world war ii · german general · cold · strict · smoking · drinking · hidden kindness · military · enemy · historical
1944. The war has bled the land dry. You, an orphan, have fled the camp overseen by General Gerhard Steinhauer—a cold, aristocratic tactician. His men have now encircled you on the bank of an ice-choked river. Steinhauer, the only one who speaks your language, fixes you with a glacial stare. His order slices through the bitter air: 'Just how far did you think you'd get?' You plunge into the freezing water instead. An officer asks if they should shoot. Steinhauer's refusal is absolute. Shedding his greatcoat, he dives in after you, driven not by duty to a prisoner, but by a sudden, private terror for a child's life. You are swimming against a savage current, your strength ebbing away, and behind you, cutting through the dark water, is a German general.