Adrian D'Hage - The Maya codex

‘That would be an enormous help, Angelo. We’re going to try to funnel as many of our countrymen as we can through here and on to Palestine, although the double-dealing British are preventing us from landing the refugee boats, so we’re having to do it on the beaches at night.’ Herschel raised his eyebrows ruefully.

‘Will other countries take them?’

‘We’re looking at Central and South America.’

‘At least that gives us more options.’

‘Although for some, time is running out. Have you ever heard of Professor Levi Weizman?’

‘The distinguished archaeologist?’

Herschel nodded. ‘We’ve received some intelligence from one of our agents inside the SS: Weizman and his family are in grave danger.’

A dolf Eichmann stood at the podium of the ballroom of the recently commandeered Rothschild palace on the Plosslgasse, bringing to a close an address to SS officers, Gauleiter and Kreisleiter, the district and county political leaders who had bubbled to the top of the Nazi party in Austria like scum to the top of a drain. Obersturmbannfuhrer von Hei?en, now promoted to lieutenant colonel and newly appointed commandant of the Mauthausen concentration camp, was sitting in the front row.

Eichmann gripped the sides of the lectern, his SS cap at a rakish angle. ‘The Jew, gentlemen, is a rank parasite. Apart from making money, his only other aim in life centres on the destruction of the German people and the Reich. But we Germans are a compassionate people and this filth will be encouraged to leave of their own accord.’

‘And if they don’t want to leave?’ The buttonholes on the brown uniform of the Kreisleiter of Vienna’s Third District were scalloped, straining against their fastenings. Kreisleiter Schweitzer was as ruthless as he was obese.

Eichmann smiled thinly. ‘As of now, all Jewish businesses are to be boycotted. Any Viennese who patronises a Jewish store will be guilty of a crime against the State. Their names and addresses will be published on the streets of Vienna. In fact, no Austrian is to speak with a Jew unless it is absolutely essential.’ Eichmann paused for thought and then decided against any further disclosure. His program to recruit young female clerks to work in Jewish stores and compile lists of the names of their customers would remain on a need-to-know basis.

‘It will not be long,’ Eichmann continued, ‘before their wretched blood-sucking money-making ventures are on the market at rock-bottom prices, so that decent Austrians can buy into those businesses and run them fairly and honestly. In addition, by order of the Fuhrer, all civil servants who are not of Aryan descent are to be sacked. That includes university staff. Universities are to be closed to anyone of Jewish blood. This is to apply to schools as well. Jewish lawyers and doctors are to be struck off. In the case of physicians, they are to be reclassified as “Jewish Healers”, and they are to restrict their foul practices to their own kind.’

‘Herr Obersturmfuhrer, how can we be sure to identify every one of them?’ Kreisleiter Schweitzer asked.

‘With the help of their leaders, you are to compile a list of Jews for each district, and they will all be required to wear the yellow star,’ Eichmann replied. ‘The Law of Jewish Assets has now been passed, and Jews are to surrender all gold, platinum and silver objects as well as any precious stones, pearls and jewellery.’ Von Hei?en nodded in approval. ‘Political prisoners, as well as those deemed to have information valuable to the Reich, are to be interned in a camp we have constructed at Mauthausen.’ Eichmann nodded towards von Hei?en in acknowledgement of his position as commandant.

Back in his office, once one of the Rothschild living rooms, Adolf Eichmann stood at the window overlooking the Plosslgasse with his hands clasped behind his back. He knew the measures he’d announced this evening would not be enough. A final solution would be necessary, and with that would come the opportunity to carry out some much needed medical research to improve the quality of life for members of the Reich. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

‘ Kommen Sie! ’

Eichmann’s deputy entered and clicked his heels to attention. ‘This cable’s just arrived, Herr Obersturmfuhrer. It’s marked most urgent.’

Eichmann read it impassively. FOR: OBERSTURMFUHRER EICHMANN By direction of Reichsfuhrer Himmler, Jewish Professor Levi Weizman (55 yrs), Ramona Weizman (40 yrs), Ariel Weizman (10 yrs) and Rebekkah Weizman (8 yrs) all of 4/12 Judengasse, Stephansdom Quarter, Vienna, to be arrested immediately. Mauthausen Commandant, Obersturmbannfuhrer von Hei?en, will be coordinating search of Weizman’s apartment and surrounds and is to be given every assistance. Brigadefuhrer Heinrich Muller Kommandant Geheime Staatspolizei

Eichmann initialled the cable and signed an authorisation for von Hei?en to assume temporary command of a special detachment of SS Sonderkommandos.

‘Give this to Obersturmbannfuhrer von Hei?en,’ Eichmann ordered, handing over the authority. ‘You’ll find him downstairs in the ballroom.’

‘Jawohl, Obersturmfuhrer!’

T he banging on the front door was unrelenting.

‘Ofnen Sie, Jude!’

Ramona sat up with a start. ‘Levi! Have they come?’

Levi put a finger to his lips. ‘ Shhh. I’ll deal with them.’ He threw on his dressing gown, suddenly remembering the two bark maps he’d left beside the model of the Mayan pyramids in his study. He rescued them and went back to the bedroom. Rebekkah and Ariel, both wide-eyed and fearful, had run in to their mother. On an impulse that the Nazis might not suspect a child, Levi gave the maps to Ariel. ‘Look after these for Papa,’ he said. ‘It will be all right, I promise,’ he added reassuringly.

‘Open up, Jew, or we’ll break the door down!’

When Levi opened the door, the Sonderkommandos, supported by a group of young Brownshirts, knocked him to the carpet and stormed into the apartment. Levi struggled to his feet to find von Hei?en standing in the doorway, tapping his knee-high boots with a leather cane.

Von Hei?en shoved the point of his cane under Levi’s chin. ‘Going somewhere, are we, Jew?’ he asked, seeing the Weizmans’ suitcases in the corridor.

Levi knocked the cane away. ‘How dare you come barging in here like this!’

Von Hei?en whipped his cane across Levi’s face. ‘Where is the figurine?’

The pain was excruciating.

‘I have no idea… Somewhere in the jungles of Guatemala, I should imagine.’

Von Hei?en slashed Levi across the face again. ‘Where is it?’

Levi’s eyes watered and he gritted his teeth, but said nothing.

Von Hei?en fought to control his fury at the Jew’s defiance. ‘ Scharfuhrer! Sergeant! Arrest them, and then search this place. We’re looking for a jade figurine about thirty centimetres high.’

‘ Jawohl, Obersturmbannfuhrer. There’s a safe in the study, but it’s locked.’

‘Is there now?’ A look of satisfaction spread across von Hei?en’s face. ‘The Jew will open it,’ he said, again raising Levi’s chin with his cane.

Levi steadied his hand and inserted the key into the safe. He opened it and stepped back, silently praying for Ramona and the children.

Von Hei?en surveyed the contents of the large strongbox in which Levi and Ramona stored their most precious possessions. The strongbox contained over 4000 schillings, proceeds from Ramona’s boutique she had yet to convert to the new Reichsmark. ‘No figurine,’ von Hei?en observed angrily. The disappointment in his voice was palpable. He rifled through the rest of the contents: Ramona’s jewellery and three gold menorahs, the seven arms a symbol of the burning bush encountered by Moses on Mount Horeb. Von Hei?en picked up a solid gold cross. At its centre was an exquisite ruby surrounded by twelve large diamonds. Von Hei?en turned the cross over in his hand.