The snow had begun early in Berlin, brushing across the Reich Chancellery windows.
General Werner von Fritsch stood at his office window, arms behind his back, watching the snow fall.
He turned when he heard the door.
His aide, Major Ebeling, entered with a file in hand. "This was delivered from the Chancellery this morning, General. Marked urgent."
Fritsch nodded and accepted it without a word.
The man waited a moment too long. "Is there anything..?"
"No. That will be all."
When he was alone again, Fritsch opened the file.
His face remained still, but his hands stopped midway through turning the first page.
There it was, allegations of moral indecency.
Specifically, homosexual activity.
Names.
A statement from an informant in police custody.
Dated two weeks ago.
Typed by someone he didn't know.
He didn't finish reading.
He didn't need to.
He knew what it meant.
This wasn't about scandal.
It was about control.
