The Border

Bundesarchiv
(Source)

The two men ate quickly, Herbert making the excuse that they had to get back to the farm before sundown.

"Ah, afraid of the patrols, are you?" Rudel scoffed.

"No, Herr Rudel, afraid of stumbling in the dark and breaking my only leg. Now, if you will excuse us? Danke, Frau Rudel, the food was excellent. My cousin and I must be off." Herbert stood up, getting his crutches under him, he made for the door.

Rudel grabbed von Lüttwitz's arm, "Remember Junge, I can help."

Von Lüttwitz shook himself free of Rudel's grasp, "I am no man of influence, but I can pass your name along."

At that, Rudel's face went pale, "Not really necessary, just, well, if you know someone."

Von Lüttwitz turned to look at Rudel, with a look that froze Rudel's blood, "Like I said, I shall make inquiries, if you might prove useful, someone may, or may not, contact you. But we were never here, and you never saw me. Is that clear?"

He had barked that in a voice he hadn't used since he'd commanded a battalion. Rudel snapped his heels together and gave a short bow, "Jawohl, Herr Major! Zu befehl!"

When they were out of earshot, Jürgen turned to his cousin, "Well, for all his bluster and self-importance the man was, at some time, a soldier. Did you see him snap to?"

Herbert chuckled, "From what I understand, Herr Rudel was a supply sergeant, a good one mind you, but not a fighting soldier. Do you really think he knew Hauptwachtmeister der VP Keller's father?"

"I'm sure he did, dropping the names of senior police officials is not a healthy practice here in the East."

"What is this Gehlen Organization he mentioned?"

"An organization one does not mention, here or in the West. Very secretive they are, and they wish to remain that way. If you have further conversation with Herr Rudel, tell him to mind his manners when he speaks of things the Stasi¹ would be very interested in."

Herbert visibly shuddered at the mention of the Stasi, 'Real bastards that lot, they'd inform on their own parents. Rumor has it that some of them have."

Jürgen shook his head, "Enough of that, it's too nice a day to trouble our thoughts with such things. We're almost to your farm."

"Are you sure you won't stay the night, Jürgen?"

"I'm afraid I cannot, Tante² Elsbeth. I've spent too much time here already."

"Well, you're in luck then, Junge. That train you boys saw in Dresden? It's been delayed, some big shot from Berlin wants to see them set up the checkpoint. Of course, die Bonzen³ can't be bothered to be on time. So the train, and the troops, sit at the siding and wait. So you can go back via Bayern," the elder Lüttwitz explained.

"Still a long haul, must be 150 kilometers." Jürgen said.

"Closer to 170 if you go with my friend Wittelsbach."

Jürgen looked closely at his uncle, "There are already far too many people who know I'm here, Onkel⁴ Kurt."

"Nonsense Junge, Wittelsbach has a trucking company, he runs goods down to the border every day. I have already arranged it, he should be here any minute."

Von Lüttwitz would have to report all of this upon his return, if he returned. The country people tended to believe that politics was for the city and that the authorities would leave them alone. They all seemed rather lackadaisical concerning the new regime in the DDR.

Before he could say another word, everyone turned as a heavy vehicle pulled up outside near the gate. Von Lüttwitz half-expected to hear the crash of a tailgate followed by the crunch of hobnail boots and the shouting of sergeants. He was relieved to hear instead ...

"Lüttwitz, you old bastard! Why aren't you in the fields where you belong?"

The elder Lüttwitz got to his feet, laughing, "That would be Wittelsbach. Wait here Jürgen."

Some hours later the truck carrying von Lüttwitz and a load of potatoes for the Red Army pulled over at a wide spot in the road deep in the forest.

"I'm afraid you'll have to walk from here, Jürgen. The village of Föhrig is roughly two and a half kilometers from here, due west. If you pay attention, you might see the old stone border markers which marked the boundary between the Kingdoms of Sachsen and Bayern. Not a word of this to anyone, ja? My job is hauling produce, not spies."

Von Lüttwitz did a double take at the word "spies."

Wittelsbach grinned, "Who else would go traipsing through the forest to cross the border. If you're not a spy, then you must be a smuggler. If that's the case, look me up next time you're in Sachsen, I'm not averse to making a few extra marks!"

Wittelsbach then thrust his hand out, which von Lüttwitz took.

"Geh mit Gott, Hals und Beinbruch!⁵"

"Danke, Herr Wittelsbach, gleichfalls⁶!

Föhrig was small, but it had a post office, which had a phone. After calling his superiors, von Lüttwitz repaired to the local pub. The proprietor, used to seeing all sorts of odd things near the inter-German border didn't blink an eye at Von Lüttwitz's torn trousers and badly scuffed shoes.

"Beer?" he asked.

Von Lüttwitz nodded, "Danke."

"Next time maybe dress like a laborer, you'll blend in better over there."

"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean," von Lüttwitz protested.

Laughing, the proprietor walked to the other end of the bar to serve one of the locals, "I was born in the morning, Junge, but it wasn't this morning!"

As he drank his beer and waited for his ride, von Lüttwitz realized that the man had a point. He'd put that in his report as well!

¹ Stasi = Staatsicherheit, the Ministry for State Security. A very dangerous east German organization.

² Aunt

³ Big shots

⁴ Uncle

⁵ Go with God, break a leg

⁶ The same to you!