‘He also said what a good friend you’ve been, so loyal and trustworthy. There is a lot of gold, Konrad; he got it from Jews before he sent them on their holidays in the east. I know he would wish you to have some of it, as a small token of his respect for you.’

The SS Brigadeführer told her that he needed a few days to work on this: perhaps by Friday?

She said Thursday would be better, as then she’d be able to take the train on the Friday. ‘With luck, Konrad, I’ll be back here this time next week, with a certain something weighing down my bags. If it is possible also to have papers to show I’m on state business – for the SS perhaps – that would be so helpful.’

He told her to come back on Thursday, and she returned to the apartment in Charlottenburg. She had so much to do and so little time in which to do it. She knew it would arouse suspicion if she took more than one suitcase, and it was hard to know what to leave behind. She’d wear her furs and jewellery, and she packed more jewellery along with the silver candlesticks belonging to the Goldmanns. She knew how important they were to the family and hoped one day to be able to return them. The final item to go into the case was perhaps the most important one: her husband’s diary.

She took care to ensure her maid was not aware of what was going on. She gave her a few days off and told her she’d be back by Monday.

When the maid had left, she took out Karl-Heinrich’s letter and read it a few times, savouring it the way one does a compelling novel. Then she opened one of the bottles of what he had assured her was an excellent vintage champagne: Mumm, his favourite.

She ran a bath and stayed in it for an hour, then put on her silk dressing gown before pouring her fourth glass of champagne and reading the letter once again.

Chapter 19

Stalingrad; Switzerland, January–February 1943