offer. “That is very generous of you.”
“I consider it my duty to our country, and to humanity. Will you please consider my offer?”
Fighting hard to suppress a smile, Eberhard answered. “I certainly will. Thank you so much for all you’re doing. You’re an honorable man.”
Escorting Eberhard to the door, he added, “I don’t need to tell you that everything we discussed is strictly confidential.”
“Of course, Lieutenant. You can count on me.” It was the least he could do for the man who was risking a great deal to save Anton and Gerda from deportation, and had just offered to do even more.
Back at home, Selma was waiting anxiously for her husband. “There you are at last. I’ve called your office a dozen times, but no one answered.” Since long before the beginning of the war, Selma tended to become anxious whenever he returned home later than expected.
“I’m sorry, I had to go to the Bendlerblock.”
“Something urgent?” She knew him well enough to sense the hint of nervousness surrounding him despite Ruben’s assurances that he would take care of the matter.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Selma took his briefcase and helped him out of his coat, then she placed a stew on the neatly-laid table.
During the meal, he told her about Anton’s visit and concluded his recount with the words, “Our friends in the Abwehr are taking care of it.”
“We can thank our stars for that contact,” Selma said as she spooned the final mouthful from her plate.
As usual, the stew consisted mainly of water with a few potatoes, and was just enough to satisfy the worst hunger pangs, without approaching the feeling of sated contentment a hearty meal provided.
“It was excellent as usual,” he assured her.
Selma sighed. “How I would have loved to surprise you with some meat, but when I went shopping, there was nothing to be had, not even with ration cards.”
He put his hand on hers. “One day, things will become better. I’m certain of it.”
A beautiful smile, full of hope, lit up his wife’s face, and he loved her all the more for it. After more than thirty years of marriage, he sometimes took her for granted. He vowed inwardly to spend more time with her.
“Don’t you want to call Anton and let him know?”
With a glance of regret at his empty plate, Eberhard leaned back.
He pinched his left earlobe with his hand to think more clearly.
“I’d rather wait until tomorrow morning and call him from my practice.
Maybe I’ll have some news by then. And I don’t want to say anything incriminating over the telephone. ”
“Gerda will be beside herself. You should at least give them a brief call to let them know the Abwehr is taking care of it.”
“You’re probably right.” Eberhard moved to get up and go to the telephone, but Selma interrupted.
“I have a better idea. In the morning, I’ll pay them a visit. That way, I’ll be able to see Gerda again. What should I tell her?”
Eberhard frowned. “My contact emphasized under no circumstances should they comply with either the inventory or a summons to present themselves at an assembly point.”
Selma gasped. “Has it come to that already?”
“No. That’s purely a precautionary measure in case the Gestapo mills grind too slowly and the process can’t be stopped in time.”
“Are you sure nothing will happen to them if they defy an official order?”
“Oh, Selma,” he patted her hand. “I rather think what awaits them at the assembly point is a great deal worse.”
His wife’s face twisted into a horrified grimace. “Then it’s decided: I’ll leave with you tomorrow morning and go straight to Gerda’s. The chores will have to wait until later.”
“Thank you.” He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her toward him for a kiss. “What would I do without you?”
“We were so happy.” Selma’s deep sigh almost tore his heart in two.
“And we will be again. Together we will get through this. As long as we take care of each other, and can rely on our friends in the Abwehr, nothing can go wrong.” He needed the comfort of his words just as much as Selma did, because deep in his heart the fear of what the future might bring lay dormant.
Collecting records of anti-Semitic activities had opened his eyes to the fact that under Hitler, no atrocity was too perverse, immoral or inhuman to be committed.
What if they were next on the deportation list?