MOST SECRET
“By hand, Herr Ambassador?” von Deitzberg asked.
“That was hand-delivered to me by Herr Cranz. Yesterday afternoon.”
“And where is he?”
“He and the pilot of the Condor, a Captain von und zu Aschenburg, accepted von Wachtstein’s invitation to have dinner with von Wachtstein’s family at their farm. Cranz called the duty officer later to say they would be spending the night there, and coming here at nine this morning.”
“It’s nine now.”
“Then they should be here. Sometimes there is traffic.”
“May I have the enclosures mentioned, please?”
“Certainly,” von Lutzenberger said, opened his desk drawer, and handed von Deitzberg a bluish-gray note-sized envelope and a large thick manila envelope.
Von Deitzberg opened the small envelope first. It contained a sheet of Reichsprotektor Heinrich Himmler’s personal notepaper.
Der Reichsprotektor
7 July 1943
Brigadeführer von Deitzberg,
You are immediately needed here.
If necessary, you are authorized to delay the return flight of the Condor by as much as twenty-four hours until the turnover to Cranz, who will assume all your responsibilities in Argentina, is accomplished.
Heil Hitler!
Himmler
The large manila envelope was so securely bound that von Deitzberg couldn’t open it until von Lutzenberger’s secretary, Fräulein Ingebord Hässell, a middle-aged spinster who wore her graying hair drawn tightly against her skull, was summoned and finally produced a huge pair of shears.
It contained a letter and several packets of charts and data.
MOST SECRET
Reichssicherheitshauptamt
Berlin
7 July 1943
SS-Brigadeführer Manfred von Deitzberg
By Hand
(One): You will immediately make these orders known to Ambassador von Lutzenberger and SS Obersturmbannführer Cranz for the necessary actions on their part.
(Two): There has been confirmation that the special cargo has been transferred from the motor vessel Ciudad de Cádiz to U-405, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm von Dattenberg commanding. Sturmbannführer Kötl and a small SS detachment are accompanying the special cargo.
(Three): Enclosed are chart overlays and signal cryptographic matériel to be used in seeing that the special cargo is safely put ashore in absolute secrecy at a location in Argentina to be determined by Cranz and von Lutzenberger in consultation with von Dattenberg.
(Four): If the landing operation is successful, the SS detachment will remain ashore to ensure the security of the special cargo and to perform other missions as determined by Cranz. If the landing encounters difficulty, the priorities are to (A) return the special cargo to the U-405 and (B) return the SS personnel to the U-405.
(Five): Sturmbannführer Kötl’s responsibility and authority is limited to the protection of the special cargo. The decisions to attempt to land the special cargo, the methods of doing so, and, should it be necessary, to break off the attempt are entirely the responsibility of Kapitänleutnant von Dattenberg. The location of the offloading is to be determined by consultation between Cranz and von Dattenberg.