Circles of trust in subterfuge

Jonathan Freedland in conversation with Mick Brown

Henley town hall

Thursday, October 9

WITH an evening chill settling on the town, footsteps hurried to hear Jonathan Freedland, author and Guardian columnist, talking about his new book The Traitors Circle: The Rebels Against the Nazis and the Spy Who Betrayed Them.

While researching his last book, Jonathan came across a 1944 speech by Heinrich Himmler, who was under pressure to reassure top Nazi officials. His speech referred to a group of German aristocrats who had gathered at a Berlin tea party in September 1943.

Everyone at the tea party was a dissenter — or so they thought.

Countess Maria, one of the aristocrats, had turned her home into a refuge for “submarines” (Jews in hiding). They hid in two sofa beds, where she left a glass of water and codeine tablets to suppress any coughs. As a student vet, she kept animals in her home to cover the noise.

One of the hidden Jews was her lover, Hans.

With a brother-in-law high up in the Gestapo who visited regularly, Maria took enormous risks. Jonathan described what happened during one such visit.

During the interrogation, Maria sat on the sofa bed with Hans inside. The Nazis insisted she open the sofa beds. She opened the first one. The Nazis commanded her to open the second. She said, “It won’t open.” The men tugged at it.

Maria said, “If you think there’s someone in there, take out your gun and shoot through the couch.” After a pause, she added, “If you do, I insist you pay for repairs.” Not wanting to fill in an expenses form, the Gestapo left.

Hans emerged. He’d been saved by her swagger.

Countess Maria, 34, also helped Jews escape to Switzerland. She was one of the “black swimmers” who swam with Jews across Lake Constance at night to safety.

Maria swam with a pumpkin tied to her foot and if the searchlights found her, she dived under the water. Soldiers in a boat would shoot the pumpkin and she resurfaced when they’d moved on.

Jonathan grew up in a house where his mother wouldn’t allow anything German. She believed there were no good Germans. Jonathan gave a different view — an estimated three million were imprisoned for dissent during the war. He also talked about “grabbers” — people searching for hidden Jews. But the grabbers were Jews — they helped the Nazis in exchange for being spared.

Eloquent and softly spoken, Jonathan is motivated by the need to keep memories alive. He fears the British resolve after the Second World War has lasted only the length of a human life.

Laura Basden