No-one disagreed with Oster’s summary. The secret meetings Herrman had continued to hold with the plotters had see-sawed in mood over the past weeks. First there was despair that Hitler was refusing to listen to reason. Then a cautious optimism that signals had been received via diplomatic channels that the Allies might be prepared to negotiate – but hopes had just been dashed again when it was made clear that they would not consider any talks while Hitler and the Nazi Party were in power.
‘We cannot just sit here and do nothing, knowing what we do about the fate which awaits Germany.’ Carl Goerdeler was depressed but determined. ‘We must at least make preparations – get as many senior Army officers as we can on our side; plan the moves we would need to make to take over.’
‘We have already done much of that. However, there is a limit; the more people we contact, the more certain it is that our activities will come to the attention of the RSHA,’ von Witzleben warned.
‘I know that, but time is running out. The Russians and their Allies continue to pin most our army down in the east, while in the West our forces are steadily being pushed out of France. It will soon be too late for Germany.’
Oster was thoughtful. ‘If the Americans and the British are willing to negotiate, they may be willing to help us. If we can tell them where Hitler is at a given moment, one Mosquito raid should solve the problem.’
‘Too risky. He moves around at short notice. And if the first attempt failed, we would never get another chance.’
Speidel was right, Herrman thought; that would not work. He looked at his empty glass of schnapps, and at the inviting bottle, then carefully and firmly put the glass down. ‘We must try another way,’ Herrman said. I have an idea…’
Autumn 1943
Stadler looked concerned as he accompanied Herrman to the meeting room at the Eagle’s Nest. ‘I hope you know what you’re doing,’ he remarked, ‘the Führer doesn’t like such requests for meetings, particularly with all of the senior hierarchy present. It isn’t like you to be so dramatic, or mysterious.’
‘What I have to say is very important, and it concerns all of them. It is a message they must listen to, for the future of Germany.’ Herrman felt surprisingly calm, his constant sense of detachment sustaining him.
‘Very well, but I should warn you that Hitler is not as fond of you as he was. He is increasingly short-tempered these days. You had better choose your words with great care!’
In the room, Herrman looked around the faces staring at him with varying degrees of interest, curiosity and suspicion; Göring, Himmler, Goebbels, all there. Hitler glowered. ‘Well, what is it?’
‘Something I have remembered – well, not remembered exactly just pieced together from scraps of memory. I think it could make all the difference. It concerns a place near the Eastern Front line, not far from Perm.’ He walked over to the large wall map showing all of Europe and the USSR, a red line marking the current position of the battle front. ‘It’s easier to show you what I’m talking about.’ The Nazis walked with varying degrees of reluctance over to the map. Herrman turned to face them, waited until they were gathered round. He was acutely conscious of the view through the window behind them, autumn sunshine outside fading into a beautiful haze in the distance, the mountains looming on the horizon. He slipped a hand into his waistcoat pocket.
‘Well?’ Hitler said.
‘Stefan,’ said Herrman, and closed the circuit on the bomb which lined his waistcoat.
Stadler picked himself off the floor, covered with plaster from the ceiling, ears ringing from the blast. He looked through the wrecked doorway into the meeting room, gaping in shocked disbelief at the bloody shambles within. For once in his life, he had no idea what to do.
‘It’s as you predicted,’ Charles reported, ‘Goerdeler is the acting Chancellor, von Witzleben has assumed command of Wehrmacht. The plotters were prepared, of course, and moved very fast to seize control of communications before the Nazis woke up to the fact that they weren’t going to get any more orders from on high, ever.’
Don nodded, ‘It was a stroke of genius to declare Hitler’s death the result of a plot within the Nazi Party and to declare martial law. By the time the Nazis began to recover from the shocks, the army was in full control.’
‘How many senior Nazis have they arrested?’ Mary enquired.
‘Not too many; it seems that an awful lot were killed “resisting arrest”. Anyway, the Germans are still fighting on all fronts but Goerdeler has asked for an armistice pending peace talks. Winnie seems to have pulled it off; Roosevelt and Stalin have agreed.’
‘Sounds like a long and difficult period ahead.’
‘Maybe not so hard. It seems that your opponent managed to talk some sense into the new German leadership before he died, just as you did to Churchill. The outline of a probable agreement is already taking shape. Basically, Germany will revert to its nineteen-thirty-eight borders with a few minor adjustments here and there to resolve outstanding problems. And Russia will be kept back within its border – as part of the deal, German troops will remain to keep order in the former Soviet states until they can be replaced by the Western Allies, pending free elections there. The Allies are guaranteeing their independence.’
‘I’m surprised Stalin agreed to that.’
‘He didn’t have much option. The alternative would have been for Britain and the USA to sign a separate peace treaty, allowing Germany to concentrate on Russia.’
‘Would we have done that?’
‘I don’t know, but Stalin was evidently convinced – probably because he would have done so in our position. Anyway, his forces were close to collapse; he really had very little bargaining power. He must be relieved still to be in charge of Russia.’
‘So what happens next?’
Mary laughed. ‘Next comes a walk in Kew Gardens. I just want to enjoy kicking the leaves around, now that all the tents have gone!’
Spring 1944
Don and Mary walked slowly up the hill, enjoying the crisp and cold Alpine air, Hope chatting happily between them. It had snowed during the past week, and the mountains dazzled in the thin sunshine. The buildings had been demolished; not because of the bomb damage, but to eradicate all sign of those who had once lived here. There was one exception, added at Don’s request. They walked over the level platform which marked the site of the building to a point in the centre, where a small gravestone poked above the thin covering of snow. The inscription was brief:
Professor Konrad Herrman.
Died 15 September 1943.
He gave his life so that others might live.
Don stood for a few moments before the grave, his eyes unexpectedly welling with tears. He thought back to the world they had both left far behind in the future, of the hopes and fears they had brought with them to the past. He had met Stadler, had heard much about what drove his fellow time traveller, of his growing despair.
‘You made it right, in the end,’ he whispered, ‘you made it happen.’
Then he turned and, hand in hand with his wife and daughter, walked down towards the new world they had made between them.
ANNEX 1: PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
HISTORICAL
Ludwig Beck German General, member of German resistance to Hitler
Walter von Brauchitsch German Field Marshal and Army C-in-C
Alan Brooke Field Marshal, Chief of General Staff
Neville Chamberlain British politician, Prime Minister 1937-40
Claire Chennault American Colonel in charge of “Flying Tigers”
Winston Churchill British politician, First Lord of the Admiralty and Prime Minister 1940+
Karl Dönitz German Admiral, C-in-C U-boats
Nikolas von Falkenhorst German General in command of Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Norway
Mitsuo Fuchida Commander, Imperial Japanese Navy
Eberhard Godt German Käpitan, Dönitz' Chief of Staff
Joseph Goebbels German Minister of Pr
opaganda
Carl Goerdeler leader of German opposition to Hitler
Hermann Göring German Nazi, Reichsmarshall of the Luftwaffe
Lord Halifax British politician, Foreign Secretary 1938-40
Heinrich Himmler German Nazi, Reichsführer-SS
Adolf Hitler German Führer, head of the Nazi Party
Alfried Jodl German General
Wilhelm Keitel German Field Marshal
Ernest King USN Admiral, Chief of Naval Operations
Gustav Kleikamp Käpitan zur See, Captain of the "Schleswig-Holstein"
Takeo Kurita Rear Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy
F L Lindemann Lord Cherwell, Churchill’s scientific adviser
Birger Ljungberg Norwegian Colonel, Defence Minister in 1940
Douglas MacArthur American General, in charge of defence of Philippines
Erich von Manstein German Field Marshal
George Marshall US General, Army Chief of Staff
Joannis Metaxas Greek General, dictator of Greece 1936-41
Chuichi Nagumo Vice-Admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy, in charge of Pearl Harbour attack
Johan Nygaardsvold Norwegian politician, Prime Minister in 1940
Richard O'Connor British General, commanding in North Africa
Omori Rear Admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy
Hans Oster Major General, second-in-command of Abwehr
Jisaburo Ozawa Vice-Admiral, Imperial Japanese Navy
Kim Philby British intelligence officer, a double-agent for the USSR
Johannes Popitz member of German resistance to Hitler
Erich Raeder German, Grossadmiral of the Kriegsmarine
Erwin Rommel German General / Field Marshal
Franklin D Roosevelt US President
Gerd von Rundstedt German Field Marshal
Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben German Lt General, defender of Cherbourg
Ivan Simson Brigadier, Royal Engineers
Ubaldo Soddu Italian General in command of invasion of Greece
Carl Spaatz USAAF General i/c strategic bombing
Albert Speer German Minister of Munitions
Hans Speidel German General, Rommel's Chief of Staff, and member of German resistance to Hitler
Josip Stalin Dictator of the USSR
Henry Tizard British scientist, Chairman of the Aeronautical Research Committee and the Committee for the Scientific Survey of Air Defence, Rector of Imperial College, London
Archibald Wavell British General/Field Marshal
Erwin von Witzleben German Field Marshal, member of German resistance to Hitler
Isoroku Yamamoto Admiral, Commander in Chief, Imperial Japanese Navy
FICTIONAL
Mary Baker British, assistant to Don Erlang
Blackett British Squadron Leader in Coastal Command Intelligence
"Chairman" civil servant chairing the Oversight Committee
"Creamed Curls" RAF representative on Oversight Committee
"Diplomat" Foreign Officer representative on Oversight Committee
Charles Dunning British civil servant employed in the security services
"Elderly Cigar" civil servant on Oversight Committee
Don Erlang British historian transported from 2004 to 1934
David Helmsford British Naval Intelligence officer
Konrad Herrman German historian transported from 2004 to 1934
Harold Johnson British Naval Intelligence officer
"Military Man" Army representative on Oversight Committee
Peter Morgan British RAF Intelligence officer
"Ruddy Face" Navy representative on the Oversight Committee
Kurt Stadler German SD officer
Swinton British Captain in Naval Intelligence
Geoffrey Taylor British Army Intelligence officer
ANNEX 2: GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND EQUIPMENT
The equipment mentioned in this book and listed here falls into three categories:
Historically accurate - shown in plain text
Historically accurate but for minor changes or earlier availability – [alterations described in square brackets and italics]
Substantially different from historical equipment which may have had a similar name – shown in bold italics [with comments in square brackets]
British Terms
AA Anti-Aircraft (artillery)
ack-ack slang for AA
AEW Aircraft Early Warning; an aircraft carrying radar to detect the approach of other aircraft [not introduced until after WW2]
Aldis lamp naval lamp with shuttering, used for sending Morse code signals
AP Armour Piercing
APC Armoured Personnel Carrier [not in wide use until after WW2]
APDS high-performance anti-tank ammunition (Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot) [available 1940 instead of 1944]
archie slang for AA fire
ARV Armoured Recovery Vehicle
Asdic submarine detection equipment using echo-location (Allied Submarine Detection Investigation Committee)
ASV air-to-surface vessel; radar carried by aircraft to detect ships
Besal compact self-loading .303 inch rifle using the bullpup layout [the historical Besal was an LMG, designed as a Bren alternative]
Blackshirts members of the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley
boffin slang term for scientist
Bofors Swedish gun manufacturer
Bren Gun adaptation of a Czech light machine gun to fire the .303 inch cartridge (from BRno and ENfield)
Browning adaptation of an American machine gun to fire the .303 inch cartridge
canister artillery or tank shell holding a large quantity of steel balls, for short-range defence
Cavalier self-propelled anti-tank gun mounting a 17-pounder gun on a Crusader chassis [the historical Cavalier was a tank]
Centaur armoured recovery vehicle based on the Crusader tank [the historical Centaur was an unsuccessful prototype tank]
Churchill 40-45 ton battle tank with 17 pdr or 35 pdr gun [the historical Churchill was an entirely different tank]
centimetric radar high-frequency radar capable of great precision at short range
Colt self-loading pistol in 9x25 calibre (based on the M1911A1)
Comet anti-aircraft tank mounting twin 20mm Oerlikon or Polsten cannon, based on the Crusader [the historical Comet was a tank]
Conqueror self-propelled artillery gun mounting a 62 pdr gun on a Crusader chassis [the historical Conqueror was a 1950s heavy tank]
Corncob programme of blockships used to protect D-day landing beaches
corvette fast anti-submarine and anti-aircraft escort warship of 1,500 tons, armed with 4 inch, 40 mm and 20 mm guns and Squid AS mortar [historically used to describe a class of smaller and less capable escorts]
Covenanter armoured personnel carrier and command car based on the Crusader tank chassis [the historical Covenanter was an unsuccessful prototype tank]
Cromwell Crusader assault tank equipped with a 25-pdr gun in the turret and fitted with thicker armour [the historical Cromwell was a medium tank]
Crusader 18-20 ton four-man tank and the basis for a range of other armoured fighting vehicles. MkI with 2 pdr gun, MkII with 6 pdr, MkIII with 14 pdr [the historical Crusader was an early, unsuccessful tank which saw service in North Africa]
Crystal Palace huge steel and glass hall erected for the 1851 Great Exhibition
Dingo light 4x4 armoured car built by Daimler
E-boat Enemy boat: Allied term for German S-boot (q.v.)
EW electronic warfare; confusing or jamming enemy radar and communications systems
Eyeties slang term for Italians
FAC Forward Air Controller; an officer based with ground troops who gives instructions to supporting aircraft
Foxer noise-making device towed behind a ship to confuse acoustic torpedoes
Free French French who remained at war with Germany, in defiance of the Vichy Government. Also known
as the Fighting French
frigate warship of c.4,000 tons, armed with eight 4.7" dual-purpose guns, Bofors, Squid and torpedoes [historically this term was applied to much smaller escort vessels]
Gee radio navigation system, used by bombers
gen slang term for information
GNAT German Naval Acoustic Torpedo: British term for Zaunkönig (q.v.)
Gooseberries breakwaters to protect D-day landing beaches, made from Corncobs (q.v.)
H2S ground-mapping radar used by bombers
HE (1) High Explosive
HE (2) Hydrophone Effect; the sound of ship propellers detected by means of an underwater microphone
HEDS (High Explosive Discarding Sabot) high-performance anti-aircraft ammunition
Hercules aero engine built by Bristol
HESH High Explosive Squash Head: a type of HE shell [available earlier]
HF/DF high-frequency direction finding; used to locate radio sources, particularly by the RN
Hispano French 20 mm aircraft cannon adopted by the RAF (HS-404)
huff-duff slang for HF/DF
Humber 6x6 armoured car, capable of taking the same turrets as the Crusader tank [the historical Humber was a 4x4 design]
hydrophone microphone designed for use underwater; used to detect the sound of propellers at a distance
IFF Identification Friend or Foe: an electrical device fitted to aircraft which responds to radar signals with a coded signal to indicate that an aircraft is friendly
IRA Irish Republican Army: an organisation dedicated to joining (British) Northern Ireland to the (independent and neutral) Irish Republic
Lee Enfield No.4 standard bolt-action infantry rifle made during WW2 [not built]
Leigh light powerful searchlight carried by British anti-submarine aircraft
London
Naval Treaty agreement between naval powers to restrict the size and number of warships to be built [modification made to permit the use of 15 inch rather than 14 inch battleship guns]
MAC ship Merchant Aircraft Carrier: a bulk carrier (grain or oil) fitted with a flight deck (and sometimes a small hangar) [available in 1940 rather than later in the war]
THE FORESIGHT WAR Page 39