‘I mean Hitler was happy to sacrifice millions of his own people and even more millions from other countries or races in his insane war. None of you Nazis gave a damn who lived and who died. So why didn’t you fly the machine instead of some anonymous young pilot? He was just cannon fodder to Hitler, wasn’t he? Why not leave the pilot to stew and take Hitler himself? Or Bormann? Or Goebbels? Or one of his pet generals? You can surely see our problem, Frau Reitsch.’

‘If you don’t believe me, you don’t believe me. There is nothing I can do about that.’

‘So where did you fly?’

‘Rechlin first, then to Plön. They are both in northern Germany.’

‘Why Plön?’ Wilde asked.

‘Because Admiral Dönitz was in Plön. And when the Führer died, he assumed command of the Reich government.’

‘Then you moved on again – very quickly.’

‘Indeed, we had several stops until we arrived at Zell-am-See in the Alps.’

‘And within a few days you and Field Marshal Ritter von Greim were in Kitzbühel in the Tyrol, which is where you were arrested by the American Army. So why there? Why didn’t you stay in the north of Germany?’

‘We had messages to convey from the bunker, and we wished to surrender to the Amis, not the Reds. There was no other motive.’

‘What messages?’

‘Private letters to loved ones from those who were about to die.’

‘Where are they now, these letters?’

‘We delivered them, as promised.’

‘But Greim didn’t surrender, did he? He took the cyanide pill.’

‘He was very sick. The damage to his foot caused extreme pain and the outlook was poor.’

‘I suggest you arrived in the Alps because that was Hitler’s preferred destination. That’s where you flew him and helped him to his mountain hideout.’

She threw her hands in the air. Her wiry body twisted so she was looking away from them, not meeting their eyes. ‘I have heard this nonsense so many times! Why will no one believe me? Nothing I say will convince you, so this is all pointless.’

‘You can surely understand our doubts, Frau Reitsch: we have no proof that Hitler is dead. The evidence is flimsy at best. We have the word of his driver, who didn’t see the face of the man he supposedly burnt. The Russians just found a few ashes and a dental plate, which a dentist conveniently identified as one that he himself made for Hitler. And that’s it. Even Stalin doesn’t believe he’s dead.’

‘Then find him and I will believe he is alive. More than that, I will rejoice.’

For the first time, Wilde noticed Heck shifting in his seat. He was beginning to wonder how far to trust the lieutenant’s assurances of self-control. Time to move on with the questioning.