The Amber Room by
H D Evans
Published by Pipeline
Š Hugh Evans 01 November 2011 & 20 August 2012
3
Chapter 18
Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork
. . . .later in the chapter . .
They entered the red brick castle, bought two visitor tickets and a guide map. “This place is quite a sight,” Ema looked around the vast entrance hall. “Yes, most of it was rebuilt after the war, it was badly damaged.” They approached the receptionist at Information. “Hi...Clara...can we see to Dr Alina Stawalowski please?” Mark asked in bad Polish, rather clumsily reading her name badge The pretty receptionist replied in good English, “Is she expecting you, what name should I give?” “Er, not really, say Markus von Jungingen.” She made a call and took some instructions. A rather stern man in a navy blue blazer and black and white striped tie arrived at information. “Please would you follow my colleague,” she waved in the direction of the security man. “Thanks.” They went down the corridor, up the stairs of the main building to an office on the first floor. The security man opened the door and closed it behind them. Dr Alina Stawalowski was young, with long, dark hair, startling red lips, and wearing a dark green jacket, black jeans and leather boots. The room was wood panelled and had books all down one side, the desk in the window was classic, but there was a modern pair of sofas in front and a glass and metal coffee table in the centre of the room. The room had beautiful views over the footbridge and the River Nogat, anabranch of the Vistula. “Good morning, Alina Stawalowski,” she held out her hand. She spoke excellent English with very little Polish accent. “Hello, Markus von Jungingen, this is my colleague Ema Bernstein.” “Very pleased to meet you,” Ema shook her hand. “You are a lot younger than I imagined Herr von Jungingen, I have so many questions, I don't know where to start,” the doctor was warm but inquisitive. “Mark, please...so have I,” Mark replied. They exchanged pleasantries, Alina invited them to sit and arranged some refreshments. “It was quite a surprise to learn that you were at reception.” “We're quite surprised too, we're on a....vacation... and thought we would have a look at the academic department,” Mark said haltingly, looking at Ema.
4 “We have some items that we thought...might be....interesting,” Ema started to struggle and laughed nervously. “I think we will go on to Kaliningrad later and try and find Markus von Jungingen's family home,” Mark continued. “I know someone who may help you, Piotr Roegel, he still lives in Kaliningrad.” “Thanks, the name sounds familiar, I remember my grandfather talking of a Peter Roegel. It would be great if we could arrange to see him?” “I'll see what I can do.” Alina was intrigued. She had read a webcast on the “Amber Artefacts and Anthropology” lecture at the New York Museum of Natural History; the contents were quite sensational for a topic that has evolved gradually over a long time. She should know, Malbork Castle was one of the pre-eminent authorities of amber history and 80% of the world's amber came from the river basins of the Baltic, including the Nogat that flowed under her office window. The Malbork Castle and the Kaliningrad Amber Museum held the two largest collections of amber in the world. She thought she recognised Ema, mostly because of her red hair, from an image in the webcast, but it was very unclear. There had been a spike in the interest in the Amber Room, she had received a lot of emails again this morning. It was very strange that the lady who was involved in the commotion at the lecture should turn up together in her office two days later. She wanted to know how this was going to progress. . . . . “Well, I'm pleased that you did,” his open face reflected the honesty of his answer. “I would have been happy to have made an appointment, I feel a little unprepared.” “I'm sorry, it was a last minute decision to visit.” “I believe our academic facility is in regular contact with the Smithsonian, what can we do for you more than that?” “Yes it is, we have a great relationship, I speak to them regularly when we are categorising our pieces, but this visit is personal, and I have none of my resources available.” “What is it you want us to help you with?” “I would like to look at some family amber using your laboratory, please.” Alina responded without hesitation, “I am sure that can be arranged, please come with me.” They left the office, walked down the stairs, past the main hall. Mark stopped and looked in, he looked through the wooden Gothic entrance arch, flanked either side by suits of armour and Teutonic heraldry; a central row of three columns supported the vaulted roof. The building had been restored to its
5 former glory after being severely damaged during the war. He wondered what it would have been like when the Order met for ceremonies and feasts. “I can show you later if you want,” Alina offered, fully aware of his interest. “That would be so good,” Mark beamed. They went down another flight of stairs and into the subterranean level. Along a cool corridor and into the research laboratory. “Hello Robert, would you help us, we want to categorise a few pieces?” Alina asked the assistant. “Hi Mark Youngman,” Mark introduced himself. “Robert Eriksen, nice to meet you after all this time, we have spoken several times.” Mark placed the accent as Southern Swedish with a Copenhagen stay. “Yeah, it's great to meet you, I will tell my colleague John Graham that we have met at last. You must come to visit us at the Smithsonian.” “I'd like that, so...what have you got to look at?” Ema came over to the table and held out her right arm. She took off her bracelet with her left hand. Robert glanced at the ring on her left hand. She put her bracelet onto the inspection plate and Robert turned on the illuminating light. They brought over a camera on an articulated arm and the image was transferred to a flat screen at the end of the table. Robert and Mark were in their element. “What a magnificent piece,” Robert started enthusiastically. “Yes it is, wonderful,” Mark agreed. Ema smiled. “The silver craftsmanship looks ancient, but it obviously isn't. The quality of the silver is excellent, had it been much older it would have had more imperfections and the oxidation and detritus would have been greater in the areas where it doesn't wear. This piece was made to look old or made specifically in an older style. The clasps for the amber are interesting...” “I think they are faces.” “Yes, they could be faces...Norse.” “The indentations around the clasp are allusions to facial features, and the symbols at the top of the face may be an indication as to the face. They may need some cleaning to get a clearer idea...” “We can clean them and identify them, but the amber pieces are exquisite, they are not all of the highest quality, but there is something about the arrangements....” . . . . . .later in the chapter
6 . .
“Hi, hi, hi, yeah, good to see you again thanks for meeting up and so soon, wow. How are you?” John was feeling awkward. He didn't normally do breakfast meetings, or any meetings before mid-morning coffee, or meetings at all if he could help it. He pulled nervously at the stubble around his chin. They sat in the coffee shop at the Smithsonian. He had put a clean T-shirt on for the meeting, the choice had taken him ages, his jeans were grimy, he didn't have any others. “Sure, good to see you too, I have a meeting in Washington, so it was easy to meet up,” Dahna lied, she was wearing her smart slate grey lying suit. Since Mark failed to call in his regular reports, the security level on this matter had been steadily escalating and she wanted to know what John knew. “Yeah, no, you know, this stuff isn't really my thing... woo, I don't know why or how I asked that stuff,” he was subdued. “What about the Regency Hotel pick-up?” Dahna sipped from her coffee. “Yeah, about that.” “Well I was wondering why you asked me,” she smiled and sucked the answer out of him. “It, it, er, Mark asked me to...ask you,” he rubbed his forehead. “Yes, you said yesterday. Do you know where he is?” “Wow, Berlin I think, huh, ya-know he doesn't tell me much.” “But he asks you to make some calls.” “Yeah,” he grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. This is where she wanted him, squirming. “Have you got his number?” “Noooooo, noo, noo, don't have...his number,” John felt sick. “Will you tell me when he calls again?” “Sure, sure, of course, no problem, I'll call, sure, sure....I'll...I'll call.” She doubted it, but she would call him for sure, “Here's may card, tell Mark the pick-up had diplomatic immunity, Vatican City,” he wouldn't know whether to believe it or not. She got up and walked off with her coffee and finished her journey to Langley to update.
7
Chapter 19
Kaliningrad Oblast
The 4x4 cruised along the motorway, the border was a long way behind them, Stephan had crossed by farm tracks near Jarocin and then rejoined the highway, after Mark had asked that they not present their names onto the customs computer. Stephan had amused them with all sorts of stories and local facts. They had not got a word in edgeways, now Kaliningrad was 10km away. Stephan's commentary continued, “Ohhh-kay... we are coming into the city centre. It is a bleak place, there was nothing left after the war, the Russians have rebuilt most of it but not in the old city style, except the cathedral. It is very sad, very sad. This is the River Pregel, and we are crossing on one of Euler's seven bridges, although there are only five now, ha ha. This is another bridge. And that is the government building on the right, but there is no government in it, ha ha. When they built it, it started to sink into the cellars and tunnels underneath the old castle, ha ha. Prussian revenge, ha ha, but look, there, the cathedral... it looks beautiful, okay... we're nearly here.” They turned right and drove alongside a lake and arrived at an old red brick building that stood out against the grey institutions dominating the city. “This is the Rossgarten Gate, one of the original gates to the Teutonic City, now it is the Kaliningrad Amber Museum.” They arrived at the main archway and the gates opened. “Look von Scharnhorst and von Gneisenau, we are in good company, ha ha,” Stephan pointed at the brick carvings of the Prussian generals on the pillars either side of the archway. They pulled into the inner parking area, and came to a stop. Stephan got out and walked over to three men and a woman, dressed in great coats and security caps. They looked over to Mark and Ema and Stephan waved them over. Mark and Ema followed them into the building, down a corridor and into an office. It wasn't very fancy, just muted greys, filing cabinets, manilla files, lino, and old strip lights. It was like going back in time, it even smelled old. “Welcome, welcome. Come in, come in.
8 The Amber Room Synopsis 30 chapters in five periods. 1 Present day, 2-6 Roman, 7 Europe 1750, 8-14 WW2, 15-30 Present Day. Roman: [SPRING] Roman officer, ordered by Nero, goes in search of Amber, meets mysterious forest woman. Modern Roman civilisation and the barbarian German tribes, their different beliefs, their mutual conflicts and the ancient routes of the amber trade. Feasting, fighting, fornicating, murder, mystery, mayhem, ends with a major battle whilst crossing the Rhine. Europe 1750: [WINTER] The inception and construction of The Amber Room set against the rise of the Prussian Empire and the battles in Europe over the Holy Roman Empire. WW2: [SUMMER] German Wehrmacht intelligence officer, ordered by Goebbels, goes off to Operation Barbarossa. Female Russian Museum Curator visits the Amber Room, Leningrad, surviving an air attack. The Officer captures the Amber Room and the Curator, and they return to Konigsberg, where they make a family. The tide of war turns, Lancasters bomb Konigsberg, the Russians advance, the family is scattered tragically, the Amber Room is lost. Present Day: [AUTUMN] US researcher meets female publisher in New York with new evidence about the location of the Amber Room. Under threat, they travel to Berlin and visit the old Nazi buildings to find the Amber Room. Now monitored by British Intelligence, they go to east finding a trail of clues left for them. They are split by a battle involving the German Police, British Agents and mysterious dark forces who abduct the female publisher and the Amber Room clues. The US researcher goes in search of the her, another battle occurs in Dresden with US special forces support and the lead characters are reunited but on the run from various groups and chasing the Amber Room in Germany. They visit locations, castles and the chase intensifies at each stage. They are attacked, survive, develop their relationship and find the location of The Amber Room. They go to the location which is the centre of a global meeting where powerful people are deciding the fate of the modern world. The Amber Room is being demonstrated as the main feature of the meeting but a small group try to use it to control the world and all the sovereign debts of nation states. It does not go to plan and the Amber Room opens the way for the evil ethereal forces to once again overtake the forces of good. The heroes are able to stop this happening and the world is saved. Prehistory (Epilogue): The eternal battle between good and evil, order and chaos, light and dark, procreation and destruction.
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9 Reviews
""The Amber Room" is an extraordinary achievement for a first-time author. From its primordial, primeval beginning, the novel races through time and space to a dramatic and almost apocalyptic conclusion. Heroes Mark and Ema battle against giant forces of Man and of Nature herself to reveal the truth about The Amber Room and its properties. But do they? May this reviewer beg the reader not to skip pages, but to wait for the last line which "explains" it all. An exciting, difficult and dangerous book that will keep you turning the pages."
Hugh Evans, the author of this well-researched story, takes us through a fascinating kaleidoscope of historical events surrounding the construction and subsequent disappearance of the Amber Room, cleverly intermingling fact and fiction from the beginnings of time to the present day. The pace of his tale is fast moving and it is with some regret that one has to leave the atmospheric intrigues of the various time periods and move on to the next. However the thread of the powerful connections with the main male and female characters echoing through the ages, compels and intrigues and pulls the reader along urgently, eager to see where this epic tale leads. Evans picks up the fictional trail of the Amber Room mystery in the present time, crafting tension and intrigue with surprising twists and turns in his story, culminating in an explosive clash of good versus evil, driven by the mysterious and powerful energy of the Amber Room. How it ‘ends’ is up to the reader to decide, but this is an allegorical tale containing all the elements of a ‘good read’ that will appeal to both men and women. A superb debut novel designed to entertain but also to challenge emotional and intellectual inertia - if you let it. Patricia Abercromby PGCE Freelance journalist and Co-Author of: Seated Acupressure Therapy