V Alexander - The Taster

We moved on, following the SS man, through the woods until we came to a section where the bunkers were more visible. These low, fortified structures extended into the forest on both sides as far as I could see. Camouflage netting hung over everything, a protection against air attacks. The camp also supported a few buildings made of wood and concrete that looked more like meeting halls with windows.

At last we came to an unpleasant structure. It had small windows on its façade, which was buttressed by a heavy iron door. As marginally inviting as the outside appeared, the inside conjured thoughts of hell. My lungs sucked in warm and humid air in the cramped space. I felt as if I were breathing through a damp towel.

The officer directed us down a narrow hall that reminded me of pictures I’d seen of steamship interiors. He opened a second enclosure and a series of smaller wooden doors appeared ahead on both sides. The last room on the right was ours. He flipped a switch. A single bulb covered by a green metal shade cast a triangular patch of light on the floor. Four beds, two on each side of the room, were positioned against the walls. A locker sat next to each bed. The accommodations made my room at the Berghof seem like a palace. The room here contained barely enough space for the beds, let alone four women. There were no windows. I took a deep breath and fought against the sickening claustrophobia that jabbed at me from all sides.

“These are our quarters?” Minna asked the SS man with obvious distaste.

Again, I wanted to laugh because the first of her illusions had been shattered. The bunker’s living conditions were far from what Minna had described to Else as the “best accommodations.”

The officer glared at her. “You’re lucky to be here. Don’t complain if you have any sense.” With that admonition, he left. I inspected the room. Except for the beds—four small-framed cots covered with gray blankets—and the lockers, the room was empty. One of the beds was already taken. The sheets were neatly folded down. A leather bag sat under its middle.

Air circulated with a whoosh through a vent located in the room’s ceiling. This annoying mechanical feature kept us alive underneath thick layers of concrete and earth.

Else threw her bag on a bed and began to cry.

“Hush up,” Minna said. “Weeping will do you no good.”

“I can’t live here,” Else said. “No one told us his headquarters would be like this. I expected it to be like the Reich Chancellery.” She collapsed on her bed. The Berlin Chancellery was vast and opulent, with the finest furnishings, paintings and carpets. Open-air gardens surrounded the buildings. Here, we were reduced to living like subterranean animals.

I claimed the bed nearest the door and put my bag under it. Even I was dismayed at the conditions we were being forced to live in. “I’m sure we’ll spend a lot of time away from this room—for our own good.” I felt emboldened by my seniority. “I’m going for a walk. No one said we had to remain inside.”

Else looked at me as if I were deserting her. She leaned forward on her cot. “May I go with you? I don’t care if there are bugs. I feel sick.”

I didn’t want her tagging along because I hoped to run into Karl, but the door opened and my plan was interrupted. A pallid young woman who looked as if she had spent too much time inside the bunker stepped into the room. She had a thin nose and large eyes. She could have been pretty, but in the harsh light she looked tired and washed out. I could tell her hair had been lightened by coloring.

“I’m Dora,” she said, and extended her hand to me because I was nearest to her. I introduced myself while Minna sized up Dora in her bird-like way. Else smiled and wiped at her tears, pleased to see another woman who might be a friend.

“Who are you? ” Minna asked, seating herself like a queen on the remaining bed.

Dora’s eyes narrowed. She had the same reaction to Minna that I did. “Dora Schiffer, the Head Taster at the Wolf’s Lair.” She looked at Minna and Else. “You two must be the new girls. You are to come with me to be introduced to the cook and the rest of the staff. Magda, you will be in the kitchen at seven to taste. You have the rest of the day free to do as you wish.” Minna scowled. “We take orders from you?”

Dora folded her arms. “Yes.”

“We shall see,” Minna muttered.

“There’s nothing to see,” Dora said, “because I outrank you in every way. You are under my charge. This is my room and it’s up to me to make sure you do your duty.” She reached into a pocket on her dress and pulled out a book similar to the one we’d been given at the gate. She passed it around the room. Dora was an SS member. According to the markings in her book, she had previously been assigned to a place I didn’t recognize—Treblinka.

“Do we have time to freshen up?” Minna asked.

“Make it fast,” Dora said. “The bathroom is at the end of the hall.” After Minna and Else left the room, Dora stood in the doorway and looked at me. “So, I have at least one troublemaker to deal with. Enjoy the day, but be careful not to venture beyond the fences. There are three perimeters around headquarters. Guards with dogs are posted every thirty meters. They will ask you for your papers.” She brushed a finger across her lip. “Land mines surround the Wolf’s Lair. Be careful. A foolish mistake could cost you your life.” She studied me as if she were interrogating me.

I stared back.

“Heil Hitler.” She closed the door and left me alone.

I gave them plenty of time to find their way out. Apparently, this residence was for women only. I found a bathroom with shower stalls not far from our door, and an office and small library that had been constructed near the entrance. The latter had windows that looked out on the headquarters grounds. The view was limited to the forest, but the windows were screened and open. No hint of a breeze came in through the mesh.

I sat in one of the cushioned library chairs and pondered my fate. Sweat formed on my face and arms in the late morning heat, even though the sun was muted by the netting and leafy trees. It was as if a green pall had been cast over the headquarters. Only the buzzing of the mosquitoes and flies that pressed their black bodies against the screens entered my ears. Still, I imagined sleeping here would be better than in my cramped room.

I got out of the chair and perused the books on the shelves. Most were German history and mythology; others, on topics of science. I wondered if they were Hitler’s or had been placed here by someone else. One title in particular attracted my attention: The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. Faint recollections from my schooling flitted through my mind. I didn’t remember much of what the book was about, so I opened it and turned to the overleaf. The page was stamped in black ink with the Nazi eagle and engraved: Given to the women of the Wolf’s Lair by the Führer . Hitler had signed his name below the inscription. I put the book back on the shelf and left the room.

I walked quickly down the path outside my quarters, swatting at the flies that buzzed around me. One could hardly enjoy the day outside with such pests. They landed on my arms, my face, any exposed skin, nearly covering me. The humid scent of the woods filled the air. As I stood, unsure of which direction to go, it became clear to me why Hitler had chosen this particular spot for his eastern headquarters. Unlike the scenic majesty of the Berghof, the Wolf’s Lair was a swamp in a godforsaken land. No enemy of the Reich could reach it except through fierce fighting in the inhospitable terrain—if they could find it.

It was almost eleven and my stomach growled. I had eaten two small meals on the train, but it had been many hours since I’d had food or drink. I headed east and skirted the fence that enclosed our area in the woods, the inner perimeter Dora referred to. Members of the RSD, an SS security force, were stationed at checkpoints around the fence. Many high-ranking SS men walked through along the path, but I saw no women. I stopped at a checkpoint and asked the guard for directions to the mess hall. He asked me for my papers and, satisfied that I belonged within the compound, told me how I could find it, which was several hundred meters away.