Upfall

"All destroyed or disabled, I'm afraid" said Wirth calmly. "You'll see for yourself soon enough. But you are going to have to get there in a different vehicle, as I am commandeering this car." Jevers blanched "No sir" he stammered. "I am signed for this vehicle. I'll be court martialed if I lose it."

Wirth pulled out a fine leather notepad, the pages embossed with SS runes. "I'll write up the requisition order myself" he said, scribbling busily with a pencil. "This should satisfy whatever rear area clerk signed you out. We are in the field J evers—there are contingencies. I'll keep your driver too."

Wirth tore out the page and handed it to Jevers. Then he turned to the SS corporal from Treblinka. "Write down your name and identification number and those of these fine men as well" said Wirth, gesturing to the sullen Ukranians. "I intend to recommend you all for awards in light of your heroism in today‘s ferocious battle." He turned over his notepad and pencil to the stunned corporal, who started taking down the information. Once the corporal was finished, and satisfied that he'd sufficiently co—opted his fellow deserters into the deception, Wirth took back the pad and pencil. He turned back to Jevers.

"These heroes from the Treblinka garrison are now in your charge Lieutenant" said Wirth, expansively waving his hand at the little band of fellow runaways. "They need food and drink. I am off to Lubin." Wirth climbed into the car and ordered the driver to turn around. They sped off into the setting sun, leaving Jevers and his new charges standing in the road.

Wirth and his exhausted driver reached Lubin early on the morning of May 29. It was well after daybreak by they time the found their way to Globocnik's headquarters on the western edge of the city.

Once there Wirth dismissed his driver and ordered the woozy man to head back to his unit at Treblinka. The driver saluted and drove the car out of the headquarters complex onto a deserted side street. There, out of Wirth‘s sight, he went to sleep.

Wirth had hoped for a few hours of rest himself, but knew that Globocnik would be at his desk and demand an immediate report. He would not be able to bamboozle Globo as he had the hapless Jevers, but he still had a card or two to play, not least Globocnik's slip about Heydrich. Not only that, but Wirth, so far as he knew, was the only German officer to survive an encounter with the rampaging enemy commandos—that alone would make him quite valuable. His own death at Treblinka would have gained the Reich nothing, though it would have undoubtedly suited Globo.

Wirth was ushered into Globocnik's office a few minutes later. "I expected you to successfully defend Treblinka.. .or die there, Obersturmfuhrer. That was your duty as German soldier and an officer of the SS" Globo grunted, his face showing genuine disappointment that Wirth still lived.

"Herr Gruppenfuhrer, Dr. Erbel would not relinquish command. The enemy cut all communication. Over my protests he ordered me to leave and report to you."

"That doesn't sound much like Dr. Erbel" said Globo snidely.

"He rose to the crisis" said Wirth, barely suppressing a smirk of his own.

"Well then, we'll have to see he gets a medal" said Globo.

"Posthumously Mein Herr?" said Wirth hopefully.

"Yes Wirth. Or so it seems. The place was burned to the ground, and it appears Dr. Erbel with it."

"Terrible."

"Yes it is, not only for the Reich, but possibly for us as well. General Heydrich is on his way here as we speak. You must tell me all you can about these enemy commandos before he arrives, so I can present him with an effective course of action before they strike again. This is of the utmost importance. Do you understand?"

Wirth did.

Mueller arrived in Lubin the following day. Somehow, through the barely functioning Polish phone system, he'd managed to contact his unit. Mueller's commander was surprised he was alive, but apparently satisfied with his story. And with the SS in an uproar over the attacks on Sobibor and Treblinka, Mueller's commander realized that the prodigal sergeant might be too valuable to leave in Malkinia Gorna and sent a car for him.

Several hours later, to his astonishment, Mueller found himself outside General Globocnik's office, surrounded by SS staff officers and bodyguards. Over Mueller's protests, the bodyguards insisted on taking the enemy submachinegun. One of them handed the weapon to an immaculately dressed SS officer, who disappeared into the Globocnik's office. Five minutes later, the officer ordered Mueller to enter the office and report. Mueller stepped forward in his tattered uniform full of apprehension. He walked into a rather large office crammed with yet more officers. Sergeant Mueller cast his eyes about nervously, before coming to attention before the man sitting behind a great oak desk. The man was not Globocnik. Sitting in Globocnik's chair was Reinhardt Heydrich.

Chapter 28