Krueger's Men

[Jim O]

"Krueger's Men" would be an interesting work of fiction.

What makes it fascinating is this: It's all true.

The new book, by Lawrence Malkin, tells the story of the prisoners of Block 19 of Sachsenhausen. The men, Jews imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps, worked to counterfeit millions of British pounds. The Nazi regime planned to use the counterfeited bills to cripple the British economy.

The idea to counterfeit the enemy's currency came to the Nazis only weeks into World War II. And it wasn't unique. At one point, America considered counterfeiting German marks. The Brits had contemplated it, as well.

But the plan wasn't as easy as the Nazis had thought it would be.

An early project manager found the paper of the British pound extremely difficult to re-create--it was made of linen and ramie, a "lustrous fiber spun from a tough Asian nettle." To be the closest reproduction, it would need to be handmade, but the Nazis vetoed that because it would slow production.

And the Britannia seal, a drawing of a woman on a throne, also was difficult to reproduce--so much so that the men began to believe it was hexed.

The project was basically abandoned for about a year, until it was revived by Heinrich Himmler, commander of the SS, in 1942.

Bernard Krueger, an SS officer who had experience forging passports and other identity papers, was put in charge of the new counterfeiting operation.

Krueger chose his workers from among those at Sachsenhausen who said they had some expertise--in engraving, paper, art, the building trades, even a doctor to keep his work force well. Some, hearing others called out of line, fibbed about their occupations, in hopes the decision would save their lives. Others with expertise pertinent to the counterfeiting operation were brought in from other Nazi camps.

Krueger's men were treated well, compared with others in the Nazi camps. They worked from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., got an hour for lunch and Sundays off. They were given good food and medical care.

But each knew that his assignment could end at any moment. And if that happened, the Nazis would likely not leave any witnesses to the counterfeiting operation.

The work was difficult and exacting. But the prisoners managed to replicate the British notes. Then, at the order of their Nazi captors, they turned their attention to American currency.

Malkin, a journalist who worked for Time magazine and the International Herald Tribune, used bank records, war-time correspondence and transcripts of interrogations to reconstruct the story of the men in Block 19.

Malkin's tale is as intriguing as it is complete.

He learned not only of the counterfeiting operation, but of the Bank of England's refusal to accept that its currency had been compromised.

Malkin also follows the prisoners, many of whom were liberated from the camps. Malkin tells how several of them fared after the war was over.

While readers can get bogged down in some of the historical facts, "Krueger's Men" is, at its heart, a compelling narrative, telling the tale of men who would do anything to try to make it out alive.


Source: Fredericksburg.com - Fredericksburg, Virginia's homepage

[Helmut Von Moltke]

I remember I saw something about it on the mediocre 'History Channel' last time I visited the States. I remember fro mthe documentary that in 1945 the money was sunk in an Austrian lake.

K