A Man and a Plane: An Alternate Germany

by Joseph T Major

  There was a certain light-hearted air in the German capital that day. The impalpable cloud of fear had been dispelled. How much better than how the War had ended! The only shells Herr Noske the Bloodhound would fire off this time would be the sort that made pretty colored blasts high in the sky. Instead of hurling imprecations at Reds, the Army would hurl jests, and pretty girls would lean forward to kiss weary veterans from the front.

  Banners adorned the lime trees along the Unter den Linden, the street lined with rejoicing Berliners. At its far end, the Stadtschloss flew a great red, gold, and black flag, for the Kaiser was in residence, with the Kaiserin and the two little princes. (Outraged traditionalists, who longed for the Good Old Days, were mollified by the appearance of the black and white Prussian banner over the palace, along with red, white, and black bunting over the windows.)

  Gladsome well-wishers flocked to the British Embassy, where Sir Neville Henderson the ambassador was receiving. Others lined up by the Polish Embassy, to sign a book of condolences.

  Signs announced that the report by the Reichskanzler to the Reichstag would be covered by that wondrous new invention, the Television. It was old hat, there had been transmissions ever since the Olympics, but Herr Hugenberg thought it desirable to advertise his new medium. Last night, the patrons of the Television Lounges and the few well-enough off to afford their own receivers had seen a special broadcast of "Skandal in der Oper," the comical story of Frau Tümpel the social climber, her greedy agent, Otis Treibholz, and the two clowns Tomasso the mute and Fiorello the confidence-man.

  The only sour note was the presence of a few men in trim brown uniforms, or snappy black ones with white piping. Sometimes they asked for donations for a fund to find shelter for the homeless in the winter to come. Sometimes they sold newspapers, lurid ones with explicit pictures of the Bolshevik atrocities. And sometimes they stood outside certain houses of worship, marking them up, shouting at the worshipers, and generally making nuisances of themselves before the police came along to drive them off.

  The Reichstag building stood clean and proud on the banks of the Spree, its great dome towering above the portico with its solemn inscription: DEM DEUTSCHEN VOLK, "To the German People". A great red-black-gold flag flew from the staff before it, and soldiers of the Regiment Garde zu Fuss in their special dress uniforms presented arms on the square outside, as Members of the Reichstag, the representatives of the states to the Reichrat, distinguished foreign guests, journalists, and other significant people arrived. A tall American in their army uniform, with female escort, for example, who received an especially enthusiastic salute from the soldiers.

  Inside, the hand of the great clock ticked off the final seconds. Ten precisely. And with a Prussian exactitude, the President of the Reichstag himself, Herr Otto Wels (SDP) gave three knocks with the gavel. A silence fell across the chamber. Wels spoke then. "The Reichstag members will come to order. The Herr Reichskanzler will now address the members. Herr Reichskanzler!"

  The man who walked down the aisle to the podium was jaunty, relieved. This marked the beginning of the end of his long burden. He ascended the steps quickly, as if without a care in the world. His civilian suit was fresh, with a red flower in the lapel, and he carried a cane that he would hardly seem to need; the Geschwader-Stock of the War, the emblem of command he had taken up again in this recent conflict.

  There was a manuscript waiting for him on the podium, and so, unburdened and ready to end his performance of duty, Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, Reichskanzler of the German Reich, prepared to render up a reckoning of the recent war.

  "Herren und Damen Members," he began, "as background to this rendering of accounts, I will have to make you suffer through a short recounting of the government's actions in the recent fighting. You will recall that two months ago, during the elections to renew this body, the Soviet government presented an ultimatum to the Reich demanding that we remain uninvolved in their unprovoked attack on our neighbors, the Polish Republic.

  "At that time I had been determined to step down. The normal processes of government had restored themselves, after seven years during which I had been called to lead a government of all the democratic parties, and I could stand aside and let a government be formed in the normal fashion.

  "The exigencies of war demanded otherwise. The German people rallied around their government and the parties of the government showed a laudable agreement.

  "Our government found itself in full harmony with our neighbors to east and west. We joined with the English and French to defend Poland, and our allies Czechoslovakia, Austria, Lithuania, and Latvia cooperated in a most harmonious fashion. The Bolshevik invasion was resoundingly defeated, due to the modern equipment and methods which have been developed in the Reich over the past few years and deployed by its Reichswehr.

  "The American President has offered to mediate a settlement to this conflict. At that conference, the government intends to resolve certain matters remaining from the Dictated Treaty that ended the War; to make some border adjustments in the East and to increase and strengthen the ties of alliance and trade with our kinsmen to the south, in Austria, and in Czechoslovakia.

  "I will not strive to soften the blow. Many families have lost kinsmen in this struggle. Others must deal with loved ones who have suffered, been maimed, scarred . . ." his voice broke for a moment. Then he gathered himself together and went on, "or have been affected by the strains of conflict. We must pray God that their wounds be healed by His infinite love. Nothing happens without God's will."

  He paused, and took a drink of water.

  "I was called to this position for the first time to solve a domestic crisis. That task has been successfully completed."

  But the chamber he faced had an empty spot on its left, where the Bolshevik members would have sat had they not been barred from the chamber for the duration of the war. The empty spot in its right, not entirely empty, was occupied by one twisted little man in a brown uniform who sat with his back to the podium, scribbling away. Another editorial? Or a new novel? His followers ostentatiously boycotted the meeting. This seemed particularly reassuring to the rotund man in a light suit, who avoided the speaker's gaze as he sat amid the Nationalist members. He would be spared the disdain of his former associates.

  "The Members learned again to cooperate, or permitted themselves to quit pretending they could not cooperate. The forces of revolution were shown up, defeated peaceably. After seven years of toil I knew my task was done.

  "Then, this war came, and I knew my duty was to hold the Reich together. Now we have prevailed, and it is my sincerest hope that I can step away, my task done.

  "I have pledged to remain in this office until the preliminary peace negotiations in Norfolk, USA, have come to an end. The American President has named his foreign minister, Herr Hull, to conduct the negotiations. The Foreign Minister of the Reich, Herr von Papen, will depart in the morning aboard the Graf Zeppelin II to participate, along with the Staatsekretär Bolko von Richthofen, whose name some of you may be aware of.

  "This matter will be resolved by the end of the year. I have done my duty. Thank you for doing yours, Herren und Damen."

  The American President's special envoy commented after he entered, "The sentries turned out and saluted me again."

  Manfred stared up into the craggy features of his colleague, Edward Vernon Rickenbacker, Brigadier-General (temporary) United States Army Air Corps. He said, lightly, "I told them that your Medal of Honor was the equivalent of the Pour le Mérite. A Knight of the Pour le Mérite is always saluted, by all troops."

  Rickenbacker turned to the woman next to him. "You remember that story Udet told us, Adelaide. Taking his girlfriend out for a walk and she wondered why the soldiers saluted and the guard turned out."

  "Which girl?" Adelaide Rickenbacker said, and laughed.

  "You can ask him after the ceremony."

  The Rickenbackers were then taken in hand by one of the Herr Kammerer Meissner's ass
istants, who showed them to their place. The Reichstag had during the past week voted certain honors to certain persons. It was mostly military attachés here now, though the distinguished commander of the British Expeditionary Force, their General Alexander, was present. And privately, Willy Coppens; perhaps Belgium was willing to forgive a little. Then Manfred stared at the man talking to Udet, and taking advantage of the last few minutes before the ceremony began, rushed over to his colleague.

  Udet turned and a broad smile spread over his face. "Rittmeister! Manfred! I wanted you to meet him. Colonel, this is Richthofen. Manfred, this is Colonel René Fonck, our colleague."

  Fonck held out his hand. "M'sieur von Richthofen, it is a privilege to finally meet you -- on the ground."

  Manfred took it and said, "I'm pleased to meet you, finally."

  The French kanone, their highest-scoring ace, went on, "M'seur Chancellor, I must tell you, not everyone in France is quite in agreement with the government and its coolness towards Germany. Some of us do wish to believe that the War is finally over. We are saddened that our great colleague has never visited France in peacetime."

  "Thank you." Then Manfred had a thought. "Ernst. Did Collishaw show up?"

  Udet laughed. "Are you going blind!? If you'll look behind you there he is chatting up Eddie Rickenbacker!"

  "Good. Colonel Fonck, after the ceremony, if you could spare a few minutes? I would like you to pose for a few photos with Air Commodore Collishaw, General Rickenbacker, Commandant Coppens de Houthulst, and myself. And you too, Ernst. The leading aces of the War, making peace."

  Fonck braced. "D'accord. But is not M. Bishop the leading English ace? Where is he?"

  "If you count balloons, Collie has him beat. And he's in Canada now, working," Manfred said.

  "And speaking of beating, it looks as if Herr Meissner is going to rap on the floor," Udet said.

  It was a scramble for Manfred and Udet to get to their places.

  The hall in the Stadtschloss was spotlighted. In it, the generals looked perhaps a bit overstuffed in their splendid gray or blue uniforms, with the darker blue of the Reichsmarine chief Admiral Raeder and his subordinates Vizeadmiral Lütjens, Vizeadmiral Dönitz, and Konteradmiral Osterkamp among them. The uniforms of the other countries' representatives made a backdrop, one that blazed with braid and medals. The man who took his seat behind the Imperial Presence outshone them all. If he hadn't had to have been there, Manfred would have crawled into a hole and talked flying with Rickenbacker, Fonck, Collishaw, Udet, and whoever else he could round up, but duty calls.

  Meissner, the Imperial Chamberlain, raised his staff and knocked on the floor. The hubbub died away. Then he called out, "For valor and leadership in the late war, His Imperial Majesty Louis-Ferdinand, German Emperor and King of Prussia, has promoted and invested Generaloberst Werner Freiherr von Fritsch with the rank of Generalfeldmarschall! Field Marshal von Fritsch!"

  Fritsch stepped forward. The Kaiser got to his feet as the retiring Reichsheer chief approached. Fritsch saluted his Kaiser, who gravely returned the salute. Then Louis-Ferdinand turned to face the one man on the dais who was not in uniform. Remaining more icily Prussian than all the generals, the Reichswehr minister, Gustav Noske, vindicated now, took the first box and proffered it to the Kaiser. Louis-Ferdinand took out the first baton, bright and new with the German Eagle atop it, and handed it to Fritsch. He gravely saluted, did the little drill for putting the baton under his arm, turned, and marched off.

  There were by now only two surviving Field Marshals from the War, and technically King Rupprecht of Bavaria did not count. But he was here, as was the other one, Field Marshal von Mackensen. (Oddly enough, for all his exalted position, the then Kronprinz had not been given that rank. Though invited to this ceremony, he had politely declined.) Noske in his good black suit stood out among the uniformed officers on the dais.

  Meissner called up the next man, the man who had planned the fighting as chief of the Truppenamt: "Field Marshal Ludwig Beck!" Noske thought it silly to keep the cover name of the General Staff, but as he ruefully observed, "It is amazing how quickly traditions can be established and how firmly they become set." Next year, Beck would leave the Truppenamt and go to sit in Noske's office at the Reichwehr ministry -- as, ostensibly, a civilian, for all that his planning had made the victory possible. Noske had recommended him and the Social Democrats had decided to go with the winner.

  The one after that was destined to fill the more honorary position (now it was more honorary) of Chief of the Reichsheer: "Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt!" His reward for commanding the German forces in the Baltics and White Russia -- and for standing between the Poles and Lithuanians in Vilnius. Or Vilno. That was one thing the peace conference would settle, he hoped

  The next man had won the victory in the field. "Field Marshal Heinz Guderian!" And now he would be rewarded with the position of Chief of the Truppenamt. Beck had ruefully said to Manfred, "I hope to rein in Herr Guderian's more wild ideas." While Guderian had said, "I will have to take charge and beat down the conservatism of Herr Beck." Manfred sighed as he watched Guderian run through the salute. Tension, apprehension, and dissension had begun.

  So much for the Army. Now the Navy would get its man. "Grand Admiral Erich Raeder!" He could step down now, after twelve years overseeing the tiny force the Dictated Treaty had left them, then the not much larger force the pinched rebuilding could permit. His successor, Admiral Carls, was in Kiel today, no doubt shuffling the plans for the bigger and bigger battleships that were stuffed into his desk. Admiral Dönitz there contributed his own plans, for U-boats of all sorts -- sleek ones that could go faster than a surface ship, big ones that could travel halfway round the world, very big ones that could carry fuel. Now Minister Beck would be the one to have to say "No" to the Navy and the Navy League.

  And now the last man. "Field Marshal Ernst Ritter von Udet!" The Luftstreitkräfte had done its share and more during the late war. Privately Udet had said, "I'm glad I can step down now." Managing the Air Force had been beyond his talents, really, but between his never-failing optimism, his dashing around to reassure the men, and the good management of his chief of staff Herr Wever, they survived. Now he could name a better administrator to lead the flyboys, and Udet could go back to romancing starlets with flying tales . . .

  "Let's wet that baton down again, Ernst!"

  The airmen had the show at the Reichskanzlerpalais. Rather than just sit for a picture, Fonck had agreed to come over and knock back a few with the boys. The Rickenbackers had come as well, just to keep matters from getting entirely out of hand, and for that matter a quiet young lass sat in one corner, big blue Richthofen eyes fixed on the heroes of the air. "Don't say anything naughty or Carmen will tell Amelia Earhart," Manfred said, only half-joshingly.

  Now Udet stood in the center of the room, bottle of champagne in one hand. "No, let's drink a toast to the kanone of two wars, Admiral Osterkamp! Thirty-two in the War, and now twenty Bolsheviks! Three cheers for Daddy!"

  Osterkamp smiled. "Ach Ernst, it was your boys who got the big scores. That Galland, what was it, forty? And Mölders, forty-two, and with his ten against the Bolsheviks in Spain already. Now there are the kanone! Rittmeister, better look to your laurels! You may be next to be topped!"

  Manfred raised his glass. "Oh, I hope not," he said, solemnly. The gaiety died and everyone looked at him. "It's a terrible world, isn't it? We saw in Poland what happens when there is a war. But there are things worse than fighting a war; we saw those in Russia. Fighting is terrible, but sometimes not fighting is worse."

  Looking over the guests, he went on, "You came here with me and I didn't get the chance to tend to one matter. Ernst, Daddy, if you will come along? And Eddie. The rest of you, but you three in particular."

  "Excuse me, I have to pick up something," Carmen said.

  The room looked out over the rear. The smell of iodoform and medical spirit lent it that hospital air, and the man on the bed did no
t belie that. A stern, prim nurse sat by the bed, watching her one charge, and when the procession entered she got to her feet, eyes blazing. "Herr Reichskanzler, I can not permit --"

  "Oh sister, let them in. Hello, Father." Young Manfred might well be wrapped in bandages but he was regaining some of his inheritance of command. "What, Ernst? Eddie? Captain -- no, Admiral Osterkamp? Carmen, why are you bringing all these people? I can't believe you're dating." He looked from face to face, some familiar, some strange. "Is this the Herr Oberst Fonck? I never thought I'd meet you. Herr Major Coppens, thank you, Herr Hauptmann Collishaw, thank you for coming to see me."

  "Air Commodore, lad, I got a promotion too. Right, Daddy?" And he laughed with Osterkamp.

  They arranged themselves around the bed. Then Manfred reached into his pocket and took out a sheet of paper. "Ahem," he said, clearing his throat. "Carmen, did you bring the camera?" She raised a large apparatus with reflector and bulb. Manfred began to speak, very formally.

  "His Imperial Majesty, Louis Ferdinand, German Emperor and King of Prussia, is pleased to announce the award of the Order Pour le Mérite for bravery in the face of the enemy to Oberleutnant Manfred Albrecht Eduard Freiherr von Richthofen, Ulanenregiment Nr. 1. On the twenty-second of September, in the year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Forty and the seventh of His Imperial Majesty's reign, Leutnant von Richthofen assumed command of an advance patrol of the regiment after the death in action of his commanding officer. During the ensuing combat against an enemy far superior in numbers and strength, he continued resistance unremittingly, even though wounded, presenting an example of leadership and bravery to his men. Due to his command skills and bravery, the advance of the enemy forces was significantly delayed, making time and creating space in which more substantial forces could be deployed, contributing to the defeat of the enemy attack.

  "The heroism and leadership of Leutnant von Richthofen will be an inspiration to the soldiers of the German Army now, and in times to come."