Roots of Evil(95)

‘The Third Reich seems somewhat divided,’ observed Alice rather caustically to the others in Hut 24. ‘Or does G?ering intend to fight on his own?’

‘I heard there were rumours that Herr Hitler means to annexe Czechoslovakia in the way he annexed Austria,’ said one of the women – Mirka – who was from a village just outside Prague, and who had been raped and beaten on Kristallnacht, before being brought to Buchenwald. ‘But if he does, he will not find it easy. Slovakian people are strong and fearless, and they will defy the Reich armies. They will fight. And our good friends in France will come to our aid,’ said Mirka confidently. ‘You will see.’

The spring buds were just starting to unfurl when the information reached Buchenwald, via a new consignment of prisoners, that Hitler’s armies had marched into Bohemia and Moravia, and that France had done nothing to prevent them. Mirka had sobbed with angry despair that night, muffling the sounds in her pillow, and Alice sat on the side of her bed, trying to comfort her. The two of them had talked softly until dawn, exchanging memories, and Alice thought they had both drawn strength from one another.

Several days afterwards some Czech women were brought to Buchenwald, and they told how the Czechoslovakians had indeed fought the German armies.

‘They fought and they are still defiant,’ said one of them, who had been assigned to Hut 24, and Mirka nodded at this as if she would have expected nothing less. ‘But they are defeated, for all that,’ said the woman. ‘My village was burned to the ground and my family all died.’ Her eyes flashed. ‘I would take on Hitler’s entire army single-handed for what they did,’ she said.

It was shortly after the arrival of the Czech prisoners that Alice’s name was called at the evening roll-call. ‘Prisoner 98907, Wilson, Hut 24?’

‘Here,’ said Alice, managing to speak calmly although her heart had started to race. What have I done? she thought frantically. What do they want me for? But she stepped two paces forward as was the rule, and waited.

‘Come with us,’ said one of them, taking her arm and pulling her across the concrete quadrangle where roll-call always took place.

Alice was extremely frightened, but she said, coldly, ‘I prefer to walk,’ and brushed off their hands. ‘Where are you taking me?’

‘To the commandant’s office.’

‘Why?’

‘Those are our orders.’

The rain-sodden concrete yard and the rows of people blurred, and there was the feeling of something huge and oppressive pressing down on the top of her head, making the blood pound painfully against her eyes. Satan, leather-winged and cloven-hoofed, finally fastening his arms around her? Time for the reckoning, my dear…Don’t be ridiculous!

Inside the commandant’s office the SS guards gave the sharp, heel-clicking German salute, and then went out, leaving Alice alone. The sound of the door closing brought a panic-filled claustrophobia, but she was determined to show no fear. Remember the Let’s Pretend game, Alice…? Remember how you fooled everyone by being Lucretia, and remember how you invoked the old game for the film-makers. When I was a King in Babylon and you were a Christian slave…And now I’m a Christian in a Jewish concentration camp, but the burden of the song’s the same. Fool them, Alice. Play the pretend-game. All right, here I go.

On this note she raised her eyes and looked about her. The office was warm and well-lit, and there was a carpet on the floor and books on the walls. Books, warmth, comfort. Oh God, what wouldn’t I give to have such things back in my life! But one day I’ll be back in the real world and I’ll have them again.

Through a partly open door was a small, rather sparsely furnished bedroom, where the commandant sometimes slept if a new batch of prisoners was due in the early morning, or if there was to be a visit of inspection by some Reich official or important Party member and he wanted to be on hand. Alice could see the bed and a washbasin with soap and towels. Hot water. Scented soap. I’m not bearing this, she thought. I’m exhausted and I’m permanently hungry and I’m bone-cold all the time. I’m wearing this appalling sacking garment and my hair has been shorn to keep it free of lice, and for the past six months the only washing facilities I’ve had are cold water in a stone trough, and a bar of lye soap shared with twenty others.

I will do anything to get out of here…There is nothing I would not do…

The words sang through her mind like a litany, like a prayer or a curse, and at last she looked properly at the man standing by the desk. Buchenwald’s commandant, SS Colonel Karl Koch. He had mean little eyes, set deep into a rather coarse-grained face, and his neck was too thick for the sharply-cut SS uniform.

The little squinty eyes inspected Alice, and after a moment, Karl Koch said, ‘First I should tell you that I know who you really are.’ His voice was discordant and unpleasant, but Alice did not detect any especial mockery.

She said, non-committally, ‘Do you, indeed?’

‘I have seen two of your films, baroness,’ he said. He used the title as if he believed it perfectly genuine. ‘For me it was a great pleasure.’

‘Thank you.’

‘So, I think that for you, life inside Buchenwald must be harsh.’

‘Yes, it is a hard and cruel place, this,’ said Alice after a moment. Her mind was working at a furious rate. He knew about Lucretia. More to the point, he believed in Lucretia. Was this something she could turn to her advantage?