Chapter 5: At Gestapo Headquarters

Anne-Marie sat impatiently, feeling very frustrated and nervous as she faced the Colonel ... She had not anticipated this level of indecision when they planned the operation. When she had reported she had seen her immediate controller, and he had immediately sent a man to watch the apartment as a matter of urgency, and to ensure Tony was safe. He had orders to observe, but not interfere. But her controller insisted on passing her up the line to the local Military Commander. Sitting there she waited and waited sensing his indecision, he was like most of the Nazi hierarchy, they preferred not to make controversial decisions which could come back and lay blame at their door.

She was more than a little afraid of him, he was widely known for his vindictive self seeking attitude. But her unexpected success in recruiting Tony, had meant that it placed him in a quandary, and he did not know what to do about Tony and her, in the near future. It was typical of the Nazi regime they were all frightened of making the wrong decision.

They had all agreed however, that it was a massive publicity coup, and she deserved great credit for her endeavors, but no-one could or would make a decision about what to do with Tony, until they got direct orders from Berlin. In Berlin were probably being just as indecisive, until they got orders from the Fuhrer himself. So now the Colonel had to come up with a short term solution of some sort to look after him, and then there was the problem with what to do about Anne-Marie herself. The fact that she had married him had created a problem, and had definitely limited her usefulness, in seeking out and informing on the resistance groups - he was now of the opinion that she was of little or no use at all to the Third Reich, in fact she was an embarrassment.

The colonel had the reputation of being so very unpredictable, and very irrational. But he was no fool, and he did realise however, that Tony could be a very important person in the Third Reich when the propaganda machine went to work, and if he handled the situation correctly, he could get a large part of the credit, and quite easily himself become a man of influence in the Nazi party. To him it was very important he made a decision which could not be criticized later if anything went wrong. Therefore he eventually determined to act in a manner which would exonerate him from all future criticism.

He said. "Frau Shuppen you have done extremely well, and no doubt the Fuhrer will ensure that your hard work is properly recognised. I doubt whether it was ever envisaged that your operation would succeed this well. You have indeed exceeded all our most optimistic expectations. To convince a hero no less than a VC to defect is a fantastic achievement. I am sure it is much more than Herr Goebbels would or could have anticipated."

She said "Thank you Herr Colonel, but Herr Colonel I have delivered a high ranking officer as I was requested by Herr Goebbels. So for me this part of my mission is finished, I do however, care for the man, he is a good man and he is definitely genuine, that is all. But we are married, although the Luftwaffe bombed Portsmouth the night before the wedding, and the ceremony had to be postponed. However, we managed it in the end at a special ceremony at the Portsmouth Guildhall which became a temporary registry office. I have delivered him safely as I promised; he can of course live in my apartment for a time, but I sense that some of the partisans are already a little suspicious ... I do not want to be seen to be connected to him in any way, when the news becomes public, as it will damage my usefulness to the party. I need to leave him in your care, as I do not want my work with the partisans compromised, at least for a few days."

That was a problem that the Colonel had already recognised, and now he was getting slightly exasperated with Anne-Marie. But he had made a decision "Frau Shuppen, you have done well, We need to keep him safe as the partisans will be after his blood when the word leaks out, and probably yours as well. I don't want to lock him up, as that would soon become known, and is scant reward for his change of loyalties. Anne-Marie replied "That is why Herr Colonel that I need to get my story in first with the Partisans, so that I can on the face of it disown him."

"Point taken, but I will lay on some refreshments for you if you will wait outside, while I make the necessary arrangements."...

Just then a man in civilian clothes who Anne-Marie suspected was a senior Gestapo official by the way the Colonel reacted to his presence and asked her curtly.

"How do we know that he has not been planted to spy on us?" Anne-Marie replied quietly. "Mein Herr you don't, but I do, I would not have brought him this far, if I was not 100% sure of him." Anne-Marie in turn was now getting very exasperated at the lack of decision over Tony's immediate future, as she moved to the waiting room where some coffee and sandwiches were eventually served..."

After about half an hour she was recalled by the colonel, who said..." I have just had an idea. Frau Schuppen, I have arranged for your sister in Law to visit you to stay with you for a few days? Anne-Marie stood there looking at the Colonel utterly confused, but as the Colonel spoke he rang a bell on his desk, within a few moments a tall slim blonde lady had entered the room dressed in Wehrmacht uniform. She came to attention and gave the Nazi salute. "Here Frau Schuppen this is Fraulein Helga she can be your Sister in Law who has come to visit you for a few days and also of course to visit her brothers grave. That will allow you to renew your normal operations, and leave your husband in Fraulein Helga's safe hands."

Anne-Marie smiled at the Colonel "Danka Herr Colonel" ... Inside she was hurting, she was jealous, she had no illusion about Fraulein Helga Nieumier, her reputation was not a well kept secret, but she dare not show her concern ... The colonel said with a giggle "Fraulein Helga here will look after him, she will fuck his brains out if I know her, and he will be too tired to be a nuisance or run away, and she can perhaps take him sightseeing." But immediately Ann-Marie suddenly sensed danger. "But Mein Herr, Fraulein Helga is well known, if he is seen with her in public, it will blow our cover, and the partisans will soon know that he has defected, and they will assume that I am also a traitor."

The Colonel ignored Anne-Maries comments, and went on to say. "Fraulein Helga you will change into civilian clothes, and go with Anne-Marie. You will be Fraulein Schuppen, Anne-Maries sister in law from Wegburg, who has come to visit, and you will keep a close eye on the man she is keeping in her apartment who is her husband. He is vitally important to the Third Reich, l and he must be kept secure and happy. You can, and must entertain him and keep him safe, in any way short of physical abuse, for a few days, until I get orders from Berlin. She gave the Nazi salute and replied "Ja Herr Colonel."

Anne Marie felt very sad, as once again she waited in the ante room for Fraulein Helga to change, she knew that her time with Tony was coming to an end, at least for the time being, but they both anticipated this would have to happen. She had been away from the apartment for nearly five hours, and now she was worried about him. She knew he was sensible, but she was worried, that some of the partisans could be a little suspicious, and she was sure that she had been followed when she left home earlier that morning. Coming here to the Wehrmacht Headquarters had been a risk she had been forced to take. She was also very worried about the reaction when Tony's defection became public knowledge. She was sure the partisans would surely blame her, because she was married to him. It could destroy her cover story, and she would lose all credibility. She had to get hers story in first.