War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 148

Chapter 3

L

otte sat in the transmission room in the building next to the

Oberfeldkommandantur

, the German Wehrmacht headquarters in Warsaw. She’d practiced hard to master the Morse code during her training, but real -life transmission was a different monster. During the first week of work, she left the transmission room every day with a pounding head and bleeding fingers.

“School was so much easier,” she complained to Gerlinde, who occupied the workstation beside hers, during a break.

“I know…it was like twenty minutes of Morse work and then something else. Not eight hours straight like here. My first week was brutal, but you’ll get used to it. I promise.”

Just as Gerlinde had predicted, in the second week work had already become a challenging but manageable task. Over the weekend, calluses had grown on Lotte’s fingertips and her brain had adapted to the required focus. Every day they received phone calls from several locations across Poland and Russia, and the group of radio operators translated this information into Morse code and relayed it to the armed forces high command in Berlin.

During the first week she’d worked side by side with a supervisor, making sure her transmissions were accurate, but now she sat alone at her desk, trying to memorize all the information about directions, troop movements, and everything else that might prove vital for the Allies. But first she needed to visit her contact person.

This evening, Lotte sought out Oberführerin Kaiser in her office. Since the Wehrmacht encouraged her female auxiliaries to engage in cultural activities in their leisure time, she hoped Frau Kaiser would agree with her request. Despite being called the Dragon, the woman was actually very benevolent towards her subordinates – as long as they stuck to her rules.

“Oberführerin, may I ask for something?”

The older woman looked up from her desk, “Yes, Helferin Wagner, what is it?”

“Since I enjoyed the weekly folkloric evening with the traditional German songs so much, I would like to take up piano classes,” Lotte said.

“You liked our folkloric evening?” Oberführerin Kaiser beamed with pride.

“Yes.”

“It is a shame not more young women think like you. Our cultural heritage is an important factor in racial purity and the superiority of the Master Race. Once we have won this war, you girls will go back to your families and raise your many children with the Führer’s ideals in mind.”

Lotte dutifully nodded, although she didn’t have the slightest intention of raising her future children according to Hitler’s ideals. “I believe the piano lessons will help me to understand more of our great cultural heritage. Just imagine being able to play the magnificent music by the three master composers Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner and Anton Bruckner.”

The Oberführerin beamed, a pleased smile on her usually strict face. “Music is so important, Helferin Wagner. I’m glad you show such enthusiasm, and obviously I approve of the piano lessons. Do you want me to find a suitable teacher for you?”

Lotte’s heart thumped painfully in her throat and she took a moment to breathe before she answered, “Actually, I was recommended a teacher already. Her name is Ewa Gusten. She’s a

Volksdeutsche

and sometimes performs at the theater.”

“Well then. Once a week and be home before curfew. But be warned…if your work suffers, I will revoke the permit.”

“It won’t. Thank you so much, Oberführerin,” Lotte said and left the office. She rushed to her room and fell on her bed, soaked with cold sweat, but exhilarated at taking another step toward her clandestine job as spy.

Ewa was much more than a pianist and music teacher. She belonged to the Polish Home Army, a major resistance organization, and was in direct contact with an agent for the British SOE. During Lotte’s time hiding out at the convent, she’d met a man who worked for the SOE and who’d recruited her to become a spy for the British. It had been his suggestion to join up and become a radio operator.

The next evening, she went to the address where Ewa lived and knocked on the door.

“Yes?” came a female voice from behind the closed door.

“Good afternoon, I was told I could take piano lessons here. I’m an adult but a fast learner,” Lotte responded with the required coded sentence.

The door opened and a woman in her forties with dark brown hair and brilliant brown eyes peeked out to make sure Lotte was alone, before inviting her inside. “Come in.” The woman closed and locked the door and led the way deeper into the apartment. “You must be Alexandra. You’ve started work?”

“Yes.” Lotte offered her a small smile and stated needlessly, “Our coded phrase worked.”

“Of course, it did.” Ewa smiled.

“My superior actually liked the idea. She thinks every woman should know about the finer arts to entertain guests,” Lotte said, grimacing.

“Then this will be the perfect cover for your visits. Sit down.” Ewa pointed at the stool in front of a shining black piano.

“What?” Lotte’s eyes went wide.

“For the cover to work, we must produce results. Did you take lessons as a child?”

Lotte pulled a face but nodded. “I did, but I hated it. I never had the patience to practice long enough to improve.”

“Well, let’s get started. If anyone ever follows you or asks you to demonstrate how your lessons are progressing, you’ll have something to show them.” Ewa pulled out a sheet of music and set it on the piano stand.

Lotte groaned, but Ewa’s explanation made perfect sense. “Fine. I guess I will be reliving my childhood.”

“It will be painless, I promise. Is there a piano to practice on at your dormitory?”

“Not at the dormitory, but at the German House in the Saxon Gardens. I guess I could practice there.” Lotte sighed and dutifully put her fingers on the keys to demonstrate what she remembered from her former classes, but her mind went blank. “They change the radio frequency and encryption code every week.”

“Then you should come here every week with the new codes. Now, play this.” At first sight it looked like a very simple piece of music, but it was hard enough that Lotte shook her head after a long moment studying the paper.

“I’m afraid I can’t. I might remember how to play a scale…” Lotte placed her hands on the keys and haltingly managed to play the C major scale. Under Ewa’s encouragement Lotte focused on her fingers on the keys and forgot about everything else around her.

“So, do you have anything for me?” Ewa asked after a while.

“What?”

“Information.” Ewa smiled. “I always get lost in the music, too. It’s my escape from the world.”

“Oh yes…” Lotte said and then recounted all the details she remembered from last week’s transmissions. At the end of their class, she handed Ewa a piece of paper with her personal sign, code and frequency.

“That’s perfect. Now we’ll be able to listen in to your radio transmissions, and don’t have to wait until you come here.” Ewa accompanied her to the door and handed her a sheet of music. “Try to practice as much as you can. You’ll see with time you’ll come to love the piano.”

As Lotte fell asleep later that night, she did so with a big smile upon her face. Learning to play the piano wasn’t the worst sacrifice. She’d always loved listening to the instrument and had regretted that she’d not had enough discipline when she was younger to stick with her practice.

Now, it seemed, her life was coming around full circle and she was being given a second chance. Courtesy of the Nazis. She wouldn’t thank them for it, but she would apply herself and learn as much as possible during the time she had.