Griffin W.E.B. - Honor Bound 03 - Secret Honor

Canaris is not saying."

The validity of his father's advice became immediately apparent on the second day of Oberleutnant Boltitz's duty with Section VIII (H).

His immediate superior-Fregattenkapitan Otto von und zu Waching, a small, trim, intense Swabian-took him to meet Admiral Wilhelm Canaris.

"I always like to personally greet officers newly assigned to me," Canaris began, looking intently into Karl's eyes. "To make a snap judgment, so to speak, about how well suited they may be for work in this area."

Karl could think of nothing to say in reply.

"You come highly recommended for this assignment, if I am to believe Kapitanleutnant von Stoup," Canaris went on.

"He seems to feel that your belief in, your dedication to,

National Socialism and your unquestioned obedience to the orders of our Fiihrer is to be expected from an officer of your heritage."

What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm surprised that he even knows who Siegfried van Stoup is, much less that van Stoup recommended me for an assignment here.

God, what did the Old Man say? "Listen to what Canaris is not saying."

My God! Canaris is telling me that he knows van Stoup is disobeying the "no survivors" order; and that he also knows-the crack about "someone of your heritage"-that my father believes we are in an evil war.

"Where we're going to start you off, Boltitz, under Fregat tenkapitan von und zu Waching, is as the liaison officer between this office and that of Foreign Minister von Ribben trop. You will be expected to make yourself useful to both von Ribbentrop and von und zu Waching, and to keep your eyes and ears open over there for anything that might interest us. Additionally, to give you a feel for the conduct of a covert operation, I want you to come up with a plan to have the officers-and the men, if this is feasible-of the Graf

Spee to be returned to service from their internment in

Argentina."

"Jawohl, Herr Admiral."

"It would appear that you have some unusual qualifica tions for this assignment. You speak Spanish; you served aboard the Graf Spee; and it is self-evident that submarines will have to be involved. And it will serve as a learning experience for you. Both initial assignments will serve that purpose."

"Yes, Sir."

"I will be interested in your progress, Boltitz. I hope that you will not disappoint me. Or your father. Or Kapitanleut nant von Stoup."

"I will do my best, Herr Admiral."

"That will be all, gentlemen," Canaris said, dismissing them.

Though no one had told him anything specifically, Boltitz had quickly come to understand that making himself useful to both von Ribbentrop and von und zu Waching consisted primarily of carrying messages between von Ribbentrop and

Canaris without anyone in the Foreign Ministry knowing about it. But he additionally made mental notes recording everyone in the Nazi hierarchy who called on von Ribben trop, and passed this information in person to von und zu

Waching in a daily report.

Most of his time, however, was occupied with planning the escape from Argentina of the two hundred-odd German officers interned there and bringing them back to Germany.

Since he knew absolutely nothing about Argentina or about planning a covert operation, he at first imagined the assign ment was intended (as Canaris had said) to be a learning experience and nothing more.

But in time he came to understand it was more than that.

For reasons he couldn't imagine, Canaris and von und zu

Waching wanted him to acquire extensive knowledge of

Argentina. And in doing this, he found he had an unexpected ally in Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop himself, who ordered that he be given access to the files in the Argentine

Section of the Foreign Ministry.

All of these loose strands came together in January 1943 at what had been announced as a small dinner party at von und zu Waching's home in Potsdam to celebrate Karl's promotion to Korvettenkapitan. He had expected neither the promotion nor the party.

The presence of some of the people at the von und zu

Waching villa doubly surprised him-first because they were there at all, and second because they had come almost surreptitiously, in ordinary cars, rather than in the enormous and glistening Mercedeses and Horch limousines almost invariably used by the upper echelons of the Nazi hierarchy.

Martin Bormann was there, and Heinrich Himmler and

Admiral Donitz and Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop, and of course, Admiral Canaris. Only Canaris stayed for dinner, the others having wanted only to see for themselves the young Naval Intelligence officer whom Canaris wished to involve in Operation Phoenix.

Two SS officers, Oberfuhrer Freiherr Manfred von

Deitzberg, Himmler's adjutant, and von Deitzberg's deputy,

Sturmbannfiihrer Erich Raschner, appeared ten minutes after Himmler left. Over dinner, Boltitz's role in Operation

Phoenix-essentially liaison between the Navy, von Rib bentrop's office, Himmler's office, and the Abwehr-was discussed at some length.

"I think I should tell you, von Deitzberg," Canaris said,

"with the exception, of course, that we will be using the

Oceano Pacifico and not a submarine, that the plan to repa triate the GrafSpee officers is Boltitz's. He has become our

Argentine expert."

"Then perhaps we should send him over there. Or is that what you're suggesting?"

"I discussed that with both Himmler and Donitz. We are agreed that he will be more valuable here. In case something goes wrong."

"Are you suggesting that something will go wrong?"

"Did you ever hear the phrase, my dear von Deitzberg,

'the best laid schemes of mice and men,' et cetera?"

"There is no room in Operation Phoenix for error," von

Deitzberg said.

"Even the more reason to expect the unexpected, my friend," Canaris said.

And now it was 0930 on the twenty-eighth of April, and the unexpected had happened. The GrafSpee officers would not be repatriated aboard the Oceano Pacifico, the special cargo had not been landed, the two officers in charge of the opera tion had been shot to death on the beach of Samborom-bon

Bay, and Admiral Canaris had summoned Karl Boltitz to his office.

"The Reichsfiihrer-SS," Canaris was saying, "has just about convinced himself that there is a traitor in Buenos

Aires. He may well be right, and he may have information in that regard that he has not seen fit to share with me. The pos sibility exists, however, that the Argentines-knowing abso lutely nothing about Operation Phoenix-are responsible for the deaths of Oberst Griiner and Standartenfuhrer Goltz.

Ordering the elimination of Oberst Frade may well turn out to have been very ill-advised in this connection alone, not to mention the damage it did to our relations with the Argentine officer corps."

Karl Boltitz nodded but said nothing. He had long before learned that Admiral Canaris had no time to listen to verbal agreements. If there was no objection, he presumed full agreement with him.

"I have no doubt that a means will be found to land the special cargo in Argentina, and that Operation Phoenix, sup ported as it is at all echelons, will ultimately go forward.

But I consider, and so does the Fiihrer, that the repatriation of the GrafSpee officers is also very important to ultimate victory."

He glanced at Boltitz as if looking for an indication that

Boltitz understood him.

"I have the feeling that the Fiihrer will wish to see the reports from Spain and Buenos Aires. Read them himself, rather than trust a synopsis. The Fiihrer does not like reports that offer ambiguities. So the report that you and whoever the Reichsfiihrer-SS sends with you to Spain should contain no ambiguities. If there is any disagreement as to what the report to Himmler should contain, defer to the SS."