Chapter 1

The 5th SS Panzer Division "Wiking" was a German Waffen SS division recruited from foreign volunteers particularly from Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. These SS were soldiers, not degenerate concentration camp guards.

Command of the division was given to SS-Brigadeführer Felix Steiner, the former commander of the Verfügungstruppe Deutschland Regiment, who in 1942 as Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant of Waffen SS Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Div Wiking went on to be awarded the knights Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Germany's highest military honour.

In early August 1941, a Brandenburg detachment of 62 Baltic and Sudeten Germans led by Baron Adrian von Fölkersam penetrated farther into enemy territory than any other Brandenburg unit had to date. Nicknamed "the wild bunch," they undertook to secure the oil fields at Maikop. Using Red Army trucks and the uniforms of the NKVD, the Russian secret police, Fölkersam infiltrated the Soviet lines. The Brandenburgers immediately ran into a large group of Red Army deserters, and Fölkersam saw an opportunity to use them. By persuading them to return to the Soviet cause, he was able to join with them and move almost at will through the Russian lines.

Pretending to be a Major Truchin from Stalingrad, Fölkersam explained his role in recovering the deserters to the general in charge of Maikop's defenses. The Russian general believed Fölkersam and gave him a personal tour of the city's defenses the next day. By August 8, the German army was only 12 miles away, so the Brandenburger's made their move. Using grenades to simulate an artillery attack, the Brandenburger's knocked out the communications center of the city. Fölkersam then went to the Russian defenders and told them that a withdrawal was taking place. Having seen Fölkersam with their commander and lacking any communications to rebut or confirm his statement, the Soviets began to evacuate Maikop. The German army entered the city without a fight on August 9, 1942.

What they found was a city in ruin. Before leaving, much of the city was put to the torch, Stalin's orders to ensure a scorched earth policy. The German's had not expected to find so many bodies of women, children and old men. One of the Grenadier's told him that the Russians treated the Poles and Ukraine the same. They used the women and girls for sport and killed everyone they could. Maikop was one of those cities that had a mixed population and was prized only for it's oil, not for the people.

It was a few days later that the same Grenadier, Klaus Bauer, entered the Baron's tent holding the hand of a 11 or 12-year old girl. She was in rags and looked more like a corpse than a living person. "Herr Baron, we found her in the ruins of one of the buildings. She has not said anything, she seems to be in shock. I don't know what to do with her so I brought her to you. Should I kill her or give her to the troops."

"Nein Klaus, we are not barbarians to make war of women and children. If the Russians did this to her then she is not our enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Take her someplace, wash, cloth and let her rest. See where she might be wanted when we leave this place."

"Herr Baron, not every soldier here is like us. Already the regular German soldiers are, ... are making sport or killing the few survivors here. This was the only place I knew would be safe for her."

"Make room for her here then, a cot, blankets, food and some privacy to wash. Have another women or girl brought here to assist. Should anyone say anything or ask, say they are both mine. If you have any problems use my name. Better yet, take a squad of our men with you. Schnell!"

"Jawhol Herr Baron."

Before she was put to bed, both her and another girl, also apparently homeless, were washed, clothed and properly feed. No mean feat in wartime but for the man who had taken an entire city without any casualties, there was not much the soldiers would not do for him.