Cloak and Dagger: The Wine of Freedom (A0042)|WW2 Spy Adventure

Summary

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The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode Summary: Cloak and Dagger – "The Wine of Freedom"

Date: December 6, 2025

Host: Adam Graham

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Overview

This episode of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio features an espionage drama from the classic WWII-era series Cloak and Dagger, entitled “The Wine of Freedom.” Based on real incidents from the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) files, it follows OSS agent Vince Keller as he attempts to organize the German underground resistance against the Nazis deep within enemy territory. The host, Adam Graham, provides brief commentary and historical context after the drama.

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Key Plot Points & Insights

1. Mission Introduction & The OSS

• [02:06-02:50]
  The episode opens with a reflection on the risks taken by OSS agents in WWII:

  "Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind the enemy lines knowing that you may never return alive?"
  The story is introduced as "suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services."

2. Keller’s Arrival and Suspicion

• [03:27-05:15]
  OSS agent Vince Keller, posing as a wine salesman, seeks out Ludwig Holtzmann, an underground leader in Osnabruck, Germany. He’s met by Frau Holtzmann, who is wary and suspicious – appropriate behavior under the tension of Nazi Germany:
  • Initial contact veers with secret code:

    Keller: "I'd like to talk to your husband."
    Frau Holtzmann: "What do you want to talk to him about?"
    Keller: "Wine."

  • Keller's real mission: strengthening anti-Nazi resistance and connecting isolated cells.

3. Testing & Establishing Trust

• [09:23-11:32]
  When introduced to "Ludwig Holtzmann," Keller faces a test—Holtzmann quizzes Keller about a fictitious vintage to verify his credentials. Keller stumbles, arousing suspicion as a possible Gestapo agent. Only upon using the phrase "Dame Freiheitwein—the Wine of Freedom" does he establish his true purpose.

4. The Underground’s Isolation and Hopes

• [12:27-14:17]
  Keller updates the Holtzmanns on resistance progress:

  Frau Holtzmann: "Then we are not as isolated as we sometimes think?" Keller reassures them and pushes for a local meeting to build trust and organize the resistance.

5. Layers of Deception and Betrayal

• [14:35-18:27]
  Suspicion lingers: Keller overhears Frau Holtzmann making a secretive, coded call warning someone not to come to the house and to meet her elsewhere.
  • He tails her and discovers her rendezvous with a Nazi officer, Paul—the two share an intimate, traitorous moment amidst the threat of a bombing raid.

  Narrator: "She was kissing a Nazi soldier and selling the underground movement down the river." [19:54]

6. Confronting the Aftermath

• [20:10-22:50]
  The air raid kills Frau Holtzmann and Paul. Keller returns to "Holtzmann" (actually Fitzhabel, a Gestapo agent), who arranges a resistance meeting. Holtzmann's grief seems hollow to Keller.

7. The Real Ludwig Holtzmann—Revelation

• [23:23-25:02]
  Keller learns from a neighbor that the real Ludwig Holtzmann died weeks before; the man posing as him is likely Gestapo.
  • Genuine contact with the real underground:

    "Perhaps I could interest you in a special kind called... Der Freiheitwein."
    "Ah, you're familiar with it? ... Won't you step in?"

8. Gestapo Trap and Reversal

• [25:02-29:21]
  Keller deduces Fitzhabel’s plan: to lure resistance members into a fatal Gestapo trap at the "resistance meeting."
  • Instead, Keller and the underground turn the tables, ambushing Fitzhabel and his agents:

  "They saw the guns of the underground that were shoved through every bombed out window." [28:53]
  "They died. All eight of them." [29:21]

9. Mission Accomplished & Epilogue

• [29:47-30:20]
  Keller’s work helps catalyze the organization of resistance in several German cities.

  "Soon, due in large part to Lt. Vince Keller of the OSS, the resistance was well organized throughout Nazi Germany... Mission accomplished."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the reality of espionage and trust:

  "I’d been too busy suspecting them to consider how deeply they must have been suspecting me." (Vince Keller, [11:32])

• On the sad transformation underground work demands:

  Frau Holtzmann: "This underground work is his life. Food means nothing to him... Not even I, the woman he married." ([14:00])

• Bitterness after betrayal and death:

  "You don’t like to tell a man that his wife is lying dead in the park. Or what she was doing there before she died." (Keller, [19:54])

• On peril and paranoia:

  "If a man's a Nazi, and if he's going to betray you... There are other things you don't like to do either." (Keller, [19:54])

• The final reversal:

  "If you look around you, you'll get a real lesson in how we fight... They saw the guns of the underground that were shoved through every bombed out window." (Keller, [28:53])

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Key Timestamps

• 02:06–02:50 OSS theme introduction & promise of a true story
• 05:15–06:20 OSS mission briefing; goal of organizing resistance
• 09:23–11:32 Initial suspicion, coded test, and Keller’s near exposure
• 14:35–15:30 Frau Holtzmann’s secretive call (suspicion confirmed)
• 16:49–18:27 Discovery of her betrayal, confrontation in the park, air raid
• 20:10–22:50 Keller’s realization of the double-cross and interviews with the impostor
• 23:23–25:02 Revelation: Real Holtzmann is dead, new contact with genuine underground
• 27:06–29:21 The climactic showdown—Gestapo agents ambushed at the meeting
• 29:47–30:20 Epilogue: Resistance growth, mission wrap-up

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Host Commentary & Trivia (Adam Graham)

• Mel Ferrer’s performance:

  “Mel Ferrer is such a great casting. Really noted former and director in film as well as a huge presence on Broadway... did not do a lot of radio...” ([32:05])

• Frances Robinson’s role:

  “Frances Robinson’s appearance... is a bit of a puzzle... longtime fans... will remember her as Brooksie, the first Brooksie in Let George Do It." ([32:05])

• On production value:

  “Probably the worst sounding episode of the series but given the state of some of the other series we played, it’s really not that bad. And again, another great story...” ([32:05])

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Tone and Style

The episode’s drama is tense, paranoid, and filled with the moral ambiguity and betrayal of wartime espionage. Keller’s narration is brisk, understated, and sometimes world-weary, reflecting both the dangers of undercover work and the emotional toll it takes. Adam Graham’s commentary is warm, knowledgeable, and tailored to old-time radio aficionados.

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Conclusion

“The Wine of Freedom” is a gripping example of WWII-era radio drama, blending suspenseful spy craft with tragic human stories of trust and betrayal. At its core, it celebrates the bravery—and the heavy cost—of those who fought the Nazi regime from within. The clever twist, moody narration, and authentic period detail make this a standout in the Cloak and Dagger series, presented with insight and enthusiasm by Adam Graham.

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For more Old Time Radio mysteries, subscribe to The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio and join host Adam Graham as he explores drama, suspense, and intrigue from the golden age of audio storytelling.

Transcript

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Limu emu.

[Liberty Mutual / Commercial Announcer]

And Doug here we have the limu emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.

[Liberty Mutual / Commercial Announcer]

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty savings vary underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Massachusetts Life tests homes, certainteed roofing and siding. Make sure they're ready so you're built for stormy seasons. Built for what's next. Built for this Certainteed built for this.

Limu game.

[Liberty Mutual / Commercial Announcer]

And Doug here we have the limu emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally Doug.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.

[Liberty Mutual / Commercial Announcer]

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com.

Savings very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Adam Graham / Podcast Host]

Welcome to the Great Adventures of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Cloak and Dagger. But first I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And I also want to let you know today's programs brought you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis at support.greatdetectives.net or by becoming one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatdetectives.net but now, from 10-15-19, here is the Wine of Freedom.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Are you willing to undertake a dangerous mission behind the enemy lines knowing that you may never return alive?

What you have just heard is the question asked during the war of agents of the oss ordinary citizens. Due to this question answered yes, this is hope.

Black warfare, espionage, international intrigue. These are the weapons of the OSS in today's adventure Wine of Freedom. The role of Vince Keller, an American OSS agent who made a sales trip inside Hitler Germany, is played by stage and screen star Mel Ferrer, currently to be seen with Joan Fontaine in the RKO picture Born to Be Bad. Today's story is suggested by actual incidents recorded in the Washington files of the Office of Strategic Services, a story that can now be told.

Night had started to fall by the time I found the house. I stood out in the pavement and peered at it through the shadows. There wasn't anything strange or ominous about it. It was just a white frame house, like the kind you see back in Omaha. Only this wasn't in Omaha. This house was number 28, Ahon Schasse, in Osnabruck. And Osnabruck was in Germany. Hitler's Germany. I drew a deep breath and went up the front steps clutching a briefcase in my hand. It was that briefcase that made me look like a respectable German citizen. I lifted the brass knocker and let it fall a couple of times.

And then I waited.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Yes? What is it that you want?

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

She was younger than I'd expected. And prettier. And of course, she was suspicious. He was suspicious of everybody in those days, if you were a German. Particularly the kind of German I knew she was.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Well.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Frau Holtzmann?

[Frau Holtzmann]

Yes?

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

I'd like to talk to your husband.

[Frau Holtzmann]

My. My husband?

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Herr Ludwig Holtzmann. Is he in?

[Frau Holtzmann]

What do you want to talk to him about?

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Wine.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Both? Wine.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

My name is Keller. I've just come from Fielafeld. I'm a wine salesman.

Part of it was true. My name was Keller, all right, Vince Keller. And I had come from Bielefeld. But I wasn't a wine salesman. I was an agent of the oss. And what I had to sell was something stronger than wine. It was organized resistance to Nazism.

I'd been at it for about a year then, almost a year since I'd sat in Colonel Metcalfe's office in London and told him I wanted to volunteer for the job. You're sure that there's no trace of American dialect in your German? Quite sure, sir. My family lived in Germany all through my childhood. I was educated in German schools. I see.

And you know what you're letting yourself in for? Killer. If the Nazis grab you. I know, Colonel.

But you still want to undertake the mission. It's important, isn't it? Colonel, if we can step in the German underground's resistance to Hitler. The anti Hitler movement in Germany right now can hardly be called an underground. No, it's merely a handful of isolated individuals in various cities. There's almost no contact between them and no organized activity at all. Well, that won't do us any good when our troops start moving across the German border, sir. Exactly. We need defective allies inside Germany, no matter how few they are. We want them coordinated and strengthened.

That's the job we'd like you to do, lieutenant. Is the job I'll try to do, Colonel. If the Gestapo doesn't catch up with me.

Two weeks later, I'd parachuted into a grassy field outside Dusseldorf. And the Gestapo hadn't caught up with me yet. After Dusseldorf came Essen. And after Essen, Dortmund, and then Wiedlefeld. And Hitler's secret police were still way behind. It was at Bielefeld that I heard about Ludwig Holtzmann, the underground leader there. Old Johann Wolff slipped me his name. So your work here in Bielefeld is finished, Keller. Where'd you go now? Osnabruck, Johann. You'll be hearing from me, though. I want to put the men there in contact with the resistance workers here. We have been in contact occasionally. Now then, Ludwig Holzmann has been. Paid me a visit. Pman, huh? He's the leader in Osnabru. He was the last I heard. It's been several weeks. The JJ. He's number 28 Aon St. Well, good enough. I'll look him up when I get there. You left. No trouble introducing yourself to him. Since you're posing as a wine merchant. Simply ask him if he has ever tried D Heights by Dane Freiheitwein. The wine of freedom, huh? He will know then that he can trust you. And you, of course, can trust him.

So that's how it happened that on that September evening. I followed Frau Holtzmann into the living room of her home in Osnabruck.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Won't you sit down, Hercalla? My husband should be here soon.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

He isn't home then?

[Frau Holtzmann]

No. He's late this evening. He's almost always here by dinner time. I don't know where he could. Oh, but wait. Yes, I do too.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

It doesn't matter. I can wait. No, no.

[Frau Holtzmann]

I'm sure he stopped in to see a friend down the street. I'll try to find.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

But really, I hope you won't.

[Frau Holtzmann]

He'll be very easy to talk to you. He's quite interested in. In wine.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Oh, is it?

[Frau Holtzmann]

Yes. He would not want to keep you waiting. You stay right here and make yourself comfortable. I'll get him.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Wouldn't it be easier to call your friend's house on the telephone?

[Frau Holtzmann]

The telephone. I wish I could hear, fellow. But we had a heavy air raid in Offnabruck last night. The telephone is out of order.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

It was a hasty exit she made. Almost too hasty.

I sat there in that empty house for a minute or two. Where she'd said to make myself comfortable. But somehow I wasn't Mary. So I got up and went over to the telephone.

[Frau Holtzmann]

What number do you wish?

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

I was under the impression, Operator, that this line is out of order.

[Frau Holtzmann]

This line has not been out of order today.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

That gave me something to think about while I waited. I think better when I'm moving. So I began to move around the Holtzman house. I peeked into rooms, even opened drawers. But I didn't find anything. In fact, I didn't even know what I expected to find. When the front door opened, I was back in the living room, trying to look comfortable.

[Frau Holtzmann]

I was right. Care Killer. I found him drinking beer with our friend.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Caught in the act, Ehr. Holtman? I am afraid so. Well, please sit down, Herkela. Thank you. You are a wine salesman, My wife tells me. Yes, I am. And she tells me that you are very interested in wine. That's true. Sort of a connoisseur, perhaps? You might say so. Yes. Like our mutual friend in Bielefeld who suggested that I call on you. And who was that?

[Frau Holtzmann]

What was his name?

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

It must have been the lie Frau Holtzmann had told about the telephone that made me hold back. It must have been the way she stood there, listening so intently, so eagerly. That was why I brushed aside his question. And that was why I said nothing about the Wine of freedom. Even when he asked. Tell me, Raquela, do you carry a dry red wine at reasonable prices? Yes, we have an excellent Burgundy, Herr Holtzman. From where? Why, from Chambertin.

What year? Hekela? 1927. 1927?

I don't think we'd be interested in. In buying any of your wine. But in fact, we'd appreciate if you'd go peddle it somewhere else. Now, wait a minute. Any authentic wine merchant would know that the great frost of 1927 killed the crops of Charberta. You might tell the Gestapo that before they send you out again.

I caught on then, and I almost laughed. He thought I was a Gestapo agent. That explained it. Maybe it even explained his wife's peculiar behavior. I'd been too busy suspecting them to consider how deeply they must have been suspecting me. Here's your hat for killer. And your face. Thanks, Horstmann. But before I go.

There'S another wine you might enjoy. So what is it? Dame Freiheitwein. Have you ever tried it? Yes, I have. You like it? Oh, I like it very much. Perhaps you'd care to hear a little more about it. By all means. You should have mentioned that before. Sit down, her killer, and tell me. Tell me all about the Wine of freedom.

After that, we were all friends. Nobody suspected anybody anymore.

I told them what I'd accomplished in Bielefeld and The other towns. What I hoped to accomplish. In Osnabruck. Their eyes glowed as they heard of the growing strength of the anti Hitler forces within Germany.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Then we are not as isolated as the sometimes think Het.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

You have a lot of friends, Frau Holtzmann. My job is to put you in touch with them. And how will you do that? Well, I'd like to start with a meeting of your friends here in Osnabruck. How many are there? Only a few we actually know personally. Maybe six, seven. Well, that's enough. You think we could get them all together in a safe place tomorrow night? Tomorrow night? We would have to work quickly. It could be done, though. I think so, yes. Yes, I'm sure it could. But I'd have to start working on it right away. By phone. Whoa. We never use the phone here. Listen to it in front of strangers. You even pretend it's out of order. Huh?

[Frau Holtzmann]

You checked up on me after I left, Heckel.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Well, I was even beginning to wonder if you were a Gestapo agent yourself. Oh, you needn't wonder anymore, Herr Killer. Linda is as reliable as I am. You can trust her just as you would trust me.

And then he left me alone with her while he went out to start rounding up his friends.

She insisted I must be hungry. And she led me out into the kitchen and gave me the dinner she'd cooked for her husband.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Poor Ludwig. I don't suppose he'll get anything to eat tonight.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

He should have eaten before he left.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Oh, you do not know him, Herr Keller. This underground work is his life. Food means nothing to him. He goes without sleep. He never has a moment of pleasure. Nothing matters to him but fighting enough. Not even I the woman he married.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

I guess that's the way a man gets in the underground after a while.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Yes, he gets hard and cold and couch like Ludwig Holtzman. Well, never mind that. If you will excuse me, Herr Keller, I want to go upstairs and get your room ready. You'll sleep here tonight. Of course.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Don't go to a lot of trouble, please. Oh, no.

[Frau Holtzmann]

It will take but a moment. You finish your dinner. I'll be right down.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

But the strange thing was that she never went up. At least I didn't hear her go up. I waited for her footsteps on the stairs, and when there was no sound, I left the table and pushed open the door a crack.

I saw her then in the living room with her back to me, her head bent over the telephone.

[Frau Holtzmann]

I can't explain to you now.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

I heard her too.

[Frau Holtzmann]

No, no, don't ask me. Just do what I tell you. Don't come here, whatever you do. Meet me by the BAM stand in the park. Be there in half hour and wait for me. I'll come as soon as I can.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Frau Holtzmann could do a lot of tricks with a telephone. I wondered if she could explain away the second one as easily as she'd explained away the first. I didn't ask her, though. I let her show me up to my room a half hour later. And I told her good night.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Good night, Hedkever. If you need anything, call me. I'm in the room at the end of the hall.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

You going to retire now, Frau Holtzmann?

[Frau Holtzmann]

Yes, I. I think I will. I'm very tired. I don't believe I'll wait up for Ludfoot.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Well, thanks again.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Not at all. Good night.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Good night.

I've been tired myself, but I felt wide awake. Then I went to bed, though that is, I went through the motions of going to bed with all the proper sound effects. I let my shoes drop loudly on the floor.

Then, after I'd quietly put them on again, I opened the window and flicked the light switch.

After that, I waited silently by the door. She must have taken off her own shoes to tiptoe down the stairs, because I didn't hear her go. But she shouldn't have let the front door close quite. Quite so hard. I did hear that. Then I moved fast out of the bedroom.

And down the stairs.

And out the front door. But I feel too quiet.

She must have been 30 yards ahead of me when I reached the street. I didn't try to close the distance between us. It was easy enough to follow it. The sidewalks were practically deserted. She didn't look back once. A woman who's walking as eagerly, as determinedly as Linda Holtzman was walking doesn't bother to look back. We reached the park in 20 minutes. It was deserted, too. She stayed on the gravel walk, and I slipped through the bushes. And then I did close in on her. She approached the bandstand. A figure separated itself from the shadows and came toward her. Linda. I was crouching behind a shrub, three feet away. By then I saw that the figure wore a Nazi uniform. Oh, what's happened? Why did you call me?

He kissed her.

And they were both lost in it. So lost they didn't even hear the plane start winding through the night.

I heard them, but I didn't move. There was something else I had to hear. Something that might prove more fatal than a British bomb. What was the meaning of the telephone Call.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Call this. We better get to a shelter.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

There's one at the other end of the park.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Come on, Paul, hurry.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

But tell me first what is happening. We won't be able to talk in the shelter.

[Frau Holtzmann]

It's an OSS agent.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

What?

[Frau Holtzmann]

An American spy. He's at Flyheart.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Why not? I had American Spy here, not a book. Pardon? I don't think. It's not. No use running now. It's too late. Down, Linda. Throw yourself down.

The Nazi was right. It was too late to run. The Tommies were dropping bombs all over town. Linda followed his advice and so did I. I flung myself on the soft ground behind those shrubs and hung on for pure.

The last bomb landed in the park.

I raised my head. At last there was only a pile of rubble where the bandstand had been. Linda. I heard the Nazi calling her name. There was something in his voice that brought me to my feet. It was the tone of a man who calls when he doesn't expect an answer. Linda, do you hear me calling him up? He's dead.

Anything I can do, soldier? There's nothing anyone can do. You stayed? You sure? Yeah, right, sure. Come on. I'll get you to a doctor. I have no time now for doctors. Later maybe, but there's something I must do first. I'm not hurt. I could do it for you. I'd do it myself. There's information. Gestapo must have. Immediately he turned away and went lunging off. You don't like to do such things. But if a man's a Nazi, and if he's going to betray you to the Gestapo. I raised my gun.

There are other things you don't like to do either. You don't like to tell a man that his wife is lying dead in the park. Or what she was doing there before she died. Not if she was kissing a Nazi soldier and selling the underground movement down the river.

But I knew it had to be done. I went back to Le Big Holtzman's house. He'd already come home and was waiting for me. I have news for you. I have news for you too. Bad news. But mine is good. It's all arranged already. All arranged? The meeting, you mean. Of course. The meeting tomorrow night at 11 o'. Clock. There's a bond out church on the highway, north of the tower. There's no danger of being interrupted because the church is never used anymore. I rounded up every friend I could there. There will be seven at the meeting, possibly eight. Good work, old Slim. Thank you. Thank you. But what did you want to tell Me? It.

Well, it's your wife. My wife? She.

Look, my friend, there's no way of breaking this to you gently. Never mind. Just. Emily. What about my wife? She's dead, Hman. She's. She was killed in the raid tonight. In to leave. God. Oh. Oh, no, no, no, no.

Isn't possible. I'm sorry, Hman.

[Frau Holtzmann]

My.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

I can't. I just. I just can't believe it. I can't think. I know how hard it is for you. Oh, no, you don't know, are you. You couldn't know because you never knew what he meant. Easy, Huntsman.

[Frau Holtzmann]

I just can't help.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Back up. I'm sorry about it.

[Frau Holtzmann]

It's too hard to face.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

You've faced a lot of hard things in these last few years. I guess you'll manage to face this. Those were nothing. Linda was everything to me. Nothing else matter. She was my whole life. I sat there and felt like a heel because his grief left me cold. I suppose I should have felt sorry for him, but I didn't. There was something wrong somewhere. There was a phony note in his sorrow that I couldn't put my finger on. Not then, at least. Later on that night, after I'd helped him to his room, after I'd gone to bed myself and lay in the darkness thinking about it, I began to understand.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Hard, cold and callous. Like Ludwig Holzmann.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

It was her voice. Binda.

[Frau Holtzmann]

Nothing matters. Nothing but fighting the Nazis. Not even I, the woman he married.

[Narrator / Vince Keller]

But how did that jive with the sobbing, grief stricken husband I just seen? And after all, why should a man who'd fought the Nazis, who'd lived with death for 10 years, why should he collapse so completely at the news of one more death? Even the death of his own?

Yes, something was wrong somewhere. Something was very definitely wrong. I thought I knew what it was. And if I was right, then the furious secret police were breathing down my neck.

He was still sleeping when I slipped out of the house the next morning.

I didn't go far.

Just across the street and two doors down to number 21. Ahon Strasse.

Yes. What is it you want? I'm sorry to disturb you so early. I. I wonder if you could help me. I'm a stranger in town. I'm looking for the Holtzman residence. Holtzman? Across the street, two doors that way. Number 28. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Good day. Excuse me. I think I have the right party, don't I? That is Herr Ludwig Holtzmann's house, isn't Was his house. Oh. Doesn't he live there anymore? Ludwig Holtzman died three weeks ago.

And then I knew I was right.

I turned away from the door, but I didn't have any place to go. So I turned back again, and the man in the doorway was still standing there, still staring at me thoughtfully. Excuse me.

Why did you want to see Ludwig Holtzman? Well, I'm a wine merchant. I didn't know he was dead. I thought he might be interested in some wine. I see.

Strong wine. Very strong. A special kind called. Called Der Freiheit wine. Ah, you're familiar with it? Yes, I'm familiar with it. Perhaps I could interest you. Perhaps you could. Won't you step in?

I followed him into his house. And then I took a chance. I told him who I was and why I'd come to Osnabruck and what had happened since I arrived. I see. Then the real Ludwig Holtzman is dead. He was killed by the Gestapo. Hekela, his own wife, betrayed him. Funny. That's just how I had it figured. Fortunately, she doesn't know who the rest of us are. Or she would betray us too. Not anymore. She was killed in the raid last night. She walks. That doesn't exactly break your heart, I imagine. On the contrary, it saves us the trouble of someday killing her ourselves. But you say she introduced another man to you as her husband. She must have had orders to report anyone who came looking for Ludwig. She went out and brought this man back with her. A tall, thin chap with a black mustache. Ah, yeah. Fitzhabel. Probably one of the most powerful Gestapo agents in Osnabruck. Nice company I've been keeping lately. That's what I don't understand. Why didn't he turn you over immediately? What is he waiting for? For the meeting tonight, probably. Meeting? He knows I'm planning to talk about the underground work in neighboring cities. I see. He figures he'll pick up a flock of names. Yeah. He'd never ask me for the names directly for fear he'd look suspicious. Ah, yeah. But who does he intend to bring to such a meeting? Some more Gestapo agents, I imagine. Maybe he's bringing them over from Dortmund and be. And he hopes you will give him useful information. Sure. That's a nice setup. They'll sit around and scribble down everything I say. Then when they've milked me, they'll spring me up. How lucky that you came to my door. Now you can escape here, killer. Escape? No, I don't think so. What do you mean? Seven or eight Gestapo Agents all gathered under one roof. That's awfully inviting. But you can't go to that meeting. Why not? They don't know I know who they are. You will never get out alive. I'm not so sure.

I was pretty cocky then. But by the time night came, I'd lost a lot of it. I'd had to put on an act for Fitzhabel all day pretending I still thought he was Ludwig Holtzmann. Pretending I trusted him and was sorry for his great loss.

By 11 o', clock, when he and I slipped up the moonlit path that led to the church, my nerves were pretty thin. I'd taken a lot of risks since I'd come to Germany, but I'd never walked into a meeting of Gestapo agents before. Every one of whom knew who I was.

They're here already. You see her, Killer?

I saw through the clouds of cigar smoke. I saw the narrow hungry eyes that turned on me. I saw the half hidden smiles. I sensed the laughter inside them. My friends.

My friends. You know why we are meeting here tonight. You know that here at my side is a man, an American. Let's have the courage to come into this land of terror to help us.

He made quite a production of us. He went on for five minutes, building me up. And all the while I could hear that silent mocking. He has succeeded. So now her Keller will tell us of the work he has been doing in other German cities. He will give us the names of our brothers who are fighting in the same cause for which we fight. He will teach us how to fight more effectively. How to bring closer the day of final victory. I present. Herr Killer. The Americans.

Thanks, Ehorsman. Brothers and friends, my plans have changed somewhat. I did intend to tell you about the resistance movement in other cities. But I find that the resistance movement here in Osnabruck is quite impressive. So I decided to show you an example of that instead.

If you look around you, you'll get a real lesson in how we fight. How we bring closer. The day of final victory. It took them a minute to catch on, but not long. Then they turned and they saw what I was pointing at. They saw the guns of the underground that were shoved through every bombed out window. All right, man. Have a.

They died. All eight of them. Well, Colonel Metcalfe had told me to help make the German underground strong and effective. He said it had to be organized. It was pretty well organized that night in Osnabruck and later in Dortmund, Bielefeld, Essen Dusseldorf.

Soon due in Large part to Lt. Vince Keller of the OSS the resistance was well organized throughout Nazi Germany. And once again the report of another OSS agent closes with the words mission accomplished. Listen again next week for another true adventure from the files of the OSS on.

Cloak and dagger.

Heard in today's Cloak and Dagger adventure as Vince Keller was Mel Ferrer. Star of stage and screen hebble was Herbert Berghoff, Linda Francis Robinson. Others were Ralph Bell, Raymond Edward Johnson, Vilma Cure, Ian Martin and Carl Weber. Script was written by Ken Field and music was under the direction of John Garth. Sound effects by Chet hill and Jerry McGee. Engineering by George Voss. Today's OSS adventure was based on the book Cloak and Dagger by Corey ford and Alistair McBain. This program is produced by Louis D. Cowan and Alfred Hollander.

Here is a bulletin from the NBC newsroom. Governor Dewey of New York has endorsed the NBC Republican presidential candidate as General Eisenhower. During the NBC television program Meet the Press, Dewey declared again that he himself will not be a candidate. Then Dewey, as particular head of the GOP said that he would urge support of Eisenhower if the general will permit himself to be nominated. Keep tuned to your NBC station for the later news. This is NBC, the national broadcasting Company.

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[Narrator / Vince Keller]

Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us?

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[Adam Graham / Podcast Host]

Welcome back. Well, a really exciting story. A lot of twists along the way. As soon as you thought you understood what was going on the everything changed and went a different direction leading to the twist where Keller in the end was able to turn the tables on the Gestapo. Mel Ferrer is such a great casting. Really noted former and director in film as well as a huge presence on Broadway. Didn't do a lot of radio, but so a good bit of work by NBC. Search of newspapers shows that the casting got a brief bit of attention and a little bit of publicity for the program in what would be its penultimate episode. Frances Robinson's appearance in the episode is a bit of a puzzle to me. Longtime fans of the great detectives will remember her as Brooksie. The first Brooksie in Let George Do It. Though her career did start out on the East Co. She appeared in the ZIV syndicated series Manhunt with Larry Haines. But most of the post war radio programs I can find information for her shows that her post war radio career. All the credits I can find are in Hollywood. So bit curious how that happened. And I should say this is probably the worst sounding episode of the series but given the state of some of the other series we played, it's really not that bad. And again, another great story and I will be sorry to bid farewell to this one next week. Now it's time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the Day and I want to thank Joanna. Patreon Supporter since June 2022, currently support the podcast at the Secret agent level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support Joanna and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel and mark the notification bell. We'll be back next Saturday with the final episode of Cloak and Dagger on the Great Adventurers Podcast. We'll be back on Tuesday with another episode of Adventure Ahead on the Great Detectives Podcast. Stay tuned for a Sunday encore and then on Monday we return to our regular lineup with Danger with Granger. In the meantime, do send your comments to box13greatdetectives.net Follow us on Twitter radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram instagram.com Great detectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.

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[Narrator / Vince Keller]

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