The Promise

Chapter 9.

Chapter 9

November 1943

Auschwitz, Poland

Night had fallen. The house was quiet again. Erik was alone in his room. Greta had gone to put the children to bed. Fritz was sitting by the fireplace smoking a cigar. Johanna had taken a seat opposite him.

"Day one for Erik has come to an end," she spoke at last. "What's your assessment so far?"

Fritz puffed thoughtfully. "Hard to say," he said at last. "It's the new Erik after all. Same stone wall as yesterday. He went about his duties with little more emotion than a machine. He doesn't seem to keen on the 'brutality' as he put it, though. Asked me during lunch if it was really necessary. The gas chambers and the crematorium killed his appetite as well. After I told him about them he couldn't eat."

"And why did you tell him? I remember specifically telling you not to mention them until later."

"Oh, he asked about them himself. Heard others talking about it. But really, Johanna, with his line of duty he's bound to come in contact with them. If he were an outer guard he might have avoided the whole truth for a while. Being involved in the inner camo activities he's got no choice but to know about it. I'm a little disappointed that he's still such a softy. You'd think after all the fighting he went through and being a prisoner of war not once, but twice, he'd have some hatred in him and want to get back at those responsible for his suffering. Most of the inmates in his division are Soviet POWs. But no, he wants to be fair."

"Blame Oma," Johanna replied with a sigh. "She's the one who taught him to 'love his enemies'. She never supported Hitler's ideas, and no doubt spread her disapproval to Erik. Unlike you and me, Fritz, Erik isn't in the war because he believes in it, but rather because he has no choice."

There was silence again for a while. Johanna picked up where she had left off in her novel. Fritz finished his cigar and put it out.

"Oh, now I remember," he suddenly stated. "Bauer did mention that it seems Erik saw someone he once knew before. Or so Bauer suspects."

Johanna looked up from her book. "Uh oh, that's doesn't sound good. Did you find out who?"

"No, I didn't give it much significance at the time. Bauer mentioned it when I was asking him to report about Erik. Considering he's got barracks full of Soviet POWs I'm guessing it could be someone he met while on the Eastern Front."

"Well find out what if what Bauer said is really true and if it is true be sure to get rid of this person. Erik is proving to be too soft as it is. If there's someone he knows that will really throw things off balance. Oh Erik," Johanna shook her head. "We had such high hopes for you when you achieved so much merit on the battlefront. Apparently we should have left you there. Fritz, you need to find out who it is. Do it tomorrow, first thing."

Fritz narrowed his eyes at his sister. "Johanna, I will remind you that I am the Kommandant and I have more important things to do with my time than run around trying to find out if perhaps my young brother might have maybe seen someone he could possibly once have known. Not to mention that tomorrow I finally have a day to myself and plan to spend it with my family. If you're so concerned and want to waste a precious free day go yourself."

"I will," Johanna snapped back at him. "And you'll thank me after I do, Kommandant Schultz."

***
He had the window open and was smoking beside it. It has become a bad habit of his to smoke when nervous. With all that had taken place today he found himself taking one cigarette after another from the pack.

He had come up with a plan, he didn't know if it would work, but with a camp like Auschwitz, which was so heavily guarded and situated out in the middle of nowhere, he felt it was the only way. After all, he had to do it in such a way that would give them enough time to try and make it for the border before it was discovered that she was gone and he had deserted.

His cigarette finished. He threw the butt out the window, almost reached for another one, but hesitated and decided against it.

He took the photograph from the bedstand and looked at it. How different she was now than in the photograph. What had this camp done to her? And why? Where did this whole hatred of the Jews come from anyway?

Erik let out a sigh.

Tomorrow was Sunday. He'd already heard at dinner that neither Fritz nor Johanna were reporting for duty tomorrow. The inmates likewise would not be taken for forced labor. He knew what he wanted was too risky. And it wasn't necessary either. God forbid someone saw and reported to his brother, or worse yet, his sister. If she found out about Ruth it would be the worst. Johanna was not only ruthless but also vindictive.

But four years apart made Erik desperate. And desperate means called for desperate measures.

He reached for the packet and pulled out the last cigarette. If he played it right he wouldn't attract suspicion and endanger his whole endeavor.