I see it as my duty as a soldier and a German to take whatever action is necessary to hasten the end of the war by the only means now available, eliminating the present head of the government. The soldiers who will die now, in battle, or in Russian prisoner of war camps, will be as much victims of the officer corps’ failure to act as the people the Nazis are slaughtering in concentration camps.
I put it to you, Hansel, that your allegiance should be no longer to the Luftwaffe, or the German State, but to Germany, and to the family, and to the people who have lived on our lands for so long.
In this connection, your first duty is to survive the war. Under no circumstances are you to return to Germany for any purpose until the war is over. If you are ordered to return, find now some place where you can hide safely.
Your second duty is to transfer the family funds from Switzerland to Argentina as quickly as possible. You have by now made contact with our friend in Argentina, and he will probably be able to be of help. In any event, make sure the funds are in some safe place. It would be better if they could be wisely invested, but the primary concern is to keep them safe from the Sicherheitsdienst until the war is over.
In the chaos that will occur in Germany after the war, the only hope our people will have, to keep them in their homes, indeed to keep them from starvation, and the only hope there will be for the future of the von Wachtstein family, and the estates, will be the money that I have placed in your care.
I hope, one day, to be able to go with you again to the village for a beer and a sausage. If that is not to be, I have confidence that God in his mercy will allow us to be all together again, your mother and your brothers, and you and I, in a better place.
I have taken great pride in you, Hansel.
Poppa
* * *
Major Freiherr Hans-Peter von Wachtstein turned away from the desk of the Ambassador of the German Reich to the Republic of Argentina and cleared his throat; and then, because it was necessary, he took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes and cheeks.
“Excuse me, Mr. Ambassador.”
“May I see the letter, please?”
“It is a personal letter, Mr. Ambassador.”
“You either trust me or you don’t, Freiherr von Wachtstein.”
Peter met his eyes for a moment, then handed the letter over.
The Ambassador read it.
“Your father is eloquent, as well as a brave and honorable man, von Wachtstein,” the Ambassador said, and then added, “Hold it over the wastebasket and burn it.”
Peter met his eyes again.
“No, Sir,” he said. “I don’t wish to burn it.”
“If Oberst Grüner finds that letter…”
“He will not find it, Mr. Ambassador.”
The Ambassador considered that for a moment, and nodded.
“As to the other matter,” he said. “Transferring the funds here from Switzerland is a simple matter of sending a cable. Keeping their presence here unknown, and investing them wisely, is quite another problem.”
“I understand.”
“How much help do you think your friend Frade will be?” von Lutzenberger asked. “His uncle is General Manager of the Anglo-Argentine Bank.”
“I don’t think I follow you, Mr. Ambassador.”
“You are beginning to frighten me, von Wachtstein, and to annoy me,” von Lutzenberger said coldly. “Please don’t waste my time by telling me you didn’t warn Frade about Grüner’s idiotic plan to eliminate him. Frade owes you his life. My question is how helpful you think he will be. If that young Duarte fool hadn’t gotten himself killed at Stalingrad, the Anglo-Argentine Bank would have been a helpful connection.”
“I hadn’t thought about…”
“Start thinking, von Wachtstein. Otherwise we’ll both be dead.”
[FOUR]