The Spy of Bremerhaven

A warm summer breeze blew thorough the window, bringing with it the scent of the sea. Captain Oscar Schmidt inhaled deeply, savoring the salty aroma as it mixed with fruity taste of fine wine and the smoke of cigars. It smelled of power, it smelled of might and he reveled in it. He spent years working his way up the chain of command until he earned a coveted spot among the Admiral's inner circle. The rise to the top was not without personal sacrifice and casting aside morals as each move and maneuver tainted his soul. It was war after all and life was short, he reasoned. Who had time for morals? The most powerful men of the German navy sat in this very room: plotting, planning, and padding their wallets as they played with the young pawns of the sea. Captain Schmidt took a long swig of his cigar and slowly exhaled, watching the smoke billow and swirl. Like a snake it twisted and coiled- just as he did.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows between the trees as Georg and Maria steadily walked through the forest. As they approached a clearing among the trees, they quietly surveyed the area before them. There was a small cottage with smoke billowing from it's chimney and a shabby looking barn that stood not far from them. Skinny chickens pecked around the ground looking for food and a lanky sheep that looked like it recently been sheered, grazed on a small patch of grass nearby.

Maria and George silently crept up to a barn."The cross of Lorraine," Georg murmured fingering a symbol roughly engraved on the barn door "This is the resistance symbol. It's time Maria."

One winter morning shattered Captain Schmidt's world and threw him into an internal turmoil that made him question everything he knew and believed. One winter morning he left Bremerhaven to travel to Munich to be with his dying mother. His father had long ago died, and as her only child is was his responsibility to oversee her affairs. After obtaining permission to leave the navel base, he traveled all through the day and night arriving as the first morning light hit the streets of Munich. With the soft winter sun filtering through the curtains of his childhood home, his mother showed him thing that left him feeling as if he was hit by a torpedo. A pair of candlesticks and a gold six-pointed star hanging from a fine gold chain. As frail as she was and with death knocking at her door, his mother was not one to be sentimental. "They belonged to my mother" she simply said, as if the matter was as mundane as the weather. The next morning she was gone-as were the candle sticks and necklace-burned and molten in the fireplace hearth. As the last vestiges of his birthright and heritage he never knew twisted and curled, a plan formed in his mind. This revelation, if found out, would mean instant death. Yet for some unexplained reason, the stirring in his heart could not stop. A part of soul that he believed long gone was kindled. It became clear what he needed do and where fate would take him- though it defied all logic. Starting from that winter morning, under the Admiral's very nose, a spy drank, smoked, and plotted.

"Stop it! Please stop it! You are going to kill him!" Maria shrieked as she helplessly watched the fists of two men hit Georg's body while a third man held him up.

"Keep her quiet!" One of the men snarled," l can't hear." The tall burly Frenchman bent on one knee and held a pistol to Georg's bleeding temple. "Tell her in whatever language she understands to be quiet."

Georg glared at the Frenchman, but none the less complied "Maria, it's alright." he rasped. His gaunt face- whatever was visible under his beard and fresh bruises- was deathly pale.

Maria became silent and watched helplessly as Georg was roughly shoved into a chair. The man restraining her loosened his grip and deposited her in a pile of hay in the corner of the barn they were in.

Maria was flabbergasted, they entered the barn not long ago and Georg simply gave himself up. Although she trusted him, sitting in the barn and watching him take blow after blow, Maria wondered if his plan would work, could it be that their fate has finally run out?

Later in life, Captain Schmidt would recall with a laugh the mayhem that ensued when word got to the Admiral that Captain von Trapp defected. The amount of curses spit out from the Admiral's mouth were enough to make any sailor blush. It seemed that they had underestimated the Captain. True they sent him in poor health,but it seems his disdain for the Navy outweighed whatever physical limitation he had. Captain Schmidt was impressed, he didn't think von Trapp had it in him to boldly escape the clutches of the admiral. There were two opposite opinions of what should be done next. Spend resources to find the von Trapp, or let him squander in poor health in the forest. But either way, Oscar Schmidt knew that time to act was running short. He carefully thought out his words-in case someone was listening in- and called his "uncle" Henri to wish him happy birthday.

In the barn, Maria continued to pray for a miracle, unsure how much more "questioning" Georg could take. Her prayer seemed to have been answered when in walked a man named Henri. Immediately the atmosphere in the room transformed, as the four men in the room turned their attention to Henri. He was a handsome looking man with light brown curly hair and hazel eyes that seemed to conveyed intellect, wisdom, humor and most importantly hope. Although he wasn't a particularly large man, his presence was evident, and the respect the others felt for him was indisputable.

"Henri, we found these two Germans in the forests." The tall Frenchman said excitedly.

"I see Paul," Henri said, his eyes locked on Georg. "And you wasted no time taking your frustrations out on the poor fellow."

"He's a filly German," Paul hissed. "Why shouldn't I?"

Henri sighed, this group was hotheaded and a bit stupid too, but they were loyal and able bodied. Henri needed all the help he could get, and his unit was growing impatient and was starved for action. Words and a passion could only satiate the desperate for so long. If the man before him was worth as much as his "nephew" Oscar said, this was a prize his resistance needed.

"Paul, get the man a drank before he passes out," Henri ordered. "And be a gentleman and get the lady a chair."

Paul muttered under his breath but complied as Henri sat across from Georg and surveyed the man before him. Under the blood, and gray beard, was a pale and noble face. His blue eyes were calculated and yet there was an bit of desperation that the man before him tried to hide. Henri sat leaned back in his seat and watched him carefully.

"Drink" Henri commanded.

Georg glared at the cup before him but complied and emptied the glass in a one gulp.

"What is your name?"

"Georg von Trapp"

"Where are you from?"

"Salzburg, Austria"

"You understand French, your title?"

"Baron"

"Your position"

"Captain in the Navy of the Third Reich," .

"Her name" Henri asked, gesturing towards Maria.

"Maria Rainer"

"What is she to you?"

"A friend."

"A good one?"

"Yes"

"I see," Henri said with a small smile. "To be honest we don't often find sea captains and their friends in the woods."

"Lets just say I drifted off course," Georg replied.

"What can you tell me?"

"In exchanged for my friend's and my own safe passage to England-plenty."

"My dear captain," said Henri with a grin. "You are in no position to negotiate."

"My friend," replied Georg leaning forward, desperation quickly left his eyes and a what could be described as a humerus glint filled them. "Time is short so let's speak frankly. You are young and your resistance needs more help than you would admit and my information could help your cause. The Germans know about you, what you are trying to do, and where you are. How do you think I found you so easily? With my injuries, I could not afford to aimlessly wander the forests of France and I assure you I did not just accidentally stumble upon this charming cottage."

Humor left Henri's eyes as they locked with Georg's. In that moment Georg knew his words hit a cord and his time to ask for assistance was now.

"I am not a young man and I have seen my share so let me lay before you cards- the three choices you have. One, you can shoot me and my information dies with me. Two, shoot my friend and beat me till I talk, but in my condition I'll likely die before anything useful is gleaned from me. Or three, you can drive my friend and I to a port along the English Channel and we can spend that car ride exchanging information that only a high ranking German officer would have."

Henri sat silently scrutinizing the man before him. Time seemed stand still as the occupants in the room watched the game of chess being played before them.

"Why should I trust you?" Henri finally said. "And for that matter why should you trust that I'll hold my end of the bargain?"

"Because we have both lost so much, and there is not much left salvage before its too late." Georg quietly replied.

Henri nodded. "Well my friend," he said firmly shaking Georg's hand. "You do justice to your reputation, I accept,"

"Paul! Start the car, we are going on a trip."