Chapter 31

In mid 1943, General Henri Guisan head of the Swiss armed forces was gathering intelligence on the progress of Germany's war on the Russian front. His advisors had predicted that the German army would be defeated.

General Guisan had decided that the Russian army was more likely to chase the German's back across Poland into the northern provinces of Germany. He was trying to understand the German army's southern border activities. German propaganda had already indicated that the German army would take Switzerland on its way back home.

By the end of 1943 the Swiss Government had agreed with the British and U.S. governments to desist suppling strategic goods and equipment to Axis Powers.

War in the Pacific.

Early August 1943. Fifteen U.S. PT boats try to block Japanese convoys in the Solomon Islands.

Japanese Cruiser Amagiri rams and sinks PT-109, commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy. Two are killed and others are badly injured. The crew survives with Kennedy assisting one badly injured man by swimming him to a nearby atoll. A remarkable event as Kennedy had sustained back injuries.

By September 1943 the Allies recapture Lae in New Guinea.

Monday June 28th 1943.

Hiding away in Doctor Franz Muller's cellar apartment was just bearable for Richard and Gerry. A forced politeness was perhaps the best way to describe the way they lived together in close confinement.

They continued this way, until one morning after breakfast. When Gerry announced that he was going for a walk Richard turned on him, his eyes blazing. Gerry thought briefly that he looked almost insane.

"Go! Get out of my sight! Hanging around watching my every move! You bastard! I don't want you hanging around me anymore!" Richard exploded.

Then he beat on the rough rock of the cellar wall with his fist until his hand was bleeding profusely. The constant pain in his leg, the painful exercises, three weeks in the cellar without seeing the sun; confined closely with Gerry were too much and Richard was broken.

Lorraine and Katrine, hearing Richard's yelling, quickly lifted the trapdoor to the cellar and rushed down the stairs.

Lorraine gasped when she saw Richard's bleeding hand, blood dripping onto the covers. Katrine however, rushed to his bedside. At first, she recoiled in fright when Richard looked as if he was about to strike her. Richard dropped his arm and turning his face to the wall he began to weep.

Katrine eased herself on to his bed and threw her arms around him pulling him into a sitting position. When Richard moved to lay back she stopped him. Rocking him gently she held him while he continued to weep. Cradling him in one arm she caressed his face, brushing the tears away, tending him like she would care for a child.

"You're going to be well again, be brave," she whispered softly.

Gerry was so embarrassed to see Richard weeping that he felt unbalanced.

"I didn't suspect that he was so down," he said softly to Lorraine who still had her hand over her mouth.

Shaking Lorraine gently by the arm to bring her out of her trance like state, "Get some hot water, ointment and bandages," Gerry ordered rousing her from her shock.

Lorraine quickly dashed back up the stairs while Katrine continued calming Richard.

When Lorraine returned, Richard gently eased away from Katrine.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so embarrassed, I don't know what came over me," he said inspecting his injured hand.

"I'm sorry Gerry," Richard said not looking at him.

Katrine took the hot water and bathed his hand, relieved that the bleeding was diminishing. After applying ointment she wrapped his hand tightly. Lorraine gathered up the water and ointment and placed them near the stairs.

"You've been down here for three weeks - it's too long, you need a break. Do you think you could crawl up the stairs? Then you could sit in the sun room," Lorraine said.

"I'm not sure that I could make it," Richard said, his voice betraying his feelings of hopelessness.

Gerry went to his bedside, "Swing your legs over the side, I've carried you before; it's not difficult for me,"

When Richard didn't move, "You heard me Richard! Legs over the side!" Gerry ordered loudly.

Sheepishly, Richard obeyed and stood up on his left leg as Gerry backed up to him. Gerry crouched slightly as he took Richard's weight. When he reached behind he was surprised that Richard's right leg was bent at the same angle as his left. It made it easy for Gerry to wrap his arms around them.

"You couldn't do that before," Gerry said.

"Yeah, sorry for that outburst. I don't know what came over me. Childish behaviour. I'm never like this, I feel so weak." Richard said.

Lorraine recovered the water and ointment and preceded them as Gerry made his way, seemingly without effort, up the stairs. Katrine waited at the foot of the stairs, she was worried that if Gerry fell she would be crushed under their combined weight.

6 a.m. Monday, July 5th 1943.

Kurt felt exhausted as he walked slowly down the hill towards his parent's home. Sunday had been a strenuous day of sexual activity with Jas and Jennell. They had finally persuaded him to move in with them. As he walked he reflected that he was now an easy target for the government. In the forests on the other side of the Bodensee he was free from official scrutiny. Now his tiredness was causing his spirit to flag and he started to worry about being called into national service with the army. He had avoided his obligation in the past because of the time he had spent across the Bodensee in Germany with the resistance fighters. His brother Luke had completed four years of army service. Afterwards he commenced studies in pharmacy and this allowed him to obtain an exemption from active service.

His constant absence from the family home had alienated his father Alex. His brother Luke had pleased his father by completing his military service and choosing to study pharmacy. Kurt had still not decided what he wanted to do with his life and this was a constant burr under Alex's saddle.

As Kurt opened the front door, his mind was unsettled. He would now have to ask his father for assistance. He would need help with money and his father's cooperation to avoid the army call up.

He found his father in the kitchen eating breakfast with Luke. His mother, he presumed, was still in bed.

"Where have you been?" Alex Nagle yelled at his son angrily.

"I've been..." Kurt was furious but he hesitated as his mother entered the kitchen, pulling on her dressing robe. His relationship with his father had soured to the point where all they seemed to do was yell at one another.

"It's okay Alex, at least he's home now," Katherine said soothingly to her husband.

'It was a better life in the forest, ' Kurt thought as he prepared coffee for his mother and himself. Sitting at the table alongside his mother, 'I might as well get it over, ' he thought.

"Father, I need your assistance. I don't want to be in the army so I don't intend to live here. You'll be telling the truth if you say to the officials that you don't know where I am. You've helped me in the past, nothing has changed," Kurt said.

"And..." Alex said fiercely.

"I'll need about 100 francs a month for food and expenses," Kurt said.

"I knew it, there's always a sting in the tail with you! Only 100 francs a month! Is that all! Do you think I have money falling out of my pockets?" Alex yelled still fuming.

"For God's sake Alex, you can easily give him an allowance... at least our son will be out of danger!" Katherine said bursting into tears. Enraged, and ignoring the tears rolling down her cheeks; she stood and thumped her fist on the table. Looking questioningly at Alex she looked aggressive with her hands on her hips. She wanted Alex to know how deeply she felt about Kurt's well-being.

Alex left the room and in a short while he returned with 100 francs. Slapping it down on the table, "Don't ask for any more until next month."

Katherine blew her nose noisily and dabbed at her eyes but deep inside she was overjoyed.

That night Franz Muller had a friend with him who he had invited for dinner. It was Stefan Gerder who worked in the government Registry Office. He was also a member of Franz's secret Lora society. Stefan had painstakingly created new identities for Gerry and Richard.

Franz excused himself leaving Stefan and Katrine in the dining room discussing the war. He was making his way to the entry to the cellar when Lorraine intercepted him. In a soft voice she told him about the episode with Richard this morning.

"It's a tough time for him, how is he now?" Franz asked.

"He appears more settled tonight, but still downcast. I'll get him upstairs and in the sun every day. That should cheer him up," Lorraine said.

"Help me get this table away from the trapdoor," Franz said.

In the cellar Franz appeared jovial as he looked around and then turned to Richard, "We have a guest for dinner and I would like to introduce him to you. Gerry has met him on a previous occasion. Do you feel like coming upstairs for dinner?"

"I need help to get up the stairs," Richard snapped.

"How's the knee?" Franz asked.

"The same," Richard said sullenly.

"Gerry, let's get Richard upstairs," slightly annoyed Franz moved away from Richard's bed.

Gerry, who was lazing on his bed reading, rose quickly to his feet. He moved to Richard's bed and when he held him securely he carried him upstairs.

"You're not experiencing any problems bending your knee?" Franz said as he replaced the rug over the trapdoor.

"No, I suppose that's an improvement," Richard said softly.

"Seat him in the dining room Gerry," Lorraine said.

In the dining room, Gerry eased Richard off his back and onto the floor where he stood on his left leg.

Katrine hurried into the room and draped a robe around Richard's shoulders, without thinking she kissed him on the cheek. Richard's mood lightened and he smiled at Katrine.

"I could get used to that treatment," Richard said grinning at Katrine as he lowered himself into a chair.

Katrine's cheeks reddened, she turned away and hurried off to the kitchen.

Franz moved to the head of the table and looking at Stefan, "You've met Gerry previously; I would like to introduce his mentor Richard Dasch. Richard meet Stefan Gerder he's brought identification papers for you and Gerry."

"Gerry has told us all about you Richard, he holds you in high esteem. He's told us how grateful he is to you for saving his life," Stefan said as he reached and shook hands with Richard.

While dinner was served by Katrine and Lorraine, Richard chatted with Stefan.

When all were seated Richard seemed his old self again as he held conversations around the table.

At the end of the meal Lorraine and Katrine were clearing the table when Stefan left the room and returned with his attaché case. He placed it on his chair and retrieved two large manila envelopes from it. Glancing at the names written on the envelopes he handed one to Gerry and the other to Richard.

"I can't stress enough how important it is for both of you to assume these new identities. I want you to memorise them, I want you to become that person. I'll be back on Saturday when I will quiz you. It's better to make mistakes..."

Gerry couldn't control himself and he started laughing, this set Richard laughing too. Stefan was confused and looked to Franz for an explanation, but Franz shrugged his shoulders indicating that he could not explain their behaviour.

Richard calmed down and was about to apologise when Gerry said, "He's Manfred's twin brother."

After a quick burst of laughter, Richard held up his hands, a signal for Gerry to be quiet.

"Stefan let me explain. We're not being intentionally rude. At my farm in Goppingen there's a good man, Manfred. He's married to my niece. Together with Gerry they smuggled some German scientists out of Germany. We arranged new identity papers for them and Manfred told them, almost word for word, what you've just told us. Sorry Stefan, nothing personal," Richard said.

"So, you understand then. That's good. It's most important for you to memorise everything I've gathered for your new identities."

"We do Stefan, and thank you from both of us," Richard said.

"I've also quietly checked around after Franz told me about the German patrol boat demolition on the Bodensee. There's no official request from the German authorities to find those responsible for the sabotage at the patrol boat station, except for a low level diplomatic note. It was passed to our ambassador in Berlin. The German high command said that they suspected that the culprits might have escaped into Switzerland. There were no specific facts given in the note so no action has been taken. One thing I did discover is that there is considerable activity on the German side of the Bodensee. We're not sure what the German military is planning," Stefan said.

"I could guess," Richard said.

"Yes..." Franz urged Richard to continue.

"I'm guessing that Germany might be reinforcing her borders. I haven't been able to hear any news for many weeks but if the war is going badly for Germany that could explain it," Richard said.

"That's not clear to me but I hope your guess is correct," Franz said quietly.

"I've heard that the Russians seem to be repelling the German army. If they gather momentum then Richard's guess could be true," Gerry said.

Lorraine looked up as Katrine carried a tray into the dining room. She placed cups for each person then poured hot coffee for them. Finished with her duties, she sat next to Richard.

"As I came in I overheard you discussing the Germans. A woman acquaintance at the market told me this morning that quite a number of trains passed through Switzerland in the past week. They were taking hundreds of wounded German soldiers back home," Katrine said.

"I also think that the war on the Russian front is going badly," Stefan said. "I must warn you and Gerry to be careful when you're able to move around again. There are many German sympathisers and Gestapo agents are active around the country. Try to avoid calling attention to yourselves," Stefan said.

"Are driver's licences in our packages Stefan?" Gerry asked.

"Yes. There are also certificates for other events in your lives. Gerry has one for completion of army national service. Richard, you're a widower. You've also been classified as a permanently disabled person."

Richard chuckled and turned to Gerry, "Haven't been married yet and now I'm a widower. Wait until Erica hears about this!"

Just then Stefan stood, he was about to depart; a large distant explosion shook the house. The lights dimmed and then went out.

"Christ that was a big one!" Gerry exclaimed.

Blackout curtains completely eliminated any light from outside.

Lorraine collided with Katrine as they moved, in the total darkness, towards a cupboard where a torch and candles were kept.

"Sit down Katrine I have them," Lorraine said.

Richard felt Katrine's hand pass across his thigh as she resumed her seat alongside him. He thought that it might have been unintentional so he remained with his elbows resting on the table. But her touch had awakened him; he realised how much he was missing Erika.

Lorraine lit candles and placed them on the table. They gave the dining room a romantic atmosphere but against the backdrop of the distant explosion they were glad to see light again. As soon as Lorraine was seated, Katrine stood again, her hand dragging lightly across Richard's left thigh as she gained her feet.

'I wonder who Erika is?' Katrine thought.

"We have a gas stove, would you like coffee before you go Stefan?" Katrine asked.

Soon they heard a number of sirens from ambulances and fire trucks.

After Stefan had departed they continued to sit at the table.

Suddenly Richard thumped the table lightly with his left hand.

"Damn this bloody war!"

Katrine leaned away from Richard thinking that he might be about to explode again.

"What's wrong Richard?" Franz demanded.

"I just realised that I've missed sending a birthday greeting to my niece and her son. My niece named her child after me when he was born a year ago. I should have sent her a birthday message at least," Richard said now embarrassed by Katrine's frightened reaction.

He put his arm around her and she seemed to flow into his hug.

"Sorry Katrine. I'm not about to go crazy again."

Realising how intimate it felt to hold her he eased his arm from around her shoulders. Katrine's face was flushed. It had been a long time since a man had held her so close and the awakening in her loins made her long for more. But in front of her friends she was acutely embarrassed.

"Gerry, do you think you could get Richard down to my room?" Franz asked.

"Easily, come on Richard put your arm around me and you can hop on your good leg," Gerry said. He knew that he was forcing Richard to hop on his good leg.