 Proudly, we hail. New York City, where the American stage begins, here is another program with a cast of outstanding players. Public service time has been made available by the station to bring you this story as proudly we hail the United States Army. Our presentation today is a fascinating story of international intrigue in West Berlin. It's called the 10 Mark Note and involves two American military investigators and their attempts to break up a ring of communist counterfeiters. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment. But first, did you know that you can get ahead, enjoy your work, have security, and a steady job, all when you enlist in the United States Army? Why you'll get your first promotion when you've been in only a few months. There's a wide variety of jobs available, but most important, you'll be helping to preserve the national security of our country. Why don't you check at your local recruiting office and let them tell you how you can make the most of your life in the United States Army? And now your United States Army presents the proudly we hail production, the 10 Mark Note. It's nine o'clock in the morning, a rather pleasant spring morning in Western Berlin. Somehow everyone is enjoying the weather in Berlin. Politeness in Europe is a highly formalized art. Everyone always nods and says good morning. But somehow the fresh spring air makes the routine greeting sound so much more alive. Here, Heinrich Meyerberg, an official in the office of the West Berlin Chief of Police, enjoyed the weather this morning too. He took the streetcar from his home in the suburbs and it was a pleasant trip. He was in a good humor until he arrived at his desk and then his mood changed abruptly. The problem that was sticking the entire police department was still unsolved on this beautiful morning. It was still there, as perplexing, as serious, as insoluble as ever. The telephone kept ringing. Meyerberg? Yes. No. Come in the morning. The routine reports were coming in, all of them substantially the same. No progress, no leads. Yes, maybe today. Perhaps today. Meyerberg knew that he'd been saying that every day for a month and they were all no nearer to the solution. Then there was a phone call of a somewhat different nature. Meyerberg? Yes? Two American soldiers. Officers and soldiers. Military policemen. Yes, sir. There are two American soldiers out here to see you, sir. His secretary informed him. An officer and a sergeant. They are military police from the United States Army Provost Marshall's office. I'll see them, says Meyerberg. The Americans enter. One wears the bars of a warrant officer, the other a sergeant's stripes. Herr Meyerberg motions them to chairs. Please gentlemen, have seats. Beautiful morning, no? Thank you, Herr Meyerberg. I'm Mr. Dennis of the Provost Marshall's office. This is Sergeant Smith. How do you do? This is a glorious morning, no? I can only hope everything else will go as well as this weather. Yes. A good day to solve a crime, but then any day is a good day until we finish, no? Herr Meyerberg, we have been assigned to investigate a matter which has probably been occupying the attention of your people also. I'm referring to this epidemic of counterfeit ten-mark notes. It has been occupying what you may call the exclusive attention of our people. Well, we've come here to see if we can arrange for some mutual assistance. I shall be happy to extend all of our facilities here, Mr. Dennis, but may I ask why is the United States Army concerned? It's a fact, isn't it, that the city has flooded with these counterfeit bills? Yes, a sad fact. We're up against the most perfect examples of counterfeit reported anywhere. We're convinced there's a communist angle. Why? Because the communists have a great deal to gain by undermining the currency of West Germany. To them, counterfeit money is just another weapon in their arsenal. Herr Meyerberg, how far have you been able to get to West Germany? Well, Sergeant, you know how it goes. You find one in a store, the owner, he cannot remember anyone who gave him a ten-mark note. What about the pattern, sir? A pattern? Yes, sir, is there a pattern? You interview a hundred people who wound up with ten-mark bills. They search their memories. They might describe some of the people who gave them ten-mark bills. Perhaps some of these descriptions might apply to the same person. The pattern. From your experience, does this mean anything, Sergeant? Yes. It means this is going to be rough. For example, we found a few of these bills in a camera shop run by a man named Hausmann. Now, he remembers exacting them from an American soldier. Could he describe the soldier? No. But surely he could tell you something. We questioned him for two hours. We could get nothing. Is he hiding anything, do you think? Eccentric. Hausmann. May I have his address, Herr Meyerberg? Warrant Officer Dennis and Sergeant Smith got in their jeep and threaded their way through the crowded West Berlin traffic. The jeep slowed and came to a stop near a busy corner. They dismounted and walked to the entrance of a shop. Across the window in large gothic script was the legend Eric Hausmann photographic specialties. Herr Hausmann? Yes. We're cooperating with the civilian police about this matter of the 10-mark notes. Ah, so, yes. Well, I told the police all I knew. Some of these counterfeit bills were found in your shop. Yes, but I know nothing. You said you remembered taking some 10-mark notes from an American soldier. Soldier? Perhaps I can remember a face. I just wait, Herr Hausmann. I'm talking about an American soldier. What are you talking about? The, uh, the soldier. But you said her face. Well, naturally. She was a woman. A woman soldier? A what? Herr Hausmann, have you been withholding information from the civilian police? You said a soldier. Why didn't you tell him it was a woman soldier? Please, please. Everything has been so, so mixed up. I have been ill. I hire the man to run the shop. His reference said he knew cameras. They lied. He lied. He sold everything at the wrong prices. I'm ruined. But you could have said it was a woman soldier in the first place. I did not think. A person in uniform is a soldier, and he's fine. These days I can hardly think of my own name. Now, now, Herr Hausmann, you were absolutely correct. The police traced some of these bills to your shop. You tried to remember who would give them to you and I admit that's difficult. Ah, you are a man with heart and sympathy. And so to you, naturally, a person in uniform was simply a soldier. And that's also true. Now, sir, if we may impose a girl, an American girl, could you describe her? It has been such a terrible month for me. Rheumatism. Her hair blond, dark red. Ah, yeah, yeah. She was small. Pretty? Pretty. Pretty. My good sergeant depends on the man's values. To me, my wife is a beauty, but a beauty contest she would never win. Was this one pretty? I would call her pretty. This could mean anything. She was wearing a uniform. Was, uh, were there any stripes on her sleeve? Stripes? Like I have on mine? Yes, yes, I try to remember. One, I think. No, no, uh, two. You're sure? A prudent man who in this life is sure of nothing. I agree, but you're reasonably sure she had two stripes? Yes, she bought a camera. It was to be a present she would send home to her father on his birthday. Such a nice girl. A credit to her parents. Small and a corporal. Something to go on, sir. I hope. I hope I have helped you, gentlemen. It has been so hectic. You cannot imagine. Okay. Miss. Oh, you're the man from the camera shop. I remember you said how you used to come to this place to eat on your off-duty hours. I had to see you. Why? Is something the matter with that camera you saw? Oh, no, no, no. I'm afraid you're in trouble. Me? What did I do? I cannot believe that you would be dishonest. What are you talking about? The marks you gave me. The ten mark notes. They were counterfeit. Counterfeit? There must be a mistake. The police called on me and also members from your army. I tried to protect... I haven't done anything wrong. Yes, but you gave me counterfeit money. I gave you counterfeit money, but where did I get it? That's exactly what you were. The American officer. I'm warrant officer Dennis. Corporal Helen Miller. Mr. Housman, why were you trying to protect this girl? Captain, I could not believe she is guilty of any wrong. I don't believe it either. Are you sure the money I gave him was counterfeit, sir? Just the ten mark notes. The ten mark notes? Wait, the camera cost 230 marks. I gave him 210, that's right, isn't it? Yes, I remember. What do you remember about the money, Corporal? I'd been saving to buy my dad a present. I had three 100 mark bills put away. Then Thursday... Yes, that's right, Thursday, that was my day off. I went shopping. I was going to buy dad a present for 300 marks. And those three bills were all I had except for some loose change which I used for the street car. You didn't have any ten mark notes? No, nothing that big except for the 300s. Where'd you get the tens to pay Mr. Housman? You must have changed one of the 100s somewhere. I did. I stopped off at Kellner's. You know the big department store? Well, they had nothing dad would like, they were having a sale. So you bought some perfume? Yes, I bought some perfume. That was 40 marks. All right, you broke one of the 100s. And I got back six ten mark notes. And at least three of them were counterfeit. We know that. Do you have the three others? I have one of them left, I think. Let me look. Yes, here it is. I'd like to look at it. What do you think, sir? It's about as good as the others we've seen. Best counterfeit I've ever come across. Corporal, how do they work it in Kellner's? Does each clerk take cash and make change? I think so. Do you remember the clerk who waited on you? A woman, about 35, I'd say, tall, dark hair. You'd know her if you saw her again? I would. Then we know for a fact that four out of the six bills she gave you were counterfeit. That batting average is a little too high to be an accident. Suppose we go over to this department store. May I do for you? I'm warrant officer Dennis, United States Army. Oh, please, excuse me. Worth here. Oh, yes, here it is. It was in the newspapers. Oh, you heard it on the radio. Horrible, you know. And I think I fired her just before it happened. How can I reproach myself? It wasn't my fault. She was not doing her work. I had no choice. No, no, we would have just sent some flowers. I'll be home early tonight. Goodbye. Horrible. A girl who had been working here 10 years, she had been coming late so often we were forced to fire her. And now, last evening, she drowned herself. That's too bad. If you have been coming to Kerala's, perhaps you might have seen her here. Tall, dark-haired, she was at the perfume counter. Her name was Isra Schumann. It's been such an upsetting day. Tell me now, what may I do for you? Oh, I just wanted to know if I could trade my old camera in for a new one. Well, certainly. It is our policy to accept trades, the camera departments on the third floor. Thank you. I'm sure you'll be satisfied. Excuse me. Morphium. Oh, have you heard the news? Come on. So her name is, or was, Isra Schumann. We found that out, and we still haven't tipped our hand. I hope. You are listening to the proudly-we-hail production, the 10-mark note. We'll return in just a moment for the second act. Young man, be honest with yourself. Have you reached a standstill in life? Is each day just like any other? Are you worried about your future? And most important of all, are you feeling dissatisfied with yourself and your personal development? Well, if this description or any part of it fits you, it's just about time you investigated the opportunities waiting for you when you enlist in the United States Army. Every man in the Army has a skill, and more often than not, the Army taught him that skill in one of its fine schools. The Army offers an interesting present and a secure future with plenty of promotions along the way. And above all, the Army molds you into a man, a man whose family, friends, and country are proud of him. If you think you can measure up, stop in at your nearest recruiting office and see if you can qualify to wear the mark of a man, the uniform of your United States Army. You are listening to proudly-we-hail, and now we present the second act of the 10-mark note. With the death of Ilse Schumann, a promising lead evaporates, and warrant officer Dennis and Sergeant Smith are back exactly where they started. A week of investigation passes with no tangible results. Hoping that the civilian police may have turned up a lead, Mr. Dennis calls again on Herr Meyerberg. But that official is not able to offer any encouragement, either. And it has reached the stage now where most people are talking about counterfeit money. Once people start to worry about their currency, we have already lost a battle to the Reds. I thought we had a lead, but it blew up in our faces. I know this Ilse Schumann girl must have been a passer, but she's dead. Suicide, eh? Doesn't sound right to me. I have spoken with our homicide people. I have conversed with our medical department. That's by drowning. Checked her friends. Actually, she had no close friends, just acquaintances. Now, I could find no trace of underworld or communist association. It doesn't figure. We get a lead, we lose her. And we can't find out anything about her. My book? Yeah? Yeah. You're sergeant. He wishes to see you. Now, they told me you were here, sir. Anything turn up, sir? I don't know, sir. Just on a hunch, I started backtracking the places where she used to live. When she died, she was running a room at the address Herr Meyerberg here gave us. Her landlady told me the address and they gave me another old address. Okay, so I must have traced her to 15 different places. Did you find out anything? No, but I kept pitching. And not one of these places could I get it anybody who could tire in with anything shady. Then, at the last place, I lost the trail. What do you mean? They gave me a previous address. Looks like you wore out a lot of good leather for nothing. Yeah, well, I was so mad at getting brought up short that way that I started all over again. More questions of the same people. Well, when I worked back to the seventh or eighth place, the landlady's husband happened to be home. It seems he used to be the janitor until he married the dame who owned the building. Good for him. Now, I was asking about a girl who used to live in the building some 10, 12 years ago, Ilse Schumann. He remembered her all right. It was an old apartment building and this janitor was one of those guys who seized everything, hears everything, knows everything, and he tells everything. Ilse Schumann shared a two-room apartment and while she was living here, she got married. And she kept the apartment because her husband was a soldier in the German army. He got killed later. But the important thing is this guy's name. Housman. Franz Housman. Housman? Yeah. So that rang a bell right off. I managed to throw in a question. I found out that he was the son of this old man Housman who runs a camera shop. Housman. That's where we started. That was our first lead. And now it turns out that this Housman is the father-in-law of the girl who either conveniently died or was murdered. But that's what I don't understand. Housman cooperated with us. He gave us a break that set up our own Corporal Helen Miller. She could have led us to Ilse Schumann. But what I found out about Ilse Schumann is she was married to Housman's own son. Keep talking, Sergeant. What else did this goldmine of information give you? Oh, sir, we got all day to listen. This guy kept bending my ear. He wouldn't let me go. For instance, about the son. What did the janitor say about him? He was an artist. An artist? Wait a minute. Hold it now. Wherever you have counterfeit money, you have to have an artist to engrave the plates. About Mr. Dennis, according to what Sergeant Smith learned, the son was killed. He said, sir, killed in action. This is either the lead that breaks this ball game wide open or it's nothing. If Housman's son was killed... Why do you say if, Mr. Dennis? If he was killed, then the information had to be on a casualty list. There has to be a record of it. Yes, there must be. Then I have to see that record. Is Herr Housman in? No, he's sick today. I am watching the store. Can I be of assistance? Well, I wanted to talk with him. Was it about a camera? No, it was about his daughter-in-law. His daughter-in-law? That's what I said. Did you know his daughter-in-law? No, no. His son was killed in a war nine years ago. Well, not exactly killed. I understand the report said the son was missing in action and presumed dead. Well, I would not know. I just work here sometimes. Do you know Mr. Housman well? I think we're going to get to know him better. Did you know the son? Oh, yes. He was like the father in many ways. Now, you see that picture on the wall? That is the boy. The father painted it. The father? Does he paint? Oh, he was a fine artist. He taught the boy. But after the war, he lost all heart for it. And so he opened his camera shop to earn a living. It's a pity. The old man was a great engraver. Where does Herr Housman live? He has rooms at number 71, Mannheimer-Stasser, but he is ill. He's not nearly as ill as he's going to be. Yes, Mr. Dennis, I think we have enough evidence to arrest Mr. Housman on suspicion, at least. Well, he hasn't been at the store for several days. He may be here in his house. Well, let's go in then. We may have difficulty getting in to see him. Actually, it would be best if we are forced to make an entry to have the civilian authorities along. Well, I am here with you. There's a number 71. Let's go in it. It should be upstairs. He may not have any trouble at all, but have your 45 ready just in case. All right, sir. That is his name on the door. Who is there? The police. Away from the door. Should I shoot back? No. What's this, Smithy? Did you hear that? It's got to be a trick. You'll blast us as soon as we walk through that door. Come in quickly. Cover me, you two. Everything is all right now. Who is this man on the floor? Pick up the pistol, Smithy. Is he dead? Yeah, I think so. I killed him. When you knocked on the door, he fired at you. I had my chance to kill him. The housemaid looked like he's hurt. Her housemaid looked... Yes, I'm hurt. Just lie still, her housemaid. I shall call a doctor. First, I must tell you, I am the man who engraved the counterfeit plates, but I suppose you know that now. Why? The one on the floor. He's a communist agent. Are you? No. But my son, I thought he had been killed. But later, I learned he was a prisoner of the Russians. They came to me and told me I must cooperate with the counterfeiting if I wanted my son to live. And so, Ilze, my daughter-in-law, and I, we helped. What could we do? Couldn't you have gone to the police? Yes, I suppose, but they held my son a prisoner. Father is always afraid. You... you can understand my position, no? But you gave us the name of our whack corporal who started us off on the trail. Why? Because I wanted this to be stopped in such a way that the communists could not blame me and punish my son. Was your daughter-in-law murdered? Yes. You see, we both were forced to help, but we tried to sabotage the communists at the same time. She passed the money badly, gave away too many counterfeit bills at the same time. Funny, no? When a man does something wrong and does not want to be caught, the police always catch him. Here, we wish to be caught. But nothing happened. Why was she murdered? We received a letter smuggled to us from a fellow prisoner of my son. He said, my boy died of illness. Oh. Well, then they no longer had a whip to hold over you. They tried. Ilza was on her way to the police when this one here on the floor and some of his friends stopped her. They... they were keeping me a prisoner. I was confined here to my rooms. You've got their names and everything else we might want to know about? Yes. I can tell you everything. You just rest quietly now, Herr Hausmann. You'll be able to tell everything to Army Intelligence. As Army military police criminal investigators, warrant officer Smith and Sergeant Dennis brought Herr Hausmann and his information to the special attention of Army Intelligence. Hausmann had names and descriptions which permitted our Army Intelligence to commence an operation which cost the Communists the services of at least five of their top agents. All concerned agreed that Hausmann had been forced to act against his will but was decided not to prefer any charges against him. Hausmann died of illness a few months later. But warrant officer Dennis and Sergeant Smith are still stationed in Western Germany. They still work out of the Provost Marshall's office. They and their organization are ever alert, always available for any assignment that will require them to safeguard the security of our armed forces, our country, and our allies. It shall not happen here. That is the unspoken prayer of every man in the United States Army. That is the unspoken reason for our growing military might. But the time has come to speak. The time has come to tell of that small phrase, those five words, it shall not happen here. Let us speak only to those young men of America who have not taken pause to think. Let's shout it in a voice that will reach into every city and village across the length and breadth of this great land. Young man, you are needed. You are needed to help preserve the peace. You are needed to serve in the United States Army to ensure for your loved ones that it shall not happen here. And while you serve, you'll be building a rewarding career for yourself. Everyone who wears the uniform of the United States Army is sharing in a service that is vital to our country. To each belongs the individual dignity which has characterized Army careers since the birth of our nation. In the Army, opportunity is open to all on an equal basis. Affording its young members of today a chance to become technical specialists, instructors, leaders of tomorrow. You are urged to visit your local United States Army Recruiting Station at your earliest opportunity and ask about the technical careers in the United States Army. Remember, the need is urgent. This has been another program on proudly we hail, presented transcribed in cooperation with this station. Proudly we hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Center in New York for the United States Army. This is Mark Hamilton speaking, inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on Proudly we hail.