Nazi Magician: Inventor

by Ward Wagher

  The entourage was now leaving the administration building and walking towards the test area. Dieter decided it was time to stop woolgathering and pay attention. Hitler looked taller than he had envisioned. As the group got closer, he studied the Führer. He was carefully dressed in a uniform coat and peaked officer’s hat. He decided that the toothbrush mustache looked ridiculous on the man, not that he would ever dare to say anything.

  As Hitler drew closer, Dieter was caught by the man’s eyes. It felt like Hitler was peering into his soul. Considering what he had been thinking just a few moments before, he certainly hoped that the man could not read minds.

  As Rolf had instructed, he jumped to attention, swung his arm out, and shouted Heil Hitler. The Führer strode up to him and stopped.

  “I understand you are an exceptional inventor, Herr Faust.”

  “I serve the Fatherland, mein Führer.”

  “And you have something to demonstrate, I have been told. I find it hard to believe. Yet I have been persuaded to visit Frankfort to see this marvel. Are you prepared to demonstrate it for me?

  “Yes, mein Führer.

  “Then, I wait to be impressed.”

  Hitler looked skeptical, and Dieter could not blame the man. Rolf marched over.

  “First, I would like to demonstrate the protective field around Herr Faust. Dieter, if you would engage the device.”

  “Of course, Herr Major.”

  Dieter pushed the second button on the amulet and watched as everyone outside of the field seemed to blur slightly. He looked up at Rolf.

  “All ready, Herr Major.”

  Rolf walked over and slapped at Dieter. His hand stopped about a meter from Dieter’s face. He tried several times, and the field stopped him each time.

  “Now, I suppose you will think that I have pulled my punches, so we will try something else.”

  Rolf picked up a length of heavy oak and walked over to the assembled audience.

  “Please examine the club and confirm that it is indeed weighty and solid.”

  One of the men took the club and slapped it into his other hand. He then tried. To break it over his knee, unsuccessfully. He handed it back to Rolf.

  “Watch now, as I attempt to club the subject.”

  He walked over and studied Dieter for a moment. There was a bit of a twinkle in his eye. He raised the club and twisted around, then swung at Dieter as though he was swinging a baseball bat at a fastball. There was a heavy knocking sound as the wood connected with the field. Hitler now looked interested.

  “Would anyone else desire to try hitting Herr Faust?”

  A Wehrmacht officer in the group stepped forward. “I would like to try it, Major.”

  Rolf wordlessly handed him the club and stepped aside. The officer approached Dieter. Without a word, he swung the club around and impacted the field. The club flew out of his hands. He stood, shaking his hands.

  “Gott in Himmel, that stings!”

  There were several involuntary chuckles in the group. The officer turned to Rolf.

  “You have my apologies, Herr Major. I did not believe you.”

  “Macht nichts,” he replied, or it matters not. “Perhaps I can suggest something that will convince you, Herr General.”

  “And what would that be, Herr Major?

  “I would like you to use your sidearm and shoot Herr Faust.”

  Dieter felt a pang of fear. Although they had extensively tested the protective field, even including firing guns at it, they had not done so with a human subject. He was convinced he was safe enough but still had that concern.

  “Is this okay with you, Herr Faust?” the general asked.

  Dieter nodded warily. “I agree.”

  “Very well.”

  The general pulled out his Luger from the holster and carefully aimed at Dieter. The sharp crack of the pistol masked the thud as the round slammed into the field. Rolf walked over and picked up the bullet from where it had fallen into the mud. Using his handkerchief, he carefully wiped it off. He then walked over to Hitler.

  “Mein Führer, permit me to give you a souvenir of today’s demonstration.”

  Hitler stared at Rolf for a moment and swung his head at the general. “Give it to Jodl. And you can equip all our soldiers with a device like this?”

  “No, mein Führer. In our research, we have discovered that something less than one in five can operate the device.”

  “Then what good is it?” He turned to Himmler, who stood next to him. “Heinrich, you brought me out here for a circus?”

  “Mein Führer, please wait for the rest of the demonstration.”

  “What more is there?”

  Rolf had stepped back, and now he moved closer. “We wish to demonstrate the beam weapon. You will note the piece of steel armor on the stand over there. Now, I strongly urge you to put on the dark glasses. The beam is very bright.

  Rolf moved over to the other side of Dieter and put on his dark glasses. “Okay, Dieter, wait until I give the word. I don’t want to blind any members of the government.”

  Hitler looked around impatiently and then put on the dark glasses. Once the rest had done so, Rolf spoke to Dieter.

  “Okay, Dieter, one shot. Make it count.”

  Dieter nodded and then put the beam weapon to his shoulder. He remembered that he had not pushed the switch on the amulet. After completing that task, the small indicator bulb on the beam rifle glowed orange. He carefully lined up on the target and stroked the trigger. His dark glasses flipped down automatically. With its characteristic sharp crack, the weapon punched a hole in the armor plate. The smell of hot metal drifted back towards the assembled group.

  Hitler pulled his glasses off and strode over to the target.

  “Be careful not to touch the metal, mein Führer,” Rolf said. “It is very hot.”

  The Führer bent over to study the hole in the metal. The edges still glowed from the heat. He looked at both sides of the plate and then walked over to Dieter.

  “Please fire again.” He put his dark glasses back on and turned towards the target.

  Dieter swung the beam rifle up and fired again, putting a second hole in the armor plate.

  Hitler turned and tried to slug Dieter, the field stopping him. He then began to slide his hand in slowly.

  “I can touch you if I move slowly.”

  Dieter nodded. “That is one of the characteristics of the field. It allows air to pass through, if slowly. I think it probably keeps me from suffocating.”

  ‘But I could slowly slide a knife in and kill you.”

  “Yes, you could, mein Führer.”

  Hitler turned to Himmler. “I am impressed. How soon can this be put into use as a weapon?”

  Himmler walked over to the Führer. “Since this seems very much like magic, I thought we should play off of that. I want to set up a Magicians’ Corps under control of the SS. We will dress the members like Herr Faust. If the enemy soldiers are convinced it is magic, they will flee.”

  “I like that proposal,” Hitler said. “Make it so.”

  “We have some other proposed uses of the devices,” Himmler said. “Rolf will explain.”

  “There are several things, actually,” Rolf said as Hitler turned to him. “The beam weapon may be useful as an anti-aircraft tool. Also, the power generator could be placed in a U-boat to drive the electric motors. The underwater range would be limited only by the amount of air in the boat.”

  “What are the limitations, Herr Major?”

  “I believe the main constraint is the number of people who show the ability to use the equipment.”

  “And this is twenty percent?”

  “Less than twenty percent, mein Führer.”

  Hitler turned back to Himmler. “You are authorized to begin building up the Magician’s Corps. You will also begin testing as many people as possible to use as recruits for the group.”

  “Of course, mein Führer.”

  “Are we done here?”


  “Yes, mein Führer,” Himmler said.

  Hitler turned back to Dieter. “I am impressed, Herr Faust. Like your namesake, you have made a pact with the Devil. Congratulations.”

  The unquestioned leader of Germany turned and marched toward the administration building where the vehicles were parked.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  November 23, 1939

  Dieter and Jette sat in the small room with Frau Holtaube and discussed the day. They had eaten their dinner in the Becker’s dining room and then retreated upstairs. Dieter didn’t want to stay very long because the bus came early, and he liked to get his sleep.

  “Was that really the Führer at the laboratory today?” Jette asked.

  Dieter nodded. “Yes, it was. He even spoke to me. He is an amazing man.”

  “He is an evil man,” Frau Hohltaube said. “He will bring Germany down in ruins and cause the death of millions.”

  Jette sat on the side of the bed and hugged herself with her arms. “Those people frightened me. Himmler was there. It was the SS that took away Mutti and Vatti. I know I will never see them again.”

  Dieter felt uncomfortable and did not know what to say. Frau Holtaube glared at him and then looked over at the girl.

  “There is little I can say to reassure you, Liebchen. Sometimes things happen that are outside of our control. Life is not always pleasant.”

  Jette looked down at the floor. “I have accepted that, Frau Hohltaube. But it hurts, sometimes.”

  “At least you are safe at the lab,” Dieter said. “You have the most powerful effect on the special weapons of anybody I have seen. And Ignatz loves the work that you do for him. I don’t think anyone will bother you.”

  “But Rolf looks at me like he is looking at an insect. If you look into his eyes, all you see is death.”

  “I don’t know, Jette, Rolf seems to be a nice person to me.”

  She hugged herself tighter and shivered.

  “Okay, okay, I will make sure he stays away from you, Jette.”

  Frau Holtaube leaned forward in her chair and placed her hands on her knees as she looked at Dieter.

  “Days will come, Herr Faust, when you will have to make some decisions. They will be the most difficult of your entire life.”

  “What are you talking about? Things are going very well for me, right now.”

  “You will know it when it happens. I am simply saying that when you come to this decision point, you must decide whether you will serve yourself or serve others. You could easily go on to great fame and then lose your soul.”

  “I always want to do the right thing, Frau Hohltaube. I well know that most of the Nazis are swine.”

  “Did you know that today when Herr Hitler congratulated you?”

  Now, Dieter shivered. “I looked into his eyes, and at that moment, I would have followed him into hell itself if he demanded it of me. That frightened me.”

  “As well it should have. You will be moving in some high circles. That will be the time for you to keep your wits about you. If you allow them to suck you into their depravity, you will never escape.”

  “I don’t want that to happen.”

  “See that you don’t.”

  Dieter sipped on his first cup of coffee at work the next morning and studied his notes. Other inventions teased at the edge of his mind, but he couldn’t quite decide what form they would take. He decided he would use the day to doodle in his notebook and see if the inspiration struck. He looked up as Rolf entered the laboratory.

  “A great demonstration yesterday, everybody,” he called out. “The Führer was impressed with your work. I see great things for us in the future.”

  He walked over to Dieter’s bench. “You will dine with me tonight?”

  “Of course. I would be honored.”

  The SS Major leaned forward and spoke quietly. “I think a little celebration is in order. I will pick you up here at the laboratory and make sure you get home afterward.”

  Dieter bobbed his head. “Of course. I will be ready.”

  Rolf spun around to face the lab workers again. “Please keep up the good work. I think we will soon see a demonstration of what the Magic Corps can do.”

  Now that he had been interrupted, Dieter had trouble concentrating for the rest of the day. He wondered what sort of celebration Rolf had in mind. He expected it would be lavish. The major occasionally brought small gifts to the lab workers, and they were not inexpensive. His clothes were custom-tailored.

  Dieter had grown up in an orphanage and had no memory of his parents. On the street since the age of sixteen, he was fortunate in landing jobs where he was able to prove himself by dint of hard work. A business owner had taken a liking to him and had paid his way through trade school. As a laboratory worker, he was well paid by German standards but only spent money carefully. He was well aware of how short the distance was back to the street. He had promised himself he would never be poor again. So far, things were working out.

  At six o’clock, he stepped out of the building and saw a large Horch sedan waiting in front. Rolf waved to him from the back window, and Dieter trotted over to climb in. The driver and a guard were in the front seat. When he pulled the door closed, the car rolled off.

  “I am glad you were able to dine with me this evening,” Rolf said, starting the conversation.

  “How could I refuse? You have been generous to me.”

  “You have been successful, but you have remained modest, Dieter. That is a good combination in the Reich. There are too many who simply want to climb the ladder to position, and most of them are incompetent. I think you have a great future ahead of you.”

  “I serve the Reich.”

  “And tonight we will serve ourselves. Don’t worry if we are out late. You can sleep in, and I’ll send a car to take you to work. I’ll have a word with Ignatz.”

  “I can’t believe dinner would take that long,” Dieter blurted.

  Rolf chuckled. “After dinner, we will take in a cabaret. I think you will enjoy it.”

  Rolf took him to a restaurant that Dieter had often walked past and wondered what the inside looked like. Now he knew. Crystal chandeliers hung over each table. Heavy draperies separated the booths and reduced the noise of the conversations and clinking of silver to a subdued background.

  He had never dined in a place like this and observed Rolf carefully. His training as a scientist allowed him to take in the details and use the utensils in the same way the major did. The menu was in French, which Dieter didn’t understand. Rolf translated the items for him and made some suggestions. And the food was excellent.

  The cabaret was an eye-opener for him. Because Hitler was something of an ascetic, smoking was frowned upon in Germany and was gradually disappearing from public concourse. Here during the show, the air was hazy with tobacco smoke. It seemed everyone puffed on a cigarette, a cigar or a pipe. Even the women were smoking. He was shocked.

  From the reactions of the staff, Dieter concluded that Rolf was well known, and a waiter appeared as soon as they were seated. Rolf ordered, and soon drinks were placed in front of them. Dieter took a sip and tasted the bite of hard liquor. He preferred lager and was unaccustomed to this. He knew better than to try and match Rolf drink for drink. He sipped carefully and observed the dive.

  To his untrained ear, the band sounded professional. The young lady crooning the songs was lovely. And, the smoke got in his eyes. As he sipped his drink, he began to relax and enjoy himself. He was careful not to get drunk, but he felt very mellow. Rolf nodded approvingly at his carefully managed intake of alcohol.

  It was after 2 AM when they pulled up in front of the rooming house. Light snow had begun falling during the evening and now drifted past the headlights of the Horch.

  “A fine evening, Dieter,” Rolf said.

  “I thank you for your generosity,” Dieter replied, trying not to slur the words.

  “Take the morning off. I will send a car at one o’clock to tak
e you to work. Someone will call Ignatz so that he will not wonder about you.”

  “Ignatz already wonders about me.” Dieter felt his mouth engage unbidden.

  Rolf laughed heartily and slapped him on the back.

  He got out of the car and walked carefully up the sidewalk to the front porch. Thankfully the front door was unlocked, and he turned to watch Rolf ride off in his magnificent automobile.

  As he trudged up the three flights of stairs to his aerie, he tried to remember what they had talked about during the evening. It seemed like they talked about the manifest destiny of the German Reich and how Dieter would play a vital role in the advancement of the nation. He could not quite remember everything the Nazi SS Major had said, and he wondered if it was important to remember.

  He visited the toilet and then crawled into bed. As he settled into the pillow, he tried to grasp the memories of the evening, but immediately slipped into a heavy slumber. He awakened at eleven with a pounding headache. He staggered downstairs to beg Frau Becker for a couple of aspirin. She chuckled as she recognized he was suffering from a hangover.

  “You will not die, Herr Faust,” she said. “You will just feel like it.”

  “I didn’t think I drank that much last night.”

  “It appears you drank enough. You need to eat.”

  “There is a car coming at one o’clock to pick me up for work. I will have it stop by a deli along the way.”

  “Nonsense, Herr Faust. Sit down here at the table, and I will prepare something for you.”

  She set a frying pan on the stove and cracked a couple of eggs into it. She then sliced some cheddar cheese, onions, and peppers into the forming omelet. She stepped over to the cooler and rummaged through it. She pulled out a covered dish with leftover sausage and sliced some of that into the pan.

  After a few minutes, she slapped a plate on the table and slid the meal in front of him. His stomach felt a little queasy, but as he ate, he felt his appetite return, and he enjoyed the meal.