Excellent chapter. No flaws. The level of detail is astounding. I did want to mention something for your consideration. At the very beginning, when Diels and Cristofor arrive at the embassy, you mentioned that they presented their diplomatic credentials. Usually it’s only ambassadors that have diplomatic credentials. When they arrive in a country to start their mission, they present a letter of credence to the head of state of the host country that is signed and authenticated from their own head of state. The letter affirms that the individual bearing it has the right to represent their country (in negotiations, signing treaties, etc.) with the full backing of the government. Once the the letter has been accepted and acknowledged by the head of state of the host country, the ambassador is “accredited”. There are other diplomatics (like a deputy chief of mission or a consul general) that can be delegated to act on behalf of the ambassador, but I don’t think they’re officially accredited (although I might be wrong). I think it would possibly be more in line with the era and the events you’re describing if they presented to the guard their passports and a diplomatic note from their embassy explaining why they’re there.
Good information. I do research on some thing and just make stuff up for others, and “credentials” was a bit of rhetorical laziness on my part. Since Diels is not an ambassador, some less formal method of introduction would have been more appropriate.
*other diplomats, not “diplomatics”
Excellent chapter. No flaws. The level of detail is astounding. I did want to mention something for your consideration. At the very beginning, when Diels and Cristofor arrive at the embassy, you mentioned that they presented their diplomatic credentials. Usually it’s only ambassadors that have diplomatic credentials. When they arrive in a country to start their mission, they present a letter of credence to the head of state of the host country that is signed and authenticated from their own head of state. The letter affirms that the individual bearing it has the right to represent their country (in negotiations, signing treaties, etc.) with the full backing of the government. Once the the letter has been accepted and acknowledged by the head of state of the host country, the ambassador is “accredited”. There are other diplomatics (like a deputy chief of mission or a consul general) that can be delegated to act on behalf of the ambassador, but I don’t think they’re officially accredited (although I might be wrong). I think it would possibly be more in line with the era and the events you’re describing if they presented to the guard their passports and a diplomatic note from their embassy explaining why they’re there.
Good information. I do research on some thing and just make stuff up for others, and “credentials” was a bit of rhetorical laziness on my part. Since Diels is not an ambassador, some less formal method of introduction would have been more appropriate.