Gestapo

From the very first day, the Swedish Red Cross detachment was assigned its own Gestapo escort, numbering around forty men under the command of an Obersturmbannführer, an Obersturmführer, and several commissioners. Of these, only the senior officer wore a uniform; the others were dressed in civilian clothes. Throughout our time there, the Swedish detachment provided all of them with food and cigarettes. The escort was initially quite intense, but gradually relaxed. Every car or bus that set out on a journey was accompanied by its assigned Gestapo man.

At first, they monitored us closely, raising objections to activities such as listening to Swedish daily news, speaking with prisoners during transport, or tuning in to foreign radio broadcasts. Since it was unclear to what extent the Gestapo men understood Swedish—which, for some, they likely did—it was important to exercise caution. Over time, however, cooperation became smooth, and on several occasions they offered valuable assistance. Particularly accommodating and benevolent was the chief, Obersturmbannführer Rennau, who, with unwavering zeal, promoted the cause of the Red Cross.

Photo: Heinz Ahrens, Swedish Red Cross