The Haigerloch Project

“Meine Herren,” he said crisply, “I shall make this brief. I am flying back to Berlin within the hour…. I bring you the Führer's personal congratulations on your successful achievement here earlier today!” He looked around the room. “As soon as word reached Berlin that the Haigerloch pile had worked and your theories and methods had been proven correct, the Führer himself was informed. He at once called an urgent meeting with Reichsleiter Bormann, Reichsführer Himmler, Reichsmarschall Goering and Dr. Goebbels. I attended that meeting. I am here to make a personal inspection of your progress and to get definite answers to specific questions.” He paused. “Meine Herren,” he said solemnly, “the Führer is assigning top priority to the Haigerloch Project. To the creation of an atomic bomb!”

Harbicht was wholly engrossed. He carefully considered the full ramifications of the general's statements. He was not surprised that Bormann, Himmler and Goering had at once thrown their support to the project. In the past they had all championed the cause of scientific research on behalf of the Reich. Their decrees had saved many a scientist from going to the front. Der Dicke—the Fat One — had been one of the first, setting up the War Research Pool in ’44 when the scientists were in danger of being drafted into the armed forces. Bormann had followed in September with his decree shielding scientists from any kind of duty except in their own fields. But — the Führer? Atomic research had never interested him. Judenphysik—Jew physics — he had called it. As had Helwig, whose Die Deutsche Physik maintained that such inquiries were the work of alien, Jewish minds, which the pure German Volk must shun as racially incompatible…. The importance of that morning's achievement at Haigerloch must be — enormous….

He felt a sudden chill of alarm. Why his presence now? Security, of course. But was there more? Had the Decker disappearance case come to the attention of Berlin? He still had no answers. And he vowed silently to double his efforts and to strengthen security still further in the Hechingen-Haigerloch area. But if nobody else brought the Decker case up now, he certainly would not.

He returned his attention to the general. The man's voice was getting on his nerves. It was thin and high-pitched, totally out of keeping with the importance of his rank.

The general brought out a small black notebook. He opened it.

“These are the questions I shall want answered,” he said crisply. “First. When do you plan to conduct the final test of the uranium machine? Cause the pile to go critical?”

Reichardt cleared his throat.

“Yes?” the general asked sharply.

“We — we did not reach infinite neutron increase today,” Reichardt explained, “because the size of our present pile is insufficient.” Again he cleared his throat. “Increasing the size by fifty percent and using exactly the same geometry, a self-sustaining chain reaction will definitely occur….”

“How will you accomplish this?”

“We must obtain an additional seven hundred and fifty kilograms of heavy water and a similar weight of uranium.”

“Are these supplies available?”

“Yes. At Stadtilm and elsewhere. It is a matter of logistics.”

“It will be arranged. At once. It is in accordance with the Führer Order of January Thirty-first.” He looked straight at Reichardt. “With these supplies brought here — when can you conduct your final test?”

Reichardt glanced around at his colleagues. They remained silent. He sighed.

“The nineteenth,” he said, “April the nineteenth.”

One of the other scientists spoke up.

“Herr Obergruppenführer,” he said quietly, “you do realize that even if we are successful, it will be many months after the pile has gone critical — before a bomb can be constructed?”

It was Himmelmann. Harbicht mentally reviewed what he knew about the man: Himmelmann, Gustav, physicist. Like Decker? Born in Austria. Not a party member. Believed apolitical — totally involved in his scientific work….

The general waved a hand in dismissal.

“The Führer is aware of that. He has made plans for such contingencies. These plans will be revealed to you at the proper time.” He consulted his notebook. “Secondly. What is the power of a completed atomic bomb?”

Reichardt cleared his throat. “Exact calculations cannot be made at this time, General. We — we estimate one bomb will have the power of several thousand tons of high explosive.”

“So.” The general was obviously impressed, trying not to show it. “It would level an entire city?”

“It would.”

The general nodded with satisfaction. He made a note in his little book.

“There is, of course, also the possibility that once a chain reaction occurs — it cannot be controlled,” Himmelmann said, his voice soft.

The general looked startled “Meaning?”

Himmelmann shrugged. “Total annihilation.”

The general turned to Reichardt. “Professor?”