Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The German Civil War - The Berlin Race (1)
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< The German Civil War - The Berlin Race (1) >
August 31, 1939
Kassel, 9th Military District, Central Germany, Frankfurt Resistance Headquarters
21:00
In a room where the key members of the resistance had gathered, Ludwig Beck was briefing the operation amidst a palpable tension.
“Here in the 9th Military District of Kassel and in General von Witzleben’s 12th Military District of Wiesbaden, the commanding generals of each military district will first summon their corps commanders and demand their participation. Anyone who disobeys must be arrested immediately, and the operation will commence. Those we are certain of have already been recruited, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.”
Everyone nodded, their faces taut with tension. From this point on, nothing could be guaranteed. All they could do was hope that those who had not yet been recruited would cooperate.
“Once the 9th and 12th Military Districts are secured, General von Witzleben of the 12th District will lead the 1st Army south to the 5th Military District in Stuttgart. There, you will assist our allied corps commanders and General von Hammerstein-Equord in suppressing the pro-Nazi Friedrich Dollmann and seizing control of the 7th Army.”
“Understood, General Beck.”
Witzleben’s role was crucial. Wiesbaden and Stuttgart were at our backs, bordering France. If we failed to secure that area, it could lead to French intervention.
“General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb of the 9th Military District must secure the Ruhr industrial region. Once the Ruhr is secured, leave only a minimum number of security forces and...”
Beck glanced at Konrad Adenauer, one of the oldest men in the room, with a slightly displeased expression.
“We will appoint former mayor Adenauer as the provisional governor of the Cologne-Ruhr region to stabilize the area. ...I trust you won't bring up your beloved separatism in a situation like this.”
“Hmph, I may be old, but I haven't lost my wits to that extent.”
Konrad Adenauer, in his sixties, scoffed openly at the visibly uncomfortable Beck.
As expected, the traditional Prussian military figures and Adenauer were like oil and water.
The military men remembered Adenauer’s attempts to separate the Rhineland from Prussia by demanding autonomy after World War I, and Adenauer disliked the Prussian figures who had treated him like a country bumpkin from the Rhineland...
It wasn't that I hadn't considered this conflict, but it was precisely because he didn't align with the military or the monarchists that he was the right man to manage the Rhineland.
“Then I shall head to the Ruhr with former mayor Adenauer. Leave it to me.”
Colonel General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, the second most senior officer in the German army after von Rundstedt, replied. Now came the core of Manstein’s plan.
“The final assault force, the 5th Army, has been organized with a concentration of tanks and vehicles from the Siegfried Line. This unit will be commanded by Panzer General Oswald Lutz.”
“Hahaha, the armored force I've dreamed of... It pays to live a long life.”
Panzer General Oswald Lutz is not well-known today, but he was the man who established the early armored theories of the German army, experimented with tanks, and discovered Guderian, then a signals officer, helping him become an armored officer.
He was forced into retirement during the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair after Hitler's government came to power, but in truth, the title "Father of Armored Warfare," often given to Guderian, was more fitting for this man.
Manstein’s plan for an armored breakthrough, originally intended for the invasion of France, would now blossom first in the hands of Guderian’s mentor, Panzer General Lutz.
The historical Sichelschnitt operation led to the fall of France in six weeks, but even that was a downgraded version of Manstein's original draft, as he was demoted by Halder for being too reckless, and the plan was adjusted due to inter-service rivalries within the army.
But here, the plan was overseen by Beck, who had favored Manstein since his time as Chief of the General Staff and was relatively open to mechanization policies. Thanks to the desperate nature of our coup, Manstein's concept was adopted almost in its entirety and further refined.
“General Lutz will break through the 11th Military District in Hanover and advance on Berlin, leaving the securing of the region to the infantry units that follow. If Count von Blumenthal's assassination of Hitler is successful, we can aim for maximum surprise against a disorganized SS.”
“Understood, General Beck.”
Having said that, Beck turned his gaze toward Lieutenant Colonel von Tresckow and me.
“Ahem, what is it you plan to do with those... ‘Free Corps’ people?”
“We plan to move to Bavaria by train before the railways are shut down, attack the Dachau concentration camp, and then withdraw through Stuttgart, which General von Witzleben will have secured. The rest will head for Buchenwald near Weimar.”
The Free Corps were citizen volunteers I had recruited, including liberals and social democrats. They shared my ideals, so it was decided that Lieutenant Colonel von Tresckow, with whom I had a relationship of trust, would command them, with me serving as his adjutant.
“Well... was that part of the agreement with the civilian faction? Very well. They are additional forces anyway, so do as you see fit. And you asked for authority over broadcasting and propaganda....”
Beck looked at me with a slightly hesitant expression, but soon let out a sigh and nodded.
“You secured the media outlets anyway. Fine, go ahead. But I trust you understand that this can be revoked if you disappoint us.”
“Of course, General.”
The Prussian military figures had an aversion to people like Goebbels or Hitler and showed little interest in such matters, but I received permission more easily than expected.
It seemed my actions thus far had made a reasonably good impression on Ludwig Beck.
“Their citizen army has agreed to support security in the Rhineland region after this is over, General. If the situation allows, it would be good to have the flexibility to move my troops to the front lines.”
General von Witzleben was the most amicable toward us among those present, and we had already exchanged opinions several times.
“I don't know how effective this so-called citizen army will be, but I trust General von Witzleben's judgment.”
The briefing and exchange of opinions were nearly finished. Beck closed his eyes for a moment before speaking.
“By now, Lieutenant Colonel Oster should be leaving Silesia with the rescued broadcasting station staff. The Abwehr agents and our people remaining in Berlin will be rushing to prepare their escape.”
Everyone swallowed hard. Everyone in this room knew that from now on, it was victory or death.
Ludwig Beck, who had been highly respected in the military but was powerlessly dismissed for defying Hitler, had shown indecisiveness until now. Yet, in the end, he had placed his trust in us and was taking an active role.
“There is no turning back. Move to your positions and prepare to commence the operation. The time of action is midnight. ...May God's blessing be with you all. For the Fatherland.”
Eleven months after the Munich Agreement, everything we had prepared so fiercely was now being put to the test.
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August 31, 1939
Berlin, Northern Germany, Abwehr Headquarters
21:30
“Move that, now! Hurry!”
“Section II is done once this is moved!”
Long after regular working hours, the Abwehr headquarters was in an uproar, with agents rushing about, moving documents and belongings.
They had already been smuggling out personnel, classified documents, and supplies under the guise of external assignments, so these were the last of them. Now, speed was more critical than secrecy, so they moved busily without hiding the commotion.
“Director Canaris! What is all this commotion at this hour?”
SS-Lieutenant Colonel Rudolf Bamler, head of Abwehr Section III, Counterintelligence, and the only SS officer in the Abwehr, burst into Director Wilhelm Canaris’s office to protest.
It was a rather rude act, but Director Canaris, who was tidying his office, turned to look at him and smiled leisurely.
“We’re preparing to move to the provisional Abwehr office in Frankfurt.”
“What, what did you say? What is the meaning of this! I have received no such report....”
Canaris nodded, then drew his pistol and aimed it at the stiffly frozen SS-Lieutenant Colonel Bamler.
“Of course you haven’t. Thank you for your hard work serving as Heydrich’s eyes all this time.”
“W-wait....”
Canaris fired the pistol without hesitation. Then, to his confidants Lahousen and Groscurth, who were standing behind the fallen Bamler with their own pistols drawn, he said:
“What are you doing? Get a move on. We’ll be very busy if we’re to pick up the newspaper staff as well.”
“Yes, sir! Right away, Director!”
-
August 31, 1939
Berlin, Northern Germany, Frankfurter Zeitung Berlin Bureau
22:00
“Here are today’s press guidelines!”
As always, upon receiving the press guidelines sent from Goebbels at the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, Editor-in-Chief Theodor Heuss smiled warmly at the deliveryman.
“Thank you again for today. Have a good day.”
“...? Yes, you too, sir.”
The deliveryman, a low-ranking SS member, thought the old man was acting strangely today as he pedaled away on his bicycle.
Heuss, once a member of the Reichstag, closed the door and stepped into the newspaper building, tearing the guidelines from Goebbels to shreds and dropping them on the floor.
“I’m more nervous now than when I first set foot in the Reichstag.”
The guidelines from Goebbels were not needed today. They were already writing an article that included the information sent by Lieutenant Colonel Oster from Silesia.
“Alright, anyone who wants out, now’s the time to go home, pack your bags, and run! For those who are staying, the head office says they’ll pay you handsomely with overtime bonuses and hazard pay!”
“Hahaha!”
At Bureau Chief Habenstein’s jest, the employees burst into laughter, though they remained engrossed in writing their articles.
No one stood up to flee. Seeing this, Bureau Chief Habenstein smiled faintly and said:
“Let’s print this fast, distribute it, and get the hell out of here.”
Editor-in-Chief Heuss chuckled at his words.
“...Well then, shall we go and meet that audacious young lady.”
Claudia Jung, a reporter Heuss had discovered and diligently mentored since she was a fledgling, had quit the newspaper without a second thought as soon as she got involved with the resistance.
As if that weren't enough, she had committed an outrageous act like assassinating a minister, which had sent a chill down his spine.
Claudia had already resigned a year ago and had no access to the office aside from secret contacts with the bureau chief and editor-in-chief, so there was little evidence. Still, Himmler, who had been on somewhat friendly terms with Ribbentrop, had tried to shut down the Frankfurter Zeitung.
Fortunately, Minister of Propaganda Goebbels, who disliked Ribbentrop, had blocked him, arguing there was no need to show Britain and France that the Nazis' promise to protect freedom of the press was a lie by shutting down a famous newspaper at such a time.
[The SS Attacks Germany!]
Editor-in-Chief Heuss grinned as he looked at the headline of the newspaper currently being typeset. It was unfortunate for Goebbels, who had saved them from being shut down, but he was about to pay a heavy price.
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September 1, 1939
Berlin, Northern Germany, New Reich Chancellery (Neue Reichskanzlei)
00:00
Hitler was in his office in the New Reich Chancellery, on the phone with Himmler.
“What in the world happened! Still no word?!”
[I-I’m sorry, my Führer. We are currently assessing the situation.]
Even over the phone, his panic was palpable, and Hitler felt like he was about to burst with rage.
“Damn it all, you can’t even handle a simple raid on a broadcasting station, and you don’t even know what’s going on! Find out what happened, no matter what! Now!”
Slamming the phone down, Hitler clutched his head. Nothing was going right.
“Ribbentrop... it all started to go wrong when that damned liquor salesman died.”
Feeling a severe headache, as if God himself was obstructing his path, Hitler drank some water, swallowed the medicine his physician had given him, and closed his eyes to rest for a moment.
But his rest was short-lived. A commotion was rising from outside.
“What is it this time? Who dares to cause a disturbance in my Chancellery....”
But before Hitler could finish his sentence, he heard gunshots from outside. His nerves on edge, Hitler shot up from his seat.
“My Führer!”
Almost simultaneously, his recently appointed head of security, Major General Erwin Rommel, burst into the room and slammed the door shut.
“W-what is it, General!”
“You must evacuate! Rioters are attacking the Chancellery!”
Seeing a hole appear in the door Rommel had just closed, accompanied by the sound of gunfire, Hitler was too shocked to speak. He quickly opened a secret passage in his office.
“I will lead the way!”
Hitler, his aging body struggling, ran for his life through the secret passage behind Rommel.
“Damn it! The Führer is gone!”
“Where did he disappear?!”
The shouts coming from beyond the closed entrance to the secret passage sent a chill down his spine.
Meanwhile, Rommel displayed impeccable professionalism by grabbing the hand of the lagging Hitler to keep him running. The two men, gasping for breath, successfully exited the secret passage and emerged into a sewer.
“My apologies, my Führer. This may be unpleasant, but please bear with it.”
“Damn these treacherous bastards....”
Who were they? The Wehrmacht? Or those cursed Bolsheviks who killed Ribbentrop? Or perhaps the Jews? There were too many suspects, but Hitler vowed that as soon as he escaped, he would unleash a bloody vengeance even greater than the Night of the Long Knives.
Rommel, young and brave for a general, struggled for a moment before managing to open a manhole cover. After climbing to the surface, he extended a hand to Hitler below.
“My Führer, I will help you. Please come up.”
Hitler, who had been hesitating with a frown at the filthy sewer ladder, was just about to take Rommel’s hand and climb to the surface.
“Hitler!”
In the sewer they had just passed through, a man panting heavily was aiming a gun at him.
“Haaah! P-pull me up! Quickly!”
Hitler desperately clung to Rommel, trying to climb up, but—
“Burn in hell, you demon!”
Count von Blumenthal’s shot pierced Hitler’s body.
“G-good God, my Führer!”
Rommel used all his strength to haul the Führer’s limp body up. The Führer’s arm dislocated, but that was of little importance.
“The Führer has been shot!”
Berlin plunged into chaos.
< The German Civil War - The Berlin Race (1) > End