8 Prinz-Albrechts-Strasse
8 Prinz-Albrechts-Strasse,
Gestapo Headquarters,
bomb ravaged Berlin,
21 July 1944
Arrested in middle of the night,
men in black leather coats,
told to get dressed,
hustled into black Mercedes 260D
Escorted down the cavernous hallway,
grim faced men at my side,
my heels click-clack echoing,
on polished marble floor
My stomach knotted in fear,
what have I done,
what is this all about,
no one talks
Turn the corner,
large office door,
guard at each side,
stiffen at our approach
Ushered inside,
told to wait,
large polished desk,
swastika flag on wall
Officer enters,
dressed in SS black,
death head on collar,
air of self-importance
Please have a seat,
Fraulein Hahn is it?
Barbara, right?
Yes sir, correct
Take my seat warily,
cross my legs,
no, uncross them
tug at my skirt
Do you know why,
you are here?
No sir, I do not,
this is most irregular
An attempt has been made,
on the Fuehrer’s life,
by the grace of providence,
he has survived.
The perpetrators, the swine,
all from the ranks of,
the Army general staff,
will pay with their lives
You work in the Bendlerblock,
as assistant to Colonel Von Treskow,
we have reason to believe,
you knew of the plot
We want names,
Fraulein Hahn,
names and dates,
you will tell us now!
Imagine my shock,
I knew my colonel was involved,
in something secret,
but no, not this
They must believe me,
I will tell him now,
I just did my job,
I have nothing to tell
Well, we have ways,
of loosening your tongue,
my young friend,
you will change your mind
Guards, guards,
take her away,
down to the cellars,
to soften her up
Dragged roughly,
to my feet,
arms pinned behind me,
blouse buttons popping open
Manhandled down the hallway,
crying and pleading,
dragged down a stairwell,
to the dark cellars below
TO BE CONTINUED
Barbaria, 2014
8 Prinz-Albrechts-Strasse,
Gestapo Headquarters,
bomb ravaged Berlin,
21 July 1944
Arrested in middle of the night,
men in black leather coats,
told to get dressed,
hustled into black Mercedes 260D
Escorted down the cavernous hallway,
grim faced men at my side,
my heels click-clack echoing,
on polished marble floor
My stomach knotted in fear,
what have I done,
what is this all about,
no one talks
Turn the corner,
large office door,
guard at each side,
stiffen at our approach
Ushered inside,
told to wait,
large polished desk,
swastika flag on wall
Officer enters,
dressed in SS black,
death head on collar,
air of self-importance
Please have a seat,
Fraulein Hahn is it?
Barbara, right?
Yes sir, correct
Take my seat warily,
cross my legs,
no, uncross them
tug at my skirt
Do you know why,
you are here?
No sir, I do not,
this is most irregular
An attempt has been made,
on the Fuehrer’s life,
by the grace of providence,
he has survived.
The perpetrators, the swine,
all from the ranks of,
the Army general staff,
will pay with their lives
You work in the Bendlerblock,
as assistant to Colonel Von Treskow,
we have reason to believe,
you knew of the plot
We want names,
Fraulein Hahn,
names and dates,
you will tell us now!
Imagine my shock,
I knew my colonel was involved,
in something secret,
but no, not this
They must believe me,
I will tell him now,
I just did my job,
I have nothing to tell
Well, we have ways,
of loosening your tongue,
my young friend,
you will change your mind
Guards, guards,
take her away,
down to the cellars,
to soften her up
Dragged roughly,
to my feet,
arms pinned behind me,
blouse buttons popping open
Manhandled down the hallway,
crying and pleading,
dragged down a stairwell,
to the dark cellars below
TO BE CONTINUED
Barbaria, 2014
