TWO
PRAGUE: 1942
Reinhardt Tristan Eugen Heydrich was Reich protector of the area recently Germanised as Bohemia and Moravia. He had been appointed personally in September 1941 by Adolf Hitler and his star had risen rapidly in the Nazi hierarchy under the shadow of his chief, Reichführer SS Heinrich Himmler.
Heydrich had a prodigious memory and an extraordinary talent for clinical organisation, which, combined with ruthless ambition, propelled him to the pinnacle of the totalitarian terror regime. His tall athletic figure, in the imposing uniform of an SS General, struck fear into those who encountered his influence. At thirty eight years of age, he was the pivot around which the Nazi regime revolved. He constantly courted danger and had once been shot down behind Russian lines in a fighter plane and was fortunate enough to make his way back to the safety of the German forces. This recklessness resulted in his grounding from fighter pilot action by the Führer as he was regarded as too valuable to risk in such campaigns. A skilled fencer, his strong figure with fair Aryan features always cut a dash when he entered an arena to fight. He had considered fencing for Germany in the Olympics of 1936 but SS duties and time did not permit his involvement. His great passion was music. He was an accomplished violinist, a talent that he had inherited from his father, Bruno, who was a music teacher and founder of a music academy in Halle, Saxony. He was the proud owner of a rare 18th, century violin, made by the Italian master, Giovanni Guadagnini, regarded as one of the greatest luthier craftsmen of stringed instruments.
Musical performances could induce in him emotional tears of appreciation, a conflicting contrast to the murderous personality evident as head of the Gestapo. He had chaired the Wannsee Conference on Tuesday January 20th in Berlin, where fifteen state bureaucrats met to confirm the policy of the extermination of eleven million European Jews. The attendees at this conference in the magnificent villa on the lake included a number who were doctors in various academic disciplines. These were men of high intellect who coldly calculated the eradication of European Jewry and undesirables by methods of gassing and as they described ‘natural wastage’, after they had been worked to death. Notes of the meeting were recorded by Adolf Eichmann and such was the power of Heydrich’s personality that total consensus was achieved for what was euphemistically described as Endlosung der Judenfrage - the final solution to the Jewish problem. Heydrich had accomplished his goal of securing the compliance of the administrative and government agencies. This meeting effectively made the leap from mass murder to selective systemic genocide endorsed by the state regime.
On this glorious early May morning, he looked down from his sumptuous surroundings in Hradcany Castle, overlooking the Charles Bridge in the old city of Prague, and thought that even the Empress Marie Theresa, who built the castle in 1763, did not have this empire. This magnificent castle, one of the biggest in the world, had also been the seat of power of the Holy Roman Emperor. Heydrich’s ambition was limitless and he considered himself intellectually superior to the other Nazi elite, who were consumed with ridiculous Aryan images and racial ideology. He was silently contemptuous of the pursuit of bloodline purity, Jews being classified not just for their religion but for their contaminated blood and would not permit it to permeate his cold logic in his private path to power. In addition, he had a working knowledge of French, English and Russian languages: he was in every sense, the pin up boy of the Third Reich.
Heydrich had achieved enormous success in the last eight months since taking up the top position in the Protectorate. The Czech population had been treated to a carrot and stick approach. The intelligentsia and regime opposition had been ruthlessly eradicated. Hundreds had been put to death in the first couple of months and the working population had been seduced by increased rations and better conditions, thereby eliminating seditionary intentions.
On April 28th, Heydrich accepted a Czech hospital train as a gift to the German Reich from the people of Czechoslovakia. In his speech that day, he said, "I will convey to the Führer the symbolic meaning of your gift". He said the gift expresses the Czech people's loyalty to the Reich. The Czech government in exile in London, headed by Edvard Benes, looked on aghast at what this man had done to subdue their country to National Socialist ideas. Their concern was that Czech nationalism was being extinguished. Benes was highly skilled diplomat and as president of the Czechoslovakian Parliament, he was planning the retaliation and retribution of the Czech people against Heydrich in what would become known as’ Operation Anthropoid’.
But now, as Heydrich sat behind his heavy oak-framed desk loaded with SS documents and folders in the imperious castle surroundings, his power and malign influence, was omnipotent, some one thousand miles away from London. He looked at the photograph of his attractive blond wife Lina and their children, the two boys, Klaus and Heider, with daughter Silke, and pondered on the fact that his biggest promotion and opportunity was about to present itself. He would rely on his ruthless instincts which always served him well. Hitler had instructed him to go to Paris and advance the party policy throughout France and accelerate the rate of racial cleansing and Nazification. In Heydrich’s world of diabolical plans and intrigue, this was an endorsement of confidence in his ability. Unknown to the inner circle, he had some time ago decided to enrich himself and his family when the opportunity arose. The seeds of this plan had germinated after he signed an order on the 27th of November 1941, relating to Reich citizenship, which was a directive that all banks and institutional property owners must disclose their Jewish interests. This was a precursor to establishing the extent of Jewish capital assets prior to deportation and ultimate annihilation, a policy euphemistically called ‘resettlement to the east’.
In preparation for his departure to Paris on May 5th, he had requested a list of property in the Paris area in Jewish ownership and documentation of all their assets. On examining the detailed inventory supplied by the Gestapo from their headquarters on 84 Avenue Foch, he noted a very interesting detail. A magnificent chateau and factory property in a fashionable area of Paris was registered to a Jew named Samuel Darius. The property and the factory workers enjoyed protective status from the Third Reich because it was used as a Kriegwichtege, which was a manufacturing factory in the production of uniforms and military clothing necessities. In addition, Heydrich noted that the Darius family had a large deposit in the Chase Bank branch in Paris. As he scanned the bulky file and photographs of the building, a steely look crossed his angular face and in that instant, the fate of the Darius family and their assets was sealed forever, seven hundred miles away in Prague.
Lifting the phone, he was connected to Carl Albrecht Oberg who was head of the counter intelligence branch of the Gestapo in France, known as the Sicherheitsdienst or SD. Looking out from his first floor castle window at the ancient buildings of the old town of Prague as the sun reflected on the waters of the Vltava river below, he spoke in his distinctive high pitched tone and gave instructions for preparations to be made to receive him in Paris on the 5th May and for an office to be made available to him on the fourth floor of the headquarters building as he had official and private business to activate.
The other phone call he made was to his elder sister Maria in Berlin, requesting that she come to meet him in Paris on the evening of the 5th of May, as he needed her for a personal family business transaction. She readily agreed and suggested that she would travel by train and that she would bring along her young daughter Anna for the experience in Paris. Heydrich was satisfied and added that Anna should bring her violin, which he knew she loved and which he had taught her to play.
Music being his great passion, he took every opportunity to play the violin and attend concerts. He was scheduled to be the guest of honour at the famous Wallenstein Palace, Prague, on the 26th May, when a string quartet would perform an operatic work titled ‘Amen’. It had been composed by Heydrich’s father, Bruno, and the heroic figure in the work was named Reinhardt. After the opera, he intended to host a
party at the Hotel Avalon for the top Nazi dignitaries who would be in attendance to pay him homage. He was at the apex of his career.
Meanwhile, the Darius family and their factory workers were maintaining output in the leafy surroundings on the residential areas of the XVIe arrondissement near the Arc de Triomphe and the Port Dauphine, unaware that the clock to their extinction was already ticking.
THREE
PARIS: 1942
Samuel Darius and his wife Flora,walked down the lengthy gravel driveway to open the large black gates to their factory premises. It was a tradition they had both continued for the past twenty odd years. A rotund figure of average height, Samuel walked with a slightly arthritic gait which encouraged the petite figure of Flora to occasionally assist him. They were both dressed in dark clothing; his, a black jacket, reflecting the neatness of her navy dress. Both now in their fifties, they had a comfortable communication bond which dispensed with the need for idle chatter. The gate opening had become a daily ritual, as not only was it the only entrance to their factory, but also to their beautiful chateau-style house, which stood at the rear of the two-acre grounds, secluded by mature beech trees.
This early May morning in Paris, promised a summer’s day which in normal times would release the joie de vivre of spirit that the French were well known for. But these times were different; ever since the German occupation of the 14th of June 1940, fear was the dominant emotion in the French psyche. As Samuel undid the padlock on the gates, his hand shook uncontrollably and looking into the dark brown eyes of his wife, he sighed audibly. Their twenty five workers would shortly arrive, all within ten minutes of each other, twelve females and thirteen males, some married to each other, but all close friends. They would arrive mostly on bicycles, from various locations around the city. Their mood had changed in the past two years; most were Jewish and while not yet obliged to wear a yellow star, they had in various ways tried to disguise their appearance. The females wore less noticeable clothing, trying to become anonymous, while the men chose shorter hairstyles and kept low profiles. All had stories of roundups taking place and incidents of German aggression towards Jews. Whispered exchanges mentioned the holding camp, Drancy, and talk was of rumours of interrogation and torture. All were friends of the Darius family and some had worked for Samuel’s late father who had started the business some sixty years before. Samuel had inherited the lucrative clothing business and shortly afterwards had married Flora, an olive skinned Hungarian Jewess whom he had met on a business trip to Budapest. She had borne him twin boys, Emil and Maurice, now sixteen years of age. Despite being twins, the boys were different in temperament; Emil was shy and studious and had a passion for music, while Maurice had an extrovert personality and displayed a talent for sport. They were both tall with similar swarthy features and from an early age they were instructed in the practices and beliefs of the Orthodox Jewish religion. Their parents were proud of their development and encouraged their interests in music and sport. Samuel had not yet decided upon which son would follow him into the business. Both were high achievers in the academic world but the German occupation of France had introduced concerns for the family which reduced the issue of inheritance as of temporarily no consequence.
Now, walking back up the entrance pathway, Samuel looked at his factory premises silhouetted in front of the rising morning sun, a large red brick two storey constructed building of some two thousand sq. metres. It was rebuilt and extended in 1932 and at that time reflected the latest design features. A regal impression was created by round turrets on either side of the double entrance doors and the embellishment that was most prominent over the architrave, was a bronze symbol of the Star of David. Internally, the factory was a modern facility incorporating all the latest machinery technology and was maintained to the highest standard. The business had been highly successful from the start of production. The First World War had proved to be a boom, as the manufacture of uniforms was in ever increasing demand and output had achieved overflow proportions. Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, the urgency continued for police uniforms, army tunics, greatcoats, armbands, leggings, hats, and any other military clothing requirements of the day. An astute planner, Samuel had continually extended the factory and updated the machinery to maintain production demands. Entering the building, he walked across the wooden floor and watched Flora through one of the many windows as she made her way back to their house to prepare breakfast for him and their twin boys.
Today, despite the tranquillity of the surroundings, he could not get rid of the apprehension and anxiety that permeated his demeanour. Looking around the factory floor, he watched the increasing sunray strength wash over the forty machines of various sizes. He was an expert in all of their functions and had trained his loyal workers in all their uses. Making his way to a small central area behind the stairwell leading to the upper floor, he sat down behind his desk. Taking out extracts from the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, revealing devout scripture going back to Abraham, he began to read teachings of the Torah. These directives were an unbroken chain of transmission directly from God and, being a strict Orthodox Jew, he adhered rigidly to its dictates. He observed the Halakha, the collective body of religious laws which guided his practices and beliefs in day to day life. As he continued to read, he could not shake off the sense of foreboding that had enveloped him since early dawn. His anxiety increased when he read a passage from the Book of Esther, recording the exploits of the vicious anti-semite Haman, the fabled persecutor and antagonist of the Jewish race, precursor of genocide: “Now I shall be able to swallow them as fish which swallow one another” (Esther Rabbah 7). Still, as he sat alone awaiting the arrival of his workers, he knew he had to outwardly display optimism. When the Germans arrived in Paris two years previously, there was no purge of the population, most activities like schools, restaurants, theatres, etc. were continuing on near normal operations. The French mass circulation weekly, L’lllustration, described the German Soldiers as “decent, helpful and above all correct”. Street signs were now in German, and German flags together with large banners hung from public buildings and armed military personnel were always evident.
Samuel’s first encounter with the Germans took place shortly after the commencement of the occupation on the 14th of June 1940. He recalled the day, as he was still observing Shabbat, spiritual time, it was Saturday evening the 29th of June at 8 p.m., and a military staff car with three uniformed German soldiers had arrived. The youngest, an officer aged about twenty five, appeared to be superior and in charge. He courteously, but efficiently, instructed Samuel in perfect French, that forthwith the business would be under the protection of the German Third Reich and would be classified as an essential component of the war machine, and he handed over a document that confirmed these orders. It had described Samuel and his factory workers as Wirtschafttswichtiger Jude, which translated, as ‘Jew of economic importance’. He had thought it ironic that his very material existence depended upon the protection of a regime he despised. Nevertheless, the document had ensured survival and he had complied with all dictats so far.
The following two years involved a repeated weekly pattern of a supply of clothing being delivered, with orders to make military clothing which was collected the following days by the same regular German convoy and distributed to troops. Throughout this activity, there were never any exchanges other than Samuel having to sign documentation each week confirming output. He had spoken to his workers and told them that the best policy was to maintain production at the level required by the Germans in the hope that no further notice would be taken and that the allies would soon win the war. This strategy was successful and production continued as always, even though occasionally workers were absent due to illness, the required output was still maintained.
As he sat reading the Hebrew teachings, he could hear the musical sound of the violin being played in the house by Flora. Even at this early hour, she loved to play and when one of the twins, Emil, began to play wit
h her, it was a performance worthy of an occasion. She had encouraged Emil from the age of five when he showed promise playing the violin, to progress to the talent he now exhibited. Hungarian folk music with the influence of gypsy abandon was his favourite. Emil played the music of Hungarian composers, Bela Bartok, and his hero Franz Liszt, with all the superior technical interpretation he had innately displayed as a child.
Suddenly, the tranquillity of the morning was shattered by the sound of harsh German voices accompanied by the revving of lorry engines outside the factory gate. With mounting trepidation, he stood up to see a group of heavily armed soldiers coming aggressively towards him led by a Gestapo officer in the full grey uniform of an SS-Lieutenant Colonel. This time there was no attempt to communicate in French. He was ordered in guttural German to go outside to the military open truck and be seated beside four SS guards. As he made his way out, he saw his wife Flora and the twin boys also being escorted under heavy guard, to take their place in the same truck. No time was wasted as the entire intrusion was over in five minutes. As the convoy drove out the gates, Samuel noticed that the SS has posted guards on either side of the entrance doors and he thought that when the workers arrive, theirs would be the same fate. He also noticed the bronze symbol of the Star of David over the doorway being smashed to pieces by the SS and a nearby flag pole being erected with the Swastika symbol unfurling. His feeling of foreboding had been justified but he did not know that this was only the beginning of Heydrich’s plan.
A Right to Plunder Page 2