Consequence Equals Regret

Consequence Equals Regret

Suzanne Marsh

Her life was ebbing away in the sterile hospice room. I entered the room with her nurse; tears welled in my eyes. She had hospice call me informing me that she requested to see me, since I was her only niece. I had not seen Tante Maria for years; she had joined a cloistered monastery when I was a child. I could not imagine why she would want to speak with me now, but here I was. The nurse left us. I stood near the bed wondering if I should attempt to wake her or sneak back out. She began to stir and her eyes opened to slits as if the lone light were to bright. I took her cold blue veined hand in mine:

“come here Liesel, it has been so long since I have seen you. You look very much like

your papa. I asked you to come here because I have kept a horrible family secret for

many years. It is always passed to a female descendent, since I became a nun, it falls

to you. In the nightstand there is an envelope, please bring it here to me.”

This was beginning to creep me out but I did as she requested. I placed it in her hand. She laid there quietly for several moments:

“Liesel, I entrust to you this document. Keep it safe. I wish you to read this in its entirety,

when you are finished we will speak.”

She fell back on her pillows as I sat down next to her hospital bed. Did I really want to read this. It seemed so important to her. I opened the envelope and inside was a warrant for the arrest of Georg Banner, my Great Grandfather. My eyes widened as I saw the charge: Murder. My great grandfather was a murderer, oh this was not happening. I knew my Mom had said there was something that happened because he could not return to the Deutschland, he had a price on his head. I wasn't sure I was ready to begin reading but I did not want to tire Tante Maria out, her breathing became shallow.

I began to read:

January 1^st, 1914 Dallas, Texas

“I Georg Banner did on the 29 September 1913 murder Doctor Rudolf Diesel. I know I can never

return to the Deutschland. I do wish to tell my side of the story. I hope and pray that this will remain

a secret in the Banner family. I am twenty one years of age. I enlisted in the Deutschland Merchant Marines when I was eighteen. I wanted a better life than the one I had in Duisburg, I wanted to see the

world. It was every young man's dream. When I was twenty my friend Hans Zimmerman and I enlisted in the Deutsch Marine.

On 1 January 1913 I was approached by Hauptmann Heinrich Bauman of the Admiralstaf, Naval Intelligence. He handed me his card since Hans was standing there. He asked me to come to his office sometime soon. I had a good record with the Deutschland Marine, I was a Deckoffizier (Warrant Officer) at the time. After the Hauptmann walked away I turned to Hans:

“I wonder what that was all about.”

Hans shook his head:

“perhaps the Hauptmann will tell you when you go to his office.”

Hans and I walked toward our ship, then I stopped:

“Hans, I am going to walk to Schloss Pless, my curiosity has gotten the better of me.”

We parted there, it was the last time I would see Hans or our ship.

I showed the card that the Hauptmann had given me. I was directed to his office. I knocked on the door. He opened the door, showed me in. It was a typical office, a desk two chairs. He motioned me to sit down.

“Thank you for coming Deckoffizier Banner. I make this as brief as possible. We have been

watching you for quite some time. We need you for an assignment. Once you accept it, you

will be on your own, we can not help you.”

I must have looked like an owl peering at him:

“Sir, what sort of assignment is this, than if I am caught no one will help me?”

The Hauptmann continued:

“You know the Deutschland is going to go to war soon. We have developed a new type of boot

for combat against the British, it is an Unterseeboot. Doctor Rudolf Diesel, has invented an

engine, that we want. However the good Doctor is also negotiating with the British. He is

leaving for Antwerp, Belgium in a few days. He is traveling to complete a deal with the

British. The meeting is scheduled for 10 October at Consolidated Diesel Manufacturing

Company, London England. Doctor Diesel must not ever reach that destination.”

He sat watching me as a cat watches a mouse. I was not sure exactly what I would say; I needed time to think. It sounded as if the Hauptmann and the Admiralstaf wanted me to murder Doctor Diesel:

“Herr Hauptmann Bauman are you asking me to murder Doctor Diesel?”

The Hauptmann began:

“In answer to your question yes. Should you decide to do this, if you are caught the Admiralstaf

will deny everything. We have a contact in Doctor Diesel employ, he informed us that Doctor

Diesel is planning to sell the rights to his invention to the British. He must be stopped.”

I thought about that for several moments:

“How do you expect me to do this? I don't even know the man.”

The Hauptmann smiled:

“you are going to be his new apprentice, we have arranged that through our contact. You

will leave today. Do not attempt to contact your family or friends. Good Luck Deckoffizier.”

My fate was sealed. I waited as the Hauptmann retrieved a long envelope with all the documents I would require as an apprentice. I took the next train to Essen. I was uneasy about murdering the man but I was duty bound to the Deutschland. I found my way to Krupp Manufacturing, presented my apprentice papers. Doctor Rudolf Diesel was very appreciative that he had a new apprentice, apparently the last one quit. Doctor Diesel seemed a pleasant sort of person, he had dark brown eyes that smiled as he spoke, white hair and goatee. He escorted me to his laboratory it was there I saw his engine for the first time. The engine that was going to cost him his life in about two weeks. He informed me that he and I were going to Antwerp, boarding the SS Dresden crossing the English Channel and arriving in London, England on 9 October. A week later we left by train for Antwerp. I sat quietly watching out the window. I hated the thought of murder but orders were orders, no choices. We boarded the SS Dresden on 29 September 1913. Our staterooms were adjacent to each other. That made my job a bit easier. He went to his stateroom; we would head for dinner at six in the evening.

I went into my stateroom, unpacked my clothes and my Luger 9MM PO8 pistol. My plan was to make it look like he committed suicide by jumping over board. I knew that by midnight no passengers would be on deck. Now it was just a matter of time.

Doctor Diesel and I met at the dining saloon; it was six o'clock; the menu is one I will never forget:

Sauerbraten

Potato Dumplings

Rotkohl

Apple Strudel

I knew it would the last German cuisine I would ever have. Once the SS Dresden arrived I planned to disembark; take the first ship going to the United States. Doctor Diesel seemed to be preoccupied with his own thoughts. He left early stating he was going to bed and would appreciate a 6:30 am wake up. At approximately nine o'clock, I returned to my cabin. The first thing I checked was to make sure the Luger was still safely tucked away. I lay down on the cot, sleep alluding me. I paced around the cabin for what seemed an eternity. Midnight approached. I loaded the Luger, stuck it in my belt. I opened the door to my cabin, slowly and quietly tip toed to Doctor Diesel's door. Opened it.

I walked over to the bed, calmly pointed the Luger at Doctor Diesel rousing him from his bed. Strange that he was not dressed in his nightshirt, he still had his suit on. He paused long enough to fold his jacket. We started up the stairs to the main promenade deck. I motioned him to the railing. It was almost as if he knew this was going to happen. I motioned for him to jump. He began to protest. I shoved him overboard. Walked calmly and slowly down to my cabin. I undressed put on my nightshirt and went to bed. The following morning a steward knocked on his door, as he did mine. He asked me if I knew where Herr Diesel was. I replied that to my knowledge he was in his cabin. The steward went in search of Herr Diesel. No one had seen nor heard from him. The steward arrived back at the cabin door with the chief steward. They walked into Herr Diesel's cabin. They found his hat, jacket neatly folded, his watch on the nightstand next to the bed. An alarm was sounded for a man overboard. Three days later we arrived in England. I saw a tramp steamer at anchor. I disembarked from the SS Dresden. The tramp steamer I learned was pulling up anchor in a few hours, they did not take passengers but they needed a seaman. I still had my papers from the German Merchant Marines. I landed the job.

The ship arrived at the Port of New Orleans on 17 October 1913 I jumped ship. I made my way to Dallas, Texas where I hid for several years. I met a young German woman Gretchen Schmidt, we lived together. I left her in Dallas, took a freight train to New York City, New York. There I met a young Dutch woman by the name of Louise De Jong. We married and had two daughters. One married the other entered the Monastery of the Sacred Heart in Flushing, New York. I told Louise the truth about my past. She accepted it.

Georg Banner

Stunned would not even begin to describe the feelings that I had. I understood the reasons. Germany wanted the Diesel engine as did England. World War I broke out July 28, 1914. I stood up to leave, I took her hand to say goodbye. Her eyes fluttered open for a few moments. She took one last jagged breath.

I am thankful that I went to see her that day. I also learned that every deed has a consequence and the consequence leads to regret.