Harold waved until he lost sight of the departing Jeep and then he needed all his strength to walk up to the empty room. It was still the middle of the night and he tried to find some sleep. When this didn’t work, he reached for a sheet of paper to write a second letter to his father. He wanted the letter to be cheerful but could not think of a happy sentence.
His thoughts circled around the last few days and he finally gave up fighting his tears. However, by the time morning rolled around he was in full control of himself again.
“Good morning,” Major Tesslov said as he entered the mess room. He was wearing a heavy coat and handed a thick uniform jacket and something resembling a backpack to Harold.
“We will spend the next few days on the road,” he announced. “If you have any belongings make them fit in this satchel. I doubt that we will return to this place.”
“Where are we going, Herr Tesslov?” Harold was happy to leave this room and the building behind. Any kind of a trip would surely distract him enough from his self-pity.
“It depends on where and how soon we are supposed to catch up with the Kommissar.” Major Tesslov was happy and content with his assignment to tutor Harold. The boy was bright, a willing student and a fast learner.
It also gave him a chance to keep on repaying a huge favor he owned the Kommissar. He knew Godunov since they had studied together in Moscow. While Tesslov was strictly a military officer, fluent in a few Slavic languages and bent on learning German, French and English, Godunov was already entrenched in a political career. This was many years ago when both officers studied together as young lieutenants. It was also before Tesslov had been tempted to fool around with the young and attractive wife of a senior officer. This in itself was not so uncommon in Moscow. Most of the senior soldiers of rank had young wives which in return had an eye for the strapping young officers in the elite schools. Tesslov had been either stupid or in puppy lust, but either way he got caught and found guilty of a civil crime against his fellow officers.
He was already condemned to a forced labor camp in the Ural Mountains when Godunov found out about it and intervened on Tesslov’s behalf. Thanks to the influence of his stepfather, Godunov had advanced to the status of a junior Kommissar and it was actually his first attempt to indebt an officer to him. He did not share his plans for political advancement with anyone but they included indebting various individuals to secure his ambitions.
In some cases it had not worked out as smoothly as he had hoped. He had to turn the situation around and use his rising power to wipe out any possible trace of his attempts.
When Godunov had heard of Tesslov’s transgressions and of his conviction, he had approached the NKVD (Communist secret state police) bureau in Moscow with an ingenious proposal.
He offered to ‘lease’ the language wizard from the labor camp under the pretense that he needed him for intelligence work during the war. He vouched for Tesslov with his name and signed a document that he would return him to the prison when he no longer needed him. In the meantime, he sent two other criminals to the camp to serve as replacement for Tesslov. Nobody assumed he had an ulterior motive or questioned him about his actions.
He personally picked up Tesslov from the central prison in Moscow and when they reached his office he showed him the obligation he had signed. Tesslov understood that he was free as long as he served Godunov’s interests. Before his conviction he had reached the rank of a major and now it was impossible for him to advance any further. However, from time to time, Godunov rewarded him with certain perks. Mostly recommendations for medals. It was an unspoken painless agreement between them and Godunov liked the simplicity of it.
The more Tesslov thought about his present task the more he liked it. Godunov had not only ordered him to teach Harold the Russian language on a fast track, but he was also to test the intelligence level of his protégé. He was supposed to immerse Harold in challenging situations and observe the boy’s ability to handle himself. Tesslov, on the other hand, figured if he played his cards right he might find, with the unwitting help of the boy, a weak spot in the Kommissar’s armor. He was looking for anything that might level the playing field. It was not that he didn’t feel thankful and grateful towards Godunov, but he wanted to be on even terms and not at his mercy. In spite of his pending prison term, he had some plans for himself.
*****
Harold had only a few items of clothing which he fitted neatly in the backpack and then he followed the Major to a newly seized American-built four-wheel-drive vehicle. It easily seated six people and was painted in the Russian camouflage colors with a bright red Soviet star. The appropriation from a supply convoy from the Baltic Sea had been one of the latest actions by the Kommissar before he had left with his bodyguards to join the city commander Berzarin.
“Do you know where the prison in Spandau is located?” Tesslov asked Harold who was immediately interested.
“Yes, I was there a few days ago with Karl. What do you have in mind?”
“I understand that this is where your father is being held. Maybe there is a chance that you can see him before we leave Germany.” Tesslov had no plan or any idea of how to do this, but he wanted to give an appearance of sympathy. He hoped that this would earn him points with the boy.
Harold showed the way out of the city but was only cautiously hopeful. He remembered Godunov telling him that there was no chance, even for a political Kommissar, to assure his father’s freedom. Still, Tesslov’s suggestion gave him hope that they might be able to see his father. Just a simple glimpse of him would be wonderful.
The road to Spandau was again crowded with British and American vehicles but the prison itself seemed less guarded than a week ago. The multi-national guards on duty consisted of smaller groups made up by regular soldiers and not of junior officers as before.
Harold mentioned the reduction of guards to Tesslov who considered his possible options. He thought about how he could possibly get all four of the different nationalities on the same page, knowing that he could not bribe them as they all seemed well fed and content.
“Let’s try begging.” Tesslov smiled at the boy as he drove up to the guard shack and asked for the officer on duty. Within a minute they were standing in front of a broad-shouldered American first lieutenant.
The Major introduced himself as an aide to political Kommissar Godunov of the NKVD and added that the Kommissar would consider it a personal favor if his German protégé could possibly have a chance to see his father who was supposedly detained in this facility.
Lieutenant Logan listened with respect to the flawless English of the Russian officer and shook his head. “Sorry Major, but I have no choice in the matter. No one is permitted to see the political prisoners. I would happily oblige the wishes of the Kommissar if it was a matter of simply seeing a regular POW.”
Tesslov shifted his eyes to Harold. “You cannot say that I did not try,” he told him in German.
Harold had listened to the short discussion with his limited understanding of the English language and thought he had heard something that might be worthwhile following up on.
“My father is not a political criminal. If he is here at all it must be by mistake.” His English was far from perfect but the American understood the meaning and felt sorry for the German boy in the unfitting Russian uniform.
“I am not the one who decides whether a prisoner is a war criminal or not.” Logan turned to a wall cabinet and retrieved a list of names. “Most of the detainees have been shipped to Luxembourg for interrogation before their trial,” he informed the Major.
“What is your father’s name and rank?” he asked Harold.
“My father’s name is Ferdinand Kellner and he had no rank. He was a civil employee in charge of supplies.”
The lieutenant took a second look at the boy before he consulted his list. “Let me give you some advice. Never, ever, say that your father was in charge of anything. Civil employee is good enough.” His eyes returned to the paper in his hand. “I will forget what I heard,” he spoke to no one in particular.
Harold understood immediately. Karl had always told him that he talked too much. Now he somehow received the same advice from an American officer. Time to pay attention, he told himself.
“Your father’s name is not on this list,” Lieutenant Logan told Harold without saying what kind of list it was.
“It could be that Herr Ferdinand Kellner is only guilty by association. If this is the case, he might still be in this facility waiting to be assigned to a different prison,” Logan informed the major. “As I stated before, I want to be helpful to the Kommissar and to this boy, but I need to first consult with the prison commander. Please wait.” Without saying how long this might take he left the guard office.
A few minutes passed and when he returned he was smiling. “Follow me.” He motioned to Harold and Tesslov to accompany him into the prison yard which had several sections separated with barbed wire.
“You will have five minutes with your father. It is all I could do for you.”
Herr Ferdinand Kellner appeared from a back building followed by a prison guard in a British uniform. He did not recognize his son until he was within shouting distance. In the next moment they were both holding each other, searching for words.
Lieutenant Logan pretended to look at his watch but in reality he allowed the reunion to last at least twice as long as permitted.
“Say your goodbye and tell your father that he is a lucky man to have a determined son like you.” The lieutenant ended the short visit. Harold embraced his father once more and followed him with his eyes until he disappeared into the far building.
“Do you know what might happen to my father? You said something like ‘guilty by association’ what does this mean?” Harold asked Logan wiping the joyful tears from his eyes.
“All I know is that your father is not one of the officially named war criminals. But, he might belong to a group that will be judged as criminals during the upcoming trial. If that happens he might be sentenced to a prison term.”
The American Lieutenant glanced at the Russian Major before he continued. “In any event it would be a much better fate than being forced into slave labor in Russia.”
They were walking back towards the guardhouse and Tesslov took the stab at the Russian practice of sending their prisoners to Russia with remarkable ease.
“Tell me, Lieutenant, where are you from, in the USA?”
“Virginia.”
“I always liked that name and I heard that Virginia is a great state with many tobacco plantations. But tell me how many cities in Virginia have been destroyed by the Germans? How many roads or utility or railroad lines have been devastated enough to push you back almost to the Middle Ages? And finally, how many lives including women and children have the Americans lost compared to the millions my country has lost?”
When the Lieutenant hesitated a moment too long to respond, Tesslov stretched out his hand to Logan. “Don’t bother to answer, Lieutenant, we have to thank you for helping us, but don’t condemn us for wanting the people who devastated our country to rebuild it again. We never invited the Germans to invade us and we are simple people calling it tit-for-tat.”
The Lieutenant hesitated before he shook Tesslov’s hand. “I agree that you have a valid point, Major. Without our material help you would still be fighting around the Volga River. And don’t forget our Air Force, and……” he hesitated again, “well, forget it. It’s over.”
“Interesting American slang, I take it. You Americans say forget it and get on with your business. We Russians can’t even comprehend this phrase as we will never forget. I wish you well on your return home.” Tesslov let go of the Lieutenant’s hand and turned around to leave when he heard Logan’s answer. “Same to you, Major.” He slowly turned his head to take another look at the American. “I wish I had a home to go home to.”
Harold had followed the conversation between the officers with some discomfort. While he was still happy to have seen and spoken with his father, he was also aware that the Lieutenant was no match against his Major. It bothered him that the Russian was essentially correct in his answers. He decided to come back to this subject and discuss it with Godunov when he saw him again.
For now, he was more than thankful that Tesslov had helped him. He had never expected to see his father today. “If there is ever anything I can do for you, please tell me.” He was bent on repaying Tesslov for the favor.
“I am not an American, so I won’t tell you to forget it. We will spend a long time together and I am sure that there will be many opportunities in our future to assist each other.”
The Major was very satisfied with how the day had turned out. He was a bit sentimental himself and enjoyed seeing Harold so happy. This alone was worth the afternoon, but he was also pleased to hear Harold’s assurance.
“We will stay tonight in the castle of Genshagen,” he announced as he turned the car back on the road. “Do you know the fastest route?”
Harold had to interrupt his thoughts because his mind was still with his father. But then he remembered that the castle was near Ludwigsfelde, Brandenburg, and this was the place where the highly placed German civil servants had been evacuated by the German high command and then had subsequently been arrested by the Russians.
This was also the place where the Kommissar had found his mother. Maybe this would be an opportunity to find some information in regard to the specific unit that had been involved with the mass rape that caused his mother’s death. He struggled with some ideas as to how he could use the Major for this purpose.
“I am not too sure, Herr Tesslov. I don’t know of a direct route. The fastest way would be to cross the outskirts of Berlin.” The dilapidated map he consulted showed no major thoroughfare to the south. He looked at the traffic going in their direction and noted the total absence of any American or British troops.
Kind of strange, he mumbled to himself. “What is strange?” The Major had heard him and thought that Harold’s remark was related to their destination.
Harold caught himself short and steered the conversation in the direction of his foremost interests. “Could you please observe and correct me tonight? I would like to try and apply what you taught me with some of the soldiers we will meet.”
“Yes, this is a very good idea. There will be soldiers from different parts of Russia. If nothing else you will learn how to differentiate between the dialects.”
The Major was happy to see Harold’s eagerness. He reasoned that his enthusiasm was due to the successful visit they just had.