Part 17 (1/2)

The SS officer asked where he was going.

”To the king of Siam,” the driver said, and smiled.

The SS man took this as a wisecrack. Enraged by the driver's impudence, he and his a.s.sociates dragged the Storm Trooper out of the van and forced him to open the rear doors. The cargo s.p.a.ce was filled with trays of food.

Still suspicious, the SS officer accused the driver of bringing the food to one of Rohm's orgies.

The driver, no longer smiling, said, ”No, it's for the king of Siam.”

The SS still believed the driver was merely being insolent. Two SS men climbed onto the van and ordered the driver to continue to the palace where the party supposedly was being held. To their chagrin, they learned that a banquet for the king of Siam was indeed planned and that Goring was one of the expected guests.

And then there was poor Willi Schmid-Wilhelm Eduard Schmid, respected music critic for a Munich newspaper-who was playing his cello at home with his wife and three children nearby when the SS came to the door, hauled him away, and shot him.

The SS had erred. Their intended target was a different Schmid. Or rather, a Schmitt.

Hitler dispatched Rudolf Hess to make a personal apology to the dead critic's wife.

PUTZI HANFSTAENGL, WHOSE RELATIONs.h.i.+P with Hitler had grown strained, was rumored to have been on Hitler's list of targets. Providently, he was in America to take part in the twenty-fifth reunion of his cla.s.s at Harvard. The invitation to attend had caused an outcry in America, and until the last moment Hanfstaengl had offered no indication as to whether he actually would attend. On the night of June 10, 1934, he threw a dinner party, whose timing in retrospect seemed all too convenient given that surely he knew the purge was coming. In midmeal, he stepped from the dining room, disguised himself in a raincoat and sungla.s.ses, and left. He took a night train to Cologne, where he climbed into a mail plane that took him directly to Cherbourg, France, and there he boarded his s.h.i.+p, the with Hitler had grown strained, was rumored to have been on Hitler's list of targets. Providently, he was in America to take part in the twenty-fifth reunion of his cla.s.s at Harvard. The invitation to attend had caused an outcry in America, and until the last moment Hanfstaengl had offered no indication as to whether he actually would attend. On the night of June 10, 1934, he threw a dinner party, whose timing in retrospect seemed all too convenient given that surely he knew the purge was coming. In midmeal, he stepped from the dining room, disguised himself in a raincoat and sungla.s.ses, and left. He took a night train to Cologne, where he climbed into a mail plane that took him directly to Cherbourg, France, and there he boarded his s.h.i.+p, the Europa Europa, bound for New York. He brought five suitcases and three crates containing sculptural busts meant as gifts.

The New York City police department, fearing threats to Hanfstaengl from outraged protesters, sent six young officers aboard to guide him from the s.h.i.+p. They were dressed in Harvard jackets and ties.

On June 30, 1934, the day of the purge, Putzi attended the Newport, Rhode Island, wedding of Ellen Tuck French and John Jacob Astor III, said to be the richest bachelor in America. His father had been lost with the t.i.tanic t.i.tanic. A crowd of about a thousand people gathered outside the church to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom and the arriving guests. One of the first ”to cause the crowd to gasp with excitement,” wrote a gus.h.i.+ng society reporter for the New York Times New York Times, was Hanfstaengl, ”in a top hat, black coat and striped gray trousers.”

Hanfstaengl knew nothing about events back home until asked about them by reporters. ”I have no comment to make,” he said. ”I am here to attend the wedding of my friend's daughter.” Later, after learning more details, he stated, ”My leader, Adolf Hitler, had to act and he acted thus as always. Hitler has proven himself never greater, never more human, than in the last forty-eight hours.”

Inwardly, however, Hanfstaengl worried about his own safety and that of his wife and son back in Berlin. He sent a discreet inquiry to Foreign Minister Neurath.

HITLER RETURNED TO BERLIN that evening. Again, Gisevius stood witness. Hitler's plane appeared ”against the background of a blood-red sky, a piece of theatricality that no one had staged,” Gisevius wrote. After the plane came to a stop, a small army of men moved forward to greet Hitler, among them Goring and Himmler. Hitler was first to emerge from the aircraft. He wore a brown s.h.i.+rt, dark brown leather jacket, black bow tie, high black boots. He looked pale and tired and had not shaved but otherwise seemed untroubled. ”It was clear that the murders of his friends had cost him no effort at all,” Gisevius wrote. ”He had felt nothing; he had merely acted out his rage.” that evening. Again, Gisevius stood witness. Hitler's plane appeared ”against the background of a blood-red sky, a piece of theatricality that no one had staged,” Gisevius wrote. After the plane came to a stop, a small army of men moved forward to greet Hitler, among them Goring and Himmler. Hitler was first to emerge from the aircraft. He wore a brown s.h.i.+rt, dark brown leather jacket, black bow tie, high black boots. He looked pale and tired and had not shaved but otherwise seemed untroubled. ”It was clear that the murders of his friends had cost him no effort at all,” Gisevius wrote. ”He had felt nothing; he had merely acted out his rage.”

In a radio address, propaganda chief Goebbels rea.s.sured the nation.

”In Germany,” he said, ”there is now complete peace and order. Public security has been restored. Never was the Fuhrer Fuhrer more completely master of the situation. May a favorable destiny bless us so that we can carry our great task to its conclusion with Adolf Hitler!” more completely master of the situation. May a favorable destiny bless us so that we can carry our great task to its conclusion with Adolf Hitler!”

Dodd, however, continued to receive reports that indicated the purge was far from ended. There was still no firm news as to what had happened to Rohm and Papen. Waves of gunfire continued to roll from the courtyard at Lichterfelde.

CHAPTER 50.

Among the Living Sunday morning was cool, sunny, and breezy. Dodd was struck by the absence of any visible markers of all that had occurred during the past twenty-four hours. ”It was a strange day,” he wrote, ”with only ordinary news in the papers.”

Papen was said to be alive but under house arrest at his apartment along with his family. Dodd hoped to use what little influence he possessed to help keep him alive-if indeed the reports of Papen's continued survival were correct. Rumor held that the vice-chancellor was marked for execution and that it could happen at any time.

Dodd and Martha took the family Buick for a drive to Papen's apartment building. They drove past the entrance very slowly, intending that the SS guards see the car and recognize its provenance.

The pale face of Papen's son appeared at a window, partially hidden by curtains. An SS officer on guard at the building entrance glared as the car pa.s.sed. It was clear to Martha that the officer had recognized the license plate as belonging to a diplomat.

That afternoon Dodd drove to Papen's home again, but this time he stopped and left a calling card with one of the guards, on which he had written, ”I hope we may call on you soon.”

Though Dodd disapproved of Papen's political machinations and his past behavior in the United States, he did like the man and had enjoyed sparring with him ever since their dinner confrontation at the Little Press Ball. What motivated Dodd now was revulsion at the idea of men being executed at Hitler's whim without warrant or trial.

Dodd drove back home. Later, Papen's son would tell the Dodds how grateful he and his family had been for the appearance of that simple Buick on their street that lethal afternoon.

REPORTS CONTINUED TO ARRIVE at the Dodds' residence of new arrests and murders. By Sunday night Dodd knew with reasonable certainty that Captain Rohm was dead. at the Dodds' residence of new arrests and murders. By Sunday night Dodd knew with reasonable certainty that Captain Rohm was dead.

The story, pieced together later, went like this: At first Hitler was undecided as to whether to execute his old ally, locked in a cell at Stadelheim Prison, but eventually he bowed to pressure from Goring and Himmler. Even then, however, Hitler insisted that Rohm first should have an opportunity to kill himself.

The man a.s.signed the task of offering Rohm this opportunity was Theodor Eicke, commander of Dachau, who drove to the prison on Sunday along with a deputy, Michael Lippert, and another SS man from the camp. The three were led to Rohm's cell.

Eicke gave Rohm a Browning automatic and a fresh edition of the Volkischer Beobachter Volkischer Beobachter containing an account of what the paper called the ”Rohm Putsch,” apparently to show Rohm that all was indeed lost. containing an account of what the paper called the ”Rohm Putsch,” apparently to show Rohm that all was indeed lost.

Eicke left the room. Ten minutes pa.s.sed with no gunfire. Eicke and Lippert returned to the cell, removed the Browning, then came back with their own weapons drawn. They found Rohm standing before them, s.h.i.+rtless.

Accounts vary as to exactly what happened next. Some report that Eicke and Lippert said nothing and began firing. One account holds that Eicke shouted, ”Rohm, make yourself ready,” at which point Lippert fired two shots. Yet another account gives Rohm a moment of gallantry, during which he declared, ”If I am to be killed, let Adolf do it himself.”

The first salvo did not kill Rohm. He lay on the floor moaning, ”Mein Fuhrer, mein Fuhrer.” A final bullet was fired into his temple.

As a reward, Eicke received a promotion that placed him in charge of all Germany's concentration camps. He exported the draconian regulations he had put in place at Dachau to all the other camps under his command.

That Sunday a grateful Reichswehr made another payment on the deal struck aboard the Deutschland Deutschland. Defense Minister Blomberg in his order of the day for that Sunday, July 1, announced, ”The Fuhrer Fuhrer with soldierly decision and exemplary courage has himself attacked and crushed the traitors and murderers. The army, as the bearer of arms of the entire people, far removed from the conflicts of domestic politics, will show its grat.i.tude through devotion and loyalty. The good relations.h.i.+p towards the new SA demanded by the with soldierly decision and exemplary courage has himself attacked and crushed the traitors and murderers. The army, as the bearer of arms of the entire people, far removed from the conflicts of domestic politics, will show its grat.i.tude through devotion and loyalty. The good relations.h.i.+p towards the new SA demanded by the Fuhrer Fuhrer will be gladly fostered by the Army in the consciousness that the ideals of both are held in common. The state of emergency has come to an end everywhere.” will be gladly fostered by the Army in the consciousness that the ideals of both are held in common. The state of emergency has come to an end everywhere.”

AS THE WEEKEND PROGRESSED, the Dodds learned that a new phrase was making the rounds in Berlin, to be deployed upon encountering a friend or acquaintance on the street, ideally with a sardonic lift of one eyebrow: ”Lebst du noch?” Which meant, ”Are you still among the living?”

CHAPTER 51.

Sympathy's End Though rumors continued to sketch a blood purge of startling dimension, Amba.s.sador Dodd and his wife chose not to cancel the emba.s.sy's Fourth of July celebration, to which they had invited some three hundred guests. If anything, there was more reason now to hold the party, to provide a symbolic demonstration of American freedom and offer a respite from the terror outside. This was to be the first formal occasion since the weekend at which Americans and Germans would encounter each other face to face. The Dodds had invited a number of Martha's friends as well, including Mildred Fish Harnack and her husband, Arvid. Boris apparently did not attend. One guest, Bella Fromm, noted an ”electric tension” that pervaded the party. ”The diplomats seemed jittery,” she wrote. ”The Germans were on edge.”

Dodd and his wife stood at the entrance to the ballroom to greet each new arrival. Martha saw that outwardly her father was behaving as he always did at such affairs, hiding his boredom with ironic quips and sallies, his expression that of an amused skeptic seemingly on the verge of laughter. Her mother wore a long blue and white dress and greeted guests in her usual quiet manner-all southern grace, with silver hair and a gentle accent-but Martha detected an unusual flush to her mother's cheeks and noted that the nearly black irises of her eyes, always striking, were especially so.

Tables throughout the ballroom and the garden were decorated with bouquets of red, white, and blue flowers and small American flags. An orchestra played American songs quietly. The weather was warm but cloudy. Guests wandered through the house and garden. All in all it was a peaceful and surreal scene, in powerful contrast to the bloodshed of the prior seventy-two hours. For Martha and her brother the juxtaposition was simply too glaring to go unacknowledged, so they made a point of greeting the younger German guests with the question ”Lebst du noch?”

”We thought we were being sarcastic, revealing to the Germans some of the fury we felt,” she wrote. ”No doubt many of them thought the remark bad taste. Some n.a.z.is showed extreme irritation.”

Guests arrived bearing fresh news. Now and then a correspondent or emba.s.sy staffer pulled Dodd away for a few moments of conversation. One topic, surely, was a law enacted the day before by Hitler's cabinet that made all the murders legal; it justified them as actions taken in ”emergency defense of the state.” Guests arrived looking pale and shaken, fearing the worst for their friends throughout the city.

Fritz, the butler, brought Martha word that a visitor was waiting for her downstairs. ”Der junge Herr von Papen,” Fritz said. The young Mr. Papen-the vice-chancellor's son, Franz Jr. Martha was expecting him and had alerted her mother that if he appeared she might have to leave. She touched her mother's arm and left the reception line.

Franz was tall, blond, and slender, with a sharply sculpted face and, Martha recalled, ”a certain fine beauty-like that of blonde fox.” He was graceful as well. To dance with him, she wrote, ”was like living in music itself.”

Franz took her arm and briskly led her away from the house. They crossed the street to the Tiergarten, where they strolled awhile, watching for signs of being followed. Finding none, they walked to an outdoor cafe, took a table, and ordered drinks.

The terror of the last few days showed on Franz's face and in his manner. Anxiety muted his usual easygoing humor.