Upfall

The second set of orders concerned the deployment of SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Der Fuehrer. Unlike the various SS units already under Globocnik’s control, the Waflen SS was the fully armed fighting element of the organization. The troops were ideologically indoctrinated fanatics, who embodied the ideal of the unyielding an merciless National Socialist superman. Waffen SS divisions were not necessarily better than the best regular German divisions, but the were as good, and better supplied and equipped. More than that although structured and equipped as fighting units, the Waffen SS could be counted on to perform any necessary dirty work against Jews or partisans without compunction. 2rd SS Panzergrenadier Division, Der Ptzehrers parent unit, had already participated several Einsatzgruppen massacres in Russia. If Regiment Der Fuehrer could not pacify eastern Poland, nobody could.

As expected, Heydrich left Globocnik little flexibility in the regiment's deployment. One battalion was to be sent to Wirth at Belzac. Heydrich believed that with a Wnfifen SS battalion guarding the camp, in addition to the installation's normal complement, the last of his dedicated death factories would become invulnerable. Globo could hardly disagree. The two remaining battalions were to be held in reserve, once the British commandos or the major partisan force was found and fixed by police and security units. Then the SS battalions would move in for the kill. One battalion was to be deployed north of Lubin, the other to the south.

It would take at least two weeks for the new units to arrive. In the meantime, Globocnik pressed the other formations under his command to the north in hopes of finding the enemy commandos at the suspected British drop zones, or along the coast if escape aboard a submarine was the goal.

Reder thought escape the likeliest possibility given the supposed bloody nose the commandos had suffered at the hands of Marshall Samsonov. But Globocnik began to doubt his intelligence chief when another day passed without Reder getting further word from Samsonov. Samsonov was a drunk and a criminal, but unlikely to remain out of touch for so long. Increasingly uneasy as well, Reder suggested sending a patrol out to partisan turncoat, but Globo could not spare the men — yet.

Globo decided to wait, hoping that his problems would go away Ideally, the enemy commandos would be caught by his available troops, or flee back to Britain on a on a submarine. Either result would have suited Globocnik. Their Regiment Der Fuehrer would find their time in Poland little more than an opportunity for training, and Globo could return them to Heydrich safe and sound.

Chapter 32

The ruse involving Samsonov had worked so well that the Israelis didn't see another German until they approached Sobibor again, early in the evening of June 1. Even the Storch reconnaissance planes had disappeared with Globocnik's efforts now firmly fixed to the north.

Yatom stopped the column near Sobibor at sunset, and drove ahead with Feldhandler and Shapira to have a look at the wrecked death camp. From a safe distance in the woodline they saw a small work crew of Germans and Jews, under the watchful eye of a few SS guards, demolish the last evidence of the place. A team of prisoners, assisted by a bulldozer, pushed old building timbers, fence-posts and wire into a ditch. The Germans carefully avoided the still intact minefield, but otherwise had turned the place into little more than an innocuous open lot in the woods. Even that wouldn't last, as in the distance another group of Jews planted samplings over burial pits filled with thousands of bodies.

Satisfied that Sobibor was history, and that the Germans had no intention of hanging around, Yatom stood up, brushed himself off and put away his binoculars. "Well, Sobibor is no more. Let‘s go."

Shapira touched Yatom's arm. "Commander, they will kill those prisoners when the work is done."

Yatom sighed. "We can't save everybody, Lieutenant." Shapira looked at Feldhandler for support, but he shrugged and walked off towards the hidden Kubelwagen. The three men returned to the main column. Skirting the Sobibor site, Yatom led the sayeret toward the forest beyond the rail line to the southwest, a few kilometers east of where they’d left Jezek and the refugees from the train days before.