This will not please @messaline .And they disdain premium French nooses preferring their German hemp.
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It Happened in Hamburg
- Thread starter Barbaria1
- Start date
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
"Frau Doktor, I have a soar throat!"
Frau Doktor : "We have a final remedy, especially developed for traitors of The Reich, to solve that!"
22
Corridor outside the Office of SS-Sturmbannführer Reinhardt, third floor, Hamburg Stadthaus, 07:59, Sunday, 18 December, 1938.
Reinhardt’s mind was reeling as he exited his office and headed for the stairwell that would take him down to the building’s basement section that housed the execution chamber. His extreme mental agitation stemmed directly from what Reichsführer-SS Himmler, just minutes earlier, had said to him over the phone.
It was not an order, simply a request. Himmler had made that clear. He was though, asking Reinhardt in essence to both shirk his duty as an officer and break the law by disrupting a court-ordered execution without orders or justification … all for the sake of this headstrong and foolish young woman and her highly regarded father.
And on a larger scale, he was to do this in the interests of some kind of fanciful ‘off the record’ SD foreign espionage gambit!
Moreover, should he choose to do it and fail, Himmler would not come to his rescue.
Yet, here was Himmler asking politely for a personal favor, and presumably implying some kind of unspecified high-value reward would come Reinhardt’s way should he succeed.
In Reinhardt’s mind there were enormous difficulties to be faced if he were to act on Himmler’s request, not the least of which was that the timing was razor thin.
For all he knew, they were tightening nooses around the necks of Barbara Mohr and Rudy Weiss at that very moment. And how was he to know whether he alone could stop the execution should Reimer and others attending choose to object and resist? And what about escape? Himmler had promised a backup on that matter should Reinhardt succeed to that point, but was there sufficient time to put that in place? And finally, what would happen to him and his career should he fail? Or even refuse to do anything at all?
He’d have to think this over and there was precious little time.
****************
Long passageway leading from the interrogation rooms to the execution chamber, Detention and Interrogation Section, Hamburg Stadthaus, 08:05, Sunday, 18 December, 1938
Reimer and company had come first for Rudy. They had taken him away, naked and shackled at wrists and ankles, leaving Barbara standing near the doorway, with Bruno to watch over her until they returned for her.
The plan she had hatched earlier to declare suddenly that she was now prepared to talk, to reveal all that she knew, had been put on temporary hold. She had wanted to announce it to Reinhardt and, if possible, not in Reimer’s presence.
But time was running out, for Reimer had returned to escort her to the execution chamber and, as yet, Reinhardt had not reappeared. She found herself escorted by Reimer down a narrow concrete-slab-walled corridor … her shackled ankles restricting her movement to an awkward shuffle. Along the way, Reimer had taken it upon himself to pointedly inform her that her the passageway was known as the ‘corridor of sighs’ … for no prisoner ever returned from its passage alive.
She was soon to die!
To add to her foreboding, Reimer seemed to delight in informing her that a short-drop method was to be used, insuring that she and Rudy would struggle in vain for a considerable period of time as they slowly strangled to death.
But then … there he was! … up ahead … SS-Sturmbannführer Reinhardt! … leaning against a wall and staring at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. As always, he was smoking a cigarette.
As they drew near, Reimer let go of her arm to make a show of snapping smartly to attention and declaring loudly that he was presently engaged in escorting Prisoner Mohr to her execution.
“I can see that, Reimer,” snapped Reinhardt irritably. “Do you think I’m blind?”
“No, Herr SS-Sturmbannführer, I merely thought as you had been away from events down here that …”
“Shut-up!”
“Herr SS-Sturmbannführer, may I please have a word?” interjected Barbara. “I’ve decided to cooperate after all. I now believe I was duped … taken advantage of by Herr Weiss … and I …”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that Fräulein Mohr! You had your opportunities earlier!” he replied coldly, before turning abruptly on his heel and walking off.
Reimer waited several seconds before emitting a low whistle and giving her a gentle shove in the small of her back to propel her forward once again.
That was it. She was most surely about to die … a conclusion driven dramatically home as they reached the end of the ‘corridor of sighs’ and entered the execution chamber. For there, up on a wooden scaffolding, stood Rudy. Above him a white rope descended from an overhead beam. At its end was a noose, tightened around his neck at a point right behind his left ear.
And near him dangled a second noose … empty but waiting … ominously … for her!
A quick glance around the brightly-lit chamber told her that she and Rudy were destined to swing and dance before an audience.
In attendance, in addition to Reimer, were his two cronies, Karl and Bruno, the local Gestapo chief officer, Gestapo Kriminaloberassistent Heinz Fromme, Judge Franzen, and several others she did not recognize, including a man holding one of those newfangled handheld Arriflex motion picture cameras.
Ominously, there was also a flatbed cart on which rested … side by side … a pair of flimsy-looking cardboard coffins.
Reinhardt was notably nowhere to be seen.
She tried to catch Rudy’s attention, but he appeared to be staring straight ahead as though focused on the far wall. His face was expressionless.
Reimer, assisted by Karl, hustled her forward, half-catapulting her into the arms of a waiting Bruno crouching at the very edge of the scaffolding. Maneuvered into place alongside Rudy, the noose was yanked down over her head and tightened around her neck.
Stepping back to admire their handiwork, Reimer, thought to himself that she looked tantalizingly lovely with a noose tightened around her neck, and tried to imagine what a grandly erotic show she was about to put on once the trapdoor beneath her feet fell away.
As a final cynical gesture of goodwill, knowing full well it would not be appreciated, he withdrew an open pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and purred amiably, “last smoke, Fräulein Mohr?”
She glared at him in stony silence.
“And you, Herr Weiss?” he asked, turning to Rudy, who first startled and then shook his head in silent refusal.
“Do either of you wish to be hooded?”
Neither Barbara nor Rudy responded.
“Alright then. Judge Franzen, the prisoners are all yours.”
At which point, the Judge, who had been waiting patiently at the rear of the scaffolding to read from the documents he clutched in his hand officially ordering the executions, stepped forward.
And down on the floor, the man with the camera began filming.
TBC
Corridor outside the Office of SS-Sturmbannführer Reinhardt, third floor, Hamburg Stadthaus, 07:59, Sunday, 18 December, 1938.
Reinhardt’s mind was reeling as he exited his office and headed for the stairwell that would take him down to the building’s basement section that housed the execution chamber. His extreme mental agitation stemmed directly from what Reichsführer-SS Himmler, just minutes earlier, had said to him over the phone.
It was not an order, simply a request. Himmler had made that clear. He was though, asking Reinhardt in essence to both shirk his duty as an officer and break the law by disrupting a court-ordered execution without orders or justification … all for the sake of this headstrong and foolish young woman and her highly regarded father.
And on a larger scale, he was to do this in the interests of some kind of fanciful ‘off the record’ SD foreign espionage gambit!
Moreover, should he choose to do it and fail, Himmler would not come to his rescue.
Yet, here was Himmler asking politely for a personal favor, and presumably implying some kind of unspecified high-value reward would come Reinhardt’s way should he succeed.
In Reinhardt’s mind there were enormous difficulties to be faced if he were to act on Himmler’s request, not the least of which was that the timing was razor thin.
For all he knew, they were tightening nooses around the necks of Barbara Mohr and Rudy Weiss at that very moment. And how was he to know whether he alone could stop the execution should Reimer and others attending choose to object and resist? And what about escape? Himmler had promised a backup on that matter should Reinhardt succeed to that point, but was there sufficient time to put that in place? And finally, what would happen to him and his career should he fail? Or even refuse to do anything at all?
He’d have to think this over and there was precious little time.
****************
Long passageway leading from the interrogation rooms to the execution chamber, Detention and Interrogation Section, Hamburg Stadthaus, 08:05, Sunday, 18 December, 1938
Reimer and company had come first for Rudy. They had taken him away, naked and shackled at wrists and ankles, leaving Barbara standing near the doorway, with Bruno to watch over her until they returned for her.
The plan she had hatched earlier to declare suddenly that she was now prepared to talk, to reveal all that she knew, had been put on temporary hold. She had wanted to announce it to Reinhardt and, if possible, not in Reimer’s presence.
But time was running out, for Reimer had returned to escort her to the execution chamber and, as yet, Reinhardt had not reappeared. She found herself escorted by Reimer down a narrow concrete-slab-walled corridor … her shackled ankles restricting her movement to an awkward shuffle. Along the way, Reimer had taken it upon himself to pointedly inform her that her the passageway was known as the ‘corridor of sighs’ … for no prisoner ever returned from its passage alive.
She was soon to die!
To add to her foreboding, Reimer seemed to delight in informing her that a short-drop method was to be used, insuring that she and Rudy would struggle in vain for a considerable period of time as they slowly strangled to death.
But then … there he was! … up ahead … SS-Sturmbannführer Reinhardt! … leaning against a wall and staring at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. As always, he was smoking a cigarette.
As they drew near, Reimer let go of her arm to make a show of snapping smartly to attention and declaring loudly that he was presently engaged in escorting Prisoner Mohr to her execution.
“I can see that, Reimer,” snapped Reinhardt irritably. “Do you think I’m blind?”
“No, Herr SS-Sturmbannführer, I merely thought as you had been away from events down here that …”
“Shut-up!”
“Herr SS-Sturmbannführer, may I please have a word?” interjected Barbara. “I’ve decided to cooperate after all. I now believe I was duped … taken advantage of by Herr Weiss … and I …”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that Fräulein Mohr! You had your opportunities earlier!” he replied coldly, before turning abruptly on his heel and walking off.
Reimer waited several seconds before emitting a low whistle and giving her a gentle shove in the small of her back to propel her forward once again.
That was it. She was most surely about to die … a conclusion driven dramatically home as they reached the end of the ‘corridor of sighs’ and entered the execution chamber. For there, up on a wooden scaffolding, stood Rudy. Above him a white rope descended from an overhead beam. At its end was a noose, tightened around his neck at a point right behind his left ear.
And near him dangled a second noose … empty but waiting … ominously … for her!
A quick glance around the brightly-lit chamber told her that she and Rudy were destined to swing and dance before an audience.
In attendance, in addition to Reimer, were his two cronies, Karl and Bruno, the local Gestapo chief officer, Gestapo Kriminaloberassistent Heinz Fromme, Judge Franzen, and several others she did not recognize, including a man holding one of those newfangled handheld Arriflex motion picture cameras.
Ominously, there was also a flatbed cart on which rested … side by side … a pair of flimsy-looking cardboard coffins.
Reinhardt was notably nowhere to be seen.
She tried to catch Rudy’s attention, but he appeared to be staring straight ahead as though focused on the far wall. His face was expressionless.
Reimer, assisted by Karl, hustled her forward, half-catapulting her into the arms of a waiting Bruno crouching at the very edge of the scaffolding. Maneuvered into place alongside Rudy, the noose was yanked down over her head and tightened around her neck.
Stepping back to admire their handiwork, Reimer, thought to himself that she looked tantalizingly lovely with a noose tightened around her neck, and tried to imagine what a grandly erotic show she was about to put on once the trapdoor beneath her feet fell away.
As a final cynical gesture of goodwill, knowing full well it would not be appreciated, he withdrew an open pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and purred amiably, “last smoke, Fräulein Mohr?”
She glared at him in stony silence.
“And you, Herr Weiss?” he asked, turning to Rudy, who first startled and then shook his head in silent refusal.
“Do either of you wish to be hooded?”
Neither Barbara nor Rudy responded.
“Alright then. Judge Franzen, the prisoners are all yours.”
At which point, the Judge, who had been waiting patiently at the rear of the scaffolding to read from the documents he clutched in his hand officially ordering the executions, stepped forward.
And down on the floor, the man with the camera began filming.
TBC
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
Aaargh! What a development! Some cliffhanger! What a torture to have to wait till tomorrow!
settantuno
MUTUS PICTOR
Fossy
SEXPIOGENTUS
Superb!
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
Superb drawing, indeed!
Just...the reversed swastika! Someone with a mustache in Berlin will not be amused!
one wonders what runs through Barbara's mind as she waits for them to kick the stool she stands on...
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
"Smile! You are on film!"
23
Execution chamber, Detention and Interrogation Section, Hamburg Stadthaus, 08:28, Sunday, 18 December, 1938
Clearing his throat, Judge Franzen, began to speak in his annoyingly high-pitched nasal voice. Citing revisions to the Nation’s Penal Codes of 1934 and 1935, which granted him the right to dispense summary justice in cases of attacks upon the State and Party without formal trial or right of appeal, he declared it to be the solemn and official duty of the SD and the city of Hamburg to proceed with the hanging of the convicted criminals, Barbara Mohr and Rudolph Weiss … the executions to commence at precisely 08:30, on the 28th day of December, 1938.
Folding the papers, and looking self-satisfied, he moved to the back of the scaffolding from where he nodded curtly to Reimer, who had in the meantime positioned himself at the lever that would trigger the section of scaffolding beneath Barbara’s and Rudy’s feet to fall away on its hinges.
At the back of the chamber, Reinhardt had arrived just in time to hear the very end of the Judge’s speech. He’d just returned from a vigil outside the chamber at a side door where he had seen a car pull up that he presumed to have been sent by Himmler for the purpose of spiriting Barbara away should Reinhardt succeeded in managing a last minute rescue. Although the sun was not quite up yet and the outdoor lighting was dim, he’d been able to make out the faces … lit briefly in the glow of cigarettes … of two beefy men seated in the front of the vehicle.
He glanced at the large clock on the wall. The time was 8:29. Nervously he weighed and fingered the unholstered semi-automatic Walther PP he held in his right hand, keeping it out of sight behind the small of his back. The magazine held 8 rounds. He hoped he might not have to use them all.
Moments later, at precisely 8:30, Reimer pulled the lever that sent Barbara and Rudy plummeting into thin air for the short distance required before their nooses pulled tight to break their fall.
Barbara screamed. Rudy grunted, the scaffolding trapdoor hit the limits of its downward swing with a loud bang that echoed about the chamber.
For a few seconds everyone present stood transfixed, watching spellbound as the two naked victims writhed and kicked … at times frantically moving their legs as though running a race, and at times twisting and spinning wildly about.
At first, like everyone else, Reinhardt did nothing but gape at the scene. But when Rudy, suddenly twisted himself about and managed to raise and wrap his legs around Barbara’s waist in an attempt to leverage himself up at her expense … and when the man with the camera stepped forward to get a close-up shot of her struggling from underneath … something snapped in Reinhardt’s mind that propelled him into precipitous action.
“Stop!” he shouted, springing forward brandishing his sidearm. “Get her down! Now! Save her before it’s too late!”
And when Judge Franzen began to wave his arms in protest, Reinhardt promptly took aim and shot him in the face, sending him staggering backwards until he reached the rear of the scaffolding and fell off.
Reimer, who had also made a threatening move, received a bullet low in the belly that toppled him forward, arms flailing as though attempting to fly, straight through the scaffold opening to the floor below.
Reinhardt then shot the cameraman in the back and, for good measure, put two slugs into the camera.
“Now!” Reinhardt repeated, “Get her down, get her down, now!”
And in response, both Karl and Bruno sprang to the edge of the scaffolding opening, where they managed to grab Barbara and pull her back up onto the decking. After which they worked to pry the noose loose from around her neck and pull it off over her head.
Anyone else left in the chamber was by then making good their escape from the scene.
“Pick her up and head for the door over there,” Reinhardt shouted at Karl and Bruno.
“Jawohl, Herr SS-Sturmbannführer,” they chorused reflexively and did as instructed.
At gunpoint, he marched them out of the execution chamber and through the door leading onto the street where he had earlier observed the parked and waiting getaway car. Its two occupants, fedora brims pulled low over their faces, immediately sprang from the vehicle to take Barbara into their arms and stuff her into the back.
One ran to the driver’s seat and the other, as he climbed into the back after her, turned to call out, “Don’t just stand there, Reinhardt, get in the front passenger seat!”
Reinhardt nodded acknowledgment, but before heeding the call, he spun about and calmly shot both Karl and Bruno in the chest.
Moments later the car sped away.
Epilogue to Follow
Execution chamber, Detention and Interrogation Section, Hamburg Stadthaus, 08:28, Sunday, 18 December, 1938
Clearing his throat, Judge Franzen, began to speak in his annoyingly high-pitched nasal voice. Citing revisions to the Nation’s Penal Codes of 1934 and 1935, which granted him the right to dispense summary justice in cases of attacks upon the State and Party without formal trial or right of appeal, he declared it to be the solemn and official duty of the SD and the city of Hamburg to proceed with the hanging of the convicted criminals, Barbara Mohr and Rudolph Weiss … the executions to commence at precisely 08:30, on the 28th day of December, 1938.
Folding the papers, and looking self-satisfied, he moved to the back of the scaffolding from where he nodded curtly to Reimer, who had in the meantime positioned himself at the lever that would trigger the section of scaffolding beneath Barbara’s and Rudy’s feet to fall away on its hinges.
At the back of the chamber, Reinhardt had arrived just in time to hear the very end of the Judge’s speech. He’d just returned from a vigil outside the chamber at a side door where he had seen a car pull up that he presumed to have been sent by Himmler for the purpose of spiriting Barbara away should Reinhardt succeeded in managing a last minute rescue. Although the sun was not quite up yet and the outdoor lighting was dim, he’d been able to make out the faces … lit briefly in the glow of cigarettes … of two beefy men seated in the front of the vehicle.
He glanced at the large clock on the wall. The time was 8:29. Nervously he weighed and fingered the unholstered semi-automatic Walther PP he held in his right hand, keeping it out of sight behind the small of his back. The magazine held 8 rounds. He hoped he might not have to use them all.
Moments later, at precisely 8:30, Reimer pulled the lever that sent Barbara and Rudy plummeting into thin air for the short distance required before their nooses pulled tight to break their fall.
Barbara screamed. Rudy grunted, the scaffolding trapdoor hit the limits of its downward swing with a loud bang that echoed about the chamber.
For a few seconds everyone present stood transfixed, watching spellbound as the two naked victims writhed and kicked … at times frantically moving their legs as though running a race, and at times twisting and spinning wildly about.
At first, like everyone else, Reinhardt did nothing but gape at the scene. But when Rudy, suddenly twisted himself about and managed to raise and wrap his legs around Barbara’s waist in an attempt to leverage himself up at her expense … and when the man with the camera stepped forward to get a close-up shot of her struggling from underneath … something snapped in Reinhardt’s mind that propelled him into precipitous action.
“Stop!” he shouted, springing forward brandishing his sidearm. “Get her down! Now! Save her before it’s too late!”
And when Judge Franzen began to wave his arms in protest, Reinhardt promptly took aim and shot him in the face, sending him staggering backwards until he reached the rear of the scaffolding and fell off.
Reimer, who had also made a threatening move, received a bullet low in the belly that toppled him forward, arms flailing as though attempting to fly, straight through the scaffold opening to the floor below.
Reinhardt then shot the cameraman in the back and, for good measure, put two slugs into the camera.
“Now!” Reinhardt repeated, “Get her down, get her down, now!”
And in response, both Karl and Bruno sprang to the edge of the scaffolding opening, where they managed to grab Barbara and pull her back up onto the decking. After which they worked to pry the noose loose from around her neck and pull it off over her head.
Anyone else left in the chamber was by then making good their escape from the scene.
“Pick her up and head for the door over there,” Reinhardt shouted at Karl and Bruno.
“Jawohl, Herr SS-Sturmbannführer,” they chorused reflexively and did as instructed.
At gunpoint, he marched them out of the execution chamber and through the door leading onto the street where he had earlier observed the parked and waiting getaway car. Its two occupants, fedora brims pulled low over their faces, immediately sprang from the vehicle to take Barbara into their arms and stuff her into the back.
One ran to the driver’s seat and the other, as he climbed into the back after her, turned to call out, “Don’t just stand there, Reinhardt, get in the front passenger seat!”
Reinhardt nodded acknowledgment, but before heeding the call, he spun about and calmly shot both Karl and Bruno in the chest.
Moments later the car sped away.
Epilogue to Follow
Fossy
SEXPIOGENTUS
Chapter 23 is superb! I read it twice to enjoy it all the Mohr! Barb flew so damn close to the wind ... phew what a finale!
And now for the Epilogue - Mohr, Mohr, Mohr ...!
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
Probably the first time in the history of literature that SS-Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler ends up as the good guy!
Well, let's say that all that matters is rescuing Barb, isn't it? By all means!
twonines
LIMERICUS
Of this denouement, what can I say?
Reinhardt`s Luger dictated the play.
Several villains he shot,
Their just desserts they got,
But was Barb safely smuggled away?
I know we still have the Epilogue to come, but thanks Barb for this wonderful tale. Swiftly paced, brilliantly written and full of extremely painful and humiliating experiences for its heroine, in fact, perfect.
Reinhardt`s Luger dictated the play.
Several villains he shot,
Their just desserts they got,
But was Barb safely smuggled away?
I know we still have the Epilogue to come, but thanks Barb for this wonderful tale. Swiftly paced, brilliantly written and full of extremely painful and humiliating experiences for its heroine, in fact, perfect.
settantuno
MUTUS PICTOR
Dramatic scene, Barb!
Fossy
SEXPIOGENTUS
Very much so - hear, hear 99 ...
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
The discipline was well ingrained! Obey any order, regardless how out of place it is!