daß ich dem Führer des Deutschen Reiches und Volkes
Adolf Hitler, dem Oberbefehlshaber der Wehrmacht,
unbedingten Gehorsam leisten und als tapferer Soldat bereit sein will,
jederzeit für diesen Eid mein Leben einzusetzen.
I swear to God this holy oath
that I shall render unconditional obedience
to the Leader of the German Reich and people,
Adolf Hitler, supreme commander of the armed forces,
and that as a brave soldier I shall at all times be prepared
to give my life for this oath.
Prologue
Our Lady of the Nahuel Huapi Cathedral
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Brit Jorgensen rode in silent reverence as the chauffeur of the black Mercedes Benz drove onto the snow-covered grounds of Our Lady of the Nahuel Huapi Cathedral. Named for the patron saint of Bariloche, a medium-sized city in the Patagonia region of Northwestern Argentina, the Catholic church was built in the mid-1940s by European masons and carpenters.
This was a momentous day for Brit, not just because she’d just turned one hundred and one years old. It was also the start of her fulfilling a promise to the man she’d loved her entire life although she hadn’t seen him in almost eighty years. Her adoration for Heinrich Himmler, the father of her two sons, and the only man she’d ever known intimately, had never faded.
Her bodyguards circled the sedan and quickly checked the grounds. It was midmorning during the week, and the church would be empty except for the priest, Father Nikolaus Bormann, the great-grandson of Martin Bormann, the private secretary to Adolf Hitler. Father Nikolaus followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and his father before him, who’d entered the clergy years after the end of the war. His bloodlines provided assurance that Brit’s confessions, and those of all associated with her, would remain where they belonged—in the confessional.
The chauffeur, her chief protector and constant companion, was given the all-clear signal, so he hustled out of the car to open the door for Brit. She was frail and her body had been withering from the taxing effects of old age. Her mind, however, was still as sharp as ever as she performed her duties as the matriarch of the Jorgensen family and the symbolic emeritus chair of die Zwölf, translated as the twelve.
She took in a deep breath of fresh mountain air as she exited the car. The climate in the Argentine mountains reminded her of her days growing up in Norway. She’d gone back to visit Oslo several times, mostly on business, but never wanted to stay. Bariloche had become her home, and the cathedral was a place for spiritual refuge.
Brit took a moment to admire the architecture of the cathedral. She’d approved the neo-Gothic style with its simple lines, very high walls, and a dome crowned with a large crucifix and a globe. It evoked memories of the classic construction of the Catholic cathedrals in Norway. Growing up, like so many other Norwegians, Brit and her sister, Inge, had been raised as Lutherans. Only a few percent of the Norwegian people were practicing Catholics. She’d always admired their cathedrals and helped design Our Lady of the Nahuel Huapi in the European tradition.
Flanked by her bodyguards, Brit was assisted by her chauffeur through the thick wooden gates into the entry hall of the cathedral. A stone statue stood prominently on her right. It represented the image of Our Lady of the Nahuel Huapi holding the infant Jesus in her arms while resting her right hand on the shoulder of the child. The second statue, carved in wood, paid homage to Ceferino Namuncura, a revered young Argentinian priest, wearing his signature poncho. The two statues invoked a spiritual message to all who entered.
Brit had always considered herself a missionary, but not necessarily from a Christian perspective. Her life was devoted to fulfilling Himmler’s vision of providing his fellow Germans a place of safety and refuge following the war. Toward that end, she’d used the financial and political tools provided to her by Himmler to build an empire, complete with its own hierarchy and government led by die Zwölf.
She reached the central nave in almost complete silence. Only the gentle hum of the modern heating system could be heard in the background. Inside, her eyes were drawn upward, as they always were, marveling at the large columns and walls made of local stone. Then she managed a slight smile as she took in the sight of the altar and the monumental statue of the crucified Jesus Christ behind it.
There were candles burning, allowing a soft glow inside to go with the minimal sunlight the Byzantine stained glass allowed in despite the gray skies. Brit sighed as she cast her eyes on the image of the patron saint, transparent in the largest window, hovering like an apparition above the altar. The cathedral had been placed on the church grounds so the setting sun would cause the patron saint to cast a golden glow into the nave.
Brit turned to her loyal companion and nodded. She was ready to take her seat in the front row to receive Communion from Father Nikolaus. Afterwards, the men left her alone to her thoughts and prayers.
She spent those next few minutes in silent contemplation, thanking God for her blessed life. She asked for the protection of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She prayed for the continued safety and success of Odessa and die Zwölf. She prayed for the future of Germany, her adopted homeland, and the future of the Reich.
Then she spoke aloud to her beloved Heinrich.
“Meine liebe, a joyous day is upon us. It will be the beginning of a new era for the Reich, just as you envisioned. Our family, and the families that your thoughtful plans provided for, are prepared to take back what is ours. Germany will soon be governed in your vision. Then the Reich will finish what you began a lifetime ago. We will establish a Western Imperium encompassing all lands of Germany and Austria. As time passes, others will join us.
“First, we must
