Burkhalter's Musings

By

Jennaya

I own nothing about Hogan's Heroes, but if it's for sale within my budget, I'll take it!

General Albert Burkhalter watched out the window of the Kommandant's office as Schultz, Hogan, and that idiot Klink drove out the front gate of Stalag 13; knowing full well they would return with the three so called 'escaped prisoners'. He could count on Hogan keeping Klink here despite himself. Captain Fritz Gruber, who was going to take over command of Stalag 13, when Klink managed to volunteer for duty at the Russian front, walked into the office interrupting the General's musing.

"Herr General, I would like to speak to you about something important," Gruber started nervously.

"What is it Gruber?" The General was annoyed.

"Herr General, when we were interrogating Colonel Hogan..."

"When WE were interrogating Hogan?" Burkhalter questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean sir, when you were interrogating him," Gruber groveled before continuing. "I noticed a…a…peculiarity. Just before Hogan opened the door, he looked at his watch and appeared annoyed at something. Then Colonel Klink was at the door like he was waiting for an invitation to enter."

"Gruber, are you accusing a German officer of collaborating with the enemy?" Burkhalter deadpanned him wondering how far he'd go with this accusation.

"Nein, Herr General, nein. I thought it was strange is all," Gruber back tracked.

"Colonel Hogan has responsibilities to his men and a schedule to keep. My observation was he was attempting to follow a set timetable," Burkhalter said moving away from the window.

"The timing Herr General was irregular…"

"Now you are accusing me of conspiring with Hogan?" Burkhalter's voice went up with each word.

"Nein, Herr General, nein," Gruber was terrified because the General misinterpreted his concerns.

"Gruber, you are obviously not ready for this command. Report to headquarters in the morning for your reassignment, and pray it's not to the Russian front," Burkhalter's face shown disapproval.

Gruber quickly saluted and left the office afraid to ever bring the subject back up.

Damn Klink! If he'd only followed Hogan's instructions that conversation would never have happened. General Burkhalter sighed as he poured himself a drink from Klink's stash. The idiot got himself transferred to the Russian front, and there had been nothing that Burkhalter could have done about it. But, he knew Hogan would come up with a plan to keep the Kommandant from leaving.

Burkhalter was no traitor. He loved his county, the real Germany, not the idiotic reckless Corporal that was currently running it. A damn Corporal was giving him, a General, orders? Burkhalter shook his head as he poured himself another drink.

Burkhalter knew the only way to stop Hitler was for the Allies to win the war, and then Germany could be returned to its full glory, without that menace overshadowing it forever. He would never outright do anything to aid the Allies, but if he was able to maneuver things to be more favorable for them he did so. Two years ago, when he had to find somewhere to put Klink, Burkhalter thought Klink couldn't do any worse than the other Stalag Kommandants and stationed him here. To his surprise Klink had done well, although they both knew that was because of Hogan.

Burkhalter had heard of Hogan when he carried out bombing missions against Germany, and then again when he was shot down and captured. Hogan was obviously an important player for the Allies, and getting him back might mean a quicker end to this forsaken war. The General had him transferred to Stalag 13, expecting Hogan to be back in London within a week. Then as the American's say, he could kill two birds with one stone; Klink would be at the Russian front out of Burkhalter's command, and Hogan helping the Allies to end the war.

Only that wasn't what happened. Within six weeks of Hogan's confinement, the local underground was more organized and taking out key bridges and facilities. Burkhalter knew Klink could never keep Hogan in prison, so he went to investigate and found Hogan easily manipulating Klink. It was amusing to watch.

He wanted to see what this arrogant American officer could accomplish, so he enlightened Klink about an experimental shipment that would be passing close by Stalag 13. Then he sat back and watched. As he suspected, the payload was destroyed, and the Gestapo were on it like bugs with no answers. Burkhalter never suspected Klink of passing information along to Hogan; Hogan had his own way of intelligence gathering. When something came along that the General thought Hitler shouldn't have, he made sure the information passed through the toughest Stalag in Germany. And then the underground would take care of it for him. He never had to get his hands dirty and could still protect his Germany.

This little game continued for a few months before that Gestapo weasel, Hochstetter, realized there was a pattern forming around Stalag 13, and to protect himself the General had to back off a bit. Not interested in letting the Gestapo take away his way of protecting his homeland, Burkhalter brought Klink in on the plan to capture the underground. Hogan and his men were able to avoid capture, make Hochstetter look like a fool, and still make roll call. When Hochstetter showed up ranting and raving, no evidence could be found that the prisoners had left the barracks. That man was always livid, positive Hogan was his Spion but no proof could be offered other than a madman's ravings. Burkhalter took great pride in protecting Hogan from the Gestapo agent, even if he had to continue putting up with Klink to do it.

General Burkhalter was no fool, Germany deserved better than what it had. If a little misdirection to the Gestapo, and a cleverly placed word in Klink's office helped restore Germany to its former glory, he was proud to serve. After the war, he would arrange a talk with Papa Bear to discuss old times.

Sergeant Schultz drove in through the gates with the escaped prisoners. Satisfied, the General poured himself another drink as he looked at his watch; it only took an hour to round up the escapees. Yes, he could count on Colonel Robert E. Hogan.

~ Finish~