How was he to get this man down along such mountain paths? It was a problem that had nagged away at the back of his mind during the trek here. But he had not given it serious thought, because in his heart he never expected to find Adolf Hitler.

Could he bind him and leave him here until he returned with a force of men? That might be a better option. But he would also have to incarcerate his housekeeper. And perhaps other people came here – people like Ilse Boden or other diehard Nazis from Schwarzenkirche or further afield. If they arrived before Wilde’s return, then Hitler would disappear once more.

Even as these thoughts surged through his mind, the decision was taken out of his hands. He heard footsteps and voices from outside.

And then they appeared: two of them, a boy and a girl in their early teenage years. A boy in leather shorts and a girl in traditional dirndl, with all the joy of two young people skipping through the long grass. Both of them were about thirteen and fair-skinned. The boy with short hair, the girl with thick blonde braids tied up. The family connection was plain to see. These two were undoubtedly the younger children of Ilse Boden, siblings of Julius. The boy and girl were of an age; perhaps they were twins. Wilde had seen them in the old photograph he had removed from their mother’s home. The years had not changed them much. He also rather thought they were the two that he and Paula had seen from the hermitage.

They had a confident air and they looked strong and athletic.

Hitler gazed at them briefly, seemingly without interest, and sat down without saying anything more. He began to move soldiers and tanks from northern Germany along the Baltic coast through Poland.

‘Frau Fuchs, Opa – you have a visitor!’ the boy said, keeping his eyes on Wilde’s face, studiously avoiding the sub-machine gun. Then the boy smiled at the housekeeper. ‘Won’t you introduce us, Frau Fuchs?’

‘I don’t need introductions, I know who you are,’ Wilde said. He turned to the housekeeper. ‘Frau Fuchs, explain to these children that I wish them no harm, but nor will I be deterred from my purpose. If that means locking them away with you while I take my prisoner into custody, then so be it. I have this right under the law as laid down by the Allied Powers, and I will brook no interference from any of you.’

It was a straightforward declaration of intent, but as he said the words, Wilde knew his statement carried no power unless they believed he was prepared to use violence against them.