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12-May-1916
''Damn it, the fire keeps getting worse. Shouldn't the firefighters try to contain that damn blaze that's consuming the city'' Ernst said as we moved through the streets, watching the black smoke rising unchecked from the fire that had started in the city.
''The rioters prevented the firefighters from doing their job. They might be locked inside their station or already hiding. So until we restore order in the streets, the fire will remain out of control. And since most of the buildings are made of old wood, which must be dry from the spring heat, this won't stop on its own'' I said while checking one of the windows and signaling the others to keep moving.
We were advancing slowly through the streets, since it was not the first time we had heard gunfire that did not come from our weapons. It seemed that many pistols or revolvers had been hidden during our confiscations and were now being used from inside buildings. Fortunately, those partisan attempts were not very effective. A weapon with only six shots or a small pistol did little against armor or what little penetration pistol rounds could achieve… although a revolver was still dangerous.
So we moved through the main streets of the city, observing the massive crowds that kept protesting, looting, and destroying everything, with everyone either angry at each other or desperate. Hunger was likely the main driver behind these protests now that there had been a serious failure in food distribution.
Establishing a strongpoint, placing two machine gunners on the main street in the southern part of the city, and leaving several marksmen in nearby buildings, we began moving to secure the train stations. Any explosive that destroyed the railway lines would be a serious blow we would have to deal with.
So, avoiding the large masses of protesters still causing destruction, we moved through side streets, avoiding direct conflict until at least the most important parts of the city were under our control and secured.
After passing through several streets and intersections, beating protesters and arresting those caught looting away from the main crowds, we finally had the train stations in sight. I saw massive groups gathered outside the station entrances and warehouses, trying to force their way in. A large amount of food was stored there temporarily before being sent to other areas where reserves had already run out or were running low.
Amid shouting and stones being thrown by the crowd trying to break in, the Austro-Hungarian guards were doing everything in their power to keep the doors closed. It was clear one of the doors had been knocked off its hinges, and crates had been stacked to block access. From time to time, a warning shot rang out, followed by the voice of the Austro-Hungarian officer shouting.
Clenching my fists, hoping I would not have to fire into the crowd, we began moving forward to relieve the soldiers trapped in the area.
We advanced while watching the windows, and when the crowd noticed us approaching, they held their ground.
''I WILL GIVE ONE WARNING. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE!!!'' I shouted at the crowd that kept yelling back at me.
A barrage of stones came flying toward us. Several struck my forearms as I covered my face, and others hit my chest armor.
Without saying another word, I drew my pistol and began firing at the protesters, leaving a few seconds between each shot. Protesters fell wounded one by one. Amid their screams, the crowd began to break apart as I emptied the magazine of my pistol, shooting anyone who did not move with the fleeing mass.
Breathing heavily as I looked around, I reloaded my pistol. The group of protesters scattered into the surrounding streets, leaving behind the wounded and streaks of blood. Those I had hit ran as best they could, while only those struck in the legs or nearby remained, trying to crawl away. I had tried to avoid hitting vital organs.
''Bandage them and arrest these idiots'' I said as I walked toward the train station, ignoring the wounded screaming like animals.
''Jawohl'' some of my men replied, and they quickly began bandaging the wounded and tying their limbs with ropes to transport them.
''Oh, thank God, someone finally arrived'' said one of the men holding the barricade at the door.
''What about the officer in charge of the train station? Is he alright or did he get caught outside in all this'' I asked while scanning the area.
''He was in the city…'' the soldier said, lowering his head.
''Then he might be dead. Fine. You are authorized to fire if more crowds gather. Try not to kill, but there is little that can be done. Keep the shipments moving and try to empty the warehouses, since they might attract attention again if people notice that…'' I was saying, but then I heard the sound of a machine gun.
The burst echoed for several seconds, followed by a wave of screams and the sound of running footsteps that drowned everything else.
''Shit… just shoot if you have to. No one is to endanger this. If anyone tries to approach these facilities or the railway lines, kill them'' I said as I started moving toward the direction of the machine gun fire.
With defenses established in the key parts of the city, all that remained was to deal with the most dangerous threat, the fire. It had started in the Jewish district of Kiev, but now it had spread out of control into other areas.
With the most critical infrastructure under our control, we began conducting patrols to break the riots. With the train station and telegraph secured, we started calling for reinforcements from nearby garrisons that could reach us.
In larger groups, we began clashing directly with the Ukrainian population, striking them with batons or rifle butts until their protests broke apart, and we could pull the firefighters out of their stations and move the fire engines throughout the city.
I struck a woman hard in the back with my baton, then turned and hit another man in the jaw as he tried to grab my arms. I grabbed him by his clothes and smashed the back of the baton into his nose until he collapsed onto the ground.
Focusing on other protesters trying to flee, but with so many of them packed into the streets, they ended up trapped in some areas, so we simply struck anything that moved to make them scatter faster.
After several tense minutes of beating everyone, we managed to clear the area and open the fire station. As expected, it was empty, but we did find a few firefighters who had managed to lock themselves inside some of the less visible rooms and had stayed hidden there the whole time. They quickly got into their truck, the one the regent had purchased for situations like this.
We tried to find the other firefighters at their homes, but some were in the fire zones, others would be impossible to locate, and several were caught in the worst of the riots, making it extremely difficult to reach them. So we settled for the firefighters and soldiers we had. Following the instructions of the fire officer, who had more experience, we began trying to bring the fires under control.
Meanwhile, other forces started breaking up the larger protests in the city, as the looting continued along with the destruction everywhere, smashing statues and anything that was not part of the buildings themselves.
Hours passed, and reinforcements finally began to arrive, while the clashes between security forces and protesters kept escalating. Among us, the number of wounded civilians only kept rising, mostly from the usual injuries caused by baton strikes to the face.
And for the worst headache of all, it came when the Red Cross decided the city was safe enough to return and began complaining about the brutality we had carried out in the city, where hundreds had been killed and the wounded numbered in the thousands.
I paid little attention to those complaints, just like those of the Jewish rabbi who came to confront me about our broken promises, accusing us of letting the population take out their anger on them. According to him, thousands of Jews had died in the riots, many of them trapped in the fires and unrest.
''Enough, enough, I am tired of this, you miserable bastard. I did what I could with what happened. It is not my fault that no one wants you'' I said, pressing the bridge of my nose as I felt my head about to split from the constant complaints.
''How can you give me such an answer? You promised our safety and we handed over our weapons'' said the rabbi.
''And I did. For months no one touched you, but things happen and…'' I said, trying to calm myself as I watched the fires still being fought, but the rabbi interrupted me.
''Things happen? How can you say that when thousands of ours are being killed? This is just another pogrom that you allowed to happen'' the rabbi said, pointing a finger at me.
''I did not allow this to happen. I have tried the entire time to prevent it, to keep blood off my hands. No one listens, no one helps me. The only support we have had is minimal aid from the Catholic Church, while my own country keeps denying me the resources I need. So do not ever say that I let this happen'' I said angrily, restraining myself.
''Oh yes, after everything was taken from us with worthless papers to give it to your people, everything that was confiscated is now in German granaries, while we…'' another rabbi said, accusing me, but my stare silenced him for a moment.
''Everything was gathered into a general reserve. Not a single gram of food has been given to the German or Austro-Hungarian armies. Now get out of my sight before I decide to leave you to your fate and let the protesters finish what they started. I would like to see how you defend yourselves, since I have been the only one protecting you'' I said coldly, standing a step away from him, staring him in the eyes.
''Come, let us go. We will speak when things have calmed down'' a third Jewish man said, pulling the other two away from me.
''You are a monster'' I heard at my side, and I noticed a Red Cross nurse staring at me with disgust.
I remained silent as I listened to my men shouting orders while they worked, and I looked at my hands for a moment.
In a single day, I had crossed all my own moral lines.
I looked up and walked toward the nurse as her eyes widened and her mouth opened.
''Yes, you are right, nurse, I am. But I am the monster that keeps everyone in line and wants them to survive. So treat me however you want, but go back to your work'' I said with a faint smile, and she immediately stepped away
''Karl, are you alright?'' Ferdinand said, standing beside me as he watched me.
''Yes, better. It is just… forget it. I was having doubts about my actions, but now I feel everything is right for the moment. I am the reason Ukraine will stand, and if thousands must die, so be it. A small price for millions to live'' I said, watching everything with a serious expression.
As night fell, the fires began to come under control and the protests died down, while people began to remember the hunger and that many had lost everything to the fire, forced to sleep in the streets.
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