An Infinity of Mirrors (11 page)

SS Sturmbannfuehrer Eberhard Drayst had been assigned to interrogations duty for three years before his transfer. He had worked in Munich and Nuremberg, then was shuttled between Berlin and Munich because he was an excellent interrogator. It was good work, he felt; the hours were irregular and an ambitious man had time for a lot of study. For one thing, he had the opportunity to plan how to get the attention of the Reichsfuehrer SS, whom he had met on enlistment but who never appeared at interrogations, and was therefore impossible to impress in person.

Drayst had been observant. He had asked discreet questions. He had studied files of correspondence and newspapers because he was genuinely interested in learning the inner spirit and character of the Reichsfuehrer SS, in finding the hidden integer which would reveal the man. He knew, for example, that the Reichsfuehrer SS was shy, perhaps even timid, almost maidenly sometimes, because of the way he held his feet when he was photographed with the Fuehrer. To Drayst the Reichsfuehrer SS was the most typical, the most average German of them all. His feet was always so respectful in photographs with the Fuehrer. The Reichsmarschall's feet were indifferent and Ribbentrop's feet were actually servile. What a disgusting man! In his heart Drayst knew he could never have found peace working under either the Reichsmarschall or Ribbentrop. The Reichsfuehrer SS was far, far more German than even the Fuehrer, who was too wild, too unsteady, too inspired, to be typically German. But then how could a superman be typical? When Drayst learned that Frau Bormann called the Reichsfuehrer SS “Uncle Heini” he felt that all of his theories had been confirmed. “Uncle Heini” was exactly right. It fit him like paint, because he was the German of Germans. He had studied his life; he moved along its path with care and application; he balanced his meanings scientifically against the various discrepancies which could arise; and above all else, he remained absolutely sane amid a group of leaders who sometimes did not seem to be in full possession of their faculties.

At last Drayst's patience was rewarded. The big break came almost by accident. He had decided some time before to concentrate upon intellectual approaches to the Reichsfuehrer SS—mainly because he was unable to see any other way.

For six weeks a foolish, sick old man had taken up Drayst's time whenever he visited the boarding house which his mother ran in Munich. At first he had avoided the old pest, until it struck him that the old man was offering him a key to the gate which separated him from the attention of the Reichsfuehrer SS. Here, indeed, was fruit for that ever-questing mind. He wrote and rewrote his letter, then boldly addressed it.

TO
: Reichsfuehrer SS

22 February, 1932

I have had the opportunity of investigating certain new theories held by Wilhelm Rodenkirchen, ostensibly a crank. It is his conviction that the character of an individual depends on whether he is first born, second born or third born, et cetera. He has written a paper on the subject (with my assistance) in which he rather vaguely characterizes the different types according to their numerical natal sequence.

Examples: Frederick the Great, Bismarck, Kant, and Hermann Goering are examples of third-born children. Haydn and Rembrandt were great fifth-born men. In this way he rambles on, his characteristics are abstrusely vague in the manner of popular astrological predictions one finds in the newspapers.

However, this man has a “gift” to tell, on first sight, whether a person is first born or later born, a talent which he documents by numerous incompletely signed affidavits of the following kind:

“I herewith certify to Herr Rodenkirchen that after an acquaintance of five minutes (a subway ride from Newkolln to Hermannplatz) he has ascertained that I am a secondborn child.

(Signed) Erika K.”

“We certify to Herr Rodenkirchen that he told us, after looking at us for two minutes at the most, that we are a second-born child each.

(Signed) Annemarie W.

Waldemar W.”

Heil Hitler!

Eberhard Drayst

SS Sturmbannfuehrer

After he had found the temerity to send in such a report, Drayst became extremely nervous. He was ignoring channels; he was by-passing his own chief, General Heydrich, and the Reichsfuehrer's own bureau chief, General Wolff. He was taking the chance that he had completely misjudged the Reichsfuehrer SS; he might now be investigated and broken. He suffered through four days of stress and doubt. On the morning of the fifth day he received a reply.

TO
: SS Sturmbannfuehrer Eberhard Drayst

26 February, 1932

I am greatly interested in the theories of Herr Rodenkirchen regarding the immediate classification of the character of an individual depending on whether he is first born, second born, third born, et cetera. You will forward the paper he has written on this subject (with your assistance) together with a basic curriculum vitae and personality estimate of Herr Rodenkirchen.

Heil Hitler!

H. Himmler

RfSS u. Ch. d.d. Pol., im R.N.d.I.

After allowing some time to elapse, during which it could be considered that he was conducting intensive research, Drayst wrote more fully.

TO
: Reichsfuehrer SS

6 March, 1932

Enclosed find primary report written by Herr Wilhelm Rodenkirchen (with my assistance) regarding the immediate classification of the character of individuals depending on whether they are first born, second born, third born, et cetera.

Herr Rodenkirchen, semi-retired, acts as a sub-manager and porter at the Pension Siegfried, this city. He is sixty-five years old and states that he has devoted most of his life to the development and confirmation of his theories.

He has had some remarkable victories. If, for example, a first born should not seem to conform to the required characteristics, Rodenkirchen has usually ascertained that the respective mother had had a miscarriage previous to that child, so the alleged first born is actually a second-born child.

I have helped Herr Rodenkirchen by giving him some intellectual and statistical advice. He has now formulated his ideas in some parts of his paper better than before—but in other parts considerably worse than before. Most readily refutable is his clumsy condemnation of first-born and second-born children of which he considers the first physically and the second morally inferior. This is an impossibility because it would establish that the greater part of the German people today would be inferior in one way or another.

Even so, a good basic idea is behind his work which needs only to be presented properly and to be examined conclusively. Professor P. Hochuli is correct when he says that the hypothesis made by Herr Rodenkirchen could be tested only by the application of exhaustive statistical methods.

Heil Hitler!

Eberhard Drayst

SS Sturmbannfuehrer

This letter marked the turning point in Drayst's career. He was ordered to appear personally before the Reichsfuehrer SS, who commended him on his intellectual diligence, stated that for some time he had been considering the establishment of a Special Projects Office, and that he felt that Drayst was the right German to take charge of it. Drayst was a university man, twenty-five years old; the Reichsfuehrer was himself only thirty-one.

Drayst was detached from active duty with the interrogation teams and was promoted on the spot to the rank of SS Obersturmbannfuehrer. He spent two rewarding years as Section Chief of the Special Projects Office before being transferred to the SS Fuehrerschule as an interrogations instructor. All of his life Drayst was to cherish the correspondence he had exchanged with the Reichsfuehrer SS; he kept it in a transparent, dust-free file on top of his other papers in an unlocked drawer of his desk so that SD investigators might make a note of the relationship.

Some of the correspondence between the two men blazed new trails and opened inquiries which had never before been considered.

TO
: Obersturmbannfuehrer Eberhard Drayst

Chief, Special Projects Office

27 March, 1932

I was most interested to receive the outline of your proposed research project #2146, which considers the need for investigation of the possibility that all left-handed people may be open or concealed homosexuals, and you have my permission to carry it forward. I would suggest that you administer this through Dr. L. Roth of the Department of Science and Education.

Keep thinking. Victories are carried by the force of arms, but it is the minds of far-seeing Germans who will prepare the way.

Heil Hitler!

H. Himmler

RfSS u. Ch. d.d. Pol., im R.N.d.I.

TO
: RfSS

11 April, 1932

Relative to the Study Project #2146 to determine homosexuality factors in left-handedness, I have submitted an outline of the project to Dr. L. Roth of the Department of Science and Education, as per your request/order.

I can report that the subject is also being explored by Dr. A. Weiler, Institute of Eugen Fischer-Dahle and one of our finest medical-research minds. By a lucky coincidence, both he and Dr. Youngstein, head of the Psychiatric Department at the Charité, who is also cooperating, are left-handed.

Heil Hitler!

Eberhard Drayst

SS Obersturmbannfuehrer

Chief, Special Projects Office

TO
: Obersturmbannfuehrer Eberhard Drayst

17 April, 1932

I want to remind you of our recent correspondence about left-handedness in humans. I want to put down my thoughts about this topic for you in writing.

Many signs indicate that man in very early times was left-handed. A great amount of early findings (tools) can be mentioned as proof.

This probably changed with the introduction of the shield. It covered the left side of the body in order to protect the heart. Therefore the right hand had to be used more and more and, by and by, man became right-handed although not exclusively right-handed. We know from the
Waltarlied
, which described the fighting between Walther von Aquitanien with Gunther and Hegenin in the ninth century, that man at that time used both hands. Probably only in the last centuries did man become right-handed.

It is my opinion that a child following natural instincts prefers to use his left hand rather than his right. This is a point which I want you to have Dr. Weiler explore. Is this Dr. Abraham Weiler, the Jew? And have him state why this instinct exists in human beings, with copies to Dr. L. Roth of the Department of Science and Education.

We find ourselves led to this question: Could it be assumed that there is better circulation and better development on the left side of the body? I think you will find that Dr. Weiler will bear me out on this. I know Dr. Youngstein will bear me out, and Dr. Roth, of course.

Furthermore, I should like you to find out if it can be assumed that the reason for a stroke could be lack of exercise of the muscles and the nerves of one side of the body, lesser efficiency in the corresponding side of the brain, and the greater tendency to calcification of the arteries of this part of the brain.

Heil Hitler!

H. Himmler

RfSS u. Ch. d.d. Pol., im. R.N.d.I.

With this letter the Reichsfuehrer SS placed maximum responsibility and total intellectual confidence in Drayst. Further exchanges, which Drayst valued highly, demonstrated that he had the character to disagree with the Reichsfuehrer. It also demonstrated his growing self-confidence and indicated the degree of give-and-take intimacy which the two men had achieved.

TO
: Obersturmbannfuehrer Eberhard Drayst

Chief, Special Projects Office

21 June, 1932

As you know, the storks of northern Europe migrate each year to South Africa. It is known that the natives of South African countries like to eat stork meat. This represents an opportunity for us to influence the Boers with effective propaganda for National Socialism.

Please submit your project report in this regard not later than the 30th June.

Heil Hitler!

H. Himmler

RfSS u. Ch. d.d. Pol., im R.N.d.I.

TO
: RfSS

30 June, 1932

This is the project report on your request/order #3781 for the investigation of the use of migrating storks to influence Boers with effective propaganda for National Socialism.

I have been in constant consultation with Professor Dr. Hjalamar Mattesohn, Chief of the Ornithological Station Rositten, who has presented these objections to the practicality of the idea:

1: It would be necessary for Professor Mattesohn's staff, according to Fräulein Reiter, his statistical expert, to catch at least one thousand storks and attach rings with leaflets around their legs. This would be a very difficult task. Fräulein Reiter also expresses concern over the problems of housing one thousand storks, if they could be captured.

2: Statistically, we would need to grant that there would be little chance that South African natives would shoot down all one thousand storks. This is based on the fact that so many storks keep returning from South Africa each year. Of the storks which were shot down, according to Professor Roland Handschuh, Chief of the Department of Linguistics at Wartburg University, it would be necessary that the leaflets be printed in one or more of the Bantu languages. Dr. Handschuh reports that the number of Bantu languages is still undecided—ranging, according to different authorities, between eighty and one hundred. However, should we determine that the Storkleg Project is to be carried forward he assures me that the principal languages are Swahili, Zulu, Congo, Luba-Lulua, Luganda (or Ganda) and Nyanja.

3: For the Boers it is taboo to shoot down storks; consequently they could not be counted on for this kind of propaganda response, I am advised by Dr. Peter Maas of the Geopolitical Institute.

4: Since storks are very popular in South Africa, the whole action could turn the natives of South Africa unfavorably against the Reich. (Dr. Maas)