Carlos Arturo Caballero Medina (Arequipa, 1974) Bachelor of Literature and Linguistics from the Universidad Nacional de San Agustin de Arequipa. Unpublished poems have the Bird of Paradise Almond, and is preparing a novel entitled San Miguel at dawn. Won first prize in the Floral Games University "Federico García Lorca" (1999) organized by the University Nacional de San Agustin, the second poetry competition organized by the magazine Shared Station (2003), Second Prize "Guillermo Mercado" (2004) organized by the Municipality of Arequipa and recently Yanahuara the top of the Floral Games organized by the UPC (2008) with the story titled "Bergen." Currently, he teaches at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences.
BERGEN
"Where the light curtain of darkness Becomes
Sigfried Opportunity waits a second to retaliate"
Kjimlson Deal. Valkyria, I, 234-235.
left window to enter a shimmering flash of light that illuminated the darkened room, as an arm of sun breaks through the damp cave walls carved by wind and midday sun. Strindberg, Ibsen, Kierkgäard, among others, resting on the desk of Alexander Alencastre, the firstborn of the family Alencastre Sarmiento, Manuel Alejandro Alencastre son, magistrate of the district of San Francisco.
Young, a scarce 13 years, had in its inventory of books readings with amazing caliber as the imaginary journey of Sir Wharton Wallace, Frederick Southampton, writer banned in Victorian England due to their deliberate excess on nautical astronomy. Southampton had announced the arrival of Hercólubus, the red planet, the Wormwood of Revelation of St. John, based on calculations of doubtful credibilidad para la época, lo cual le mereció la encarcelación y la vergüenza pública de la retractación. El joven Alencastre había llegado a él por medio de una cita de Magno Tracio en su tratado Supranaturalis, donde el cartógrafo escocés daba cuenta del viaje realizado por Sir Warthon Wallace — caballero de la orden de Majorbrigde y natural de Dundalk, Irlanda— en el año de 1425. El diario de viajes de Wallace indicaba que más allá del Círculo Polar Ártico existía un camino que conducía a las profundidades descritas por Dante casi dos siglos antes en su famosa Commedia. También hubo leído el magnífico relato de Roric —el vikingo que atravesó el Atlántico unfinished north along the path of their ancestors, who were aware of "a land beyond Kalaallit Nunaat" - be given as an Pollack, erudite scholar at the University of Bergen. Pollack took the license holder the Red Viking journal as the Odyssey Normandy.
But most attention was the relish with which the young Alencastre was engaged in these activities outside the boys of his age, provided books on the history of Norman towns, legends of the Icelandic sagas and some other data obtained in the library of the municipality of San Francisco, it was usual to see it surrounded by notes, paperweights, maps and charts classmates who, like himself, shared a devotion to the travel accounts. Even underlaid Sandvik, Assistant Professor Pollack, maintained a correspondence with Alencastre fluid, since the news of the latest developments in the investigation of notable philologist who recently embarked on the company to confirm that the Vikings reached Newfoundland in North America, 500 year before Columbus discovered the West Indies.
In these endeavors, Alencastre passed adolescence when, in late winter of 1943, the war in Europe took a radical turn to their research. All young age to carry a weapon and serve the nation were recruited to fight against the Nazis. His father gave him the statement after Christmas. Should be in Puerto Varas in two weeks with more baggage than his soldier's uniform. This does not change at all its objectives, as welcome was ordered that, on arrival at the port of Le Havre in France, had to go immediately to Stavanger, allied point of penetration in Norwegian front. Germany violated the neutrality of Norway and Denmark and, after landing in Normandy, was to ensure that the Nazis to retreat from the occupied territories.
Alencastre By July 1944 he entered the third airborne division the port of Stavanger, completely devastated by Allied bombing and scorched earth tactics that the Nazis also put into practice when the Russian retired. The stubborn resistance of the German army in three weeks delayed his arrival in Bergen, a key point in the liberation of Norway, since there was the last redoubt Nazi break in those icy lands of northern Europe. Even the correspondence had been interrupted since the beginning of the German invasion, because all communication was operated in spite of letters between the lovers by the Vikings did not pose any threat to the army of the Third Reich. Also ran the same so that all intercepted letters and, on finding incomprehensible vile papers containing information on travel, were thrown into a fire without a second thought (not missed a German officer who saw in such letters a coded message that revealed a possible location to the Allies, what alarmed the superiors who decided on the spot burn all suspect mail, if not, locate the sender of the letter for interrogation).
The landing of allied forces in Bergen was imminent. During the three-day trip aboard the battleship Plymouth, Alencastre carefully planned activities that occupy their time in the city at the end of fighting. Even locating the house first, then visit Professor Pollack, and finally check all the documentation as possible about the Vikings travel to the main library of the University of Bergen. Lying in his bunk, imagining what it would be present in that city he had known both by Even, nay, felt like I already know and this visit was just a scouting trip or some kind of award dedication. Anything less than an armed invasion of his country away from his desk, his books ... The mood of Alencastre differed from other young soldiers that for him, not from fear of bullets the enemy, but the possible futility of the trip if he died before arriving at Bergen.
the early hours of August 23, 1944 the Allies took by assault the coast of Bergen. Air support was crucial to prepare the ground and could do little German anti-aircraft guns against Allied bombers. The population also worked days before signaling strategic locations for the landing of paratroopers and clearing the areas that were targeted by the bombing. Within a week, Bergen was taken and the liberation of Norway continued its regular course. Alencastre division received orders to remain in port opposed as planned earlier. Too bad, because they would be willing to meet with Oslo.
During the reconstruction of the city, supported at all times Alencastre the villagers with whom exchanged a few words in Norwegian distance learned through books and notes Even he wrote. The raids of the war had not been allowed to find the address of your friend and teacher, but once the takeover of port, the first thing I did was look at both. Despite the joy felt by the residents of Bergen, the truth was that all was not to smile. Many citizens were tortured, disappeared or killed, accused of plotting or spies. Such practices were heightened during the days before the Allied attack and consequently, almost all residents mourned the loss of at least one close relative, friend or neighbor. It was difficult to locate the family home underlaid Sandvik, underlaid Elrond was the best tailor in the city and everyone in Bergen had attended services at least once. The anguish of the young accelerated heartbeat Alencastre while, slowly and when you cross a minefield, cautiously approached the house of the underlaid. No one answered his calls, even when he shouted "hello" in the local language. Opened the wrong door covering the front door and turned the handle entering after looking through the glass that the house was completely uninhabited. There were signs of violence and come down shelves, vases broken, torn furniture, tables with legs up ... everything was a mess and it seemed that not long for this barbarism. The decor was understated but tasteful, giving the impression that Mrs. underlaid left his presence wherever he needs a woman. "As my mother," thought the young Alencastre. He saw a family portrait on the floor and immediately recognized Even, though he never had seen before. As envisioned, underlaid Even Sandvik was young, tall and lanky, blond hair, blue eyes and sharp nose, with a countenance a boy once sad and playful. The worst was expected. Making his way among the furniture and tables smashed, came to the desk where he assumed Even performed his research and why not, wrote the letters that came to him three or four weeks later. Environment was spent reading, an extensive library, at that moment savagely looted. Insurance was asked to inform the young Alencastre of issues that were of interest. He sat in the desk chair and began flipping through the papers scattered across the table. Under that pile of papers found an ancient map in the lower part is left to read a code library. He pushed the papers Even and tried to imagine sitting there for the last time.
The patrol made its entrance suddenly broken down the door amid cries, prayers and strength. The officer asked Even to the whole family responded with a silent accomplice. The first to be killed was Hermann, the youngest of the underlaid, then his sister and mother. Even was in the basement to see what was happening, I could only hear the shots and screams were becoming less audible. A fourth shooting took the life of Elrond, and at that moment, Even to go to indulge realized it was too late. He had to endure in the dark murder family, the destruction of their belongings and the screams that drew a close picture of what was happening up there. After the Nazis to leave, Even saw the size of the losses at the sight of his family rendered on the carpet in the room who's met minutes before dinner. The rest is guesswork, conjecture unbacked more than intuition and common sense. Without delay, Even sit to write a last letter knowing that the Germans would intercept. The contents of the letter is still in question, may contain some information about the location of the allied army, the possible landing area or the number increased treacherously allied units available. Then, he would write another letter to where it would Alencastre abreast of latest developments in Norway and, despite everything, had to put in a safe place all the material they had gathered. "Professor Pollack was questioned and unable to get anything from him was also executed," amounted to write the last lines. "It is therefore important that you go to the university library and pick up much documentation as possible before the Nazis burned. Impossible will make contact again. No more death warrants retain useless information. You're the only one able to appreciate this effort. Best Regards, Even. "
As he finished reading the letter, left the house heading to college. Gathered all the information he could and was ready to review, in detail, each of the sources. Sadness Even the disappearance of a sudden gave way to excitement over the discovery of Professor Pollack notes. Those days were very intense the first week of September 1944; Alencastre managed to take the time to review the notes of the teacher with the help of some students who voluntarily cooperated with the reconstruction of the university. None of them knew the whereabouts of Even. "They say he was a spy for the Nazis and fled with them when the Allies arrived." Alencastre gave no credence to these versions and set about translating the manuscripts of Pollack, was holding what in his wildest dreams could have imagined. Tickets nebulous
of this story was completed in the decades ahead. The U.S. declassified OSS files its European partners informed of the details of the operation "Nibelung." Many years later, in memory of Alexander Alencastre, Even diligent remain the Norwegian student found a fatal result of a misunderstanding. Even ignore that was transformed by night in "Siegfried", the legendary hero of the saga that distance nibelunga informed the Allies about the German positions and who owed the success of the Norwegian campaign. For most of his countrymen, underlaid Even the name was synonymous with treason, it took nearly 50 years for the Norwegians to understand and accept the reality of their sacrifice. Conspired against him as he disappeared without explanation, for long, extended version of Even-and not the Nazis, was the one who executed his own family and fled to Germany where he was probably murdered. Right end for a traitor and family. Nothing is further from the truth, Sigfried prefaced freedom of Norway to the welfare of his people, have been delivered on that fateful August night in 1944, have died in vain. Thanks to young underlaid allies anticipated the invasion and Norway was freed from the Nazis. His body was never found, but it is assumed that American and British secret services erased all possible evidence of his whereabouts. Was sought which could not be found, this was the real death Even underlaid: Sigfried Koepke irreversibly transformed into a modest vegetable farmers in Northern Ireland.
Upon his return, Alejandro Alencastre received from the mayor San Francisco Medal of Honor on behalf of the commune, and declared him a favorite son to his parents' emotion and excitement of the people who had never heard of a country called Norway or the Vikings, much less understand the importance of underlaid the feat of the young. A Alencastre death, the documents became part of the bibliographic heritage of the local university, as indicated in his will. The last news we had of Alencastre was three months after our interview, sick, exhausted and blind him time to attend me at home in the Lake District. Attentive to every detail of his presentation, I could rebuild his memory and the Even. When I concluded my part of the story about his former schoolmate, she replied bitterly, "I already knew."
To me, Thomas underlaid Mehren, simply, I had the task of counting, 63 years later, the true story of my grandfather Even underlaid.
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