Chapter 309 - 92: The Pragmatic New Chancellor of West Germany

Chapter 309: Chapter 92: The Pragmatic New Chancellor of West Germany

Werner said calmly, "General, all my operations were legal. They were all approved by Koko and the Planning Committee."

"Legal?" Beck’s voice suddenly rose. "Comrade Werner, do you know what speculation and profiteering is? You used your position to hoard oil in advance and then sold it at a high price when the opportunity arose, making an exorbitant profit. If that isn’t speculation and profiteering, what is?"

"Half of that oil was supplied domestically, and the other half was sold on the international market, all at international market prices. If you call that speculation and profiteering, then all foreign trade work is speculation and profiteering."

Von Brown, who was standing nearby, exhaled a cloud of smoke and said lazily, "General Beck, Comrade Werner has a point."

Beck whipped his head around to glare at Von Brown. "Colonel von Brown, I am conducting an interrogation. Please do not interfere."

"I’m not interfering." Von Brown shrugged. "I just think the General’s questions require more rigorous logic. We are the Stasi, after all. We can’t just pin baseless labels on a comrade, can we?"

Beck’s expression darkened further, but he didn’t argue with Von Brown. Instead, he turned back to continue staring at Werner.

"Fine, let’s say it wasn’t speculation and profiteering," Beck said. "Then let me ask you this: How did you know an oil crisis would break out in October? How could you predict it so accurately a month in advance?"

"I’ve already explained this at the meeting," Werner said. "I reached my conclusion by analyzing publicly available information."

"Publicly available information?" Beck sneered. "Werner, do you take me for a fool? The situation in the Middle East was indeed tense, but hundreds of intelligence agencies around the world were analyzing it, and not a single one could accurately predict that a war would break out! How could a businessman like you manage it?"

Werner looked at him and said slowly, "General, intelligence work and business judgment are different. Intelligence agencies seek one hundred percent certainty, so they wait until the last possible moment to draw a conclusion. But businessmen can’t wait. We have to make decisions under uncertainty."

"That’s no excuse." Beck slammed his hand on the table. "Werner, I’ll ask you one more time. Do you have an inside source? Did you receive information from a Western intelligence agency?"

"General," Von Brown spoke up again, his tone laced with a hint of amusement. "That’s an interesting question you’ve posed. If Werner really did have an inside source at a Western intelligence agency, that would make him a spy. But if he’s a spy, why would he use that intelligence to make money for East Germany? He could have secretly done business in the West himself and earned far more."

Beck turned to glare at Von Brown. "What are you trying to say?"

"I’m trying to say, General, that your logic is flawed," Von Brown said languidly. "Werner’s operations, from start to finish, have all been in service of Koko. The portion he earned personally was a legitimate commission and investment return. It has nothing to do with espionage."

"Then what about his source of intelligence?" Beck demanded. "How do you explain the accuracy of his judgment?"

Von Brown flicked the ash from his cigarette and looked at Beck with a hint of mockery in his eyes. "General, I think the question right now isn’t why Werner’s judgment was so accurate, but why our Stasi intelligence analysis wasn’t as accurate as his."

Beck’s face flushed red. "Von Brown, what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means nothing." Von Brown smiled. "I just think that instead of interrogating Werner here, we should have our intelligence analysis department do some serious self-reflection."

Beck took a deep breath, clearly suppressing his rage.

He stared at Von Brown for a few seconds, then said, "Colonel von Brown, are you here today to assist with the interrogation or to play devil’s advocate?"

"I’m here to fulfill my duty, General," Von Brown said. "I have a responsibility to ensure the interrogation process is legal and by the book. If there’s a problem with your questions, I am naturally obligated to point it out."

The two men locked eyes, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Werner sat in his chair, watching this unfold. ’I know what Von Brown is doing,’ he thought. ’On the surface, he’s carrying out his Stasi duties, but in reality, he’s undermining Beck at every turn.’

Beck finally tore his gaze away from Von Brown and looked back at Werner. "Fine, I won’t argue with you about that. Werner, even if your intelligence source is clean, you personally earned several million West German Marks. How do you explain that money?"

"Commission and investment returns," Werner said. "General, you should be familiar with Koko’s system. The handler of a major transaction is entitled to a certain percentage as commission. Additionally, I used my own money to purchase some financial products in West Germany and earned some investment profits. It’s all legal."

Von Brown chimed in casually, "Indeed. General, if you want to convict Werner, you’d better find a legal basis first. Otherwise, it might be very awkward when this case is reported up the chain."

Beck whipped his head around. "Von Brown, that’s enough!"

"I’m just stating the facts, General." Von Brown held up his hands. "Didn’t you say you wanted to handle this case impartially? Then you should follow the law."

The veins on Beck’s temples bulged. He was clearly at his breaking point.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

An officer pushed the door open, walked over to Beck, and whispered a few words in his ear.

The expression on Beck’s face changed in an instant, shifting from anger to astonishment, and then to a dark gloom.

He stood up, glanced at Werner, then at Von Brown, and turned to stride quickly out of the interrogation room.

Von Brown remained seated, slowly smoking his cigarette, not looking the least bit concerned.

About ten minutes later, Beck returned, his face ashen.

He stood at the doorway, looking at Werner, and only spoke after a long moment. "Comrade Betelich, you can go."

"That’s it?" Werner stood up. "The interrogation is over?"

Beck didn’t answer, just stared at him coldly.

Von Brown stood up then, walked over to Werner, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Let’s go. The case is closed."

Werner glanced at Beck, then turned and walked toward the door.

When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Beck.

"General," Werner said, his tone calm. "I understand your duty. But I hope you understand something—doing the right thing can sometimes look very suspicious. But it is precisely because it looks suspicious that it is all the more worthy of protection."

With that, he pushed the door open and left.

Von Brown followed behind him. As he reached the door, he glanced back at Beck, the corner of his mouth curling into a slight smile.

"General, some people are not for you to touch."

Beck stood in the interrogation room, watching their retreating backs, his fists clenched tightly.

By the time they walked out of Stasi Headquarters, the sky was completely dark. Werner stood at the main gate and took a deep breath of the cold air.

Von Brown came up beside him and lit a cigarette.

"Beck’s face was a sight to see. Someone from Anger’s side must have sent people to stop him."

Werner smiled. "I figured as much."

Von Brown clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, I’ll give you a ride home."

The two of them walked toward the Volga sedan parked by the roadside.

Werner got into the car, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked out the window at the gray building of Stasi Headquarters.

’It was a close call, but I made it through.’

************

On November 15th, Werner received a call from Gunter, telling him to come to his office.

When Werner walked into Gunter’s office, he found several people already seated inside—besides Gunter, there was the deputy director of the Planning Committee and several senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

"Werner, sit," Gunter said, gesturing for him to take a seat with a smile on his face.

After Werner sat down, Gunter began, "Werner, your performance during the oil crisis was outstanding. You not only earned tens of millions in West German Marks of foreign currency for Koko but also secured East Germany’s oil supply. The central leadership is very pleased with your work."

"I was only doing my duty," Werner said humbly.

"No, no, no." Gunter waved his hand. "This wasn’t just doing your duty; this was foresight. Werner, you predicted the oil crisis in advance. That kind of vision and boldness is unique in Koko."

The deputy director of the Planning Committee also spoke up. "Comrade Werner, the central leadership greatly admires your work. Comrade Anger specifically mentioned you by name, calling you an outstanding comrade on East Germany’s economic front."

Gunter continued, "Werner, the central leadership has decided to bestow upon you the title of ’Hero of Labour’ and to award you a new apartment and a new car."

Werner was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you for the Organization’s trust."

"No need to thank us," Gunter said with a laugh. "Werner, you live by your skills. You’ve more than earned this."

After the meeting, Werner walked out of Koko Headquarters and stood at the entrance, looking up at the gloomy Berlin sky.

’This oil crisis not only made me a great deal of money, but it also solidified my position within the East German power structure.’

’But I also know that a tall tree catches the wind.’

’Beck’s investigation was shut down, but others will be watching me now.’

Werner lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke.

’I’m not afraid.’

’Because I know that many things are going to happen in East Germany over the next few years.’

’And I will continue to use my advantage of foreknowledge to ride the coming waves of history.’

***************

In Bonn, May 1974, the streets glistened after a rain.

Werner stood by the Rhine River, looking across at the gray-white office building of the West German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The tip of his cigarette glowed and faded between his fingers, the smoke scattered by the wind.

The recent resignation of West German Chancellor Brandt was still fresh in his mind.

It had been a huge scandal. An East German spy named Guenther Guillaume had worked by Brandt’s side for years, continuously sending the West German Government’s secrets to East Berlin.

After the affair was exposed, Brandt had been forced to resign. All of West Germany was shaken, and its policy of détente with the East was, for a time, in jeopardy.

But now, it seemed that after Schmidt took over as Chancellor, the policy of détente had not stopped.

"Nervous?"

Warner had come up beside him at some point.

"No." Werner extinguished his cigarette. "Just wondering if the rules will change with the new chancellor."

"Schmidt isn’t Brandt," Warner said in a low voice. "He’s from Hamburg—very pragmatic. Not an idealist like Brandt, and he’s not one to kneel before some monument. What he cares about is money, votes, and economic figures."

Werner turned his head. "Is that a good thing for us?"

"Of course." Warner smiled. "Idealists are hard to deal with because they have principles. Pragmatists are easy to talk to, as long as the price is right."

The two men walked back along the Rhine River. A tour boat passed by on the water, tourists on its deck raising their cameras to take pictures.

Werner was suddenly reminded of the Vltava River in Prague, of the sound of tanks grinding over cobblestone streets.

"Don’t overthink it," Warner said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Today is just about business. It’s what you do best."