he was transferred to the reich main security office in berlin on 8 october 1944. from there he wrote on 19 december 1944 to his betrothed maria von wedemeyer, adding the poem with the comments "ein paar verse, die mir in den letzten abenden einfielen" (a few verses that occurred to me the last evenings) and "als ein weihnachtsgruß für dich und die eltern und geschwister" (as a christmas greeting for you and the parents and siblings). the poem refers both to his own situation and that of his family: he had to face possible execution, his brother klaus and his brothers-in-law hans von dohnanyi and rüdiger schleicher were in prison, his brother walter had died as a soldier, and his twin sister had left the country with her jewish husband .