The general smiled at his old employees, his eyes awash with memories; they were all he had left. “Take care of each other—there is nothing finer than the love of family and friends.”
They embraced one last time before Helmut and Chef retired to their rooms to pack what few possessions they could, leaving the general alone in the kitchen.
He heaved a sigh, deep and forlorn. Tired of life and drained of all hope, his eyes drifted aimlessly about the kitchen, its rustic charm and cosiness offering no comfort, nor relief. So he poured the last drops of the bottle into his glass, watching the dark pearls as they rippled the surface. His gaze wandered to a canister of kerosene in a corner and he wondered if it was full. He shuffled over to lift the container, straining under its weight. Yes, it would do.
After pouring fuel liberally throughout the kitchen, the general lit some wooden crates and made his way to the drawing room. On the desk was a pistol.
Chef and Helmut ran outside as the house caught alight. They heard a gunshot moments before the manor was engulfed in flames.
On the morning that followed, the beauty and grandeur that was once Manor Grand Oak were no more. The manor was nothing but a smouldering pile of rubble, the night’s tragic fire attracting the Red Army who now fossicked through the remains for anything of value.
“Look what I found,” a young soldier called out, proudly displaying Chef’s beer mug.
His sergeant turned to study the relic. “It’s a piss pot, you idiot. Give it here, and I’ll show you how to use it.”
Two bold, sprightly swallows that had once nested under the eaves of the manor house flew erratically about the remains. They swooped between the soldiers as if to tease them and darted up the hill, weaving playfully about the branches of the grand old oak before coming to rest on the cross that marked a little soldier’s grave.
THE END
GLOSSARY
Ace: fighter pilot credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.
Adler: German for eagle.
Awaclass="underline" absent without authorized leave.
Bienenstich: Bee sting cake German dessert made from sweet yeast dough with a baked-on topping of caramelized almonds and filled with a vanilla custard or cream.
Bounced: to attack unexpectedly.
Dackeclass="underline" German nickname for dachshund.
Defense of the Reich: strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German-occupied Europe and Germany during WW2.
Dresdner Stollen: Traditional Christmas cake. A moist, heavy bread filled with fruit and nuts.
Ersatz: substitute, usually of inferior quality.
Federbalclass="underline" Feather ball. German synonym for going to sleep ie: go to the feather ball.
Führerbau: building that housed Hitler’s office and offices for his closest staff while in Munich.
Gloster Meteor: Britain’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Although operational towards the end of WW2, it did not engage in any aerial combat with Luftwaffe fighters and was used only in armed reconnaissance and ground attack roles.
Gluhwein: roughly translated as “glow-wine,” from the hot irons once used for mulling. A traditional Christmas beverage usually prepared from heated red wine and spiced with cinnamon, vanilla pods, cloves, star aniseed, citrus and sugar.
Grünherz: Greenhearts.
Helferinnen: Women helpers, military support, predominantly volunteers.
Hofbräuhaus: state court-brewery in Munich. A brewery owned by the Bavarian state government. The Hofbräuhaus in Munich was one of the beer halls used by the Nazi Party to declare policies and hold functions.
Horrido: an old greeting and hunting call. Victorious cry of St. Horridusa, the patron saint of pilots of the Luftwaffe.
Ivan: derogatory term for Russian pilot.
Jagdflieger: Fighter pilot.
Jagdgeschwader (JG) 1 Group—Fighter wing 1st Group. A day fighter Geschwader (literally “hunting wing”), typically equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 or Fw-190 aircraft flying in the fighter or fighter-bomber roles.
Jagdschutz: Fighter protection squad.
Jagdverband: specialist fighter unit comprising of Me-262 jets.
Jäger: hunter.
Jägergoulash: hunters stew, usually made with venison.
Jägermeister: German 70-proof (35% abv) schnaps made with 56 herbs and spices. The term was applied to senior foresters and gamekeepers in the German civil service and Hermann Görring was appointed Reichsjägermeister (Imperial Gamekeeper). Thus, when Jägermeister was introduced in 1935, its name was already familiar to Germans—it was sometimes called “Göring-Schnaps.”
KIA: killed in action.
Kommando Nowotny: a fighter Group formed during the last months of WW2 for testing and establishing tactics for the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters. Named after and under the command of Major Walter Nowotny.
Konditorei: the German word for a patisserie and confectionery shop. A Konditorei typically offers a wide variety of pastries and is like a little cafe. In Germany and Austria, it is a very popular custom to go to a Konditorei to have a cake and some coffee or hot chocolate mid-afternoon.
Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (“Swallow”): world’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft.
MIA: missing in action.
Muckefuck: a generic term in Germany for faux coffee, possibly from the French ‘mocca faux’.
Onkeclass="underline" uncle.
Operation Barbarossa: Invasion of Russia by German forces.
Panzer: tank
Pervitin (aka pilot’s chocolate\pilot’s salt): pill made from crystal methamphetamine distributed by the Wehrmacht to its front-line soldiers and pilots.
Reichsführer: special SS rank.
Rittergut Grosse Eiche: Manor Grand Oak
Sauerbraten: pot roast.
Schlampe: slut, bitch.
Schpeck: fatty bacon.
Schicksaclass="underline" fate, karma, destiny.
Sieg Heiclass="underline" Hail victory.
Skat: traditional German 3 player card game
Sortie: Mission. Deployment of aircraft from a strong point for a specific operation.
Special services for the Reich: code for duties connected with the extermination of Jews.
Squadron - usually between 5-12 aircraft.
SS: Abbreviation for Schutzstaffel (“Protection Squadron”), a major Nazi paramilitary organization headed by Heinrich Himmler.
Stille Nacht: Silent Night.
Swarm: 4-6 aircraft formation.
Tommy/tommie: used as a generic name for a British soldier.
Waffenrock: elaborate military coat, a formfitting thigh-length eight-button tunic of fine grey wool, without external pockets. Officers wore a formal belt of silver braid. Trousers were stone grey. In the full-dress uniform, the Waffenrock was worn with medals, aguilette (ornamented braided cord), trousers and shoes, the Schirmmutze (officer’s hat), gloves and sword (officers/NCOs) or dress bayonet (enlisted).
Wehrmacht: (Defence Force) – from German: wehren, to defend and Macht, power, force. Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy) and the Luftwaffe (air force).
Copyright
Copyright © Heidi Fischer 2016
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.