The following events took place August 15th, 1941, Nurnberg, Germany
The Fuhrer was restless. They had been waiting here for allmost an hour, and still no sight of the British diplomats. He walked in circles, uncomfortably, silent. Himmler did not speak either, afraid of upsetting Hitler. What a place to arrange such a secretive and important meeting anyway. Nurnberg. The last place the Fuhrer needed to be now was among the ruins of his former empire. Himmler swallowed
“Sir...”
“Silence!” Hitler’s tone was unusually harsh, even for a man like him
“I just want to know sir... who are we supposed to be meeting?”
Hitler turned his back to his second-in-command. He sighed and overlooked the large plain. Broken dreams...
It began to rain. For a day in August it was unusually cold and grey.
“I’m not sure who. A week ago I received this unsigned letter from England”
Hitler took a small envelope from his inside pocket and handed it to Himmler. The paper was musk and dirty, and seemed to have been written by someone excited. The envelope had been printed with an unusual symbol, that seemed to look like a red rose. Himmler read the contents carefully.
To the Fuhrer and righteous leader of the Third Reich,
We understand your grief. We too were stripped of our country, our honour, our principles. We too have been degraded to no more than puppets of a machine. A machine, so devious and vile that it will lead to not only the downfall of our countries, but to the downfall of humanity as a whole. Our history, our culture, our legacy. Everything is in danger of falling prey to this diseased Pact. But we offer an alternative. We offer to you, the ability to take back what is rightfully yours. Our ideologies may not be alike, but our goals are. If you are wise, you will consider a conversation with us.
Meet us on the 15th of August around noon, at the historical site of Nurnberg. Once it was a mighty symbol of your influence. It can be this again. Let the Party Convention grounds be the symbol of your new rise to power. The symbol to end this Channel Pact.
The House of Lancaster
End the Channel Pact? Did they truly have allies in England? Or was this a trick?
“Do you believe Van Geyte is behind this?”
The Fuhrer sighed.
“I doubt it. He is at the front now, and probably unaware of the happenings in Europe. I find it highly unlikely that he would send us a bait letter now to expose us as traitors.
“So there really are” Himmler looked from left to right like a hunted deer, and spoke softly “others?”
“Yes”
“What do you intend to do sir?”
“Van Geyte might be a powerfull man, but Germany is out of his reach now. He is too busy with the war, mingling with the troops at the front. Bah, Populist”
Himmler wanted to speak, but was interrupted before he could say something
“Look” Hitler pointed
From across the large plain a small car was arriving. It bore an emblem of the United Kingdom.
“They came”
The car stopped in front of the Fuhrer and his second-in-command. From it exited two armed men, wearing what appeared to be very old Colonial Forces uniforms. They walked around the car and opened the back door. Out of the car stepped probably one of the last persons Hitler expected to find here. Flanked by his escorts the man approached the Fuhrer. His eyes were dark, and he wore a beaten leather hat and matching trenchcoat. A cold gust of wind chilled the Fuhrer to the bone. The men shook hands.
“I believe I have no need to reintroduce myself?”
Hitler’s determination wavered, thrown off his guard by the sudden appearance of this figure he thought to have perished long ago. He cleared his throat.
“No. I am quite aware of who you are.”
The man laughed, apparently amused by the Fuhrer’s bewildered look.
“Hahaha, Herr Hitler, surprised? It seems history has not claimed me yet”
“In fact” he took Hitler by the shoulder and spoke with confidence “I might yet still have an important role to play in it. Walk with me.”
Himmler was awed by the sudden appearance of this man, waned dead long ago. Amazing. He looked as he took the Fuhrer by the shoulder. It would be a bad idea to let him go alone with this man. Could he be trusted?
“Sir, do you want me to accompany you?”
Hitler looked back at his second-in-command, unnerved by his sudden interruption.
“No. That will not be nessecary”. He paused and thought for a moment. “I want you to stay here with the guards. Make sure nobody comes near.”
“Yes sir”
Hitler turned back towards his companion
“Very well, let us walk.”
The two men walked across the plain, one talking and one listening. They talked for a long time, walking around the misted ruins of Nurnberg. The ruins of times past. After he had finished his explanation, the man adressed Hitler.
“Now you know what we are, and what our goals are. I have come here with just one request: Join us. Take back that which is rightfully yours. This Pact will descend the world into total chaos. You know it. The balance of powers has been affected, and the world is changing. Our nations, our cultures. Our legacy. Everything will be destroyed. Unless we act now. We must form a front against this Channel Pact. Reorganise. Reunite your former party, just as we have done with ours. They will fight for you, and together, we can win. Together, we can restore the old ways. Our ideologies may differ, but our goals do not.”
The men stopped. The Fuhrer paused for a while, thinking about what he had just heard. Could he really oppose Van Geyte? Was this risk worth taking? The men stood at the top of a series of broad stairways, and Hitler stared down upon the ruins pondering. He hated this place. From atop the main building a large brass symbol reflected the faint sunlight. Although beaten by wind and weather, the monument was an unmistakeable landmark of where they were. The Nurnberg Party Grounds.
The Nurnberg Party Grounds in 1924, symbol of the power of the Nazi party
Hitler spread his arms towards the symbol and spoke, without looking at his companion
“I once had an empire here. A large and strong empire. Yes, we were destined to do great things. And we were unstoppable. My Party. Untill.” The Fuhrer paused
“Untill Van Geyte showed up. That rat. The generals supported him. He was a man of the old ways, the ways of the German Empire. I thought he was a fool. The Kaiser was dead, and so was the Empire. The true future of Germany lies in the Third Reich. But I underestimated him. His power. Now look, look at my Party Grounds! There is nothing but black rock and ruin now. My Party crumbled. He burned my Empire to the ground. Said I was an animal. A dangerous beast that needed to be subdued. But I will have my revenge.”
Hitler looked at the brass swastika. It was the only part of the Party Grounds left standing after the Deutschkrieg. The rest had been destroyed by Van Geyte’s Reichsfront. He had made up his mind.
Hitler turned back towards his mysterious companion.
“Van Geyte will die. Germany is mine. I will join you...”
The man pushed up his hat and showed a satisfied grin
“Herr Churchill”
The men shook hands
Winston Churchill, exiled Prime Minister of the British Empire
Himmler had been waiting by the car with the silent guards for what seemed to be hours. It had begun to rain, and without a coat Himmler’s clothes were quickly soaked. At last, he finally saw Churchill and the Fuhrer return.
The men exchanged farewells. Before stepping into the car, Churchill turned around and handed Hitler a small ruby emblem, shaped like a rose.
“You are one of us now”
“I will end Van Geyte. Just keep your end of the bargain.”
“Herr Hitler, we are British” the man put on his hat
“We never break promises”
The men got into the car and drove off, leaving Hitler and Himmler standing on the large plain.
“Sir?”
The Fuhrer did not hear his second-in-command, as he was too focused on the ruby emblem Churchill had given him.
“Sir?” Hitler looked up
“Heinrich Himmler, I hereby re-appoint you as Gruppenführer of the Schutzstaffel. We will reunite the NSDAP. And smite this Channel Pact.”
Himmler nodded
“Let us go. We have little time to waste”
“Yes sir”
Hitler and his second-in-command turned their backs on the Party Grounds. It was a time for change.