The Promise

Chapter 2.

Chapter 2.

Downstairs it was quiet. Greta had gone to put the children to sleep. Fritz and Johanna were together in the sitting room. The radio was playing softly in the background.

"What do you make of him?" Johanna asked her brother.

Fritz shook his head as ran his hand through his hair. "He's unrecognizable. Talking to him is like talking to a wall. He never smiles or shows much emotion and it almost impossible to get any sort of response from him other than 'yes sir, no sir'. Four years on the front lines seem to have really taken their toll on him. He's coarse and reclusive. I don't recognize our kid brother at all."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Johanna mused. "He's a Lagerführer now and will be overseeing the Rapportführer at Auschwitz. It's not a job for the soft hearted. I'm actually surprised Father had him transfered here. It seemed quite settled that he should go to Amsterdam. I think Father is overconfident in Erik. In all honesty, I'm not sure our little brother is ready for Auschwitz."

Fritz gave his sister a puzzled glance.

"Erik is the weak link, Fritz, and weak links must be guarded."

Fritz laughed and reached over for the box of cigars that lay on the table. "Weak link?" He leaned back in his chair and lit the cigar. Inhaling deeply he then breathed out the smoke. "You're speaking in riddles again, my dear Johanna. What weak link?"

His sister's eyes grew serious as caught Fritz's gaze and held it firm. "We're a prominent family, Fritz. We've all supported the Führer right from the start. The ideals and doctrines of the Third Reich have been upheld by us all. We all believe in the policies, we all implement them. All that is, except Erik. Erik the 'great thinker'. Erik with his 'broad mind' who won't believe the truth even if you shoved it in his face. He must question everything, he must doubt everyone. Lies and truth, he is equally suspicious of both. It comes from all that rubbish literature that Oma let him read in his adolescence. It comes from the wrong company he kept for most of his life. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, and our family name and our good fortune all depend on Erik."

"I think he's tougher than you suppose. He's not the soft little boy who got sick from the sight of blood anymore. Erik has been on the front for such a long time now. He's been fighting since the war started. He survived the Battle of Stalingrad. He's is a decorated war hero..."

"Decorated war hero, not decorated war hero, you yourself said he is reclusive. He shuts us out so we have no way of knowing what goes on in his head. We don't know what sort of thoughts are rattling around in there. That's why we must watch him closely to make sure he doesn't get his head filled with dangerous ideas which could lead to dangerous actions which would lead to the shame and downfall of us all. When you take him to his duties tomorrow don't go letting on too much information about the camp just yet. And certainly don't go telling him about the gas chambers and the cremation. Break it all in slowly. And don't you roll your eyes at me, Fritz," Johanna waved her finger at her brother. "Trust me, he's not ready."

Despite her warning, Fritz rolled his eyes just the same. "I'm the Kommandant, Johanna, and Erik is under me, so I think I know what to say and not to say, as well as what to show and what not to show."

***

The next morning Erik found himself with Fritz entering the large complex that made up Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The place seemed colorless and void. The bleak November weather and the cold wind only added to the dismal, hopeless surroundings.

"What a miserable place," Erik dared to say. Fritz cast him an annoyed glance.

"It's a prison camp, Erik, what do you expect?"

"I don't expect anything," Erik snapped back. "I was just making a general observation. I suppose I am allowed to do that."

"Erik, I will remind you that while we are here I am your superior officer and you must allocate the proper respect to me. Especially in front of the other guards and the prisoners. You do understand that?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Let's not let personal relationships get in the way of our professional duties. Now, since it's your first day here I thought I would give you a tour of the place so that you will know your bearings. Auschwitz is large with several subcamps and I can't have you getting lost."

"As the Kommandant don't you have more important things to do?"

"As your Kommandant I need to make sure you understand your duties and fulfill them. Thus I am ordering you to take a tour with me. Is that clear?"

Seeing as he had no choice Eric straightened out his shoulders. "Yes sir."

Fritz gave a slight nod of approval and began talking again.

"If there's one thing he's good at its monologuing." Erik grumbled to himself as he quickened his step to keep up with his brother.

Luckily the monotonous ramble of Fritz was put to an end by the arrival of two other officers.

"Kommandant, we have a situation, sir, that needs your attention!" One of them stated after they had saluted.

"Ah, Lagerführer Hahn, Lagerführer Bauer. Is it urgent?"

"Yes sir."

"Rats! Why do these situations always come up when I least need them to? Hahn, you come with me then. Bauer, this is Lagerführer Eric Schultz, he's in your division. Take him and instruct him on the basic duties and responsibilities. Erik, I'll catch up with you at lunch. Come and find me during the break."

"Yes sir." Erik saluted and Fritz walked off with Hahn.

"Schultz?" Bauer turned to him. "You related to the Kommandant?"

"I'm his brother." Erik replied.

"Ah. So now there are three of you siblings all working at one camp?"

Eric just gave a slight nod. Of course his brother had to leave him with a talkative Lagerführer.

"Are we to expect any more? My name is Martin by the way. Come with me. Being stationed at Auschwitz is better than being stationed anywhere else. There are above normal rations here. I pity those soldiers who have to go to the front. Have you ever been to the front?"

Eric gave another slight nod. "This guy is worse than Fritz!" He grumbled to himself. His annoyed thoughts were interrupted by the passing of a group of ladies. Erik eyed them curiously. They were a pathetic group, dressed in stripped, ragged dresses. Their clothes were certainly not designed to protect them from the freezing weather. As they got closer he could clearly see how thin they were and there was dirt and grime on their faces. Many stumbled as they walked, barely able to hold their own weight it seemed.

"They're female inmates on their way to do labor," Martin informed him. "A rotten bunch. Most of them will be sent to the gas chambers before the year is up. Don't mind them. Let's hurry, this wind is chilling me it the bone."

Martin quickened his step. Erik, on the other hand, slowed his down. In the column closest to him, one of the ladies had caught his attention. She was of relatively short stature with dark curls cut short. Her dress hung loosely on her thin body. She walked, however, with head held high; her tired, battered face not showing any fear or despair. There even seemed to be a sort of pride to her demeanor, which made her stand out sharply from the rest of the crowd.

Erik's heart began beating faster and faster as she got closer to him. It was all he could do to keep walking, though he had slowed his pace down so much that Martin had even stopped to glance back and see why his companion was no longer by his side.

As she passed him the woman turned her head and her eyes locked with Erik's. He saw them widen in recognition. Her lips mouthed his name as she stumbled a little but quickly caught herself and kept moving. She turned her head to try and catch another glimpse of him. He was also looking back, all color draining from his face. His breathing was heavy. He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't. At the same time there was no doubt as to who she was.

He hurried no to catch up with Martin, but looked back once more, trying to distinguish her from the rest of the crowd as her name involuntarily escaped his lips.

"Ruth."