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Praetorium Honoris

Thursday, March 14, 2024

The City

The re-erected Luther monument and the ruins of the Frauenkirche, 1958
Bundesarchiv
(Source)
Von Lüttwitz and his cousin Herbert caught the train to Dresden, though it was only 20 kilometers from the family farm, his uncle had said that the trains were more reliable than the buses.

"You could go days without seeing a bus, whereas the trains are running fairly regularly. There's talk of requiring travel papers in the near future, but so far we can come and go as we please." The elder Lüttwitz had explained all this the evening before.

As the train entered the outskirts of Dresden, von Lüttwitz was surprised at the amount of destruction remaining from the war. He turned to his cousin with a quizzical look.

"The State is concentrating their efforts on rebuilding factories, the cleanup is taking longer than expected because of that. But we can talk about that later."

Von Lüttwitz noticed how Herbert kept shifting his eyes around to make sure no one was overhearing them. He decided that he should be a bit more circumspect about the questions he asked.

After they left the train, it was a short walk to the small café which von Lüttwitz had been tasked with visiting. He mentioned nothing of this to Herbert though, he just said he knew of the place and was it still around.

"Yes, they just reopened in January. I'm not sure what happened to the old owner but the place seems much like it was before the war."

After they ordered coffee, the two men sat at a small table all the way in the back.

"There are better tables ..." Herbert had begun, but Jürgen shook his head and nodded towards the rear. Herbert followed without another word.


After they had seated themselves, the man working in the café, turns out it was the proprietor, came to their table and asked if they'd like to see a menu.

"No, thank you. Just coffee. With cream, if you don't mind?" Jürgen said to the man.

Herbert thought it odd that Jürgen would ask the man if it was all right to have cream with his coffee, that seemed like a normal request.

"Cousin, we're in farm country, of course there is cream ..."

Jürgen shook his head and pointed, two policemen had just entered the café. They immediately came to the rear of the café, straight to where the two cousins were sitting.

"Your papers, please." said the older of the two men. Jürgen was shocked, he knew the man, knew him well.

"Klaus-Peter? Is it really you?"

Klaus-Peter Keller, who had been Jürgen's first sergeant during the war, smiled.

"I didn't think you'd recognize me, Herr Major."

"The police uniform doesn't suit you."

"I have a family to feed." Keller chuckled then turned to the other policeman, "Hans, why don't you go down the street and check that Ackermann isn't watering down his schnapps,. I need to talk with this fellow, we were in the army together."

Hans Winkelmann nodded and turned to go. Jürgen raised an eyebrow as if to ask Keller if the man could be trusted.

"He's all of 18 years old. I knew his father in France, 1940. He's a good kid, I got him this job."

"But you're a cop, in the East?"

"The Russians are a pain in the arse, yes, but they're people. Just avoid their stinking commissars and some of the junior officers. Did you bring something for me?"

Herbert Lüttwitz was a bit disconcerted that the two army comrades were ignoring him. Jürgen noticed and said to him, "Herbert, this was my Spieß from when I had my company and on to having my own battalion. I'd trust him with my life."

Keller looked at the younger Lüttwitz, "If you ever need anything Junge, contact me." Then handed him a small printed calling card.

Herbert nodded, "I will. Danke."

Now, Herr Major, I believe you have something for me?"

Von Lüttwitz pulled a pencil and a scrap of paper out of his coat pocket, then scribbled something on the paper. "Call that number, at any time of day or night. Someone will answer and give you another number. Call that number. Whoever answers can help you get what you need and will take any information you might be able to provide. Are you sure you're willing to take this risk, Spieß?"

"How long do I need to do this?"

"As long as you want, if you want out, we can get you over into the West in a week or so, any family included, up to five people."

"It's that easy?"

"It is now. Our informants in Berlin tell us that the Soviets are talking about tightening up the border. Barbed wire, mines, sentries with dogs, everything, getting over the border will get much harder and soon from what we're hearing."

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you Sir. I owe you for this."

"No, you don't Hans-Peter, you earned this during the war. Just be careful."


As the two cousins headed back to the train station, Herbert was still flabbergasted at what had happened. "How, what ... I don't know where to begin."

"Best you say nothing, Herbert. That was government business.'

"You're with the government in the West? You work for Bonn?"

"Not exactly, I'm back in the army."

"Really, the army? Are you a Major again?"

"No lad, I got promoted. But don't tell your father, or anyone else for that matter. The fewer who know, the better."

"But why tell me?" Herbert protested.

"We may not have served together, but we wore the same uniform and we share the same blood. How could I not tell you?"

Herbert thought about this moment a lot in the months to come. He understood now why his cousin was such an effective leader. For now he simply looked at his elder cousin and said, "Danke, that means a lot to me, Jürgen."



30 comments:

  1. The Game's afoot Sarge! Not just people coming out of the East.

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    1. We're in that funny period between the consolidation of Soviet control over eastern Europe and the erecting of the wall.

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    2. The story is taking on depth!

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    3. I blame Stephen Coonts. (I'm almost done with The Armageddon File, it's gripping! Made me want to write more on this story as well!)

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  2. " but we wore the same uniform and we share the same blood."

    That being in translation "We weren't in the same unit but we served together." I saw that at my dad's VFW Post - Span. Am vet, and Doughboy, through to Viet Nam vet - all brothers. Even with the "older brother" ragging on the youngest about how tough it was "in the old days." Some families don't rely on genetics.

    Well done.

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  3. Very interesting, looking forward to the rest of this I suspect longish tale.

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    1. This could get long, depending on how far I want to take it at this point in time. Can always revisit this period later.

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  4. I too, am looking forward to this, whether long, short or in-between! Very glad Unser Jurgen continues to serve - and in a better cause.
    Could he be part of the Gehlen organization? Good to establish multiple comm lines and methods.
    Currently reading "After the Reich" covers fall of Vienna to the Luftbrucke. Not bad, dunno yet if I'd commend it or not.
    Boat Guy

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    1. Let me know about the book, it's an interesting period in history. My Dad was there for some of it, he was with the occupation in Berlin, had some interesting tales to tell.

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    2. Author seems a bit relativist and apologist; screening for those is helpful. He does seem focused on "the nobility" which could possibly be useful to you. More to follow.
      BG

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  5. Well done, as always. May I have another, please?
    JB

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  6. This, I did not expect. Which is a good thing, for several reasons (having to do with my life.} I'm going to be very interested.

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    1. The next few days could be interesting. (Depends on how much time I get to spend writing.)

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  7. Very nice segue into the meat of the story, Sarge. Well done. Looking forward to more, more, more! (To steal from a song.)
    juvat

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  8. Crusty Old TV Tech here. Another excellent vignette. A period of history, the instant in time between WW2 and the Cold War, which has little prose to its credit. I could see the battered cafe in Dresden, hear the Germans chatting. This will be interesting.

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    1. " the instant in time between WW2 and the Cold War,"

      I know that officially the Cold War dates from 1947 but to me it has always seemed to have started at Potsdam. Maybe even Tehran. Another example of the different mindset between Slavs and Western Europeans.

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    2. The beginning is of no consequence, it is only a date. It is the end we must look to ...

      Which has yet to arrive.

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    3. Which has yet to arrive... speaking of the cold war, how are things going in Ukraine this spring?

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    4. Notice how far off the radar that's fallen.

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    5. It should be off the radar. Not our fight. Just a money hole from their corrupt government to our corrupt government.
      BG

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  9. I agree with Michael; it appears the muse just may have locked onto what appears to be a (really great) very interesting continuation of Jürgen's life.
    OTOH it's well-known (particularly amongst Eastern Europeans) that only family can screw you badly; I only hope he's fast enough to outrun the STASI.

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  10. Did not see that coming. At all. Was expecting the whole "You can't go home" thingy, not John Le Carre. Excellent. Now to get the family out.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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