left immediately to prepare for Wenck’s departure to Army Group Vistula. Himmler also left, stung by the Führer’s withdrawal of his support. Fegelin struck up another conversation with Faust, stopping him from leaving with Guderian.
“Faust, join us over here. The Führer likes to unwind after these briefings. He likes you, did you know?”
“I am honored, Fegelin. But are you sure I am welcome? I don’t wish to appear presumptuous.”
“Not at all. The Führer likes new listeners, and you impressed him with your comments last time. Are you worried about not chasing after Guderian?” Faust bristled and Fegelin knew he had hit home with his comment.
“You know I am not one to chase after anyone, Fegelin. Lead on.”
Fegelin walked him to the soft leather chairs grouped around Hitler’s desk. Goering, Martin Bormann, Burgdorf, and several other aides were already seated. Hitler was describing the V-2 rockets being fired at London, Paris, Antwerp and Brussels.
“The V-2 is the first generation of rocket weapons we will unleash on the Allies. The A-10 model is being developed now with a range of 4,500 kilometers. We will be able to attack New York City and bring the war home to the Americans. The A-10 will carry a version of the V-2, and once in flight, it will launch the V-2 from the stratosphere. These vengeance weapons will shake the mongrel Americans with fear. They could never withstand the punishment the German people have taken. Or the British people for that matter.”
“Quite right, my Führer ,” Bormann said. Martin Bormann, Nazi Party Chief, was always ready to say whatever his leader needed to hear. He had made himself indispensable by doing whatever Hitler needed and by agreeing with him totally.
“The English are close to our Aryan race, but the Americans have allowed too many inferior breeds to intermingle with them. They could never share the mastery of the world with us,” Hitler continued.
He relaxed into his chair and appeared to focus on something beyond the vision of those in the room. He spoke as if global victory was within his grasp, and the ruined gardens and destroyed city beyond the walls were all an illusion.
“My Führer , I was saying the same thing about the English to Colonel Faust,” Fegelin blurted, introducing Faust to the circle and ingratiating himself with Hitler at the same time.
“This morning a report came in from one of the British prisoner of war camps near Danzig. It was being evacuated to move the prisoners out of the…the, ah,” Fegelin stumbled over his words, not wanting to acknowledge directly that Russian forces were approaching so close to this eastern German city, “…operational area of the city’s defenses.” The evident relief on his face at having come up with such a non-descriptive turn of phrase made Faust smile.
“And one entire barracks of prisoners volunteered to join us in the fight against Bolshevism! Can you imagine, a British SS unit fighting alongside other Europeans against the threat from the east!”
“My dear Fegelin,” Hitler said, “we hear these flights of fancy repeatedly. This is probably an exaggeration brought on by a handful of prisoners motivated by nothing more than the prospect of extra rations.’’
“This report is real. With your permission, I could investigate and formulate a plan to recruit Allied prisoners of sufficient Aryan background. It would electrify the world to hear of former enemies united against the Communists. It would be a true European bulwark against Bolshevism! We already have Frenchmen, Danes, Norwegians and many others fighting with the SS. Colonel Faust has fought alongside many of them in the Brandenburg Division.”
Now Faust understood why Fegelin brought him into the Führer’s post-briefing circle. He had a plan to propose and wanted to offer Faust’s experiences to back him up. He knew the Führer would reject the Brandenburg Division as an example because of
“Faust, join us over here. The Führer likes to unwind after these briefings. He likes you, did you know?”
“I am honored, Fegelin. But are you sure I am welcome? I don’t wish to appear presumptuous.”
“Not at all. The Führer likes new listeners, and you impressed him with your comments last time. Are you worried about not chasing after Guderian?” Faust bristled and Fegelin knew he had hit home with his comment.
“You know I am not one to chase after anyone, Fegelin. Lead on.”
Fegelin walked him to the soft leather chairs grouped around Hitler’s desk. Goering, Martin Bormann, Burgdorf, and several other aides were already seated. Hitler was describing the V-2 rockets being fired at London, Paris, Antwerp and Brussels.
“The V-2 is the first generation of rocket weapons we will unleash on the Allies. The A-10 model is being developed now with a range of 4,500 kilometers. We will be able to attack New York City and bring the war home to the Americans. The A-10 will carry a version of the V-2, and once in flight, it will launch the V-2 from the stratosphere. These vengeance weapons will shake the mongrel Americans with fear. They could never withstand the punishment the German people have taken. Or the British people for that matter.”
“Quite right, my Führer ,” Bormann said. Martin Bormann, Nazi Party Chief, was always ready to say whatever his leader needed to hear. He had made himself indispensable by doing whatever Hitler needed and by agreeing with him totally.
“The English are close to our Aryan race, but the Americans have allowed too many inferior breeds to intermingle with them. They could never share the mastery of the world with us,” Hitler continued.
He relaxed into his chair and appeared to focus on something beyond the vision of those in the room. He spoke as if global victory was within his grasp, and the ruined gardens and destroyed city beyond the walls were all an illusion.
“My Führer , I was saying the same thing about the English to Colonel Faust,” Fegelin blurted, introducing Faust to the circle and ingratiating himself with Hitler at the same time.
“This morning a report came in from one of the British prisoner of war camps near Danzig. It was being evacuated to move the prisoners out of the…the, ah,” Fegelin stumbled over his words, not wanting to acknowledge directly that Russian forces were approaching so close to this eastern German city, “…operational area of the city’s defenses.” The evident relief on his face at having come up with such a non-descriptive turn of phrase made Faust smile.
“And one entire barracks of prisoners volunteered to join us in the fight against Bolshevism! Can you imagine, a British SS unit fighting alongside other Europeans against the threat from the east!”
“My dear Fegelin,” Hitler said, “we hear these flights of fancy repeatedly. This is probably an exaggeration brought on by a handful of prisoners motivated by nothing more than the prospect of extra rations.’’
“This report is real. With your permission, I could investigate and formulate a plan to recruit Allied prisoners of sufficient Aryan background. It would electrify the world to hear of former enemies united against the Communists. It would be a true European bulwark against Bolshevism! We already have Frenchmen, Danes, Norwegians and many others fighting with the SS. Colonel Faust has fought alongside many of them in the Brandenburg Division.”
Now Faust understood why Fegelin brought him into the Führer’s post-briefing circle. He had a plan to propose and wanted to offer Faust’s experiences to back him up. He knew the Führer would reject the Brandenburg Division as an example because of
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