The Devil's Blessing Read Online Free PDF Page A

explain.
    “Men, the situation is graver than many of you have thought. As many of you have feared, Germany is losing the war. Not only that—our defeat is all but guaranteed.” Haas paused a few moments to see the effect and reaction that his words might have on the men. There was none. He continued.
    “British forces have now joined French forces, who have, in cowardice, turned against the betterment that the French people had agreed upon with us. Joining the French are American and Canadian forces as well. The reports differ, but it appears that the amount of Americans that have become involved in a war that has nothing to do with them is a staggering number.
    “Coupled with our crumbling war efforts here in the east, it leads me, and most that know of this news, to believe that we are doomed.
    “Our fate is sealed. The outcome is set. Germany will fall. After that, many believe, myself included, that the Soviets and the British will then go to war over the Fatherland.
    “So, having said all this—what are we to take from it? What are we to do? The German Reich will not reach its promised thousand-year reign, and we are to be a defeated people. So what next? The only thing there is to do: live.
    “We must live, and we must survive. Not only for our personal sake, but for our families, and yes, even for Germany, even for the Fatherland. What’s to come of our great land and people is anyone’s guess, but what is certain, as we go forward, is that we need strong men, just men, to continue on our great culture. And we can do that, even if we are to live our lives in chains.
    “And that brings me to the real reason I am here. To what chains are we to be tied? That is the only question. British and Russian bullets kill the same, but their imprisonment is different.
    “For the differences we have had with those in the west, at least we know and understand that they come from a good race. When they capture us, they greet us with pleasantries, and we have tried to offer them the same. But the other option—” Haas pointed behind him, towards the prisoners—“the other option is to become subjects to those mongrels and their animalistic ways. I’d prefer death over a life under the vile thing that they call communism.
    “So that is why I am ordering you to save your lives. Berlin has lost its collective mind. They want us, the German people, to do the work of the enemy, to have us all die, becoming nothing more than a part of written history. Our lives will no longer show proof of who we are, but instead our people will be written about as so many others who have come and gone: as a beaten people.
    “I refuse to do that. If Berlin wants us to die, just as the enemy, isn’t Berlin our enemy too?
    “That is why, starting tomorrow, with the help of your brave Unteroffizier Ingersleben, we will begin our journey west.
    “It will be a difficult and perilous journey. Many German checkpoints will be there, wondering why we are moving west, while so many others are still moving east or staying put. It will be our job, together, to show a unified front. If our German brothers find out we are fleeing to the west, we are to be shot, right there on the spot.
    “Men. The war is lost. Death is nearly certain, and we are to be controlled by two very different people. The order I give you today is simple. Live. And live under the more gentle monster than the one who is ready to take our women. Unteroffizier?”
    It was a lot to take in. Otto knew the gist of the plan already, of course, but even still, hearing the words and the plan come out from someone in command was unbelievable.
    Otto looked around. The men hadn’t moved, but their expressions had changed. One man looked as if he hadn’t breathed during the entire speech, while some other men’s eyes were as wide as plates. No one could believe what they were hearing, and none seemed too happy about it. Yet no one did anything. Everyone just stood and waited to hear