Malcolm Hilgartner

The prisoners were shot once, and then a second time to ensure they were dead, the coup de grâce, in Reveille's words. My life is novel, Reveille told me finally. I don't wish you to go through what I went through. He finished his dessert, and then his son drove him home. As the days passed with little progress in the search, the Volksbund workers grew tense.

The prisoners were shot once, and then a second time to ensure they were dead, the coup de grâce, in Reveille's words. My life is novel, Reveille told me finally. I don't wish you to go through what I went through. He finished his dessert, and then his son drove him home. As the days passed with little progress in the search, the Volksbund workers grew tense.

Right-wing collectors were fueling an online market for Nazi-era paraphernalia, and the workers feared that looters might sneak into the site at night looking for trophies. At the same time, the village was growing weary of the international spotlight. Maymack's role in resisting the Nazis seemed clearly heroic until Reveille's revelation.

Right-wing collectors were fueling an online market for Nazi-era paraphernalia, and the workers feared that looters might sneak into the site at night looking for trophies. At the same time, the village was growing weary of the international spotlight. Maymack's role in resisting the Nazis seemed clearly heroic until Reveille's revelation.

Now some online commentators were saying that he had perpetrated a massacre. One day, while I was on my phone in Maymack, I came across a pamphlet on the internet that wanted to set the record straight. Resistance fighters are the opposite of war criminals, it said, criticizing the journalists who wrote about the killings for sensationalizing them.

Now some online commentators were saying that he had perpetrated a massacre. One day, while I was on my phone in Maymack, I came across a pamphlet on the internet that wanted to set the record straight. Resistance fighters are the opposite of war criminals, it said, criticizing the journalists who wrote about the killings for sensationalizing them.

Over coffee, Céline Compa, the local reporter who published the first article about Reveille, told me about how the town reacted to the news. A lot of people would have preferred him to be quiet, not to say anything, she said, and I thought it was extremely courageous of him to speak up. France, it seemed, had its own taboo when it came to speaking about what its fighters did during the war.

Over coffee, Céline Compa, the local reporter who published the first article about Reveille, told me about how the town reacted to the news. A lot of people would have preferred him to be quiet, not to say anything, she said, and I thought it was extremely courageous of him to speak up. France, it seemed, had its own taboo when it came to speaking about what its fighters did during the war.

All sides had something to be guilty of, she said, and war brought out the worst in everyone. This is like pulling a ghost out of a closet. By late August, a rumor began to spread around the village that the search was not going well. Few people thought Reveille could have concocted such a dramatic story from scratch, and in fact some elements had been corroborated.

All sides had something to be guilty of, she said, and war brought out the worst in everyone. This is like pulling a ghost out of a closet. By late August, a rumor began to spread around the village that the search was not going well. Few people thought Reveille could have concocted such a dramatic story from scratch, and in fact some elements had been corroborated.

More likely it seemed the remains were in another spot nearby. Reveille's secret had been buried so long that it might be impossible to ever unearth. Ten days after the digging began, the Volksbund issued a statement saying it had found old coins and bullet casings from the war, but there were no skeletons at the site.

More likely it seemed the remains were in another spot nearby. Reveille's secret had been buried so long that it might be impossible to ever unearth. Ten days after the digging began, the Volksbund issued a statement saying it had found old coins and bullet casings from the war, but there were no skeletons at the site.

Unfortunately, such setbacks are part of our work, the statement said, but we are not giving up and are looking for more information. Some of the folks' wounds and discoveries come together far more quickly. Last April, I got a call asking if I could fly to Budapest.

Unfortunately, such setbacks are part of our work, the statement said, but we are not giving up and are looking for more information. Some of the folks' wounds and discoveries come together far more quickly. Last April, I got a call asking if I could fly to Budapest.

The group had unearthed what it believed was a mass grave of around 1,000 remains along a highway near Hungary's border with Serbia and Croatia. The ground there was sandy, which meant the excavation was moving more swiftly than usual, and I would need to get there soon if I wanted to arrive before they finished.

The group had unearthed what it believed was a mass grave of around 1,000 remains along a highway near Hungary's border with Serbia and Croatia. The ground there was sandy, which meant the excavation was moving more swiftly than usual, and I would need to get there soon if I wanted to arrive before they finished.

The history of this particular mass grave began with the fifty-day siege of Budapest by Soviet and Romanian forces at the end of the war. By then, Hungary was ruled by its own fascist regime, the Arrow Cross Party, which killed thousands of civilians as it fought alongside its Nazi allies during just five months in power.

The history of this particular mass grave began with the fifty-day siege of Budapest by Soviet and Romanian forces at the end of the war. By then, Hungary was ruled by its own fascist regime, the Arrow Cross Party, which killed thousands of civilians as it fought alongside its Nazi allies during just five months in power.

By the time the Soviets finally took the city, the fighting was not just on the streets, but had descended into the sewers, and more than 150,000 people would die. On a sunny day last spring, I pulled up to a lot near an abandoned barracks from Hungary's communist years. The bones of hundreds of men, both Germans and Hungarians, lay in an open pit.

By the time the Soviets finally took the city, the fighting was not just on the streets, but had descended into the sewers, and more than 150,000 people would die. On a sunny day last spring, I pulled up to a lot near an abandoned barracks from Hungary's communist years. The bones of hundreds of men, both Germans and Hungarians, lay in an open pit.