Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-11


still empty, except for oc-
casional lockers on their way
10 work. She reached a small
tobacco shop. the owner of
which was a friend. The
shopkeeper led her to the
apartment in which found
her. There Firelei had coll
lapsed. There. under the care
of a robust mother of many
children. she was conSoied
with maternal persistence.
WON'T HARM A BABY!
Don't worry. don't worry"
the woman murmured. "They
wouldn't harm n baby. just
wait till they've finished
searching the house, the
dreckigen hunde. And when
they've gone away, why-Fli
go there myself and get your
baby back. I'D like to see
who'd dare TO stop me! No
body'd stop a woman like me.
I'D show them. Now, my girl,
YOU just he still and wait"
The scene was typical. |
felt, of what was happening
that very instant all over the
German land. We waited. a
feeble sun was crawling over
the grimy tenement walls.
Toward IL / sent youngster
from the street unit 10 in
vestigate. He pinned a
swastika badge 10 his coat
lapel and sauntered away.
After many endless minutes
he returned
They're now searching the
whole house." he reported,
land the houses on both sides
- f II. There's one Gestapo
Schwein and nine storm troop
ers who do the shopping, and
car full of Gestap0 men
around the corner, waiting for
trouble"
l detailed the youngSter and
two others TO keep the house
and the raiders under obServa-
ton. Then l hurried 10
house on a dismal alley which
bore the strange name Herr
hchkeit. Here was the secret
district headquarters of the
Red Front Fighters League
But for an elderly liaison-man
and three couriers--a girl of
perhaps II. and two boys Of
ID and 15-the house was
empty.
/ wanted 10 men with guns
10 create a diversion. 10 lure
the Gestapo away from the
Schaarmarkt into one Of the
old side streets, so that one
of my friends could dash up
stairs and take away the
child. The young courierS
were eager TO help. But the
grizZled liaison-man shook his
head.
"Comrade, you know we
cannot take orders from any
body" he said stolidly. "Our
orders come from the
Gauleitung. Those are the
only orders we follow"
"Where can / contact Fiete
Schulz ." / demanded. Schulz
was the military chief Of the
Gauleitung, the successor 10
Edgar Andree.
The liaison-man SIN ] Q d.
That 1 cannot tell you. You
don't belong to Comrade
Fiete's Apparat."
All my further arguments
proved futile. The Red Front
League squads were busy else
where. They would not inn
peril one Of their men 10
salvage a baby. In the under
ground, found. small children
were dangerous ballast. .
FIRELEI is GONE
II was afternoon before !
returned TO the apartment OF
the robust woman. Firelci
was not there. The woman
said she had found some odd
clothes for Firelei. who had
then disguised herself by
wearing her hair under an old
fashioned hat, and by putting
on eyeglasses and rubbing
her face with fine ashes,
which made here look older.
She had gone away with the
young comrade from the
street unit.
"You better hurry" the
woman told me.
l cast caution TO the winds.
] rushed to Schaarmarkt. In
the center of the cobbled
square. a flight of stairs led
down to a public lavatory. j
descended several steps until
my eyes were level with the
ground. So hidden, l scanned
the sidewalk.