The Honor of Spies

They had just sat down to their sauerbraten and carrots when Egon came into the dining room. He took a telephone from a sideboard, set it on the table in front of Canaris, and announced, "Von Deitzberg."

Canaris nodded and picked up the telephone.

"What can I do for you, Herr Brigadefuhrer?"

"Won't it wait until the morning?"

"In fifteen minutes, we'll be having dinner. Can you give us thirty minutes for that?"

"I understand."

He put the handset in its cradle and stood up.

"Von Deitzberg wants to see me before the morning meeting," he said. "He will be here in thirty minutes, probably less than that."

He pointed at the floor, then turned to Egon.

"In twenty minutes, Egon, I want this table to look as if you've just served."

Egon nodded.

The bomb shelter was illuminated with American Coleman gas lanterns hanging from the low ceiling. It was furnished with three steel cots, a desk with a typewriter, four small armchairs, and a portable toilet.

"It is always best for people involved in something like we are to know nothing they don't absolutely have to know," Canaris began. He was sitting far back in one of the armchairs, tapping the balls of his spread fingers together. "In this case, however, I think we have to ignore that wisdom."

Admiral Canaris glanced at General von Wachtstein, Oberstleutnant Gehlen, and Fregattenkapitan von und zu Waching. Gehlen and von und zu Waching nodded. Von Wachtstein grunted.

Carnaris went on: "In light of the recent events in Argentina, both the Fuhrer's sudden interest in Operation Phoenix and because what I think von Deitzberg wants is my assistance, or at least my acquiescence, in his going to Argentina.

"He will most likely tell me that he is concerned with dangers posed to Operation Phoenix by the defection of the Froggers. What he is really concerned about is the possibility that the Americans, now that they have learned about it from Herr Frogger, will make the ransoming operation public.

"If they should do so, von Deitzberg reasons, it would come to the attention of Himmler. So far as I have been able to determine, Himmler is unaware of the ransoming operation. If it came out, the best scenario vis-a-vis von Deitzberg would be Himmler's displeasure with him for failing to discover the operation; the worst scenario for him, of course, being that Himmler would learn that von Deitzberg was the brains behind it.

"These factors apply. The Americans knew all about the ransoming operation long before the Froggers deserted. President Roosevelt has decided that exposing the operation would serve only to ensure that no other Jews escaped the ovens. Aside from collecting data--evidence--to be introduced at the trials of these scum after the war, the Americans will do nothing to interfere with the ransoming operation.

"Insofar as Operation Phoenix is concerned, the Americans know all about that, too, and did before the Froggers deserted. The decision there has been to interfere if possible--in other words, if they could learn of other shipments, where they would be landed, they would inform the Argentines, so that Germany would be embarrassed and the funds lost--but not to take action themselves.

"Again, their intention is to collect evidence not only that the Phoenix funds were sent to Argentina, but about how they were expended. When the war is lost, they can then claim both any unexpended funds and what property, et cetera was acquired with the funds, as enemy property.

"I have decided it would be counterproductive to inform the Americans-- if indeed I could find out, and I am not going to ask any questions, and no one else should--of the dispatch of special funds by submarine, and their arrival sites and dates.

"Von Deitzberg knows nothing of all this, and I am reasonably sure he thinks I don't know about the ransoming operation. But he will proceed on the assumption that I do--in his shoes, so would I.

"What von Deitzberg wants to do is make sure there is absolutely nothing in Argentina--or Uruguay, which is usually the destination of the Jews extracted from the concentration camps--that could possibly tie him to the ransoming operation.

"So let us consider what we have in Buenos Aires: The man Bormann sent there over my objections, Kapitan zur See Boltitz, has proven to be a better counterintelligence officer than I thought he would be--"

"Over your objections, Admiral?" Gehlen interrupted. "I thought--"

"That he was one of us? The sure way to get him there was to convince Bormann I didn't want him to go. May I go on?"

"I beg your pardon, Herr Admiral," Gehlen said.

"As I said, Boltitz proved to be a far better counterintelligence officer than I thought he would be. And since his orders from me were to find the traitor, or traitors, in the embassy, he did just that: It didn't take him long at all to find out that Major von Wachtstein had passed--to Major Frade of the OSS--the details of when and where the Oceano Pacifico was going to attempt to land the special cargo.