The Generals (2 page)

Major von Peters
: In addition what?

Tadeusz Haller
: In addition, the Chief of State is of the opinion that this task is of too great importance to be entrusted to the representatives of any other authority than the armed forces.

Major von Peters
: Well, that’s obvious.

Tadeusz Haller
: Especially as other authorities hardly exist. Be that as it may, apart from the psychological analyses for the protection of the moral and spiritual welfare of the people, which can be based on the record of the proceedings of this court martial, the verdict and sentence for each charge on which the court finds the accused guilty, are to be regarded as a precedent and a foundation for civil-military legislation.

Major von Peters
: I see. Have you finished now?

Tadeusz Haller
: Yes, that is all I have to say.

Colonel Pigafetta
: If I’ve understood you correctly, the whole court martial procedure is to be regarded as a military emergency.

Tadeusz Haller
: Yes, formally.

Colonel Pigafetta
: And your authority at this court martial does not embrace the sections of the case which concern military matters?

Tadeusz Haller
: My assignment is to act as judicial adviser and function as an observer.

Colonel Pigafetta
: For the government?

Tadeusz Haller
: And for the Chief of State.

Colonel Pigafetta
: I see … well, no doubt we can come to some agreement.

Tadeusz Haller
: I’m sure we can. I beg your pardon, Mr President, I didn’t quite catch what you said.

Colonel Orbal
: What?

Tadeusz Haller
: I didn’t hear what you said.

Colonel Orbal
: I didn’t say anything. I was yawning. Lieutenant Brown, you may continue.

Lieutenant Brown
: The procedure of the case includes one closed and one open section. The sessions will be introduced with the open section, to which the general public and representatives of the press, radio and television have access. Is the court prepared to conclude the internal deliberations and proceed to the open section of the session?

Major von Peters
: The press? Foreigners, too?

Lieutenant Brown
: To some extent, sir. Three foreign news agencies have been granted an audience.

Major von Peters
: From friendly nations?

Lieutenant Brown
: Naturally.

Major von Peters
: You should say ‘naturally, sir’.

Lieutenant Brown
: Yes, sir.

Major von Peters
: Good.

Lieutenant Brown
: In addition, the foreign news agencies are represented by the same journalist as our own mass media are.

Major von Peters
: Have any of the general public come?

Lieutenant Brown
: No, sir.

Colonel Orbal
: It’s dreadfully cold in here.

Tadeusz Haller
: It wouldn’t do any harm if a few representatives of the general public were present. Looks better.

Colonel Pigafetta
: Arrange that, will you, Brown. There’s bound to be a few people in the messes.

Lieutenant Brown
: Yes, sir.

Colonel Orbal
: Does it have to be like this? So damned cold, I mean?

Colonel Pigafetta
: I’ll try to get something done about it.

Colonel Orbal
: This mineral water just makes you colder than ever. And it tastes of sulphur. Can’t you arrange things so that we get something hot to drink? Coffee or tea, or something?

Colonel Pigafetta
: Of course. I suggest we go upstairs, to my quarters.

Major von Peters
: Switch off the tape-recorder.

Lieutenant Brown
: I have no authority to interrupt the proceedings until the members adjourn the court.

Major von Peters
: Adjourn the court, Mateo.

Colonel Orbal
: The internal proceedings are herewith concluded. The court is adjourned for an hour and a quarter.

Lieutenant Brown
: Is this extra-ordinary court martial prepared to proceed to the open section of the session?

Colonel Orbal
: Of course.

Major von Peters
: Are the general public organised?

Lieutenant Brown
: Yes, sir.

Major von Peters
: Then you can open the doors and summon the parties.

Lieutenant Brown
: This extra-ordinary court martial herewith proclaims the case of the Armed Forces versus Erwin Velder open. Will
the parties concerned please take their places. No, you may remain seated until the press and the general public are ready.

Major von Peters
: Who’s the journalist?

Tadeusz Haller
: Doctor Brandt from the Ministry of Information.

Colonel Pigafetta
: Brown, for God’s sake get those men to stop rattling the chairs about.

Lieutenant Brown
: May I request the public to maintain silence and order.

Major von Peters
: The Air Force. No discipline.

Colonel Orbal
: What did you say?

Lieutenant Brown
: This extra-ordinary court martial herewith presents the case of the Armed Forces versus Erwin Velder. I call on all parties to rise. You too, Lieutenant Bratianu, please.

Major von Peters
: I told you discipline’s always bad in the Air Force.

Colonel Orbal
: What? Yes … of course.

Lieutenant Brown
: The presidium of this extra-ordinary court martial has for dealing with this case been constituted as follows: President of the Court, Colonel Mateo Orbal. Members of the court martial and representatives of the armed forces, Major von Peters, Army, Colonel Nicola Pigafetta, Air Force, and Commander Arnold Kampenmann, Navy. In the event of non-appearance of members of the court during sessions, they will be replaced by personal substitutes. The case for the prosecution will be submitted by Captain Wilfred Schmidt, with Lieutenant Mihail Bratianu to assist him. The accused is defended by Captain Roger Endicott. The President of the Court Martial will now declare the public section of the session open.

Colonel Orbal
: The public section of the session is herewith declared open.

Lieutenant Brown
: The parties may now be seated.

Major von Peters
: Your name is Erwin Velder?

Velder
: Yes.

Major von Peters
: Stand up, man. That’s right. Well, what’s your military rank?

Velder
: Lieutenant-Colonel.

Major von Peters
: For God’s sake, man. Are you standing there insulting the court?

Colonel Orbal
: Nice start.

Major von Peters
: Captain Endicott. I presume you’re familiar with the documents?

Captain Endicott
: As far as has been possible. During the three days in which I have held this appointment …

Major von Peters
: That’s nothing to do with it. What’s the accused’s rank in the armed forces?

Captain Endicott
: Velder was what was called Senior Guard in the militia of the time. When it was reorganised, he was designated corporal.

Major von Peters
: So he’s a corporal in the army?

Captain Endicott
: Yes.

Major von Peters
: What are you looking for, Mateo? The instructions? They’re there, look.

Colonel Orbal
: Corporal Velder, I would like to remind you of the importance of your answering all questions as truthfully and exhaustively as possible and of elucidating the questions which the Prosecuting Officer, the President of the Court and other members of the court martial will ask or submit to you.

Velder
: I’m prepared to answer everything.

Colonel Orbal
: May I ask the Prosecuting Officer briefly to summarise the case for the Armed Forces.

Captain Schmidt
: Mr President, officers and gentlemen before this extra-ordinary court martial, I intend to show with the help of fully substantiated evidence that the accused Corporal Velder has committed the grossest offence in one hundred and twenty-seven different instances. In the case of eighty-six of these offences, which come under military law, among others murder, desertion and high treason, I submit that he is declared to have forfeited his right to all military honours and decorations …

Major von Peters
: Decorations, ha ha.

Captain Schmidt
: … and that his military rank as a non-commissioned officer in the Army be stripped from him and that he be demoted to a private in the same service. Moreover I submit that for these eighty-six offences,
as well as
the remaining forty-one offences which cannot be regarded as coming under regulations arising from the military state of emergency, the accused shall be sentenced to lose his national citizenship. Also that for the one hundred and twenty-seven
specified charges, which on account of the far-reaching nature of this case I intend to develop and account for more closely during the course of the session, on each separate count Velder be sentenced to punishment to be executed in such a way as the presidium of this extra-ordinary court martial deems suitable.

Colonel Orbal
: We have now heard the Prosecuting Officer’s preparatory summary. Has the Defending Officer anything to add at this stage … yes, what the hell is it, Endicott?

Captain Endicott
: The accused requests that the charges which do not concern his military service shall be transferred to a civil court.

Major von Peters
: That’s absurd. Refused.

Colonel Orbal
: Request refused. Where was I now? Oh, yes, here. Has the Defending Officer anything to add at this stage of the session?

Commander Kampenmann
: Briefly, Velder, do you admit the charges?

Velder
: What?

Major von Peters
: For Christ’s sake, man. It’s ‘What,
sir
’. Stand up. Do you admit to committing an offence, let’s see, in one hundred and twenty-seven different instances?

Velder
: No, sir.

Colonel Orbal
: Do the parties now wish to report, summon or register any witnesses?

Captain Schmidt
: I request to be allowed to call witnesses as the need arises throughout the session.

Major von Peters
: Request granted.

Colonel Orbal
: Granted.

Captain Schmidt
: On account of the inhuman, and morally deeply reprehensible and in certain cases grossly depraved nature of the offences, I submit that future sessions are not open to the press and general public. Apart from stated motives, I would cite Military Secrets Regulations, paragraphs eight to twenty-four, and elementary and general consideration of the reputation and security of the State.

Major von Peters
: Submission granted.

Colonel Orbal
: Of course. Quite right. Granted.

Lieutenant Brown
: May I ask the members of the press and of the general public present to leave the premises.

Major von Peters
: Air Force. Sloppy lot of men.

Lieutenant Brown
: Is the court martial prepared to proceed to the closed section of the session?

Colonal Orbal
: Of course. We now proceed to the closed section of the proceedings.

Major von Peters
: What’s the time?

Commander Kampenmann
: Half-past five.

Major von Peters
: We lay off now, Mateo.

Colonel Orbal
: What?

Major von Peters
: We go on tomorrow.

Colonel Orbal
: This extra-ordinary court martial will be resumed tomorrow at eleven o’clock. Remove the accused. It’s still just as cold. Will it be any better tomorrow?

Colonal Pigafetta
: I’ll do what I can.

Major von Peters
: Adjourn the session now, Mateo.

Colonel Orbal
: Of course, yes. The session is adjourned.

Lieutenant Brown
: Present: Colonel Orbal, Major von Peters, Colonel Pigafetta, Commander Kampenmann and Justice Tadeusz Haller.

Major von Peters
: You’ve forgotten yourself.

Lieutenant Brown
: Officer presenting the case, Lieutenant Brown.

Colonel Orbal
: I still think it’s damned cold in here.

Colonel Pigafetta
: As you know, domestic oil is rationed. And the central heating system doesn’t function well. We’ve had a lot of trouble with it.

Colonel Orbal
: That’s odd.

Colonel Pigafetta
: It was installed by army engineers. They come here every week and try to repair it.

Colonel Orbal
: Oh, Christ.

Major von Peters
: Stop that now, Mateo. Listen, Mr Haller, there’s one question you haven’t thought of and which, if I’ve got it right now, must be sorted out first of all.

Tadeusz Haller
: What would that be?

Major von Peters
: How the hell did this wretch ever become a soldier in the first place.

Colonel Pigafetta
: That would undoubtedly seem to be a logical start.

Colonel Orbal
: Of course. Agreed.

Major von Peters
: Brown, call the Prosecuting Officer.

Major von Peters
: It is the court’s view that we must unravel this skein from the right end, that is, with the question: How could that swine become a soldier and be appointed a Senior Guard?

Captain Schmidt
: That question is gone into at great length in the preliminary investigation material.

Major von Peters
: My dear Schmidt, you don’t really mean that the members of this court should sit down and read right through that enormous tome, do you?