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"Who are you?"

"A friend"

"Why should I believe that?"

"As I said, things are not alhat they see the Nazi ani before the Russians"

Light dawned in the professor's eyes "The Kreisau Circle?" He had heard ruroup

Karl brought his finger to his lips "We are still in enemy territory," he said with a lowered voice

Kovacs clutched Karl's aret my family to safety as well?"

"I am afraid it is too late for that Your family is no more"

"But the letters-"

"They were clever forgeries, so you would not lose heart and give up your work"

Kovacs stared into the night with a stunned expression on his face

Karl grabbed the professor by the lapel and whispered in his ear "You ood and the welfare ofhands"

The professor nodded duhter's hull A ladder was lowered Karl ordered the reluctant crewain to pick up hter's deck, Kovacs watched the boat push off Karl gave one last wave and the boat disappeared behind a veil of falling snow

In the distance, Kovacs saw the lights of the liner, which had turned onto its port side, so that the funnel was parallel to the sea The boiler exploded as the ship slipped below the surface about an hour after being torpedoed In that short time, five times more lives were lost on the Gustloff than on the Titanic

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