Rybin, Y. Luftwaffe ace Walter Schuck researched / Christer Bergstrom, Yuriy Rybin. - Sweden : [s. l.], 2019. - 190 p. : ill.

WALTER SCHUCK tion, for his brutal methods against any opposition, and look on their faces soon changed when the little Leutnant among the German servicemen in Norway; Terboven continued his speech. Schuck talked about severe air was infamous for not tolerating any criticism or any- combats in the Far North, that the fighter pilots always thing else which could jeopardise his image of infalli- were numerically inferior, and that they suffered heavy bility. Maybe the Reichskommissar wanted to enhance losses to the Soviets. After a while, Terboven had enough his own image by being seen together with the new Oak and interrupted Schuck with a loud voice: Leaves holder - after all, such high awards were rare in “You may sit down, Leutnant! These Eismeerjager German-occupied Norway - or he was genuinely inter- is an ungrateful lot! I have repeatedly sent them the best ested in talking to the young war hero. In any case, he supplies: German Atikah cigarettes, Puma cigarettes, invited Leutnant Schuck to dinner in Terboven’s living red wine, brandy, you name it! And then one of them quarters. dares come here and start moaning!” In order to demonstrate that he, and not the Norwe- Walter Schuck definitely had taken one or two drinks gian “fo rer” Vidkun Quisling, was in charge in Nor- too much, for he stood up again to contradict Terboven: way, Terboven had established his headquarters in the “ Herr Reichskommissar, ” Schuck began, without Norwegian parliament’s buildings, the Stortinget, and noticing how it was as though an electric shock had hit his living quarters at Skaugum - the Norwegian crown the men around the table. Totally perplexed, but with a prince’s residence. face glowing with anger, Terboven sat down and heard The dinner at Skaugum was held in the presence the outspoken little Leutnant: of Reichskommissar Terboven, Generalmajor Rit- “Herr Reichskommissar, maybe that is what you ter von Schleich, and Terboven’s staff. These were all have sent from Oslo. But what have we received up there “bigwigs,” and the miner’s son Schuck - who had been in the North? Foul Salem cigarettes, sour red wine and promoted to a “war officer” - felt uneasy in such a com- bad liquor!” pany. But Schuck sighed with relief when he saw that Terboven bolted out of his chair, and yelled, pointing they were served lobster with mayonnaise. Back in 1940, at a middle-aged man wearing an SS uniform: when he had been with 10./JG 3 in Brombos in France, “ Oberfiihrer Muller! I want to see a report on this he had learned from Oberleutnant Rudolf Freiherr von tomorrow morning at nine o’clock!” Mentzingen how to use the special cutlery fot this meal. SS-Oberfuhrer Georg Muller, in charge of “Propa- He enjoyed seeing the senior officers’ surprise at the ele- ganda and Popular Enlightment” in Norway, looked pale gance with which the simple miner’s son used the cut- and only nodded. lery, all according to the best table manners. Totally misinterpreting the whole situation, Schuck Terboven was so pleased that he invited Schuck and felt that he had managed to convince the Reichskommis- around fifteen other guests to supper, and Schuck could sar. This made him bold, and without having sat down, not decline. After supper, the Reichskommissar took his he added: guests along down the stairs to the Norwegian crown “Well, gentlemen, please calm down. The war will prince’s well-equipped wine cellar, which Terboven had soon be over. If we then will have won the war, we don’t had re-built into a copy of a Bavarian ale house. The men have to talk about the matter any more. But if it turns out were accompanied by three ladies - two of Terboven’s that we will have lost the war, I will have learned noth- secretaries, a Miss Hettich and a Miss Graf, and one of ing. Well. . . on second thought, I have at least learned Generalmajor Ritter von Schleich’s secretaries. These to drive a car and how to fly. Apart from that I know three women served Terboven and his guests with beer, nothing. But maybe I can become a taxi driver.” wine, whiskey and brandy. Death silence dominated the room. Everyone had They were sitting around a large oak table when Ter- stopped drinking. Even the female secretaries stood fro- boven suddenly made a suggestion - or rather, issued an zen still. The Reichskommissar stared in front of him- order: self through his round glasses. His red face was pouring “Let’s enjoy each other with a lecture each! The with sweat. Everyone except Schuck expected him to youngest among us should begin!” explode. But instead, an anonymous man in a blue-grey The youngest - with his twenty-four years, Schuck uniform said that he wished to speak. This man had been definitely was without competition in that company, sitting on Terboven’s right hand side the whole evening, Under normal circumstances, Schuck would have felt without speaking much. Terboven asked him to speak, embarrassed in such a situation, but the few drinks he and the man stood up and stared Schuck in his eyes: had taken, had a reinforcing effect. However, not rein- “It is obvious from the Leutnant’s words,” he said in forcing as far as his judgement is concerned. Disregard- a condescending but calm and quite soft voice, “that the ing the special consideration this very special company Eismeerjager have become defeatists. It is outrageous to would have demanded, he decided to speak out. So Wal- find that we have such people at the front! With such a ter Schuck stood up, on slightly wobbly legs, and started negative attitude, they are not suited to be in the first talking. line!” “I will hold my lecture on the “Eismeerjager,” he Schuck started back at him. He noticed that the started, and the gathered men looked content. But the anonymous man wore neither honorary insignias, nor