Berlin blood

The courtroom gradually filled with people. The situation became more tense, and it seemed to Ilse that today it was even worse than yesterday. Becker quietly sat down in her seat next to Andreas. — Where did you go? — the man asked. “Just look around,” Ilsa sighed, trying not to remember the strange conversation with Siegfried, but she suddenly wanted to speak out. — Siegfried caught me. Can you imagine, he invited me to leave my lover and become his wife. What a nightmare. Now I’m even more afraid for Gunther. What if he puts pressure on the judge? Andreas raised his eyebrows. — Is he serious? Listen, Ilse, maybe you should talk to Albrecht? The trial has not yet begun, there is time. — Do you think this will be of any use? Well, what if I tell him my personal story? — At least he will be aware of this. Try it, Ilsa. — Fine. Becker stood up and went to Albrecht’s office. Inspector Yoon found himself on the spot and was reading something in the latest newspaper. The door to his office was slightly open, and Ilsa knocked, attracting the man’s attention. Albrecht raised his head. — Ilsa? — Mr. Yun was surprised. — Good morning. Come in,” Yun pointed to an empty chair. — Something happened? — Hello, Albrecht. “Frau said hello in response and walked to the chair and sat down on it. — Sorry to bother you, but there is something I need to tell you. — I’m listening to you attentively. “I think that May’s prosecutor will try today to put pressure on the judge to choose the highest possible punishment for all your charges.” Albrecht raised one eyebrow. — Why do you think so, Ilsa? Ilsa averted her eyes to the side, her cheeks turning a little red. She was silent, Albrecht waited patiently, looking at his watch. There were no more than ten minutes left before the trial began. “Siegfried and I were once close,” Becker still answered, embarrassed, after a couple of minutes of silence. “Today he tried to suggest considering the option of restoring the old relationship. I refused him. He guessed that one of the defendants was my lover. And since he doesn’t know who exactly, all four will suffer. Albrecht thought about it. — This behavior is quite in the spirit of Siegfried. That’s his nature. But don’t worry, Ilsa, I have one ace up my sleeve that I hope will help me free Gunther and the others. —Are you talking about his connection with the Nazis? Albrecht was amazed. — How do you know this? “The fact is that I was a servant under the Fuhrer and lived in a bunker for a long time. I once heard the name of the prosecutor in a conversation, but I didn’t think it was him. But now I understand that I was not mistaken. Perhaps he came to the bunker too, but I never encountered him there. — This is great, Ilsa. You can act as a witness if the situation requires it. Ilsa nodded. She was ready to do anything to save Gunther. They came to the courtroom together. Under Siegfried’s disapproving glance, Ilse sat down in the back row, and Albrecht walked to his desk. A few minutes later the judge entered the room and everyone fell silent. The clerk announced the start of the trial, and the judge opened the floor to Siegfried for additional charges, if any. “Thank you, your honor,” said Prosecutor May, “there are no additional charges, but I would like to ask you to consider the punishment in the form of execution, and not life imprisonment, as I asked earlier.” After his words, a quiet rumble arose in the hall: everyone began to whisper and look at each other in bewilderment. — Why do you now insist on this measure of punishment? — The judge asked. “I thought for a long time and came to the conclusion that for these criminals there can be no other punishment than death. “I can’t agree with you here, Prosecutor Maya.” As Albrecht Yun said earlier: they have nothing behind them except the forced service of the German army. And there is no death penalty for this. Siegfried clenched his hands into fists. “Your honor, allow me,” Albrecht rose from his seat. “I think Mr. May is going too far.” Early testimony from the defendants makes it clear to us that they were not involved in the Nazi system. “They killed people and gave death orders. — Siegfried put in his two cents. — They are the same subordinates as ordinary people. They are distinguished only by shoulder straps. It’s one thing to sacredly believe in the blood you shed, it’s another thing to give orders because it’s necessary. “You are passing the buck, Inspector Yoon.” — Oh really? Prosecutor Maya, in my opinion, in an attempt to blame everything on other people, you are hiding something personal. — What does my personal life have to do with it? These people wore the uniform of the Third Reich, talked about Hitler and gave death orders. This is enough to kill them. — Is it true? That is, you want to shift all responsibility for the war onto these four? I believe that only one person is responsible for all the bloodshed that happened. The one who started this bloodbath. All responsibility lies on Hitler’s shoulders. And you want other people to pay for his mistakes and sins? — They are Germans! — Siegrifd answered excitedly. — We are with you too! Don’t go over to the nation! Or have you labeled us as Nazis too? Or do you reject the fact that you are German? — No, I don’t reject it. But I was not involved in what Germany did. — Gentlemen, you have deviated a little from pressing matters. — The judge intervened in their dispute with a dissatisfied expression on his face. “Sorry,” Albrecht was the first to come to his senses, “I demand that Mr. May’s proposal be rejected.” It is not right. Soldiers cannot pay with their lives for the mistakes of people who are out for blood. Still, we are in a courthouse, where justice is administered, and not chaos occurs. What Mr. May wants to do is pass the buck and nothing more. “Your honor…” Siegfried barely had time to become indignant when the judge suddenly raised his hand. — All. Stop. If you have nothing more to add on the merits and there are no additional materials indicating the commission of crimes against civilians, then the trial is over and is removed for a decision to make a final verdict. Everyone remained silent, and the judge stood up from his seat. The secretary announced the end of the trial. *** An hour later, the judge returned back to the courtroom, and everyone’s eyes were fixed on him in anticipation. “The court decided,” the judge began, and Ilse involuntarily bit her lower lip, “to release and find innocent: Günter Richter, Paul Bernstein, Thielicke Schlosser and August Scholz.” The verdict is final. It is not subject to appeal. Ilsa exhaled. My head was spinning from an overabundance of emotions. She saw how Albrecht’s face also shone with joy, how Gunther closed his eyes, obviously holding back tears. And only the appearance of Siegfried was dissatisfied with what was happening. Ilsa did not focus her attention on her former lover, but before approaching Gunther, she thought that Siegfried deserved to lose in this matter.