Nazi or Not

CHAPTER THREE I woke to the screeching of the train’s wheels. I hear the whistle blow and the train was slowing down. I must have been sleeping for hours, with Gretchen sitting right next to me asleep. I nudged her to wake. We were stopping and I did not want to sleep through any break for fear we would miss something to eat. The train stopped and the doors were unlocked. The soldier informed us that this would be the last stop before reaching the camp. We are to do our business and get some sausage and potatoes to eat. The train would be pulling out in a half hour. We did what we had to do and got our food. There were also a few buckets of water to drink from. There was plenty of everything to go around. It was hard adjusting to doing everything in front of each other, but we did it pretty well. I ate with Gretchen. We were partners together on the train. I told her, “I never did that before.” She asked, “Did what before?” I said, “Make love on a moving train.” She said, "How often does one make love on a train destined for death?"I said, "We are not sure of that. Don talk that way. " While we were just looking at each other, I told her not to tell anyone, but I was going to try something. I told her I was going to see if I could fit under the floor board. If I could, I was going to see if we both could escape. The train took off and it must have been racing towards our destination. A whole day passed and still the train did not stop. I moved the bucket to the other corner in the back of the train. I tried to loosen the floor board with Gretchen as my cover. She stood right in front of me. I was able to move one of the boards and I slipped under it. I quickly came back inside the railroad car. Realizing it is possible, an ease came over me. I would wait for the right moment, when everyone would be getting off and then I would slip out, and if it all possible Gretchen would come with me. Everyone was starting to argue again. Two women were fighting over who was going to use the bucket first since they both arrived at the corner together. One woman gave in just to get it over with. Others were yelling that the train should stop and we should be fed. Children, especially very young ones were crying; which in turn made their mothers cry. It was a terrible sight, a painful sight! People were fighting each other for space, or for a bucket of shit. God forbid, if there weren’t enough food they would kill each other. We fight before we try to solve the problem, just like the animals do, and even the condemned. Gretchen was facing me and she kissed me, and said, “Again?” We unbuttoned our coats and held them around each other so no one could see. A woman with two children turned and said, “This is not the time and place for such a thing.” Gretchen said, “We were married two weeks ago. If we are separated it might be our last chance.” The woman turned her head and said nothing else. We made love again. I know others were observing but what could we do, at most they saw us moving against one another. When it was over, we were just leaning with our backs against the wall. I told Gretchen, “If for some reason we are separated, and perhaps never see each other again, I am happy we did meet.” She said, “I feel the same way about you. If we are to be separated, let us meet when we are free from camp. We will meet on a Saturday at noon near the town hall in Cologne.” We shook hands and kissed on it. We swore we would survive this! The whistle blew and the train started to slow down. We were approaching our destination. Everyone was holding their loved ones very close. The train stopped. A soldier yelled for the doors to be unlocked and drawn back. Everyone was told to jump off the train and stand next to his car. People started to move backwards, no one wanted to be among the first to get off. There were soldiers with their dogs barking at everyone. Some men on the train started grabbing others and pushing them in front of them. When it seemed like the train was half empty, two men grabbed Gretchen and threw her towards the open door. She was screaming! I heard a soldier say, “Grab her and remove her from the train.” This was my only chance to move the loose floor board and slip under and hold onto the underside of the train. I held on for dear life. When everyone was off or taken off the train they were marched together from the tracks to the camp. In a matter of a few minutes all was silent. I held on for about ten minutes, and then released my grip and fell to the ground. I hurt my back on the rocks in between the tracks. I looked around and made a dash for the woods. I was barely in the woods when I met with a German officer who was taking a leak. He pulled out his pistol and yelled for me to halt. We were so close; I knew he would not miss if he shot at me. He was marching me back to the camp. When I was crossing over the tracks I slipped and fell, the officer started laughing at me. I observed that he was my height and build. We also had the same facial features. I got up quickly with a rock in my hand, and struck him on the side of his head while he was still laughing. The blow knocked him out. I dragged him into the woods and hit him several times in the same temple, until I knew he was dead. I exchanged my clothes and wallet with him - all my clothes even my under garments. I knew I couldn’t escape as a German officer. I marched back towards the camp and I met up with two other officers. They yelled to me, “Klaus, come walk with us.” My new name was Klaus Grieger, a Second Lieutenant. We walked together into the camp to crematorium number three.