The Kindly Ones

In the meantime, I had once again been summoned by the Reichsführer. He asked me to explain how we had arrived at our results; I launched into a detailed explanation, since there were technical points that were difficult to summarize; he let me talk, looking cold and unforthcoming, and when I had finished he asked me curtly: “And the Reichssicherheitshauptamt

?”—“Their specialist agrees in principle, my Reichsführer. He is still waiting for Gruppenführer Müller’s confirmation.”—“We have to be careful, Sturmbannführer, very careful,” he rapped out in his most pedantic voice. Another Jewish rebellion, I knew, had just taken place in the GG, at Sobibor this time; again, some SS had been killed, and despite a vast manhunt, some of the fugitives hadn’t been recaptured; and these were

Geheimnisträger

, witnesses of the extermination operations: if they managed to join the partisans in the Pripet Marshes, chances were good that the Bolsheviks would then pick them up. I understood the Reichsführer’s anxiety, but he had to make up his mind. “You have met Reichsminister Speer, I think?” he said suddenly.—“Yes, my Reichsführer. I was introduced by Dr. Mandelbrod.”—“Did you talk to him about your project?”—“I didn’t go into details, my Reichsführer. But he knows that we are working to improve the state of health of the Häftlinge.”—“And what does he say about it?”—“He seemed satisfied, my Reichsführer.” He leafed through some papers on his desk: “Dr. Mandelbrod wrote me a letter. He tells me that Reichsminister Speer seemed to like you. Is that true?”—“I don’t know, my Reichsführer.”—“Dr. Mandelbrod and Herr Leland very much want me to move closer to Speer. In principle, that’s not a bad idea, since we have interests in common. Everyone always thinks Speer and I are in conflict. But that’s not true at all. Why, as long ago as 1937, I created the DESt and set up camps especially for Speer, to provide him with construction materials, bricks, and granite for the new capital he was going to build for the Führer. At the time, the whole of Germany could provide him with only four percent of his needs in granite. He was very grateful for my help and delighted to cooperate. But of course you can’t trust him. He’s not an idealist, and he doesn’t understand the SS. I wanted to make him one of my Gruppenführers, and he refused. Last year, he took the liberty of criticizing our labor organization to the Führer: he wanted to obtain jurisdiction over our camps. Even today he dreams of having the right to look into our internal functioning. But still, it’s important to cooperate with him. Did you consult his ministry, as you prepared your project?”—“Yes, my Reichsführer. One of their people came and gave us a presentation.” The Reichsführer slowly nodded: “Fine, fine…” Then he seemed to come to a decision: “We don’t have much time to lose. I’ll tell Pohl that I approve the project. You’ll send a copy to Reichsminister Speer, directly, with a personal note signed by you reminding him of your meeting and indicating to him that the project will be implemented. And of course send a copy to Dr. Mandelbrod.”—“Zu Befehl, my Reichsführer. And what would you like me to do regarding the foreign workers?”—“For now, nothing. Study the question, from the angle of nutrition and productivity, but confine yourself to that. We’ll see how things turn out. And if Speer or one of his associates makes contact with you, inform Brandt and react favorably.”