Page 87 of The Last Kingdom

DATE: April 5, 1943

1. New intelligence confirms that relations between Japan and Germany are deteriorating. Both countries’ war plans are failing. They each want the other to join their respective fights. Compounding this, it has become routine for their representatives to exaggerate minor victories and minimize losses to the other. We have confirmed intelligence that Germany consistently downplays every defeat of the German army. They claim the Soviet offensive will soon run out of steam and that anywhere the Wehrmacht can be sent on land, it is sure to win. But where the army has to be taken overseas it becomes somewhat more difficult. That is clearly a direct reference to Germany’s resistance in becoming involved in the Pacific land conflict.

2. Japan has consistently refused to disclose to Germany its actual strategic position in the Pacific. Japan has also refused to interfere with American shipments being off-loaded at Vladivostok, allowing large numbers of troops and material to be transported from East Siberia to the Soviet Union.

3. Sources confirm that Hitler and the German high command are incensed with Japan’s refusal to intervene with those American shipments, which is allowing a continued reinforcement of Soviet troops from the east. Hitler is quoted as saying about the Japanese, “They lie right to your face and in the end all their depictions are calculated on something which turns out to be a deceit afterwards.”

4. Part of the friction between Japan and Germany centers around Japan’s continued interest in the Hawaiian Islands and Germany’s inability to assist with that interest. Multiple sources have mentioned a document that Germany has searched for since 1939, which relates to the Wittelsbach family. Details are uncertain. We are still working to develop more.

Apparently, Japan wanted Germany to find that deed. In return, they dangled the possibility of more cooperation to the Axis in Europe. But it seemed that the OSS, at least in 1943, knew few facts. He read another of the separated memos.

TO: General William Donovan

FROM: Lt. Mike Burke

SUBJECT: New Operation Authorization

DATE: January 9, 1944

1. Sources close to the German high command have confirmed that there is an ongoing search within Bavaria for a document relating to the Wittelsbach family that could impact the United States. The current Duke of Bavaria, Rupprecht (Robert), lives in Italy, having been exiled by the Nazis in 1939. It is impossible to make direct contact with him at this time as he is the personal guest of King Victor Emmanuel, residing in Florence. His wife and children live in Hungary.

2. Rupprecht opposed the Weimar Republic and, like his father, Ludwig III, never renounced his claim to the Bavarian throne. Upon his father’s death in October 1921, Rupprecht declared himself king, noting that his father had never formally renounced his crown either.

3. Rupprecht never joined nor supported the German far right, though Hitler tried to make that happen with promises of a royal restoration. Sources confirm that neither man likes the other. Rupprecht is currently barred from returning to Germany. He very much wants a restoration of the Bavarian monarchy. He has even proposed an idea of a union with Austria to form an independent southern Germany. He wrote a memorandum in May 1943 where he stated his belief that Germany would be defeated in the war. He also proposed the idea of him taking the German crown, which had been held by the House of Wittelsbach in the distant past.

4. The main friction between Rupprecht and Hitler seems to center around a document from the 1880s involving Ludwig II, which the Germans want. They have been actively investigating its whereabouts all across Bavaria but have yet to find anything. Rupprecht has refused to offer the Germans any assistance. We are working on securing more details and request permission to certify a new active operation dedicated to this purpose.

It seemed that Randy Miller had culled through the crap and found the gold. Three other memos mentioned more of the Nazis’ efforts in Munich, and across southern Bavaria, during the spring and summer of 1944. Then he came across another report, this one from General Donovan himself, marked “Top Secret.”

TO: General Dwight Eisenhower

FROM: General William Donovan

SUBJECT: Ongoing Operation report

DATE: October 24,1944

Information has come to my attention that for some time the Nazis have been conducting a wide-ranging investigation across Bavaria. We have learned that they are searching for a document that belongs to the Wittelsbach family, one that dates to 1881 and involves the former king, Ludwig II. Due to the extremely sensitive nature of the information I am requesting time to brief you in person. My recommendation is that occur as soon as possible, given the urgency of the situation. So far, to our knowledge, the Germans have yet to find anything of substance, but their determination is troubling. Please advise when we may talk.

Rife’s reading was interrupted by the buzz of Bryie’s phone. The other man answered, listened a moment, then thanked the person on the other end and ended the call.

“Malone has a cell phone,” Bryie said. “We have it pinged.”

He smiled.

God, he loved technology.

“Tell me where.”

Chapter 48

COTTON ADMIRED THE BUILDINGS OF LUDWIG MAXIMILIANUniversity. They were grouped around two large squares on Ludwigstrasse, a royal avenue named after Ludwig I, a former king who created the route as the city’s grandest boulevard, a place for magnificent Italian Renaissance buildings, state parades, and funeral processions.

The car from Lehmanns had woven a path through late-morning traffic. He wondered if they were headed to the university but saw that the destination seemed to be another building—long and tall with one arched window after another spanning a city block—bearing the name Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. Bavarian State Library. His driver stopped in front. Another man waiting at the curb opened the door and beckoned for him to exit.

He entered the library.

Curiosity got the best of him and he hesitated a moment to catch a few lines of a placard that stood in the foyer, which noted that the institution had been founded in 1558 as the court library for the House of Wittelsbach. Today it was the central state library and repository for the Free State of Bavaria. Total holdings of 33 million units, among those more than 10.7 million volumes, 57,000 periodicals, and 138,000 manuscripts, making it one of the most important centers of knowledge in the world.

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