There was, however, a problem that needed to be addressed, wrote the case officer. “His party record is as follows: Entered party in June 31, Brigade Fuhrer in the SS, holder of the Golden Party Badge, member of SS, DAF [Deutsche Arbeitsfront, or German Labor Front], NSV [Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt, or National Socialist People’s Welfare], and VDCH [VDCh, or Association of German Chemists].” There was no way to disguise that Schieber had been in Hitler’s inner circle, but the JIOA also proposed a solution. “In order to minimize the possibility of unfavorable publicity in the United States your views requested on advisability of shipping subject via air under escort and or under an alias.” Schieber could be part of Operation Paperclip as long as no one knew who Schieber really was. Unlike standard operating procedure with Operation Paperclip applicants, there was to be no photograph of SS-Brigadeführer Dr. Walter Schieber attached to his intelligence file.
The air force agreed with JIOA’s suggestions. “Ship Dr. Walter Schieber to Wright Field Dayton Ohio. Air Force requests case be expedited and given top priority.” There was one caveat that JIOA and the air force agreed upon. Dr. Schieber had to undergo a denazification trial first. “Trusting he would be placed in Class 3”—the category for individuals who were “less incriminated”—after his denazification trial, Dr. Walter Schieber packed his bags and awaited transport to the United States. Instead, on March 11, 1948, a different verdict came in: “the civilian Internee Dr. Walter Schieber, born 13-09-1897 at Beimerstetten, former Chief of Armaments Deliveries on the Reich Ministry for Armaments and War Production, Head of the Central Office for Generators, Deputy Head of the Reich Organization Industry, SS-Brigadefueher [sic], PSt [presently] held at this enclosure,” read the decree, “was tried by the Sonder-Spruchkammer for Hesse, Neustadt-Lager, and sentenced to Group II, 2 years Labor Camp and restriction to 5 years ordinary labor.” The Group 2 designation meant that Schieber was in a category with “party activists, militarists, and profiteers.” His Paperclip contract would have to wait.
Five days after his trial, Schieber contacted the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps to relay to his Paperclip handler his version of events. “Herr Berbeth [the judge] had subject brought into the chamber and asked him about his trip to the United States, to which Schieber replied that he did not think it would be wise for him to go to the U.S. as an offender. Herr Berbeth suggested that he should immediately apply for a re-trial or ask the Minister for Political Liberation for a pardon. Herr Berbeth also told Schieber that he would recommend such a pardon.” Schieber told his Paperclip handler that, after leaving the courtroom, he had returned to the internee camp where he was being held. Then, according to Schieber, something rather shocking happened: “Berbeth of the court joined Schieber and told him, contrary to his previous statement, not to apply for another trial or a pardon, but to go to Frankfurt immediately, contact the Russian Liaison Officer and ask for an Interzonal Pass. With this pass, subject [Schieber] was to enter the Russian Zone and proceed to one of his factories in the Schwarza/Saale [where] he could be assured of every possible help, should he have the desire to work in his former position.” In other words, according to Schieber, the judge at this trial worked for the Russians and was offering him a job. Schieber claimed to have told the judge that his offer sounded impossible. Was he really being advised to ignore the court’s judgment, to flee the camp, get an interzonal pass, and begin working for the Russians “at a high pay grade” comparable to what he was paid during the Hitler regime? “The President of the Spruchkammer assured [me] that arrangements would be made,” Schieber said. Did this really happen? Was the judge a Russian mole? Or was Schieber playing the Americans with the proverbial Russian card?