The Soldier Spies (Men at War 3)

“Sir?”

“Geehr,” Kramer said to the Hauptsturmführer, “will you give him his Christmas present, please?”

Geehr clicked his heels and made a little bow as he handed Müller a small, tissue-wrapped package.

As Müller unwrapped it, Kramer said, “I telephoned Berlin the moment it came over the wire, Johnny, and they told me you were on leave. I took a chance that you were coming home, and had Geehr meet the Berlin trains. You were on the second one.”

The box contained the shoulder boards and lapel insignia of an SS-STANDARTENFÜHRER. When Müller looked at Kramer, Kramer beamed.

“May I presume, Herr Standartenführer,” Kramer said, “that I have the great privilege of being the first to congratulate you on your well-deserved promotion?”

"I had no idea,” Müller said, truthfully.

“With rank as of 1 December,” Kramer said and snapped his fingers. Geehr handed him a sheet of Teletype paper, which Kramer then handed to Müller.

There was no question about it. He had his own paragraph

Ss-obergruppenführer reinhard heydrich announces with pleasure the promotion with date of rank 1 december 1942 of obersturmbannführer ss-sd johann müller to standartenführer ss-sd.

“May I keep this?” Müller asked as Kramer first enthusiastically pumped his hand. Then, with a snap of his fingers, Kramer ordered Geehr to produce a tray with a bottle of cognac and glasses.

“Yes, of course,” Kramer said, and then:“The timing is a little awkward.”

“Sir?’’

“If it weren’t Christmas Eve, Johnny, I would insist on doing more than offering a glass of schnapps,” Kramer said. “But I daresay you are anxious to get home.”

"My train is at half past five,” Müller said.

“Nonsense. We have a car for you, of course, Herr Standartenführer.”

"That’s very kind,” Müller said.

“With a driver, of course,” Kramer added.

“I don’t want to be responsible for someone having the duty on Christmas, ” Müller said.

“That’s very kind of you, then,” Kramer said. “What have we the Standartenführer can drive?”

“We have that nice little Autounion roadster, Herr Standartenführer,” Geehr said.

“Splendid!” Kramer said. “That all right with you, Johnny?”

“That would be fine,” Müller said.

“And if you’ll take off your tunic, Johnny, I’ll have Frau Zern put the proper insignia on it.”

As Müller handed his tunic to Kramer’s secretary, Kramer said,“I realize this sounds odd, but I was about to say perhaps we can have a drink together at the funeral.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“The remains of the Baron Steighofen have been returned from the Eastern Front,” Kramer said. “They will be interred at the Schloss on December 28. They’re making quite a do of it. The Prince of Hesse, in the name of the Führer, will make a posthumous award of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. Steighofen’s not far from Marburg. I’m sure the Baroness would be pleased if you could find the time to attend.”

Translated, Müller thought, that means he is telling me it would be politically smart for me to attend. Does that mean I have to?

“The Steighofens are well connected, Johnny,” Kramer went on, immediately confirming what Müller had guessed. “With Baron Fulmar of FEG, for one thing.”

“The twenty-eighth, you said?”