The Daughters of Marburg

by Terrance Williamson

  “We’ll take the vehicle back to the station. Only a few guards are on duty at this time and, if we’re careful, we can move undetected.”

  “And would the major be at the station at this time of the night?” Edith asked.

  “That’s what we need to find out.” Wilhelm started the vehicle.

  “You don’t know?!” Lilly glanced at him curiously. “You’ve taken the vehicle from the station on a few occasions, no? Surely you must’ve seen him at least once?”

  “I haven’t, actually.” Wilhelm shook his head. “I’m assuming that he stays at the SS headquarters, or he’s interrogating prisoners.”

  “I don’t understand why he would do the interrogating himself.” Edith frowned.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t trust anyone else. He has thugs to ‘soften up’ the prisoners, but the main questioning he does himself.”

  “How do you know all of this?” Lilly peered at him.

  “Word travels quickly in Marburg,” Wilhelm huffed. “Which can be both a blessing and a curse.”

  “Why would the major be at the station?” Edith pressed. “I thought that the SS and the police were separate?”

  “Which is all the more curious, isn’t it?” Wilhelm glanced at the sisters with a look of dread. “The resistance wants him liquidated, and I’m assuming it has to do with some sort of plan he’s working on. I heard they have been conducting secret experiments on prisoners, trying to find efficient ways of extermination.”

  “Extermination?” Lilly’s eyes flew wide open.

  “Awful things.” Wilhelm looked at her with sorrow, but his gaze lingered slightly, and Lilly discerned that, for a fleeting moment, his thoughts were less than appropriate. Which, if she were honest, made her unreservedly happy.

  “That can’t be real.” Edith shook her head. “Sounds like conspiracy propaganda to me.”

  “Whatever the case, the major is a wicked man. Something is happening in Marburg—and Germany, for that matter—that is unsettling. Something beyond what they’re telling us.”

  “I’m in this for revenge.” Edith glanced at Wilhelm. “After that, I’m out. I will keep my mouth shut for the love I bear my sister and father, but otherwise, I have nothing to do with your resistance. If you were smart, you’d both get out too. This can’t last.”

  Lilly sat in silence as she took Edith’s warning to heart while still not allowing herself to be lost to cynicism. Lilly was convinced that if enough people began to think critically, and follow their hearts, that the Nazi regime could someday be brought to heel. Her optimism spurred her to believe that it wasn’t too late.

  “I’m going to drop you two off here,” Wilhelm spoke when they were about a hundred yards away from the station. “It will be easier than sneaking you out.”

  “You’ll come back, though?” Lilly looked at him with grave concern.

  “Of course I’ll come back.” He chuckled. “I’m just going to take the vehicle in, then I’ll walk right out, just like always.”

  Yet as the sisters left the vehicle, Lilly’s heart stopped. She watched in horror as about twenty SS guards exited the station with Sergeant Wolf in their custody who, Lilly noted, was bruised and bloodied. Leading the rear was Major Wagner, and he walked with his hands behind his back, and a grim smile was strung across his face.

  “What do we do!?” Lilly leaned into the truck and asked Wilhelm.

  “Run! Go home!” Wilhelm whispered harshly.

  “What about you?” Lilly asked.

  “I’ll be fine! But they can’t see you with me! They’ll ask questions, and I’m not about to be tortured over a stupid dance.”

  “Just leave the truck here, and we’ll all go together!” Lilly waved as a terrible, sinking feeling formed in her gut. She knew that if he didn’t come with them, it was unlikely they would ever see him again.

  “Hey!” a shout came from near the station, and Lilly’s heart froze when she realized that a guard had spotted them.

  “Run!” Wilhelm shouted and, without question, Lilly and Edith burst away as quickly as they were able.

  When they were a good distance from the vehicle, Lilly stopped and turned around. To her shock, Lilly noticed that SS guards had surrounded the vehicle and were aiming their weapons at Wilhelm.

  “God, please!” Lilly covered her mouth as she watched the guards rip Wilhelm out of the vehicle and throw him roughly onto the ground.

  “We have to keep going.” Edith grabbed Lilly’s arm and pressed her onward.

  “I can’t leave him.” Lilly looked over her shoulder at Wilhelm as tears gushed down her face.

  “What can we do against them?” Edith asked rhetorically as they continued towards the Lahn River. “For all we know, they didn’t see us with him.”

  “Stop!” Lilly pulled on Edith’s arm.

  “We’re not going back!” Edith growled.

  “Not that! Look, there’s a checkpoint across the bridge.” Lilly spun Edith in the direction of the guards.

  “How do we get past them?” Edith grew frantic.

  “I don’t think we can.” Lilly felt a lump in her throat.

  “They’ll question us.” Edith looked at Lilly.

  “Then we’ll play dumb.” Lilly took a deep breath.

  “What’s the story, then?”

  “We were coming back from the Society meeting when our vehicle broke down.”

  “They’ll wonder why we don’t have an escort.” Edith shook her head in dismissal.

  “Maybe we should tell them we got lost?” Lilly threw out the idea.

  “That doesn’t explain why we’re out at this time of the night.” Edith raised an eyebrow.

  “What’s your idea then?” Lilly frowned.

  “We could flirt with them?” Edith shrugged.

  “You’re joking?!” Lilly threw her hands onto her hips. “Men like that won’t just let you flirt and walk away. They’ll want something more.”

  “I’m not prepared for a situation like this.” Edith hung her head.

  “I know!” Lilly threw her finger in the air. “We’ll tell them the truth.”

  “What?!” Edith frowned. “Now that’s a joke!”

  “Seriously,” Lilly pressed. “We’ll tell them we were at an illegal dance.”

  “So, they can arrest us?” Edith looked at Lilly with disbelief.

  “They won’t arrest two girls who were dancing.” Lilly shook her head. “Trust me. They’ll just give us a fine or something.”

  “Maybe we can wait here until they leave?” Edith began to pace.

  “When morning comes, the new guards will just trade places with them.”

  “I suppose.” Edith rubbed her eyes. “But then it will appear less suspicious if we’re out and about during the day.”

  “Other patrols will be coming by here. Plus, it won’t be long before they realize that we were with Wilhelm. I’m surprised to see a checkpoint anyways. The major must be up to something.”

  “So, the only option is to cross?”

  “Either that or we swim.” Lilly glanced at the river.

  “They’ll hear us for sure.” Edith shook her head.

  “So, we either cross now or wait here until daytime when it won’t be so suspicious, and hopefully no patrols come our way?”

  “I think waiting is the best option.” Edith nodded and bent over with her hands on her knees, exasperated.

  “Search down that street!” a shout arose from further behind them, and both sisters understood that the guards were looking for them.

  Grabbing Edith’s hand, Lilly burst across the bridge.

  “What are you doing?!” Edith asked, terrified.

  “Trust me!” Lilly grew a cheeky grin as she looked over her shoulder.

  “You there! Stop!” one of the guards at the checkpoint raised his rifle.

  “Help us! Please!” Lilly sobbed as she ran up to the soldier.

  “What’s wrong?” He lowered his rifle a
s he grew concerned but still held his conclusion in reserve.

  “We were attacked by two girls in the street!”

  “Attacked?” He frowned and examined them quickly.

  “Yes!” Edith chimed in as she also wept. “The guards are looking for them now!”

  As if on cue, a shout arose from across the bridge as the SS shone their flashlights and searched vigorously for the sisters.

  “You should help them!” Lilly pressed.

  “Why were you attacked?” the guard asked. “And why are you out so late?”

  “Please! Help us!” Lilly sobbed hysterically.

  “Go help them search.” The guard nodded to his compatriot.

  “Thank you!” Lilly looked up at him with tearful eyes.

  “I’ll escort you home.” The guard threw the rifle over his shoulder.

  “It’s not far. We can make it alright.” Lilly reached out and touched his arm.

  “Nonsense.” He shook his head. “It’s a shame when girls, especially patriots like yourself in the League, are attacked.”

  “Well, that’s very kind of you.” Edith wiped the tears away as they walked towards their house but still tried to maintain her feigned hysteria.

  “Did you get a good look at the girls?” the guard asked as they walked.

  “I think they were Jewish,” Edith replied.

  “That makes sense then.” The guard shook his head in dismay. “There’s still too many of them in Marburg, and Germany for that matter. I don’t know where they hide, but they’re clever rats, that’s for sure.”

  “Our house is just down this street.” Lilly pointed. “We can make it the rest of the way.”

  “I’ll take you to the door,” the guard replied, ignorant to their wishes for him to leave. “I grew up here, you know.”

  “Really?” Edith tried her best to sound interested without giving away her concern.

  “Oh yes.” He nodded. “I had moved away to university, in Berlin actually, but I’ve found my way back home.”

  “We’re from Berlin!” Lilly simulated her excitement and was rather proud of how sincere she sounded.

  “Is that right?” He turned towards them with genuine interest.

  “What did you study in Berlin?” Edith asked.

  “I wanted to be a pediatrician.” He smiled. “The Brothers Grimm are from Marburg, you see, and I grew up with the pride of their stories and collections. I love this city. It’s so mysterious. You can see how the cobblestone streets and the forests inspired medieval stories of witch huts and goblin hobbles.”

  “What happened then?” Lilly asked, now genuinely interested in this peculiar guard.

  “Well”—he paused— “my fairy tale turned out to be less romantic than the Grimm stories. My wife took ill, and I was unable to complete my studies. But all is not lost. The SS provided me with employment, and I got to return to the city of my birth. My parents and cousins are here so, in the end, maybe it was for the best.”

  “Well, here we are.” Edith stopped in front of their door. “It was very kind of you to escort us.”

  “Of course,” the guard nodded, “but before I go, I know you’re lying.”

  “What do you mean?” Lilly’s eyes flew wide.

  “Don’t worry.” He raised a hand to calm them. “I know you were out at the dance. I used to attend it myself.”

  “I see.” Edith glanced at Lilly, full of concern.

  “I won’t tell anyone, and I’ll even help you spread the rumor of the Jewish girls attacking you.”

  “Why would you help us?” Edith asked.

  “I need a favor in return.” He studied the two of them in a way that made Lilly entirely uncomfortable.

  “Oh?” Lilly’s voice wavered.

  “Don’t worry, it’s nothing improper.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening before taking a step towards them as they jolted back against the door. “But it’s also not, strictly speaking, legal.”

  “And what exactly would that be?” Edith swallowed.

  “Remember, before I ask this, we both have mutual reasons not to report each other?”

  “I understand.” Lilly nodded.

  “Alright.” The guard ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek. “I miss reading Hemingway novels.”

  “Hemingway?” Edith almost laughed in her relief.

  “Yes, it’s illegal to read his novels.” He bit his lip as he looked at Edith hopefully. “’There is no friend as loyal as a book,’ Hemingway once said.”

  “I happen to have one of his novels.” Edith pointed over her shoulder, but Lilly gave her a quick slap, wondering if the guard was trying to trick them.

  “I know.” The guard grinned.

  “You do?” Lilly asked apprehensively.

  “I was on the same train as you.” The guard nodded in the direction of the station. “You should really be more careful about what you read so openly.”

  “I told you.” Lilly offered Edith another smack on her arm.

  “I’ll be right back.” Edith entered the house, not wanting to waste any more time.

  “Stay here,” the guard ordered Lilly when she, too, was about to enter.

  “I hope this isn’t too forward of me to say, but you don’t seem like many of the SS I’ve come across.” Lilly studied him curiously.

  “It’s a job.” He glanced away. “And I seem to be good at killing our enemies. I don’t necessarily enjoy it, but I’m happy to do my patriotic duty. Besides, if you kill a Jew, are you really killing a person?”

  Lilly’s blood ran cold. The man before her had, at one point, seemed almost charming. Yet, he had just admitted to being a killer with little conflict of conscience. The major, she understood, was evil through and through, but the man before her had aspects of his humanity still intact. She didn’t know what disturbed her more: the blatant cruelty of the major or the passive callousness of this guard.

  “Here it is,” Edith panted as she returned and handed him the novel.

  “Maybe I’ll run into you ladies again some night.” He gave a quick wink before walking back towards his post.

  “Wait,” Edith called out, and he turned towards her. “What’s your name?”

  “It’s best that we know as little about each other as possible.” He winked again before walking away.

  “What a nice man.” Edith grinned as she watched him depart.

  “You should’ve heard what he said while you were gone.” Lilly glanced at Edith before walking back inside. “It would change your mind rather quickly. It’s best that we stay clear of him in the future.”

  “We should check on Papa,” Edith spoke as the two girls rushed up the stairs.

  Yet as Lilly climbed, her legs seemed to turn to lead. Her breath, too, was stolen from her as she thought of Wilhelm and how close they had come to being arrested as well. She didn’t know if she could stomach what the major would do to her if she were caught, and her heart broke for her sweet Wilhelm.

  “Are you alright?” Edith came to Lilly’s rescue and grabbed her arm to help her up.

  “I just need sleep.” She began to pant heavily, and the world around her started to spin.

  “Let’s get you to the room.” Edith heaved as she helped Lilly up the stairs.

  Suddenly, the door to their room opened, and Mrs. Baumann hurried out with her eyes squinted and her hair disheveled. Clearly, she had taken to lying down in one of the girls’ beds.

  “Is everything alright?” Mrs. Baumann asked as she examined Lilly.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this.” Lilly looked at her with grave concern.

  “Tell me what?” Mrs. Baumann looked between the two of them eagerly.

  “Your grandson was arrested,” Lilly spoke tenderly to soften the blow.

  Mrs. Baumann didn’t reply as she seemed to not entirely understand the implications of what Lilly had stated. Glancing away, Mrs. Baumann fidgeted with her fingers.

  �
��Mrs. Baumann?” Edith asked, trying to be gentle.

  “Did they raid the dance?” she asked while still looking away.

  “No, the major was at the station arresting Sergeant Wolf. They spotted us with the truck nearby. Wilhelm covered for us while we ran.”

  “If they arrested Sergeant Wolf, then we don’t have much time,” Mrs. Baumann spoke with determination. “The sergeant is a strong man, but with your father previously being arrested, I fear that the major is putting the pieces together.”

  “What should we do then?” Edith asked, her voice full of fear.

  “Get some rest.” Mrs. Baumann drew a deep breath. “Tomorrow, we make our move.”

  Chapter Twelve:

  Execute

  “But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.”

  Ernest Hemingway

  With a groan, Lilly sat upright in bed and glanced over at her snoring sister in the bed next to her. The sun had risen substantially by now, yet Lilly wasn’t aware of what time it was and wondered how late she had slept.

  Her sleep had been absent of dreams, and she found it odd, really, to lay down and then awake hours later as if she had traveled through time. It almost felt unrestful, really.

  She was surprised that she was able to sleep at all given Wilhelm’s capture. She did, at least, recognize that she had barely slept the night before, and her exhaustion outweighed her concerns, however terrible that made her feel.

  But as Lilly stood to get dressed, she thought she heard a pot falling downstairs on the kitchen floor. Pausing, Lilly turned her ear, waiting for another crash or noise from the kitchen, but it didn’t come.

  “Morning,” Edith yawned.

  “I think the morning is already behind us.” Lilly glanced out the window.

  “Really?” Edith sat upright. “I hope we didn’t sleep too long. I had the strangest dream last night.”

  “Oh?” Lilly glanced at Edith as she slipped into a gray dress that had arrived from her home in Berlin. With a slight chuckle of irony, she studied the remaining brightly colored dresses of reds, yellows, greens, and blues. Wilhelm won’t be able to fully appreciate any of these. I do hope he’s alright.

  “We were back in our house in Berlin,” Edith began as she stared at the blankets, “but at the same time, it wasn’t our house. Wilhelm was there, Mother was there, and Sergeant Wolf as well. What do you think it means?”