He stood up; the damned trams were never on time and his protest was being spoiled. It was five kilometres or more to his quarters, but he was determined to walk the entire distance rather than ride with Himmler. He was damned if he would provide him another victory. Dornberger watched him shuffle towards the road, then angry as much at himself as at Bethwig, he hurried to catch up.
Himmler stared after them for a moment, considering, then signalled the driver to go on.
Three weeks later the Reichsführer appeared unannounced at Peenemunde. Bethwig swore as his secretary told him that there was to be a meeting that afternoon at two o’clock. But at one-thirty the door to his office was thrown open and Himmler strode in. He greeted Bethwig, motioned his aide out, and pulled a side chair around to face him, smiling pleasantly all the while.
‘My dear Franz, how good to see you again.’ He chuckled with ill-concealed irony and shifted in the chair until he was comfortable. ‘You will no doubt have heard that the investigation I instigated concerning your arrest has cleared you completely. Those responsible have been disciplined, so there’s an end to it. I know you will not hold it against me, or the SS; any organisation as large as mine has a few misfits who find it difficult to exercise good judgement.’
Himmler smiled again and removed his cap. His nearly bald head and rimless spectacles only served to increase his resemblance to a toad.
‘I have been quite pleased with your work over the past few weeks. I felt that given time you would work out your own problems.’ He glanced expectantly at Bethwig who continued to stare at him.
Himmler shrugged. ‘I see there is still some animosity on your part. Again, I can do nothing more than apologise for—’
‘What have you done with Inge?’
Himmler blinked at him. ‘Inge?’
‘There is no need to play games, Reichsführer. You know to whom I am referring.’
Himmler sat back and regarded Bethwig. ‘You are an outspoken young man. A dangerous tendency these days. Very dangerous.’
Bethwig remained silent, and Himmler nodded. ‘Also a courageous young man. I like that. The matter of your concern for the girl was brought to my attention by a mutual friend, and I must admit that with the press of work lately I had quite forgotten about her. Fortunately I have an excellent staff who more than make up for this tendency of mine to forget the human side in the greater concern for the war effort. You will be pleased to know that my staff has seen that nothing has been spared in her continuing treatment. When your concern was brought to my attention, I was informed that she had been removed from the Prague hospital to a more modern treatment facility in Germany. She is now in a country atmosphere with the most modern facilities to hand. She certainly does not lack for attention, and her activities are supervised day and night. I am told she is making excellent progress and has proved most popular with the staff. Recreational activities are considered most important, and there are frequent impromptu entertainments at which the young lady is considered a star performer. I assure you, you need have no worries concerning her well-being. When I enquired as to when she could be released, the director assured me it would be soon, perhaps within a few months. Her progress is that good.’
Himmler smiled and sat back, noting the evident relief that swept across Bethwig’s face. He nearly thanked the Reichsführer but caught himself in time. ‘However, I did not travel here today to discuss your personal life. You will be appointed director of the A-Ten project today. Herr Doktor von Braun has agreed to assume complete control of the A-Four project, and General Dornberger will assume overall administrative control of the entire research centre.’
Bethwig started to protest, then, realising how useless it would be, shut his mouth. Himmler nodded, pleased.
‘I fear that among these pleasant announcements there is one that will not be so well received. It is necessary that the A-Ten project be redirected. The moon will no longer be your target. That phase has been cancelled.’
Bethwig stared, as if not quite believing what he had heard. He shook his head. ‘Cancel the A-Ten…?’
Himmler nodded, his pince-nez flashing in the autumn sunshine pouring through the windows. ‘I am afraid so.’
‘But why, in the name of God? The project is Germany’s best hope for winning—’
Himmler cut him off. ‘Normally I do not condescend to explain my actions,’ he snapped. ‘But as you have worked so hard, you do perhaps deserve that much. You are aware, no doubt, that heavy water is a vital ingredient of our atomic research programme?’ Without waiting for an answer, Himmler went on:
‘We obtain our supplies from the Norsk Hydroelectric Plant in Norway, or did until recently. This past spring Allied and Norwegian saboteurs succeeded in destroying the Rjukan facility. As a consequence, the Führer has, and quite rightly, removed all priority from atomic research. Therefore, even if your moon rocket were ready in time, it would be weaponless. No need, therefore, to continue with the monstrous expense the project entails.’
Bethwig was speechless; the last thing in the world he had expected was cancellation of the Lunar phase of the project. Himmler spread his hands. ‘I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do. The Führer himself has given the order.’
‘But… but… the project, the lunar base does not need the atomic bomb to be successful.’ Bethwig tried to protest. ‘I explained that in the beginning. Any high explosive will have its destructive force magnified by the—’
‘Yes, yes.’ Himmler waved a hand. ‘A rock, a plain ordinary rock, would also have a great destructive force because of the speed with which it strikes the earth. I understand all that. However, my staff have conducted extensive economic studies and have concluded that the money would be better spent on a less cumbersome and cheaper system. Now, you recall I said only that the moon landing phase of the project has been curtailed. For one thing, your time estimates are far, far too optimistic. The war will have been won by the time your first rocket lands on the moon. However, if the project is returned to its original objective – that of launching massive quantities of high explosive against the eastern coast of the United States – the A-Ten rocket can, according to revised projections by my staff, be made ready by late 1944 or early 1945. The atomic bomb will not be needed, as thirty thousand kilograms of high explosive, which I am assured can be placed aboard these large rockets, will do the job, particularly when they strike in large numbers. American commitment to European wars has never been strong, and in any event, the moral fibre of the American nation is far too weak to withstand such a sustained bombing attack. In the meantime Professor von Braun’s A-Four rocket will be devastating England.’
‘But there is no sense, no reason, to cancel the lunar base phase. We are on schedule. In fact, we will test the fourth in the series, the final rocket, in two months. It will be launched into an orbit around the earth with…’
Himmler stood up, all traces of good humour now gone. ‘I have given you an order, Herr Doktor Bethwig. You will be good enough to carry it out.’ He picked up his cap and headed for the door.
‘We will talk further of the changes to be made in both the A-Ten and A-Four projects at this afternoon’s conference. I wanted you to be aware of the direction of my thinking so that you could prepare yourself accordingly.