Nikolai’s passport

That same day, because I did not know where I should go, I twice looked up the Bulgarian student Nikolai Nikolaeff (he lives at Isabella Str. 26, Munich). The second time, Nikolaeff allowed me to wait in his room for a short time. I used the opportunity to steal Nikolaeff’s passport, so I would have another form of identification for my flight.

I thought about stealing Nikolaeff’s passport because the drawer of a chest in Nikolaeff’s room was slightly open and I could see the passport inside. I therefore was able to steal the passport without any difficulty.

Before I left Nikolaeff’s residence and as a precaution, I asked him to give me cash, because I figured it would do me some good if I could get a little more than the RM 300 [$2,400] I had on me. In addition, I told Nikolaeff that I was planning to take a trip and that a windbreaker would be better for what I had planned.

Nikolaeff agreed to my unreasonable demands and handed over his gray windbreaker in exchange for my winter coat. I did not tell Nikolaeff the real reasons for my request, that is, my flight from Munich. I therefore ask that in consideration for the fact that Nikolaeff acted in good faith, that the sum of RM 50 [$400] out of the RM 340.41 [$2,723.28] I had on me, as well as the gray windbreaker, be returned to him. I would not wish to see Nikolaeff suffer harm because of his willingness to oblige.

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Source: RGWA, February 26, 1943 interrogation of Alexander Schmorell.