The Statement of Eric Kaube

I ask then, what obligation does one hold, even without the consideration of complex context, to willingly and knowingly vilify themselves in the face of such accusations? It is true, I admit, as I have done so previously, that Sergeant Bauer and I entered the Hambach mine, and that I alone emerged from its rubble after it had collapsed. Again, I am informing you of the events that occurred within those black depths to the best of my ability. Amnesia has erased much of my recollection of that day, the cause of which is unknown to me. Considering the nature of such a condition, I fail to see how I might be held responsible for it.

Nevertheless, we entered the mine shortly after one o’clock. We were following the trail of a Russian scouting force. Our position in the Carpathians was, to our knowledge, uncompromised. Therefore, we treated any threat to our discovery as an utmost priority. The reasoning that led to only the Sergeant and I entering, while leaving the rest of the platoon behind, is unfortunately lost to that gap in my memory. If I were to propose a theory, I might suggest that it had, in part, to do with the scarcity and nature of the footprints leading into the mine’s mouth. The tracks revealed that there could not be more than two scouts inside. Additionally, I am an experienced hunter, so I was able to identify the tracks as being rather old. Due to their age, it was possible that the scouts could have already given our position away. Thus, sending a numerous force after them into the mine, when they might well be off at their headquarters, or even placed deeply within it, creating a timely expedition, would only serve to provide the enemy with ample opportunity to overtake those left behind. As for the Sergeant’s purpose in personally heading down after them, I cannot guess.

We discovered that the place hadn't been used in quite some time and that the support beams keeping its passages intact needed desperate repair after only a short walk into the mine's entrance. Although we had brought electric torches with us, we had not anticipated making use of them so quickly in our descent. I say descent, as the entrance was almost steep enough to require a stairway leading into it. We were barely down ten meters when the use of our lights became a necessity. Besides the regular torches, the Sergeant took with him a dynamo that hung from his neck. He also made it a point for us to bring packs down into the mine. I do not know how long he thought we would be inside it, but he at least expected us to miss the next regular mealtime.

We had been traveling in the mine for perhaps ten minutes when we came across the first split in our path. We followed the footprints that were still very much visible and took the easternmost passage. While trekking down this new path I noticed that the tracks had become irregular, exhibiting a strange posture with random circlings. In some areas, it appeared that they had dragged one foot for a few paces before returning to the same drunken manner as before. This confused me greatly, as surely these scouts were accustomed to traveling in darkness. Even then, the passage was narrow enough that one could extend their arms out by their sides and feel both its walls. I determined that the strange manner of their step must have been caused by some external factor.

By now, we had been traveling for well over half an hour. The footprints had become so wild that Sergeant Bauer suggested that they may have simply gone mad, and our pursuit may be for nothing. Still not convinced even by his rational conclusion, though, we continued onward. After another short while, we encountered the next split path. This split was peculiar, however. The route we had been following led into a circular opening, from which at least ten other paths lead away. Again, we followed the footprints to the path directly ahead of us.

This new passage proved to be just as drunken as those who had previously followed it, as unlike the other passages thus far, which had been relatively straight and had maintained a downward angle, this one took abrupt turns into curving hallways, and the floor was now leveled out, suggesting that we may have hit the lowest elevation of the mine. It was now that my attention was brought to the bizarre architecture of the mine. Whatever purpose such curving and seemingly random design could serve I could not decipher. Along with this observation came the realization that there was no trace of mining equipment anywhere, which could be explained by the fact that the mine had long since been abandoned, and the equipment removed. What was less explainable, however, was the complete absence of traces of actual mining. There were no marks on any of the walls to suggest that ore had been removed from them. Furthermore, no veins of any kind of ore had been spotted thus far, putting into question the validity of the place being a mine.

After a few hours had passed and we had stopped for a brief respite. Sergeant Bauer produced a candle from his pack and placed it in a cutout in the mine wall which resembled a window. Here, in the candlelight, I noticed something more disturbing in the footprints. Not only were they beginning to fade, but additional tracks could be seen. These new prints were inhuman, not in the shape of any recognizable beast, nor the markings of any sort of machinery, yet still unmistakably organic. Something alive had left these prints, and perhaps they had played some part in the neurotic scrambling of the scouts. What manner of beasts could leave tracks like these, I do not know, nor do I wish to know. The only discernible features were that of obvious claw marks, far more vicious in appearance than those of a bear, that came protruding out from the end of each phalange. These talons had also been used to create slashes that occasionally appeared across the floor.

The fate of the scouts could now almost certainly be presumed. Despite my pleas to Sergeant Bauer, he insisted that we could not stop until their demise was confirmed. This made it evident that he intended to find their bodies, but with these new tracks, I began to doubt that any remains might be left of them. Not wishing to upset him, however, I concurred and we continued our march.

It is here that my track of time becomes distorted in memory, and I cannot judge how long we must have marched onward. I know that it was long enough to require the replacement of the batteries in our torches. At this point, I began to seriously doubt Sergeant Bauer’s motivations for entering the mine. Only a fool would continue the trek towards these men that were now so obviously dead and place themselves closer to the monsters that killed them. This doubt is not one I made audible to Sergeant Bauer, however, as I began to fear that interrupting him might lead to some conflict. This fear was further solidified by the image of him gripping his pistol, which he now held out in front of him. By this time the footprints had all but disappeared, and Sergeant Bauer put away his electric torch in favor of the dynamo on his neck. Whatever end he expected us to find in this godforsaken mine, he expected us to meet it shortly.

As we continued the march my torch’s light began to dim. Upon reaching for the replacement batteries I found that they had all been exhausted, leaving us with only the light of the dynamo to guide our way. Not entirely trusting the dynamo, however, I stretched my arms out and felt along the walls as we walked. My fingers ran over what felt like carvings. They were swirling and magnificent, while at the same time possessing a bewildering inconsistent design. Touching them imposed a chilling effect on me. We continued onward, and the walls of the passage began to widen to the point that I could only make contact with one at a time. It was now possible for two men to walk abreast down the passage. Sergeant Bauer eagerly carried on, holding his pistol in an almost aiming position. I began to feverishly fondle the strap of my rifle, craving to once again see the daylight and be out of this wretched place. After we passed a bend in the tunnel, for the first time since we entered the mine, a scent could be detected. I must say, I would much rather never smell anything again than be subjected to that stench. The noxious aroma was instantly sickening and indescribable as it flooded forth from the darkness ahead. All the filth in Berlin could not hold a candle to its audacity.

Now, as that disgusting scent surrounded us, Sergeant Bauer’s dynamo began to fade, and where its light was lost some new luminesce replaced it. We quickly found ourselves flooded in an aqua-green light. For the first time, the carvings on the walls could be made out. They depicted monsters with uncountable tendrils spreading out from a mountain unto the earth below. There were inscriptions written in an undefinable language alongside grotesque images of people being dismembered. All of these terrible drawings were separated by large, interlacing swirls that branched out from some unseen origin.

Next came the howling. The German language does not possess words adequate to describe the sound that bellowed out towards us. In the distance, strange silhouettes appeared in front of the glow, casting long, morbid shadows onto the floor. I looked over at Sergeant Bauer’s face for the first time since my torch had burnt out and saw that it had twisted into a grizzly expression. Sweat ran down his bare forehead, and his lips were contracted into a devilish smile. His eyes were ablaze as they dotted about, scanning over each of the creatures that stood before us. He had finally met what he was looking for.

The monsters ahead of us squirmed tendrils and limbs about. Their form was constantly changing, their shadows danced in the green glow. Sergeant Bauer raised his pistol and began shouting at them. I do not recall what he said, or if it was even in German, but he began firing at the figures as he said it. Those things began to produce sounds that could only be compared to screaming. The walls of the mine began to shudder and dust that had sat undisturbed on the ceiling now rained down on top of us. I could feel the stone of the walls begin to crack. The creatures began to advance towards us. I turned my back before their true image was revealed and ran. I could hear Sergeant Bauer’s screams as I rushed through the different passages. They seemed to echo after me no matter how far I ran from their source. I helplessly stumbled about in a blind stupor as everything collapsed around me. Then, all turned black.

My next memory is of being pulled out of the rubble. The rest—my time spent in the hospital, my transferring back to Berlin—you already know and I assume you take little interest in. This is what I remember of our descent into the Hambach mine. I cannot say which parts of it are accurate, though I wish all of it was my imagination. I wish for it, and sometimes I come close to believing it. However, no matter how I try to convince myself, I am faced with the fact that when I close my eyes all I can see is those creatures standing in the green light.