Night of the Fox Read Online Free PDF Page A

proceeds, I think." He turned to Bormann. "The report on Army Group B which I asked for? Has it arrived?"
     
     
Bormann turned inquiringly to Rattenhuber who said, "IVe just had a report from the airfield. The courier, a Captain Koenig, landed five minutes ago. He's on his way."
     
     
"Good." Hitler seemed abstracted now, as if somehow alone as he stared down at the map. "So, gentlemen, where do we start?"
     
     
On December 26,1943, a remarkable and gifted young German officer, Colonel Klaus von Stauffenberg, reported for a meeting at Rastenburg with a time bomb in his briefcase, Unfortunately, the meeting did not lake place, as the Fuhrer had already departed for Bavaria for the Christmas holiday. In spite of having lost his left eye and right hand in action, von Stauffenberg was Chief of Staff to General Olbricht of the General Army Office and the center of a conspiracy of army generals whose aim was to assassinate the Fuhrer and save Germany from disaster.
     
     
His own abortive attempt at Christmas 1943 was only one of many that had failed. Yet there was no shortage of volunteers to the cause, as witness Captain Karl Koenig traveling in the rear of the military car from the airfield to Wolf's Lair on that gray April morning with the papers from Berlin that Hitler had requested. He was in a highly nervous state, which was hardly surprising when one considered the time bomb carefully placed in the false bottom of the briefcase. He had told the pilot at Rastenburg airfield to be ready for a quick turnaround and his fingers trembled as he lit a cigarette.
     
     
The SS driver and guard in front stared woodenly ahead, and as time passed, Koenig's nervousness increased. There were minefields on either side in the gloomy woods, electric fences, guards patrolling everywhere with savage dogs and three gates to pass through to reach the inner compound. Still, time to arm the bomb. Once done, it would give him exactly thirty minutes, they had told him.
     
     
He reached for the lock on the left-hand strap of the briefcase and depressed it. There was an immediate and very powerful explosion which killed Koenig and the two guards instantly and blew the car apart. '
     
     
Hitler was beside himself with rage, pacing up and down in the map room. "Again and yet again they try." He turned on Rattenhuber. "And you, Oberfiihrer? What about you? Sworn to protect my personal safety."
     
     
"My Fuhrer," Rattenhuber stammered. "What can I say?"
     
     
"Nothing!" Hitler stormed and turned on the rest of them. "You say nothing of use to me-not any of you."
     
     
In the shocked silence, it was Himmler who spoke, his voice dry and precise. "That there has been negligence here is true, my Fuhrer, but surely we see further proof, in the failure of this dastardly attempt, of the certainty of your own destiny. Further proof of Germany's inevitable victory under your inspired guidance."
     
     
Hitler's eyes blazed, his head went back. "As always, Reichsfiihrer, you see. The only one who does." He turned on the others. "Get out, all of you. I wish to talk to the Reichsfuhrer alone."
     
     
They went without a murmur, Goebbels the last one to leave. Hitler stood staring down at the map desk, hands clasped behind him. "In what way may I serve my Fuhrer?" Himmler asked.
     
     
"There is a plot, am I not right?" Hitler said. "A general conspiracy to destroy me, and this Captain Koenig was simply an agent?"
     
     
"Not so much a general conspiracy as a conspiracy of generals, my Fuhrer."
     
     
Hitler turned sharply. "Are you certain?"
     
     
"Oh, yes, but proof-that is something else."
     
     
Hitler nodded. "Koenig was an aide of General Olbricht. Is Olbricht one of those you suspect?" Himmler nodded. "And the others?"
     
     
"Generals Stieff, Wagner, von Hase, Lindemann. Several more, all being closely watched."
     
     
Hitler stayed remarkably cool. "Traitors each and every one. No firing squad. A noose each when the time comes. No