Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-26

I'D wiring his. neck"
"Oh, you would ."
'Nes. sir"
FRIENDLY NOD
He nodded in a friendly way
and sent me back 10 my cell.
l continued the grim comedy
all through January. l avoided
all contacts with other prison.
ers.' When l knew that a
guard was listening outside
my cell, / hummed the Nazi
anthem.
L had come to the point
where l reSembled a man who
stands with his head braced
against a thick wall, de-
termined 10 break il. or TO
crush his skull. And then the
~ aii--Sttrc- way lAe-daX- a
guard came into my cell and
told me to pack my things.
where am i going?" I
asked.
THE III burg Gestapo
wants to see you." the guard
replied, CHANGING at the printed
transport order in his hand.
That night / was again
aboard a prison train.
THE duel of darkness has
begun" l told myself. How
will 1t end?"
An Elite Guard led me
through the corridors of the
Hamburg Gestapo headquar-
tiers. We entered a section of
the building in which l had
never been before. We passed
through a door which bore the
sign: MISUNDERSTANDING.
HERTHA AGAIN
The armed sentries stood
aside. We were in the Offices
of the foreign division of the
Gestapo. The guard took off
my handouts and ushered me
into a thickly carpeted reeep-
non room. In the distance,
typewriters clattered, inter-
rupted by the Intermittent
ringing of telephones.
The room was large, light,
and well aired. The carpet
was a rich pearl gray. ON
the wall. in solid black frames,
were map of Germany.
regional maps. a map of
Europe and another of the
world.
Behind a large, low desk
founged Hertha Jens. Curly
she signaled the guard to
leave.
The years had not changed
the tfaitress. Her clothes
were smarter than they had
been when l saw her last.
On her wrist watch flashed
diamonds.
Aside from her finery, she
was still the pink feshed,
large-breasted, capable trail
tress Of 1888. Her blue eyes,
in which the lights danced.
We're hard. and somehow
naive. Her teeth were still
-stiPefh.. She nodded pleasantly,
and gave me her best smile.
How do you do? ?" she said.
eve were expecting you"
Then she spoke into a tube:
Hes here"
RECOGNIZES KRAUS
A short, rather grim-faced
man came through one of the
SHE doors. His eyes We're
deep in their caves, but in
tensely alert.
"Hello," he said briskly.
Glad to see you. You don't
look as prosperous as you did
when we first had you here"
NO." i said.
DO you recognize me by
any chance?
you are Inspector Kraus,"
/ said.
He led me into a small office
which adjoined the reception
room. In contrast to the lat
ter, IT was furnished with
studied simplicity. A desk by
the window, two hard chairs,
several steel lamps, a book
shelf, and a portrait of Hitler.
On one side of the room a
general staff map of Germany
was fastened against the wall.
on the other a map OF Europe
which reached from floor TO
ceiling.
"sit down. Inspector Kraus
said.
sat. Facing me, he
pushed a silver cigaret case
across the desk.
"SmOke >"
l took a gold-tipped cigaret.
He struck a match and /
thanked him. The thought
that this was the man who
had me beaten within an\inch
Of life never left my con-
sciouSneSs.
EXTRACTS LETTERS
From a drawer he took the
letters containing my repudi-
alton of communism and my
application for Mein Xampf.
What" he inquired softly,
induced YOU to write this
declaration ."
l feigned embarrassment.