David Perkins - Hitler's Astrologer

Ludwig sat down in one of the large, comfortable easy chairs facing the Baron’s desk, which was cluttered with books and papers. The Baron then leaned over and handed him a large sheet of paper with a circle drawn on it, which was divided into what appeared to be twelve pizza slices.

“Well… is it good or bad ?” Asked von Wohl, as if he did not know his own life.

“Ludwig,” The Baron whispered softly, “remember at the Ball I told you good and bad are not things interpreted in a horoscope. I will merely describe characteristics and tendencies – how you decide to use these qualities is what will determine good or bad.”

“Fair enough. OK. Then please tell me about my tendencies ”. Von Wohl allowed his curiosity on the subject to hide any skeptical feelings he had about the Baron’s horoscope.

“Well, first, we say you are an Aquarius since at the moment of your birth, from our perspective on earth, the constellation behind the Sun was the sign of Aquarius. You also have several other planets in Aquarius as well.” The Baron then walked around in front of his desk and pointed at several of the odd looking symbols within the pizza slice that was numbered seven on von Wohl’s chart. “As you can see, you have Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in Aquarius as well” .

“So I’m Aquarius… and what does that mean ?”

“The meaning comes by putting all the tendencies together to get a description, which are found in the signs the other planets are in, for example, …here, for example, the Moon, this describes your emotional tendencies, nature, and what kind of women you are attracted to.”

This should be interesting, thought von Wohl, for he knew himself well enough to know he was attracted to nearly any women who had one or two features he desired. As for anything on an emotional level, he needed none of that, he was not one to get involved.

“In your case,” the Baron continued, “the Moon was in Sagittarius when you were born, suggesting an emotional attraction with Sagittarius… and your past transits show there perhaps have been at least two or three very serious relationships with this sign.”

Ludwig von Wohl was speechless. Suddenly a parallel of realization filled his mind that was never seen before. The only three loves he ever had in his life – as different as all three were – actually did have something in common: birthdays in the month of December!

His mother, Eva, was born on December 14 th. At the age of 12 his first love was a Magdelena Roth, who was born on December 3 rd. But perhaps most amazing, the woman whom he had blocked out of his mind for nearly the past 12 years, Kristina Koch – the first woman ever to break his heart, was born on December 10 th.

“Do you mean the Moon describes what I want emotionally?” Asked von Wohl, not letting on the Baron’s remark about the women in his life was 100% correct.

Before the Baron could answer, Gert walked in with two short glasses along side several different types of bottles, all balanced on a silver tray. He placed them on the Baron’s desk, turned, and left the room without saying a word.

“Thank-you.” The Baron spoke in the elongated speech pattern while taking a glass off the tray and handing it to von Wohl.

“Scotch, Bourbon, Gin, or would you perhaps, prefer to drink something else?” The Baron asked, lifting one of the clear unmarked crystal bottles that appeared to have the most content left in it.

While von Wohl did in fact want a drink, he wanted the answer to his question even more. However, he didn’t want to ask the Baron again to describe his emotional nature, for it might allow the Baron to know a nerve had been hit. A bull’s eye, as a matter of fact.

“Gin would be fine, just fine.” Von Wohl exhaled while answering.

The Baron poured from the bottle that he already held in his hand, as if he already knew which would be von Wohl’s choice. He then poured himself a glass and continued talking about the meanings of the various planets and how these related to von Wohl’s character and tendencies.

Nearly everything he said concerning von Wohl’s life was accurate. The Baron also made a reference that by forces beyond his control, his identity had been changed, the result of which elevated his standing in society – a generalized statement describing perfectly the school’s error that created his ‘von’ title.

Ludwig debated everything the Baron pointed out. Did the Baron actually see all these things in his horoscope, or did this wealthy individual with a strange hobby have private investigators fan out all over Berlin to find out all they could on von Wohl? But how could they find, or even know of the women he had loved? How could they find a clerical error buried at his old school’s records that even the school’s own headmasters were not aware… and even if they did this, how could they do all this in just a week? “Impossible!” Ludwig thought to himself. No one could have possibly known about Magdelena Roth, his first love, which was a secret only he knew.

There must be something to this. Von Wohl realized and stared at the map of the sky drawn up as it appeared at the moment of his birth.

“Baron,” Von Wohl whispered, “I have a request.”

“Yes…?” The Baron replied, almost as if elongated when talking to Gert.

“Will you teach me how to do this… astrology?”

“I’m sure we can work something out…” The Baron replied while looking over some papers on the other side of his desk. “When would you like to perhaps start?”

“Right now.”

“Well, Captain Best Payne, did you sleep well?”

The British captain did not recognize the man who was questioning him. Payne then realized he was bound in a chair, the only piece of furniture in a small musty cell, and a strong, single light hung directly above him. For some unknown reason, his eyes hurt in a way he never felt before.

“Would you like some coffee, perhaps?” The man asked as he nodded to a guard, who then left the room.

Payne did not answer. He was still naked and angry at being so. Also, the memory of being marched around the building in such a condition compelled him to be totally uncooperative. He was now dealing with the shock this seemingly young and extremely skinny man somehow knowing his first name. The Germans obviously had more on him than he realized when he was captured. How long ago was that?

The guard returned with a mug of coffee, and with a nod from the man doing the questioning, went towards Captain Payne and handed it to him.

“Would you like anything with your coffee?”

“Yes, my clothes.” Payne sighed, finding the opportunity to vent his feelings, but knowing this request was probably useless.

“Oh… yes. Your clothes.” The man acted as if it took Payne’s comment to notice. “Well, you see, your clothes are being analyzed for foreign material – strictly a military procedure – I assure you. It is not often that we have one who declared war on us crossing our border from a neutral country for a visit. If you wanted to come to Germany so bad, why didn’t you just apply for a visa at the border? As it stands now, you have certainly complicated what would have been a very simple matter.”

Payne didn’t like the man’s sense of humor, or his appearance, now that his sight was returning and could get better look at him. The man had hair that appeared to be artificially colored and curled, and eyebrows that were penciled in. Best Payne also didn’t like the fact he was cold and humiliated, and it appeared this man, who was in civilian clothing, wasn’t going to do anything about it. The British captain decided to make his clothes the only issue of any further conversation. He let the guard keep his arm extended with the coffee and said: