The novel «SARA» is about the harsh fate of a young girl Sara, who’s in her sixteen has overcome a hell a way of three concentration camps during the Second World War, the 1939-1945, and she survived miraculously.
At the Bergen-Belsen camp, the fate of Sara crossed the fate of Anna Frank, who died of typhus, but after the publication of her diary posthumously, she became a symbol of all the Jews who were killed during the Second World War.
The novel is written by the stories of Stephanie Helbling that are complemented by the creative fiction of the author.
«The war has brought so much grief to mankind that we even shudder when listening to the stories of eyewitnesses, though we are the generation who did not know the war.
And it doesn’t matter how much it was written about this horrible crime, it is necessary to continue to write, to create the movies, to pass this memory to our children. For the Peace! For the Love.
Thanks for the translation of the novel Christina Barkane»
E. Fishtik – the composer, the member of the Union of Composers of the Russian Federation and the European Composers' Association.
She was awarded the medal «For the works in education, culture, art and literature»
SARA
Elena Fishtik
Laws are keeping silence during the war.
Lukan
The novel «Sara» is about the harsh destiny of a young girl Sara who’s in her sixteen has gone through the hellish way of three concentration camps during the Second world war of 1939-1945 and she survived miraculously.
In the third camp Bergen-Belzen Sara’s fate crossed the fate of Anna Frank who was not so lucky as Sara and she died of typhus, but after her diary was published posthumously she became the symbol of all Jewish people who were killed during the Second world war.
The novel is written by the stories of Stefani Helbling, she is the main character, and also as a result of studying of many historical materials that are added by the creative fantasies of the author.
It is devoted to my parents Fishtik Nina Afanasievna and Vladimir Aleksandrovich who were born the day before the Second world war and went through the hunger and cold, fear and horror that followed them during all these terrible years.
The novel is also devoted to my grandmothers Maria and Elena, grandfathers Afanasiy and Alexandr who went through this awful way and kept the honor and dignity while saving their children, and to all humanity.
The deepest truth is the outcome of the deepest love.
Heine
July, 2013
By the will of circumstances, I turned out to be in Florida.
Though I was going to take this trip a little bit later as my sister Nata lives here with her family.
I try to visit them more often though I live quite a long way - in Moscow.
The morning sun warms gently my shoulders, the ocean caresses my legs with tender, wave after wave is in a hurry to meet me as we are always glad to each other, I like communicating with the ocean and keeping silence, I like wandering along the white sand of the perfect coast that is a huge and powerful living essence, I like dreaming with it together.
When I'll be sad the ocean is sure to cheer me up and give me a calm.
It seems that it knows everything about me, it feels everything and I feel so good near it!
Today I'm roaming along the coast and I'm thinking about the writing of the book about the loyalty and love.
I've taken a decision to write this book a long time ago but as it often happens we get down to business only when we are finally mature or when the circumstances rouse us to it.
In my case both are together.
The story I'm going to tell you about is very difficult to think of, it's not an imaginary story though there is quite a lot of my imagination as it tends to be in any novel.
An elderly but elegant miss Stefania is sitting in front of me.
She has been living in Florida for a long time. She moved here after her sons from her lovely New York.
Stefania is a graceful woman of old age, she's always dressed tastefully, on the brink of styles- between discreet classic and eccentric.
It is always pleasant to look at her gestures and the manner of communication.
It is incredible and striking ability to be perfect like a queen and at the same time to be sincere and ordinary. It captivated me a long time ago, we had been known each other for many years but I never ceased to admire her and to be interested of her.
She is exactly a person the books are mostly written about.
About their life experience, about the difficulties and misfortunes, about the losses and winnings, about beautiful and eternal love, about the inner and external beauty.
It must be said that this story began a long time ago, immediately after meeting Stefania.
At that time, I was just a detached listener, Stefania was creating a picture of her life to my mother Nina - they have very affectionate and sincere relationships.
During this my visit to Florida Stefania agreed to meet me with pleasure for discussing my future book, she is ready to tell the whole world a story about the great love which she carried through over ordeals and she is still doesn't lose it.
Her face got tense and she consigned to memories.
I am watching her graceful gestures and listening very attentively to the story of ninety years old woman.
Oh, it is need to be mentioned about our meeting.
We are relatives to some extent.
Stefania is Mark's Mum, Mark is my sister's Natalia husband.
Perhaps it's enough for the preface.
«On the Brink of Disaster»
Stefania's memories carried her away to the distant forties of the twentieth century that were the most terrible and at the same time the most significant years for her.
At that time her name was Sara Averbah and she was only sixteen.
Chapter 1
«God exists as HE is essential»
Spinoza.
- Sara, let's go quickly, the ship won't wait for us.
- I'm almost ready, Mum. And where is Boris?
- The brother is taking out things to the porch, be quick, please.
Sara ran out from her room with the signs of tears on her eyes.
She tried to hide them but nothing could be hidden from mother.
- Ow, ouch - Emma threw out her hands.
- I don't want to go to Poland, Mum. But why it was Borka who was sent to L’vov to work as if there were no athletes in our city, - Sara exclaimed and pouted her small lips with the sense of resentment, and then she added, - if only Mania would go with us, I'll miss my sister so much.
- My darling, Mania has got family. You know that Mosia can't leave his barbershop.
- Why?
- Sara, his business is going well. And indeed Moisey is «a water boy» - they won't let him go.
- And will you miss Mania?
- I'll miss Mania, and my grandson, my little Izia, I will miss so much, but what can I do!?... - Emma turned away to hide her tears.
- Mother, calm down, Sara was asking crying and hugging mother's waist.
- My dear daughter, don't cry, everything will be good, you need to understand if the party sent Boris then he is needed there and his skills are needed, and you will love L’vov like you love your native city Zaporojye.
- You'll meet new friends, - Emma clasped the daughter with care and stroked her splendid wavy hair.
Silk locks of hair were spreading over shoulders of a young and incredibly pretty girl.
She was proud of her hair so much.
- And Mania has got family and she can't go with us, - mother continued.
- Oh, I understand everything.
Right at that moment Sara recognized that her childhood was finished and she began new adult life.
She was in prospect for not only changing the city for living!
She was at hand to get to know all the polar sides of life.
Nobody could know what was waiting for him in the future.
Summer, 1940
A long way lay ahead.
The ship was going by Dnepr to Kiev.
Passengers were sitting on the floor of the hold, it was quite crowded but Boris has found some sheltered place where Sara and Mum could feel themselves more comfortable.
The young pregnant woman was lying near.
Her face was frightened, time and again she protected her big belly by hands from the scrum, it seemed that she would give birth right now.
Emma smiled to her with encouraging smile and greeted her, Sara has copied her Mum's behavior, though she felt uncomfortable.
Knapsacks, bags, kitbags, people - all was mixed, the shout, the scream of children, tears of people who were saying goodbye, loud greeting exclamations of people which met their acquaintances by chance, the moan of the old lady who was lifting on the gangway with difficulty, sailors who were finishing the last preparations for leaving, the powerful horn, and the ship is slowly going.
People are waving to their relatives from the shore and people from the ship are also waving in response, the last exhortations are heard, the picture of the shore is getting smaller and finally it is disappearing, disappearing...
The freight ship that was transporting people sometimes, finally it slowly began to go, it captivated Sara with Mum and brother Boris to something completely unknown.
And it scared the young girl.
She was afraid not only for herself but also for her brother and Mum who became a widow so early.
Very often Sara asked her mother to tell about her Dad as he died when Sara wasn't even five.
Of course, she remembered some moments when her father was playing with her with hand-made toys, when he was reading books to her, he brought these books from the printing house where he's been working for all his life and the printing house was the reason of his death, as some chemicals that were harmful for lungs formed the big cancer tumor that killed him.
Sara remembered even her questions that she asked her father:
- Father, is it true that Jesus was a Jew?
- Yes, daughter, it's true. At that time all were the Jews - it was such time, - though her father was never religious, moreover he was a strong communist.
- Father, Sioma told me, that God lives above.
- Yeah, daughter, your friend is right, God lives above, - and mentally added to himself, - and torments below.
Sara's father was the mine of information, he knew a lot of proverbs and sayings as all Jewish people knew.
They are wise in the womb.
It is said in some Jewish saying that Jewish people are born old.
When his father Isaac died Boris became the support of the family.
Since childhood he was notable for the great responsibility, accuracy and he liked to take care of others so much.
It was not necessary to ask him about the help, to force him or plead to do something, the nobility was in his blood.
The name - Boris he took for himself when he got eighteen and before his name was Ziama.
This story is also very exponential and it shows the qualities of his nature.
Ziama had his beloved cousin Boria.
They were very amicable. Boris died when he was young.
The death is very strange and mysterious.
Friends and acquaintances talked a lot about the solar eclipse.
This day came. Boris as many other people went out on the street, he spent an hour in the yard and watched the sky.
He watched the disc of the Moon that slowly hid the solar disc- this beautiful new formation enraptured him.
The sky got dark and the bright stars appeared on it.
And suddenly, around the solar disc that was hidden by the Moon, he noticed the bright solar crown.
Feelings were inexpressible.
It continued only a few minutes but it was enough for Boris.
As if he discovered something essential for himself.
As if he got to know the Great Secret.
His face was calm and unruffled.
He looked at the sky one more time, smiled and went home, lay on his bed and... died.
This mysterious death of a young and healthy boy shocked the whole family, and Ziama closed for a few days, he couldn't communicate with anyone, and when his stress has gone away he announced to everybody that in memory of his brother he would take his name.
And from that time he is Boris.
The hold of the ship was impossibly full.
People were sitting, lying and staying, yawning with boredom.
Sara's pregnant neighbor name was Maria.
She was going to Kiev to her parents for childbirth as her husband was taken to the army.
She was afraid a little bit because it was almost the time for childbirth, but it was much more awful to stay alone in Zaporojye where there weren't any relatives at all, where there wasn't any help, and this one was her first child, she didn't know what to do and how, she hadn't any experience, that's why she made so desperate decision.
The first day of the journey was quiet.
The weather was fine. Passengers were eating and drinking, the food was not so good but still passable.
Sara spent a lot of time on the deck watching the changing pictures of the nature.
There, on the coast, thick trees that was brightly shined by the sun lights were gently swaying on the wind as if they were saying goodbye with their branches.
On the other side of the Dnepr voices of children were heard, they greeted the next vessel and immediately said him goodbye.
The night was coming: the fantastic sunset, the singing of birds, that was heard from the coasts of the Dnepr, quiet lullaby for a little girl, the smooth surface of water and shadows of trees that were reflecting in it- this all made Sara so calm, appeased her...
Day by day, night by night, the vessel was slowly going to the final destination.
It was seven and the last day of the way, it was dark and suddenly the thunder and lightning appeared in the sky and a heavy rain poured.
The vessel was so poor that it became clear immediately as water with high speed appeared in the hold, people worried, the ship was swaying from side to side because of strong wind, it was impossible to stay, and to sit on the floor was more impossible, as water appeared very fast and all things: wallets, suitcases, bags almost everything was under the water.
Everybody panicked.
People ran by the ship and nobody knew what to do.
Boris shouted to Mum and Sara:
- Go upstairs quickly.
Sara just made a step and she felt that someone seized her leg, she turned and she saw the frightened eyes of pregnant Maria, she murmured something pleading about the help.
Sara called her Mum:
- Mother, quickly, here...-Sara showed on Maria, she couldn't speak because of fear, she was shivering and her leg was in tenacious hand of Maria.
- Maria, stand up quickly, let's go upstairs, - the mother leaned forward to help but at that moment Maria screamed and she writhed in pain. It was clear for everybody - the contractions began.
- Boris, mother turned, she was looking for the son.
- I'm here. What's going on? - Boris helped an elderly people to climb on the board.
- Maria is giving birth.
Boris immediately appeared beside, with very fast and resolute movement he caught Maria and went upstairs.
All passengers were frightened because of heartbreaking scream of Maria.
Sara was shocked and she couldn't move faster, it seemed that her legs clung to stairs, people lined up behind her, pushed each other, hurried the girl, pushed her in the side and back with accusations and shouting.
The wind got stronger, the rain lashed people with a violent force, sometimes it knocked them down, sobs and wailing, the scream of children, women’s crying mixed in with the thunder, and shrill, the unbearable scream of pregnant Maria.
Boris carried Maria upstairs, covered her with a sailcloth that he discovered in the fore ship, the mother settled beside, she was stroking Maria and saying to her:
- Be patient girl, everything will be good, you need to be patient.
Maria was keeping silence for some time and then she began moaning, and again it was a terrible cry.
The pain didn't give her relax for a long time.
And the rain got stronger and stronger.
The hold was almost flooded.
There is inexpressible fear in people's eyes.
Sailors are going back and forth down the vessel trying to patch holes in some way.
The frightened voices are heard:
- I can't swim!
- God, help me!
- Semyon, where in my Semyon?
- Alyosha, go here quickly, leave your bale.
- Somebody help, here is a granddad!
- Mum, Mum, I am afraid...- children are crying.
The lightning flashed menacingly across the sky, it was impetuous thunder, it seemed that the sky was burst, nobody could remember such rain in his lifetime. Old people were praying and begging for mercy.
The vessel became more and more unstable, the wind threw it from side to side, people were clinging ropes, cuts on palms from coarse rope immediately revealed themselves, many people couldn't endure the pain and let off the rope, they were immediately cast on the opposite side and they saved themselves only with the help of some miracle by clinging for everything, as the main aim was not to fall out of the side of the ship because they understood that otherwise a certain death would expect for them.
The strengths were all at the end.
Soaked to the skin, plagued to the point of exhaustion, people were ready to drop elements continued throughout the night, there was no power no beg for help, not even moan.
In an ominous buzzing mess of thunder, lightning and rain noise, people felt themselves like hostage to a raging storm, and already people were almost resigned because there was no more neither the strength nor even the idea of how to resist such attacks.
Under the morning, as a challenge to this power, the crying of a newborn child sounded loud and shrill as if claiming the human strength and endurance.
Maria lay almost breathless Boris was holding her by the shoulders during all contractions while Emma was helping delivering the baby.
Sara huddled in a corner far away, she was trembling and sobbing, her lips were bitten to the blood because of fear.
At the dawn the downpour began to recede, the thunder grew quieter and quieter.
The wind gradually died down, and people became alive, they began to move.
All people were wet and tired but extremely happy that all of this was already behind.
Emma decisively took off her jacket, staying in one combination she squeezed the water from it, and wrapped the baby, putting him on Mary's chest.
Maria hugged her little miracle, and cried with happiness.
Emma stroked her head and comforted:
- All right, I was telling you that everything would be good.
We have almost arrived and Kiev could be seen.;
- Thank you, - Maria was slowly speaking, - in a weak voice, still sobbing.
When came to round the passengers realized that all their belongings were drowned in the water.
And it was also a shock, many of them didn’t have anything.
So it was Emma and her children.
Some woman took off her gas handkerchief and handed to Emma, with the words:
- Take ... cover up somehow!
Emma nodded and thanked, threw a shawl over her shoulders, barely tied to a small nodule on the chest.
The vessel was like it has visited the mouth of the sinister monster, it was torn and worn out, slowly and heavily docked at the port.
The meddle with the strained faces followed every movement of the ship, realizing what have survived all people who were on the board.
The exhausted passengers eagerly lined up, they were ready to leave the ship.
Boris and Sara kept Mary under their arms.
Emma was helping the old lady to stand up.
Finally, the ship docked and filed the ladder.
The noise, noise, tears, cheers, greeting.
Parents met Mary and they thanked her rescuers infinitely.
Immediately Mary’s mother took off her jacket and scarf and quickly swaddled the baby in the dry.
Mary's father took off his jacket and gave it to Emma.
They proposed to Emma with children stay with them in Kiev for a while, but Boris could not, he had to arrive on time to L’vov where he was expected duties.
Now they would also have not a simple way from Kiev to L’vov by train.
The freight train was already at the platform, and people rushed to take their seats.
In fact, there were no places in such cars, as it is a solid platform with a wooden flank places.
People jumped into the car and tried to sit on the floor in a way that would have more room to win themselves, that is, almost reclining.
Boris jumped the first, and gave his hand to his sister and mother.
They have located close to the musicians and the family moved from Kiev to L’vov.People who got to know about the loss of all things of Emma and her children immediately gathered dry clothes for them.
Sara changed into a dress, which had to tie a rope, it was the size of two more.It became immediately warm and comfortable.
She clung to her mother's shoulder, as if searching for protection.
The car quickly filled and the door closed, chattering by constipation so loud.The train that followed to L’vov finally moved and Sara, in order to distract a little, began to torment her mother by the memories of her father, as she has done it so often.
Boris was sitting near and also listened attentively to the memories of the past wonderful time when the whole family gathered on evenings in the kitchen and after dinner Dad read books to children or played games with them.
Emma remembered Isaac when he was young; she praised him all the time, saying that he was very much a model husband and father he worked hard and loved his family greatly.
Sara listened, but the thoughts of the unknown future life absorbed her more and more.
A strange premonition of a joy and misery at the same time.
Suddenly she was dreaming of an idle life, costumes and fans, and then she felt the anxiety and tension.
The passengers were talking loudly, someone even joked, they laughed all together, even Sara could not help burst out laughing, listening to the stories of the older musicians.
Having passed almost half a day, the train made a stop in some remote area, Sara did not remember that name.
- Parking for 30 minutes, - the loudspeaker announced at the station, followed immediately one after the other passengers repeated aloud the announcement, all rushed to the door.
People quickly jumped out of their cars and wandered around the neighborhood.
- Hey, kid, where is the water here?
- Emma asked the child who was passing by.
He pointed in the direction of the column with the water, and all passengers rushed to this side.
People lined up, each drank and took the water with him.
Sara was staying in a line of two elderly men who were constantly exchanging their stories:
- I travelled so good last year, I decided to thumb a lift, maybe someone would drive me, and someone stopped, so I went with him and, ah! I even didn’t pay money!
- Oh, how was it?
- When we came, I went out of the car and began to rummage through my pockets, and so cunningly that the driver heard I said as if to myself:
- Damn, I think I’ve dropped the wallet in your car ...
When the driver heard it he hit the gas and went away.
- Listen Ziama, and aren’t you lying? Well ... You're a genius!... – they are laughing and patting each other on the shoulders.
- Musia !!!
- From a distance coming toward the line, loudly and angrily his wife was shouting and you couldn’t stay the last in the queue, what kind of simpleton!;Musia and Ziama hunched their necks from fear, but it seemed they were lucky, Haya was running past, her main aim was the market place which was opposite side.
Three middle-aged ladies were ahead, they turned at the cry of Haya and recognized in her an old friend, they portrayed a smile, saying some words of welcome.
Haya, on the run replied in kind keeping the same etiquette, and ran on.
I must say that Haya screamed so loud that she could easily outshouted the signal of an approaching locomotive, so that the whole line responded to her cry, but three ladies who were standing in front of Sara, didn’t miss the opportunity to discuss Haya, but not her cry, they were not bothered by it, they were not timid by themselves, they may cry, no less shrill, one of them by changing smile on a wry face, as if just she has smelt the rotten sauerkraut, cheerfully she set the tone:
- Listen, there is Haya!
- Really!
- Did she live behind the school? – said the third.;
No one was going to answer the question, the first lady who exclaimed was burst with the desire to savor Haina, sorry ass:
- Is she put on weight more? Well, asshole!
- The nightmare – the other assented shrilly.
- Keep your voice down, - the third person hissed loudly, pushing her friend by elbow, fearing of Haya’s wrath, and glancing in the direction of running.
- Ah! Why are you worrying!
If I was not sure that she was among the other things also deaf, I would not speak so calmly.
These phrases have reached all who was staying in the queue, they giggled.
Then the baton was intercepted again by Grandpas.
- Ugh! – it could be heard when grandfathers breathed together.
- Well, how did you marry Haya?
– Ziama cried in the hearts – she is so ugly!
- Well, I say - a little oblique!
- A little bit ?! When she is crying, her tears flow on the back crosswise!
- So this is my mother's choice
– Musia mumbled guilty.
She told me that I would never marry a beautiful girl - she can leave me.
- And the ugly can leave too.
- But this is a different matter!; And Grandpas again were giggling.
- Ziama rushed into memories – but my mother always told me; - My son! Your first wife should be Ukrainian.
- How so, why? You're a Jew, - Musia embarrassed.
- And I just asked my mother why, and she said that Ukrainians are beautiful, they cook tasty.
«She will make the burly man from you. Then you will divorce and marry a Jewess»
- Why? – Musia bewildered more.
- Well, I asked her why? And I got a slap for the slowness.
- Firstly, - my mother told me - you are a Jew.
Secondly, a Jewess wife – this are some connections and string-pulling. And when you will have connections, the position in the society, children, you will divorce and marry a gypsy.
- ?!
- Musia entangled in the calculations of Ziama’s mother completely, he crouched the proper «face».
Ziama continued with a serious expression of face, understanding the silent scene of Musia:
- Mum likes so much how beautiful the Roma bury.
- ?!
- Did you believe? Well I'm laughing!;And playful old men were giggling again, coughing and tapping each other on the back.;;
Next was the turn of Musia, Ziama called him so, copying the style of Haya:
- And remember, I was in Kiev last year?
- Of course, you were in Kiev, I remember.
- So I'll tell you, there are such Ukrainians!
- Better than ours?
- How can you compare?!
– Musia outraged. - I had an intimate date with someone, uh-uh! Oh!
- Cheer up and smacking his lips with pleasure, Musia who was already eighty years old, Sara thought so, he added exclaiming:
- Oh, now I know everything for sure!
- So tell me, finally!
- losing patience and scattering spit with envy, Ziama urged him.
- Listen: she wore a cape with a hood lurex - nothing like you would not find here.
And when she took off her, then it was under the blouse in pink chiffon, transparent as glass!
And her skirt was all completely covered with sequins, so that it was painful to even look at her. Then she took off her skirt ...
- And what? - Ziama insisted impatiently.
- And what, - his friend shouted at him above, - she had underclothes decorated with Walloon lace of purple color and silver threads ... Garters were decorated with the precious stones ...
- And what? – Ziama asked losing his patience and self-control.
- Then she took off her clothes and garters ...Ziama wiped the drops of sweat from his forehead, by the movement of hand that gripped the wrist of a happy storyteller, he made it clear that he needed a brief respite, and after a few seconds, exclaimed again:
- And what?
- Well, what – what, what - what?
- Musia waved disappointed
- And then everything was exactly as with my Haya ...
- Mmm!
– Musia shook his head in disappointment - listen and how is your Haya feeling now?
- She is sick and ill, I said to her:
- Haya, do you know if any of us will die, I will most likely go to Israel ...
- I understand you, and now you're going to L’vov, - Ziama laughed.
The queuing for the water was quite long, friends countered each other relentlessly, the language in which they spoke was a surrogate for the Jewish, Ukrainian and Russian:
- How did you marry Haya, I am afraid of her, she can kill by the glance?!
Listening to the elders, Sara became cheerful.
After drinking some water and taking it with them, she and her mother crossed the road, where there was a small little market, the brother, a little later, caught up with them.
The mother thought it would be good to exchange her ring on the products, as the way was expected to be not near and not easy, where there is such a possibility could be.
The voices of traded were heard everywhere:
- I would not for a half price buy this fur coat.
Look – there is a fur out! – a thick aunt squealed.
- Madame, but for this price a couple of years you will have a great leather coat!
- Either he made fun of, or really believed in his words the seller with the silly expression on his face, reminiscent of a caricature.
Suddenly, as in the gramophone, right behind Sara the voices were heard:
- We haven’t seen for a long time! How are you doing? What do you do?
- Thank you, slowly. I am working on memoirs.
- Writing memoirs? It is wonderful. By the way, have you already reached the point when you have taken me 30 rubles?
Pictures, characters and actions change like a kaleidoscope.
- Good day, Semyon Markovich, how are you doing?
- Little by little, and yours?
- The same. I have an interesting little case to you.
There is a luxury bride for you - the young widow of great beauty, she is very serious. And innocent.
- How innocent? You said that she is a widow.
- Oh, a word that she is a widow, it was so long ago, she has already forgotten everything.
«The bazaar», you can see and you can hear everything!
The signal train whistle alerted that passengers should take their seats.
People hastily rushed to their cars.
The bazaar deserted at once and traders immediately bored, staring at the chain of cars, whether envying departing, or regretting that did not have time to bargain and sell, barter or more items.
Meanwhile, the train had already started off.
The night was falling.
All the passengers began to prepare for the bedtime.
Each tried to stretch his legs, but it was not easy, everywhere they were bumping into the other passengers, the little wick was lighting, people had to navigate almost to the touch.
At the end of the car someone screamed, the voices of neighbors were heard:
- A! Are not you ashamed?
- So many thieves are around!
- No, I mixed up the bag!
- We know how you are confused!
- All right, leave him alone, maybe he really mixed up, it is too dark in here.
- Stop yelling, let sleep!
- Sleep yourself there.
- I said, shut up already!
- What? - a hefty man outraged rising from his seat.
- Okay, okay, keep calm, - probably his wife wailed.
Near the neighbors hissed, and somehow it all gradually found a peace.
Sara and Emma sat down on either side of Boris, and put their heads on his shoulders.
Boris was already snoring and his mother was also dozing, Sara could not sleep.
Thoughts assailed her.
- What is L’vov? – Sara wondered mentally.
After all, this city still belongs to Poland, though it is already managed by the USSR.
According to the stories, it is beautiful, that's all.
Chapter 2
L’vov
Ancient, beautiful Polish city of L’vov met Sara with her family not hospitable, by the wild downpour, by the wind that knocked down and grim faces.
The red flag flew over L’vov.
It seemed almost a year, as the city lives and breathes the atmosphere of change, but from the first minute it was clear that nothing of the kind, the city and the citizens were strangers, not like Zaporojye and its inhabitants.
Temporarily Boris and his family were located near the railway station, in a communal apartment, they were given rations.
In the morning the brother left the service, Emma began to work about the house, and Sara went out.
She stood on the porch with a little hesitation, fighting the urge to dive back into the apartment, it was so uncomfortable and even scary for her.
Two old women were sitting on the bench and discussing something, looking at the windows on the second floor.
Sara was also curious, and she looked up.
There was a young woman who cleaned the window.
Sara thought, there was nothing special, and went towards the center.
Passing by the old ladies she heard one of them appealing to the young mistress who cleaned the window:
- Oh, Galia, you are a hostess today, you are washing the windows as neighbors couldn’t be seen ...
Sara was very amused by this.
Suddenly, her eyes fell on a beautiful dome of the building, which was located nearby.
Sara was interested in looking at this house closer.
She walked toward the object that interested her by slow and careful steps.
And then there was the next one, and another, and another, from house to house of a unique beauty.
Sara wandered through the quiet, winding streets, looked at the beautiful buildings, admired the architecture, but could not accept this strange city for her.
Why?
What prevents her so?
Perhaps she feels something that does not let her get close to it?
What is it?
She didn’t feel such anxiety before.
A week later the Soviet authorities granted to Boris and his family the apartment, though small, but in a beautiful old building, on the fifth floor, in the city center.
There was almost no furniture.
No utensils, no clothes, no possibility to buy it everything.Boris worked a lot, Sara helped her mother around the house, went to school, studied the ballet.
The neighbors were good, immediately they collected all the necessary things and brought them to the beginners.
The life was getting better gradually.
Sara learned that they live in the house, where the famous actress - Ida Kaminskaya lives.
She had heard of the actress's talent, but still she has not been able to visit her performances, and all of a sudden - the neighbors.
Sara thought that somehow she will acquaint with her favorite actress, and will go to her performances, and perhaps even like Kaminskaya become an actress, and will play with her on the same stage.
Thoughts have taken Sara to the fabulous world of art, and brought her a feeling of satisfaction.
The life seemed to be leveling off, new friends appeared.
Sara felt that Boris was not easy, but she also knew that her brother will do everything to make her and Mum happy.
The difference in nine years strongly made itself felt.Boris was like a father to a younger sister, he loved her, and considered it his duty to protect and teach her.
But the life was still hard, they had to starve and save each slice of bread.
The end of 1940 was full of ambiguous events in the country, followed by the entire population.
Now,everywhere you could hear the terrible assumption of the impending war.
There were constant anti-Soviet uprising in the city and its suburbs.
There were rumors that the unstable situation on the Soviet border forces the power send to the country people of Jewish nationality, in order to avoid the sudden attacks and reprisals by the Germans.
But,at the same time, the press emphasized that the Soviet Union is absolutely satisfied by both domestic and foreign policy of the country and its achievements.
New Year's holidays were coming.
Sara for the third night was preparing Christmas outfit together with her mother, because there will be the evening at school, and Sara wants to be the most beautiful.
Emma has donated for this material, which recently she bought on the curtains and decoration was tulle, or rather carved figurines and floral elements that Sara sewed in the collar area.
The mood was pre-holiday, Sara was constantly humming under her breath waltz music, the mother sang a duet sometimes, they were laughing and constantly trying on New Year's dress.
It sounded on the radio solemnly:
- On the eve of the New 1941 we want to share with all the Soviet citizens of those achievements, which raised the Soviet Union to a new stage.
We have reasons to be proud of the state affairs and 1940 outgoing.
It made an enormous contribution and fundamental improvements in the matter of training and education of the staff of the Red Army and Navy.
The Soviet people are waiting for the future with confidence and joy.
- Well, you see, Mum, - Sara said happily - all these rumors, especially of Uncle Lenia and Aunt Galia, about the possibility of war, and that we should get out of here, all nonsense!
- Of course, dear, nonsense - Emma did not want to frighten and upset the daughter.In the air, it seemed, indeed there was the atmosphere of full optimism.
The country met the New 1941 with the best hopes and assurances of the Kremlin leaders almost can appease people.
But a few days later it became clear that not everything is going well.
On the radio and in the press it was reported that the Germans began to shift its troops to Bulgaria.
There were rumors that the Germans were acting with the consent of the Soviet Union, however, TASS denied categorically that it happens «with the knowledge and consent of the Soviet Union».
Conversely, the speakers vied claimed that the USSR was in no way aware of this.
Boris came home from work so tired and depressed.
Emma laid the table, and silently stared into the eyes of her son with anxiety, she was waiting for a frank conversation.
Boris paused, then took out a newspaper, opened it slowly and said:
- Here, there is a detailed account of Hitler's speech.
He is fully convinced that he is waiting for a new victory over the British, he says that America is wasting time and energy in helping England, still the collapse is waiting for them.
- Boris, calm down, Uncle Stas says that Hitler will not get to us, and then you heard on the radio, what was the speech of our Party, they are confident that everything is under the control.
- Mum, it's not that simple. Of course they will not make the panic among people. But that's just at the end of his speech, Hitler said the following sentence:
«I have taken into account every possibility, which is only imaginable» - and added, maybe you and Sara will agree to leave L’vov, somewhere far away, in the heart of the country.
Well, not in Siberia, I beg you to leave?
- No, no and no!
We will not leave you.
And then, I do not believe that, even if Germany will come to the Soviet Union, then we are facing something bad.
- Then why are there so many Jewish refugees from Germany and Poland?
He's a Nazi, he hates Jews, the first on whom his anger will fall, the Jews will be.
Sara came to the room with a smile from ear to ear that quickly disappeared from her face, after she heard snatches of the last sentence «He’s a Nazi, he hates Jews, the first on whom his anger will fall, the Jews will be», she asked her mother and brother:
- Well, for what evils people hate Jews so much?
It was a long pause in the house...
Emma slowly closed her eyes and said in a void:
- Jews are hated because of their merits and not defects.
There was even a long pause ... And suddenly Boris jumped up and begged:
- You must go! Mama, Sara - it's not a joke!
Jews run from Germany and Poland more and more.
I'm sure - it's a bad sign!
- Well, why are you so confident?
- Mum couldn’t understand
- Look, all who remember the last war, say that the Germans did not cause harm to anyone including the Jew.
This is a policy and all.
Well, L’vov will be the German city, and all!
Big deal!
Day by day it was more anxiety and feelings.
In the Soviet Union, more and more attention was paid to the military and professional training, to further strengthen of labor discipline, training of industrial workers at trade schools numbering 600 thousands of students and other labor reserves.
The words «mobilization readiness» repeatedly were said in an oral advocacy and in print.
On the Red Army Day, February 23, «Pravda» published an article by General G. K. Zhukov (before he came to the post of Chief of the General Staff), perhaps less optimistic than his speech two months ago.
He wrote that 1940 was a year of the fracture, «rebuilding of training and educational system», but made it clear that the reorganization is in progress and that the situation is still far from perfect.
Since the ending of the War, he noted, the army has undergone great changes, for example, « the unity of command were strengthened» but much remains to be done and «conceited and complacent» is not necessary.
The article gave some feeling of anxiety and encountered the conclusion that «big changes» that took place in the Red army is unlikely to be completed until 1942.
Chapter 3
The War.
«In our time, the Jews have only one choice: either to become a Zionist, or stop to be a Jew»
Crossman
The Germans entered L’vov in the morning June 30, 1941.
And on that day it began a three-day pogrom against the Jews, which was organized by «Ukrainian people's police» with the connivance and instigation of the Germans.
The formal pretext for the pogrom began shooting the prisoners in the prisons of L’vov, that the NKVD carried out during the retreat of the Red Army.
Boris was taken to the army very quickly, it immediately alerted Emma and Sara.;Boris insisted on his mother they immediately went into the heart of the country.
There were not only rumors about the probability of the war but also hints in the press, on the radio.
After the beginning of the Second World War (1939) and Hitler's seizure of Poland, its eastern part was occupied by the Red Army in accordance with the secret protocols to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
As L’vov on that time was inhabited by a large number of Jews (about 180 thousand), which is almost half of the total population of the city, the Soviet authorities in summer of 1940 sent about 10 thousand Jewish refugees from Germany and Poland deep into the Soviet Union because they have the fear of a sudden military action and the invasion by Germany.
L’vov, though was a part of Poland, was ruled by the Soviet regime, which hasn’t shown care about the Jewish people of L’vov in a proper way, they weren’t sent to the heart of the country.
The indigenous inhabitants of L’vov didn’t want to leave their homes, they believed that the Germans will not cause them harm, as it was before.
Sara’s family also preferred to stay in L’vov, and there was a hope on the sanity of politicians.
Despite the set of various kinds of incoming information from legal and illegal sources, people refused to believe in the complete loss of reason from around the world.
The Soviet people were inspired full protection from the Kremlin.
Most of them like children implicitly believed and trusted themselves to their leadership, especially the common people.
Already in the first days after the June 29, 1941, the date of entry of the Germans to L’vov, there happened pogroms in the city staged by them, claimed the lives of thousands of Jews.
After a few days in the wood near Bilogorschey Germans shot 1,400 Jewish men.
The whole of July 1941, the Germans and Ukrainian auxiliary police destroyed in the wood near L’vov Jewish politicians and intellectuals, as well as the Jews trapped in urban raids.
Almost all the synagogues and cities were blown up or burned.
When on Monday, June 30th the Germans entered the city, the smell of not buried corpses could be felt from the burning prisons.
It was the discovery of thousands of half-decayed corpses of political prisoners, who were killed by the NKVD in the previous days, when councils have realized that the rapid German attack makes it impossible to evacuate the prison.
The representatives of the German Army in the second half of June 30 reported that L’vov's population has turned their anger on the killers of the NKVD against «the Jews living in the city, which has always cooperated with the Bolsheviks»
On that day, Jewish men were rounded up in the so-called «prison works» - to dig up and carry out the bodies of those who were killed in the prison.
Boris was very worried for his mother and sister.
He was constantly asking them in his letters do not go out, to hide in the basement, in case of danger.
But they are still sneaking out of the house in search of food and water.
One day Sara ran out of the house with a bucket to get some water, but when she came to the arch of the house, in the twilight her eyes met with glowing lights across the street.
At first, she froze with fear, then at closer look she recognized the neighbor guy whom she has seen sometimes in the courtyard.
The guy said quietly:
- Do not go there. Do not go! There's a pogrom.
Sara never saw pogroms by herself, but she had heard about them and about the atrocities committed against the Jews.
She shivered and turned to run back home, but the boy stopped her:
- Go to us quickly. They won’t come to us. I heard that today they are going to go to the Jewish houses.
- No! But what about Mum? - Sara pleaded.
And then suddenly the shouts and cries were heard from her yard.
The guy grabbed Sara by the arm and dragged her to his entrance.
She ran after him sobbing and not understanding anything, in the head – the porridge, before the eyes something flashed, but there was nothing she could not make out.
Popped into the entrance, they quickly hid behind the door, as they heard the sound of a door opening on the ground floor.
The big man hastily left the apartment and walked quickly into the street to take a look at the next pogrom.
Sara and her rescuer stood behind the door and watched through the crack.
For the third day in the city there were galichansk festivities in the form of the Jewish pogrom.
The pogrom was organized by the Germans, together with the Bandera «Ukrainian people's police».
According to the authors, the pogrom in L’vov was the action of «self-purification» and the revenge «Judeo-Bolsheviks» on the part of the oppressed people to whom the valiant German army brought freedom.
Sara was looking into the door crack and shivering.
The mad men beat women with sticks and drove them to the inner courtyard of the house.
In a few minutes the yard was filled with roar, screaming, crying and pleading mingled with curses, shots, echoing sound of stones and sticks on the backs of Jewish women.
Half-dressed women were drove to the yard and there they were beaten again and stripping off the remaining clothes.
Women screamed, begged for help, but they continued to scoff at them, making them to crawl on knees with hands up.
Beat and led the pogrom largely their own, that is, people's police and the Germans ran and took photos.
People were running from the apartments and watching at all this chaos, not daring to utter a word.
The crowd watched anyone with a thirst for revenge, someone with contempt, some with sympathy.
And on their eyes, the Jews were tormented, because they are Jews, and all, and it was their only blame!
Cries of activists came from the crowd:
- The Jews are the nomads and hicks ...
- Self-seekers ...
- Damn materialists! Beat the Jews!
- Jewish communists!
- Beat, beat, beat…
- Jewish capitalists!
- Beat!
- Ukraine for the Ukrainians!
- Beat the Jews!
- Jude! Jude!
Banderas were convinced that the Jews were the main support of the Communists, and largely were responsible for repressive actions against the Ukrainians.
Everywhere were the leaflets calling: «Know! Moscow, Poland, Magyars, Jewry – they are your enemies! Destroy them!», «Marxism is a Jewish fiction» and «Stalin and the Jewish commissars are the main enemies of people!»
- Beat them!
L’vov’s activists grabbed another girl and stripped her naked and then demanded her to crawl on knees, they were not shunned to strip naked even older women, men.
Sara pressed her face to the gap and sobbed silently, looking at the startling picture.
Very near, Sara even held her breath, Bandera policeman with a bandage in a good mood, dragged by the hair a young woman, completely naked and half-dead.
And after him, a respectably dressed Galician kicked an elderly Jew by feet.
People's police ran up to him and joyfully began to beat him, and then they dragged him like the carcass, showing off to the crowd.
The Germans-guards did not intervene at all, everything was presented as a «self-purification action».
The worst thing is that for many participants the pogrom was like cheerful festivities, the galichansk carnival.
The people's police was grimacing in front of cameras of Germans who took photos as a rare «monkeys» with pleasure.
By watching this picture, Sara suddenly has lost her consciousness.
The guy picked her up and ran on stairs to the second floor.
Frightened parents and brothers met him at home:
- Where did you go, Arthur?
– Before she could finish saying, Mum falls straight in a chair when she saw her son with Sara in his arms.
- Oh, the trouble! What will happen now? - mother whispered crying.
- Nothing will happen, mother! They will not come to us. All around know that we are Poles. You know, they just take the Russian Jews – Arthur soothed his mother.
- Come here soon, - the father showed his son to a small room.
They put Sara to bed, she began to recover, tears were on her face, her eyes were fixed on one point on the ceiling, she whispered all the time:
- Mum, what about my mother?
- Sara, when the pogrom will finish, we'll go and find out all about your mother, - soothed her frightened boy.
- How do you know my name?
- I brought the products to your school and immediately noticed you, your friends called you out by name - Arthur blushed and looked away, repeating, - I immediately noticed you.
He added, slightly hesitated and did not know what to say, - I also finished this school.
Sara looked at him in silence, and for appearance's sake, just to maintain the conversation she asked:
- Have you graduated seven classes too?
- Yes – Arthur replied joyfully - I graduated three years ago.
- And I'm this year.- And when I saw you, I thought - a ballerina.
You have such a fine figure!
- Arthur perked up.
- You guessed right, I studied ballet for years. Now I have dilemma: I love math and ballet. What to do as a profession?
- Of course ballerina! It is so unusual!
- Do you like ballet?
- I love y ... - Arthur stopped. He even feared that he gave himself with giblets.
The situation was saved by brothers who said another comment about what is happening on the street.
The father stood nearby, sighing and shaking his head from side to side:
- Why did not you leave?
What did you hope for? You didn’t believe rumors, that Russian Jews will be bad in the case of Nazi occupation, and you believed that you will be protected by the power?
So what?
The Soviet authorities did not even remember about that mortal danger that threat the Jews of L’vov.
But thunder burst!
- Oh, oh! – mother was sobbing.
- Yes, yes! That's right - people were not only not evacuated, but not even informed about the need to leave L’vov.
Only a few left, who according to the rumors, could not hope for anything good, they have also convinced a lot of Jews to leave until it's too late.
However, a few could believe that the Soviet government will not protect them!
Minutes turned into an unbearable eternity.
Sara bit her lips because of tense waiting of the end of the pogrom.
She rushed across the room, and then asked brothers who looked through the window:
- Well, what is it? Are they leaving?
- Yes, they take away the last of the victims, there are still dead people left - they have already began to load them, they will leave soon - the guys were sympathetic to Sara and they wanted to tell her as soon as possible that all is finished.
Sara's head was buzzing and pounding, she could hardly breathe, she could not find a place for herself.
The food and tea that was proposed to her remained untouched, despite the fact that she was very hungry.
The watch metered seconds monotonically.
The world seemed to be floating over the abyss.
On the ground floor of the house, Arthur’s parents had their ice cream shop.
It was a big shop, in which there was also a workshop for the production of these products.
The family owned this business for a long time and they were the main supplier of ice cream not only around L’vov, but also to many cities in Poland.
Helbling family was famous for incredible kindness, there were always a lot of people in their home.
They shared their food with the neighbors.
And despite the fact that they were very wealthy family by themselves they lived modestly, with no frills.
Although their house was large and it all was decorated tastefully.
The father called Arthur:
- Arthur, everything seems calm. Let's go with me to the store.
- Yes, father, - he turned to Sara and said to her, - I will come back soon. Arthur’s mother came to Sara and asked warily:
- How long have you been known each other?
- No, - plunging her neck to shoulders, - Sara whispered.
- Who are your parents, Sara?
- We came from Zaporojye with my brother and my mother, and my dad died long ago - after a pause she added – my brother was sent here to work.
Mother's heart could not help but feel that her son was seriously in love with this girl.
She was well aware of that the situation is not so simple.
Of course, not about such a girl she had dreamed of for her pet!
Maria and her family are of the Polish nobility, with old-age traditions, they have quite firmly position in the society, they are rich and esteemed in their native L’vov and beyond it.
She is Maria Tauber, she is from a family of magnates - manufacturers, her husband is just from the legendary family.
Who does not know the Helbling family and their famous shops?
How many those who desire from a noble family would like to marry into this family?
And then suddenly – the Russian!
And as it was seen to her – the Communist.
Neither the beauty of Sara, nor figure, nor youth, nor her beautiful hair, no education and ballet classes, nothing could not soften the mood of Arthur’s mother, who made it clear to Sara by her whole appearance her fastidious attitude.
The only thing that calmed her a little – that she is also a Jew.
But still among Polish Jews, the elite practically, and Russian – there was a big difference, at least for the Jewish people.
Fifteen minutes later Arthur ran into the room with the package in his hands and said to Sara:
- All is quiet, Sara. I'll take you home - and he handed her the package - this is for you and your mother.
- What is it? - Sara was stupefied.
- This is some food for you.
Heavily sighed Arthur's mother stood beside and waved a disapproving head, looking alternately at her husband, her son, Sara.
- I will not take - said Sara and put the package on the table.
- No, you will take - Arthur said persistently – giving the package to her.
- Take it, take it, - Arthur’s mother announced generously.
At this moment Arthur’s father entered the room and ordered:
- It's time. I checked everything - nobody!Arthur grabbed Sara's hand and they walked toward the exit.
Sara was thanking her rescuers on her way home.
The house where Sara lived with her mother was very close, but to overcome even a small distance after what she saw was very scary.
However, the street is safe - not a soul!
Arthur and Sara went briskly away to the house of Sara, so they even didn’t meet anyone - all people were scared and hid in their homes.
- Mum, Mum, - Sara rushed to embrace her weeping and wailing.
- How are you, daughter? Where have you been? - trembling with fear for her, she clasped to her bosom her daughter, Emma again and again being still in a state of shock, she was muttering - Where have you been? Where have you been?
- Mommy, I was worried about you! I just came out for some water ... Just out ... And they came down ... And this is Arthur ...- And I thought about everything - mother cried.
- Do not cry Mum! Do not! Everything is good!
- Yes, yes, my joy, my sun yeah !!! Everything is good! God is, God is! God is ... - Emma was embracing Sara and did not notice Arthur.
And Arthur was standing at the door and was happy for them, for their happy faces.
He was smiling, he was good.
Finally, Sara put a bag of food on the table and said to her mother:
- Mum, this is Arthur. He saved me. He hid me in their house, they live near here, you know – this ice cream shop is theirs.
- Thank you, thank you – mother repeated looking at Arthur. – So is this the young Helbling? Come on, why are you staying in the doorway? Do you work with your Dad?
- And this is food Mum, - Sara interrupted her mother a little excited.
- How?
- It's his family gathered for us.
- Do not - Emma was so proud woman –she even changed in her face. She became strict and the recent gratitude smile disappeared from her face immediately.
- Take it, take it, we are from the heart, - Arthur said smiling and hurried to leave, until Sara’s mother did not give him the package back.
Singing his favorite tune Arthur went home and dreamed, dreamed ... remembered how he was carrying Sara in his arms, how close they were to each other hiding behind the door, how she was lying on his bed.
And he wanted to be at home as soon as possible, to lie in bed, where until recently lay a beautiful girl of his dreams.
Chapter 4
The injunction
Day by day the situation in L’vov was becoming more and more dangerous, it was extremely undesirable to appear on the streets of the city especially for a Jew.
But this precaution was not very able to save, especially the Jews.
Groups of people with the guns went from home to home and checked the lists of living.
The Jews were taken away immediately.
Polish authorities could not resist Banderas, Germans.
They were ordered to monitor the Jewish families and resettle them to the basements and all the property was confiscated.
The Germans entered L’vov in the morning June 30, 1941.
Ukrainian Nationalists - Bandera fraction of the OUN, they immediately set up in the city their authorities and «Ukrainian people's police».
The head of the Ukrainian government was Jaroslav Stetsko, in spring 1939 he published an article in the newspaper «The New Way» expressing his position on Jews.
Stetsko insisted that the Jews – «self-seekers, materialistic, selfish», «people without heroics of life, without the grand idea».
But the Ukrainians, according to Stetsko, «the first in Europe have understood the breaking down of work of Jews», and as a result they distanced themselves from the Jews a century ago thus preserving the «purity of their spirituality and culture».
Moscow and Jewry - the biggest enemy of Ukraine - Stetsko wrote.
- I insist on the destruction of the Jews and the feasibility of transfer to Ukraine the German methods of extermination Jewry, excluding their assimilation.
In June 30, 1941 Stetsko read the act of the proclamation of statehood, which Ukrainian nationalists call the Act of renewal of the Ukrainian state: «The restored Ukrainian state will work closely with the National Socialist Great- Germany which is under the leadership of Adolf Hitler creates a new order in Europe and the world and helps Ukrainian people to get free from the Moscow occupation.
Long live the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, Stepan Bandera is the conductor of OUN»!
The same day, a three-day pogrom against the Jews began, which was organized by «Ukrainian people's police» with the connivance and instigation of the Germans.
Sara and her mother’s time has come.
In the early morning somebody knocked on their door.
Mum and Sara even shrunk from an unpleasant and demanding knock.
A minute later the knock was repeated and sounded even more intolerable.
Almost immediately a voice came out of the door:
- Open. The City Council.
Again there was a knock.
Mum got up and slowly walked to the door.
Sara leaned against the wall looking at her mother anxiously.
Emma opened the door.
She was politely greeted:
- Madame Averbah, get and sign here - a tall man in a gray suit pointed to the list.
Emma took the letter in which it was written that it is from the City Council, she shook her head and sighed:
- What is it? - She asked the man in gray who was obviously in charge.
- You will open and read.
He again pointed to the list:
- Sign here.
Sara's eye followed her mother and the «long-uncle»
The air was filled with tension.
Emma undersigned slowly and closed the door.
The silence acted threatening. Sara quickly jumped to her mother and said:
- Come on, open up.
- Take, open.
Sara was reading the prescription and tears were on her face, dripping on paper, laying by the colorless large blots.
Emma looked out the window and said nothing.
Shock!
What's next?
The order was aid that they are required to vacate the apartment within three days and that they will move into the basement.
At this point there was a knock at the door again.
Sara shuddered and Emma said in a decided voice:
- Who's there?
- Emma, it’s me, Mara, open.
Emma went to the door and opened it.
- Hello! Emma, who was it? Why did they come to you?
- Oh, and do not ask! Here! - Emma held out the prescription to the neighbor.
She quickly read the text and prayed:
- Well, my God, my God! - Mara moaned, - well, and soon they will come to us.
- Maybe they will not come.
- Oh no, every day they evict some of people, others no one knows where they go – the neighbor couldn’t stop.
Emma sighed.
Sara was sitting on the edge of the couch and looked at her mother and neighbor with a frightened look.
- Listen, Emma, do not worry, we'll help you.
Someone knocked at the door again:
- I'm coming, - indifferently and fearlessly Emma went to the door and opened it.
- Well, what can you do? - the neighbor asked Emma and then said to his wife - you, Mara, how go, so go away!
- So after all here, look, they have a prescription. God, what is happening?
- What is it? - Picking up the paper an old neighbor pulled out his glasses from the pocket, put on and began to read aloud an order, constantly shaking his head with indignation and inserting, after each proposal, - oh-oh-oh! Oh you!
Sara quietly sobbed in the arms of her mother, Mara too could not resist.
The old neighbor decided slightly relieve the situation:
- Well, well! Wipe away tears. Everything will be good! Be sure! This is a misunderstanding. The Soviet authorities will establish the order soon.
- And if not, then what? How to live? How to survive in this horror? Where to hide from these reptiles? - Mara wailed.
- Mara we’ll be alive and think about something, and if someone of us will die, I am likely to leave for Israel ... – grandpa tried to joke.
- Oh, leave me alone, and your jokes! Every time you interpose them where necessary and not necessary!
Mara was very excited, she was very well aware that sooner or later their time will come.
After dinner Arthur came to Sara.
He was dressed very gallantly: clean white shirt, black trousers that suited him perfectly, polished and it seemed almost new shoes and hairstyle was carefully laid with a perfect parting.
Sara told him about the order, they sat and talked on the vital topic.
Arthur brought the food that Sara’s mother has always refused to take, but Arthur left the bag of food on the table and after a brief conversation with Sara went back to work in his shop.
And on this day they have already said goodbye to each other standing on the doorstep.
He carefully asked her not to leave the house, it is very dangerous on the streets, gangs are rampant and at that moment he heard a woman's scream outside the door.
It was heard that somewhere on the ground floor a woman was screaming and incoherently was asking for help.
Arthur opened the door and went down to the floor below.
The crying woman was already surrounded by her neighbors.
He tried to understand what was happening.
The woman was tearing her hair and showing at the open door to her apartment.
Arthur looked back and saw in the apartment the girl who was lying on the floor, he guessed that she was dead.
- My God! My Roza, my girl! God, God! For what? A - a- a help! O God! Kind people, for what? For what??? - heartbreaking mother’s tears brought into a stupor all the others.
Arthur felt behind him the light touch, he turned around, it was Sara, she looked shocked.
He put his arm around her and turned to his face:
- There is the dead girl. Do you know them? I do not understand what happened.
- This is Roza’s Mum. And there is Roza. We had studied together … She was a communist activist. Was she murdered?
- No, - an old lady said, wiping her tears - Roza committed a suicide.
- How? Why? - Sara sobbed in disbelief, hiding her face by hands.
Emma went to Sara and Arthur, she could not take her hand from her face because of horror, it seemed that she was paralyzed:
- Horrible! This is Roza, you were studying together, Sara!
All the neighbors gathered on the site, the story was passed from mouth to mouth for a few times, the poor woman was drinking soothing medicine, the news immediately spread through the house, people were talking all together:
- In the morning she was attacked by the crowd. Angry crowd...
- Yes, yes, she was seized and dragged along the street directly for the spit..
- And then the bastard cut her hair all…
- So in fact it was a little, then they also took her clothes of…
- They took of everything, bitches..
- Oh, oh, oh!!!
- The end of the world! What is this?
- She cried, prayed so...
- And they beat and beat, kicked, shame ...
- Then they started kicking by boots, she fell down, she could not go on, and all these bastards did not let up, poked her in the stomach with their boots..
- How to survive this ..?
- So she did not survive ...
- Barely she got home, closed in the room and committed a suicide ..
- Ah-ah-ah-ah - my girl, Roza! - There was a terrible cry of the mother.
People tried to comfort her, but such a grief was hard to survive.
- Yes, today was so big horror - a woman in a torn dress showed the audience her wounds and said - I did not think that'll break away from there. So they brutally beat people, humiliated ...
- I also have seen - said the old man – I don’t even know how I was not dragged! There's a little girl of thirteen years a hefty man was hitting her, all were shouting, asking him to calm down, but he just said «Undress to naked» And he tore her dress and dragged somewhere. Those who tried to defend were immediately seized and even worse than that, right in front of others was spoiled ...
- Oh, there's one pregnant who was kicking by boots, ah-ah-ah .. and no one could do anything.
- They mostly grab Jewish women.
- Not! Not only women. I saw a man who was publicly stripped down naked and drove across the street, at the same time as the mare he was lashed with a whip on the back. He was covered with blood.
- What do you know, and recently I saw a young, maybe she was twenty years old, she was stripped and stuck to her vagina a stick, she was also forced to walk across the street by the post-office to the prison on Lontskiy street – she was taken away for work.
- The horror! What is happening? What will happen?
- Fearfully! Make fun of you bastards!
- And there in the fifth house the whole family was taken away, and I do not know if they are still alive.
The day before yesterday there was a big march – they drove more than three hundred people by center with their arms raised, and then they were forced to kneel down and move around so much to the prison. Some managed to escape to the alley and the rest were driven on knees, whipping by trash and sticks, even the elderly were not spared.
- Bastards!
- Beasts!
- I saw a monster too, he was elegantly dressed in a beautiful embroidered shirt, he beat people with an iron rod with so much pleasure!
- Yes, these creatures go to the pogrom like on holiday, they even wear ceremonial suits and ties! And then kick by legs with all their parade in the cruelest way, even the elderly. Recently they kicked our professor. He is all in bruises now.
- Yes! And all this ours! They are nits!
- Do not tell me, the Ukrainian nationalist police! Worse than the Germans!
- The Germans do not interfere as they consider it to be the act of self-purification.
- They do not interfere because they are probably shocked by the brutality of these bastards. And why? For what?
- They interfere where it is necessary. Recently they rounded up people to clean after the bombing, and my neighbor should clean the toilet for some German.
- Listen, have you heard how men were driven on Sunday to the lake, they were forced to go into the water up to their neck, and on German drowned them by hook, and women were crying and screaming, but could not do anything?
- Yes, we have heard, the whole town already knows about it.
- And on the street Zamarstynovskaya the Germans were running with cameras and shooting our naked women.
- This is terrible! In the center of the city?
- Is better near the Opera? Such a mockery! Men, women, old men on their knees were cleaning the streets, and these freaks, also women were here, they enjoyed this spectacle, interjected and gloated.
- The crowd of course is cruel!
- Listen, the Poles too have begun to be deported! In the neighboring house just forcibly they were sent somewhere near Warsaw.
A little girl, about ten years old, listening to all uncles and aunts suddenly burst into loud weeping, sobbing and said:
- And I saw when my mother and I went to the post office, there had been people who were severely beaten by shovels, they were covered with blood, and bad uncles shouted at them, «Jude, Jude!»
The mother embraced the girl and took her home.
For a long time people stood at the door of the unfortunate woman, comforted her and offered some help.
Emma hugged Sara tightly and said:
- I beg you, not a step into the street, and if anything, run, hide. Please!
- Mum, - Sara cried - I'm scared!
Arthur stood by in silence, not knowing how to help these people.
He too had heard the horror stories about the massacre several times, and he was the witness of them.
Now in front of him a picture of that terrible day surfaced when he stumbled upon a half-dead, in torn clothes woman who was completely torn by.
Arthur only leaned toward her to help to get up, then he heard a terrible cry:
- Well, get away, or you will experience the hard way.
Burly men stood in front of him.
The one of them came close to Arthur, he took him as a puppy by the scruff and flung aside.
Then men talking among themselves began to take off with the victim's rings, shoes and shove in their pockets, and then, just for their entertainment, tore a dress on her, so much so that it’s pieces were thrown around.
The woman was moaning and begging for mercy, and these bastards giggled and spat on her.
She lay in stocking feet and underwear.
When the men left with the loot, Arthur ran up to the woman and helped her up.
He took off his shirt and threw it over the unfortunate and walked her home.
The new home of Sara and Emma was damp and miserable.
In addition, two young girls were settled to them.
The entrance to the cellar was littered with waste.
Emma decided to clear the passage immediately.
Everybody began to help her.
Suddenly they heard a woman's scream followed men's screams and laughter.
Emma quickly commanded the girls to hide behind the cellar door.
It could be seen through the slit that from the corner of the house there was a woman, all torn, in her underwear.
She was wearing only a bra, belt, which supported the stockings.
She even didn’t have shoes and she ran in stockings with cries for help, and after her, urging her with sticks and guns were the German henchmen and Germans, photographing their victim.
They were laughing, clung on gums on her stockings, pulled them, and then abruptly let of, then the friendly laughter sounded.
Banish the poor through the yard, they walked along the main street with the shots and shouts:
- The Jews! Do not hide, we are good today! Crawl out of their holes!
Emma with the girls did not dare to go out for a long time, even to the yard.
The food, which Arthur brought to Sara and her mother, they divided into four.
Emma often refused of her portions.
She cooked half-rotten potatoes that still remained after winter and ate it by herself.
They lived day by day worse and worse.
In the basement it was very damp, not enough food, it was possible to go out only in the dark, and they were afraid of every rustle.
But they had to leave at least for some water. Emma did it by herself – she took care of the girls.
And then one day ...
... It was very quiet. The rain has just stopped.
Emma looked out of the door - all was quiet, there were no policemen, and she decided quickly run to the tap to take water.
On the way back, a couple of steps to her house, suddenly out of the corner two police officers appeared, they were dressed in black uniforms with white armbands.
They shouted with a commanding tone:
- Wait.
Emma was confused and dropped the bucket of water from hands.
It was scary, not for herself but for her daughter.
A lot of scary images in one moment flashed in her head. Emma was tormented by the thoughts, «What will happen to her daughter?»
The policemen slowly and nobly approached to Emma, looking at her from head to toe.
At this time Sara and girls were looking through the door slot.
Sara almost ran to her mother, but the neighbors stopped her:
- Sara! - They whispered excitedly, - do not try, you will not help, and for your mother it will be easier without you to get out somehow, may still be all right.
Sara was shivering, her eyes were streaming with tears, she clenched her fists with wild force and whispered:
- Mummy, Mummy, Mummy ...
The policemen ordered Emma to follow them, they said that they would only register her and then let her go.
Emma tried to explain to them that this is a misunderstanding, she is already registered, and even she has a house, instead of her apartment.
But one of the policemen began to lose his temper.
- Did you hear the order?
Emma realized - the slightest clue, and it would be a different matter, so she did not contradict.
She walked slowly forward glancing to the side of the door.
She knew that there, behind that door there was her daughter, she was looking into the slot and it was painful and frightening, and it was impossible to do anything.
At this moment Emma and Sara understood well - it was the first step toward the death.
Everyone felt helpless before these gunmen.
Sara cried. The girls embraced her and quietly reassured.
Emma went between the policemen and understood exactly that she was carried out to the Nazi extermination camp.
And so it was.
She was brought to the collection point about which all have heard.
There were so many people.
Emma was taken to the German with a gun in a fur-coat thrown over a military uniform He ordered Emma to follow him.
She watched in horror the picture of sorting people.
Young and healthy in one side, women and children in another, and with patients they did not stand on ceremony, at the slightest suspicion of the disease the Germans shot them immediately.
The German pointed Emma on a crowd of people and pushed her there.
They were handing out some food.
Emma went to the last in the queue for gruel.
She could hear the voices of people, but her thoughts were where her daughter was.
«What is waiting for her? How to bear it?»
The bowl of rotten gruel was thrown to Emma, and only because of this sharp and stench smell she woke up on time.
According to the rumors in the evening all the selected from the collecting point will be delivered to the railway station and from there they will go to Germany.
The security was serious and all were armed.
Emma thought how to convey the news to her daughter.
The guards were in German clothes, but spoke Russian.
Consider one of the guards of the former neighbor Emma decided to go to him.
- Stepan! Do you remember me?
- And what? – Stepan crawled menacingly.
- I beg you, help me to escape.
- Are you mad, woman! - He whispered, watching from side to side.
- Stepan, help me! – Emma begged.
- Well, gone away, gone, gone!
He pointed her with a gun and whispered softly taking away from the curious eyes and ears:
- I cannot do anything. I also have a family. We all will be killed.
- Stepan, Stepan! I pray, you know I have a daughter – she is alone. What will happen to her?
- I do not know how to help you, I do not know! You bother me.
- Please, please!
- Yes, but what can I do? How do you imagine it? And what if they catch you - they will kill! And so it may still be all right. Be patient.
- Stepan! What will happen to us?
- Tonight all the Jews will be sent to Germany to the Ghetto. And there, I heard, the food is better and the work is not hard.
- What will happen to Sara?
Meanwhile the girls comforted Sara:
- Soon Arthur will come, he will come up with something. Do not cry, Sara. You'll see, aunt Emma will come back.
- I have a feeling that my mother will never come back, - Sara moaned.
The girls kept the silence because they were well aware that this was true. If someone was picked up then no one came back.
In the evening Arthur came as usual, he brought the food and got to know the terrible news about Sara’s mother.
It was the day-to-day Arthur and his parents tried to find out anything about Emma but in vain.
This suspense was just killing Sara.
Raids happened more often.
Sara did not appear on the street at all , but the life in a wet basement badly influenced on her health.
And then the terrible news day came for Sara.
Throughout the city there was a rumor that all the Jews who were recently sent to the ghetto, where Sara’s mother got, they were choking by gas.
They were herded into a large hut and strangled.
This news has come from the policemen.
Hearing this Sara lost her consciousness.
Arthur began to shake her and come to feeling.
She opened her eyes for a moment and then again fell into oblivion.
Arthur carried her and ran out into the fresh air.
Drizzling rain and fresh air led Sara to life quickly.
Arthur was holding her in his arms like a little girl clutching to his chest and cradling.
- Sweetheart, Sara, I'm sorry, very, very sorry. I do not know what to say. Perhaps there are no words that can calm you down. This is a terrible pain, I feel it and I know that you a hundred times more painful and unbearable. I just want you to know, I will not leave you, I will always be with you. I will always take care of you.
The rain grew stronger and even began as a sinister drumming on the roofs, asphalt, gaining the strength and power.
Arthur bent over Sara’s face that rain would not drop on her but growing rain was dripping on the head and the hair of Arthur getting yet to Sara.
At the window, in front of, tears rolled down Arthur's mother face who was watching the scene.
A father stood nearby and comforted her.
They were well aware of how close the trouble is coming to them.
Sara began to cough and Arthur hurried back to take her and put under a blanket.
He laid her on the bed gently and covered, sitting next to her feet.
- Sara, listen to me, you cannot stay here any longer.
- And what shall I do? What to do now?
- Sara, I beg you, come to us, there is safer for you.
- And what? .. - She looked at neighbors girls.
- They are not in danger. I will bring them food. They will not be taken away. You know they take only the Jews and even then, Soviet.
Sara's eyes did not dry from tears.
- What if my mother saved? She'll be back, but I am not here. She will not know ...
Sara did not believe herself in what she said, but she said it to leave at least some small hope for herself to communicate with her mother.
Arthur was silent.
He knew well - no survivors.
But how can he say it now to exhausted Sara.
He just kept silent. He had lump in the throat.
All he could do was to stroke her hand, stroke and talk to her eyes.
Oh, how good and right the eyes are able to speak, is much truer and more sensual than any words!
And she read in the eyes of this amazing and loyal guy a genuine love for her!
The dusk.
Arthur went outside – there was no any person.
He came back and took Sara's hand and led her to the door.
Sara looked around the room for the last time, looked at the meager supply of things that reminded her of her mother and whispered:
- Mum, I know you would have wanted most of all - in the family of Arthur I am safe.
She said goodbye to the girls.
Chapter 5
The Helbling Family
Sara stood in the doorway of not only a new home but also on the threshold of a new life.
Arthur with his parents and his brother Philip lived in a two-storied house that was very nice and good with monograms and ancient architectural design.
Once, not so long ago, in the quiet times on the door of their house Mezuzah – Scripture was placed which meant that its inhabitants belong to the Jewish faith and that their house is dedicated to the service of God.
Now so frankly no one dared to show their affiliation.
The same applies to skullcap (pile) - black hats that men of the house wore before both at home and at the shop, and now - only at home, among their family.
Arthur’s cousins – Mihail and Semyon, his mother's sister's children lived with them.
They worked in Arthur and his father Philip family business at the plant of the production of ice cream «The Penguin».
On the first floor of Helbling’s mansion was a production hall and a shop.
The plant brought a big profit to the family.
The ice cream «The Penguin» of Helbling company was known and loved far beyond L’vov, as their products on «Cheers» were in demand across the region.
On the second floor there was an apartment where the family lived.
Many rooms were tastefully and expensively furnished, a large living room, and there were also even the guest rooms, as well as the most important thing - a huge and comfortable kitchen, where the hostess skillfully tells fortunes as the Jewish laws on diet are different from that adopted in other nations.
And to eat, according to the Law, it is necessary to work hard.
The Torah states that the implementation of these laws and very clearly: they need to «you can distinguish the sacred from the profane, and between unclean and clean».
Not all meat and all the fish you can eat in a decent Jewish family - the law is instilled to Jewish children from the cradle.
Kosher - is purity!
And not only in terms of hygiene.;It is a great science which tries to adhere to the Jewish people all their life.
One day a little Arthur went with his mother to the market to buy some meat.
He loved those trips to the market so much. There was always so noisy and fun.
Everywhere was a laughter and music.
And there are two neighbors are in the middle of the bazaar, they do not care that people bypass them, they are saying gossips:
- I went to Lesha, that over there, around the corner, I bought two kilos of eggplants, I will do a stew ... A kilo of goby: the eldest I will fry and the youngest I will boil for soup…
And at the other counter a fat aunt is talking to the butcher, she is examining beef brains that are lying on the counter:
- What do you have today, straight from the tin?
- Today we have a straight from the tin - I am!!!
- And what do you want for this beef mind?
- No installation - seven!
An old grandfather clearly frustrated by something staggered past , swearing at each step:
- I want the grief to forget about me !!!
And a pun as a circle - voices, voices, voices: «Bella Solomonovna, where do you go?», «Madame, it’s high time to sell them», «Do not you cold in your legs, Sara?»...
- Madame, look at my goods! - a butcher pestered to my mother.
- Do not, do not, do not.
- People, have a conscience, buy anything! – a butcher is yelling at the whole market to all passers-by.
We move on.
- Mum, why do you always buy meat at uncle Lesha? Look how much meat others sell!
- Son, it just seems that they have good meat, it is not kosher.
- Why? You did not even try.
- And I do not need to try. All can be seen immediately.
- How?
- Son, there is no a better butcher than uncle Lesha. Each strives to carve meat easier – they trash, deceive, and most importantly they don’t want to remove the dry wire from the back of the thigh - and this is the best meat.
- Uncle Alesha removes?
- Oh sure! He honors our laws and he has always kosher.
- Why this vein should be removed?
- This is very important, son.
- And why?;- Who knows? Here!
- Come on, buy meat firstly and then I'll tell you on the way home.
- Do not forget!
Arthur was always very curious, from the very young age he asked questions all around.
- Hello, uncle Alex!
- Who's come! – the butcher respectfully turned to Madame Helbling - My respects, Madame! - And again to Arthur - Hello, Arthur!
- We came for the meat.
- Arthur said instead of his mother.
- Yes, yes. Always glad to see you – the big-bearded uncle said smiling.
- Give us a kosher meat.
- Wow! And I still only kosher! – the butcher laughed.
Arthur pulled his mother by the hand:
- Do you hear?
- Son, do not bother me, now I'm choosing.
- Madame this piece is very fresh and good – the butcher suggested.
- Yes, very good, weigh.
- There - three kilo and two hundred grams.
- Okay, wrap.
- Thank you, madam, come again - the butcher gave the package to Madame Helbling very politely.
- Thank you – Arthur shouted loudly, following his mother's gratitude.
Everyone laughed around.
Before they move away from the counter the baby began to pester his mother:
- Come on, Mum, you promised to tell me.
- What? - Mum is in confusion.
- What? You promised, why does this vein in the meat should be removed?
- Ah, yes, and did not forget the same! Okay.
Arthur clenched his mother's hand impatiently and prepared to listen. He loved to listen to all sorts of different stories, and soaked up the information like a sponge.
- How to explain to you this?
Arthur focused more understanding that the story would not be simple.
- Here in the land there is Good and Evil. You do know what it is?
- Yes. A good man will always feed the dog, maybe even take to his home to live, and evil - no.
- This is of course is true, but please do not cheat. We constantly feed your dog and she is very good to sleep in the barn. So, without hints.
- Okay, - Arthur said sadly and hang his head, realizing that once again he was unable to persuade his mother to his side - very much would like to have this cute little dog to bring to his home, and maybe even sleep with him in an embrace.
- Now, son! Our people have a hero, a defender. His name is Jacob. He always knew that the Jewish people have difficult task - to correct the world and bring it to God.
- And is he kind?
- Yes, he's good. But he had a brother - Esav. So his brother was against God. They kept arguing and swearing.
- What bad Esav! You cannot be against God - it also means that he is against the goodness?
- Yes, my clever boy.
- So, what is next?
- One day, after a long life in another land, Jacob returned to the land of Israel. Esav who wanted to kill his brother walked toward him.
But it was impossible to know Esav - he had covered his face. He did it on purpose.
- Yes-ah?
- Esav was an evil angel he is also called - malah, and he did not want the goodness to be on Earth.
- So what? - Arthur's eyes widened, he increasingly squeezed his mother's hand.
- Is it interesting? - Mum smiled.
- Yes, yes! What's next?
- The battle of Jacob and Esav went on all night. And in the end, the evil angel struck Jacob's leg in the sciatic nerve, which is exactly in the dry core.
- This is where, here? - Arthur pointed on himself.
- No, son, it's here - mother revealed to the back of the leg, near the hip on herself.
- Does it hurt, Mum?
- Oh yeah! Very painful.
- So what?
- Since more no harm malach could not apply to Jacob, the evil angel conceded his defeat and called Jacob by name Israel. But he did not reveal his name.
- Has Jacob won?
- Yes, my dear. The goodness won! But because Esav wounded Jacob in the thigh in the dry core - the Jews to this day do not eat dry veins, which in the joint of the thigh.
- A-ah?
- So you have to buy meat only from a good butcher who knows how to cut this nerve - this is very difficult and painstaking work.
- If the good goodness won, then why is this evil Vovka always adheres to everybody, and even he is fighting?
- Son! The goodness defeated the evil, but the evil is still there, and it makes his business surreptitiously, all the time it is trying to hide the truth. However, if you will do all the commandments and do only good deeds, then each this good deed will dissipate the evil, and will bring us closer to the truth – to God.
Arthur and Sara climbed the stairs to the second floor and entered the flat, they were met by mother and father.
The eyes that were full of compassion and understanding looked at the fragile girl who has become such a precious man for their son.
Arthur did not know how to start a conversation.
He looked at his mother pleading eyes, and she could hardly restrain her tears, her lips were trembling, her hands were fiddling each other.
It was unbearable to see her suffering.
The fear was in her eyes. She jealously looked at her son’s companion, with disgust on her face and a clear desire not to accept this guest. Mum's eyes ran over to Sara from head to toe, noticing her faded green dress, the blouse - battered, without two buttons, shoes - not for the weather, the mane of red hair that just crushed Arthur, but mother appreciated it as untidiness.
The dumb scene embarrassed Sara greatly, she even backed away, but Arthur backed her to place with a strong-willed and decisive movement.
The silence stretched.
Father turned to mother, patted her on the shoulder, as if his whole appearance was saying «All will be good!»
Then he went to the children and said:
- That's right, son! All you do is correct! Come on.
And he turned to Sara- feel yourself like at home! - he nudged her into the room.
Then the father turned to his wife and said quietly:
- We must help, she has such trouble.
Mum turned silently and walked forward toward the guest room. She opened the door and gestured for Sara, now it's her room.
Sara froze at the door full of indecision. She did not know how to behave. After all she and everybody was well aware that her appearance can bring big problems for the whole family.
However, the father again defused the situation:
- Come on, Sara! You will live here.
Arthur walked to his mother, embraced her, pressed his cheek to her and said softly:
- Thank you, Mum! She has no one else. I could not do otherwise.
Mum just nodded with understanding.
She was afraid for her son, for the whole family, but she was very sorry for Sara.
Motherly, she was well aware of how hard and bitter now for this skinny, exhausted and half-starved, almost naked girl who lost all at once, and now she has lost the very close and dear person - her mother.
Finally the mother said:
- Sara, I'm sorry that your mother ... - then she could not finish, she went to Sara and embraced her.
They stood there and cried.
Father and Arthur did not dare to say anything or do - they just waited.
At this moment Arthur’s cousins appeared on the threshold.
Mum and Sara looked toward the front door.
Oh, we have guests! - Misha said cheerfully.
- Hi! – Senia just greeted.
- And is Philip still in the store? – the father asked the boys.
- Yes, he is closing everything and now he is going to come.
Mum and Dad fussed.
- Soon we will have dinner, only I will show Sara her room. Sara go with me.
Sara looked at Arthur, he gently nudged her:
- Go, go.
The room seemed very cozy to Sara.
She stood and looked at Arthur’s mother who showed her everything that can be useful to the girl.
Everything was a blur.
The terrible news of the fate of her mother did not let the thought of anything else.
Sara could not perceive anything right now, much less appreciate.
She wanted to burrow into those big, soft pillows, hide there, and even better - to forget everything as soon as possible, like a bad dream.
She woke up when she heard:
- Sara, go with me to the kitchen - mother said - now we will lay on table and have dinner. Come on, come on, Sarochka.
Sara nodded and went after Arthur’s mother.
The atmosphere rejuvenated a bit.
Guys with their father sat at a large round table, opened a notebook with notes and began to discuss the purchase of goods for their store for the next week.
The business progressed well, despite the situation in the city.
The whole family worked from the morning until the late evening.
They were the original inhabitants of L’vov, and even Jews, but Polish, and it is quite another matter.
Nobody touched the Polish Jews.
And Helbling family, not only in L’vov, but also far outside of the city was very well known and respected.
This is hard-working family with a strong and reliable business - the production of ice cream by which they supply not only the whole L’vov but also the whole ’region.
The wealth did not spoil them.
They easily communicate with ordinary people and help a lot.
Once women were in the kitchen, Sara was struck by Arthur’s mother words as by lightning :
- So remember the most important rule, because I think you have no idea about the laws of life in the Jewish families - you're a Russian Jew - and this is nothing!
Sara fearfully looked at her and hang her head, she was insulted and offended.
Arthur’s Mum continued:
- These clothes we will take from you, and I will give you decent clothes, and then - what is it? You have all seen everywhere, and we have grown-up sons.
Then she turned abruptly to the table, took a knife and dish with a chicken
- Take, cut the meat on salad – she looked strictly and added, - only small.
Dutifully Sara started to chop the white chicken meat into small cubes.
Frankly speaking, she felt herself disgusting.
Arthur’s Mum immediately gave her dislike.
- So - looming over Sara she went on methodically - we honor all the laws of our nation.
We honor the family. You do not have to appear in front of my sons, if there is no me or my husband - sit in your room.
I will always control, and you even don’t think to admire someone.
I'll give you the Talmud and you will read what relationships should be between a man and a woman.
- I do not believe in God! - Sara blurted.
- What?
- I do not believe in God! – Sara repeated quietly, stealing glancing at Arthur’s mother reaction.
- That's what I thought! What to take from you - you're a Soviet.
- I am, I am – Sara began to make excuses.
- Shut up. You will have to live in our house according to our laws.
- Yes, - Sara squeaked.
- Remember! The table is the home altar and only at the table you will see my sons, do you understand?
- Yes, - Sara turned her gaze to the chicken and was afraid even to lift her head.
- The wife, that is I am, is a servant of the altar, my mission is to monitor the compliance of the ancient laws and traditions associated not only with the meal.
So you understand, if I see you even with someone, I will refuse to help and you will go to the street. Did you understand?
- Yes, - the girl whispered.
At this time the mother gave her a head of garlic:
- Also cut finely. And do not take offence at me. I am strict but fair. How old are you?
- Seventeen.
- You are an adult and should understand everything.
Suddenly, the silence hung awkward. Sara even shuddered with drastic:
- Take more tomatoes and peel the onion - I need it, and that's for a salad - horseradish.
- Ok.
- Do you even know how to cook?
- Yes.
- I wonder what you mean, «know how to cook?»
- Well.. the food... all..
- Every? Food cannot be any! Although a Jew cannot be called neither a glutton or gourmand, an intelligent wife would be able to tie him to herself with the help of food much stronger than with the bed.
Certainly there is a minus in this, becoming «a slave to the kitchen» she is doubly at risk of becoming fat quickly. Here's how I am! – she laughed aloud.
It seemed she didn’t worry about her weight.
- So what «all food» you know how to cook?
- Well, m, m, m – Sara started drawly, - when we had food we cooked with my mother the jelly, the roast.
- Good. I certainly do not trust you the most is to cook, but we may have something to do together.
And now – we will cook tzimes carrot. Do you know how?
- No.
- Of course, do not you know it!
This phrase of Arthur ’s Mum just summarized all the Russian, Soviet which, in her opinion, never knew a lot about good food.
- Peel the carrot, two will be enough – the one of them is big, then you’ll cut it on circles. And I will warm up the pan with the chicken fat.
Sara perked up a bit and became a little brave, more confident.
She realized that Arthur’s mother, though doesn’t like her, but she is quite tolerable woman.
Since it can even be fun with her.
Now, when they had finished an unpleasant topic for Sara and went over to life, Sara even breathed easier, and she didn’t feel fear so much in front of a big and formidable woman.
- So, how are you?
- It is done.
- Then I'll let you speak and give, and you will learn to do it by yourself. Ok?
- Of course.
- Put on the pan the carrot circles, while I'll get the honey, sugar.
- Ready.
- Make a small fire.
- Ok... – Sara said agreeing.
- Add here a little spoon of - mother handed Sara a beautiful silver spoon, on which Sara who loved all that is beautiful and unusual from childhood, lost in contemplation, - come on, let's add a spoonful of honey, then – one spoonful of sugar and a little water - take here.
- Ready.
- Now cover it with a lid, let it stew. Put some salt when this soup swill will disappear.
- Clear. Is this tzimes? I have often heard this word, but I did not know what tzimes is.
Arthur’s mother smiled:
- So you'll know.
- Have you ever eaten it?
- In spite of its simplicity, this dish is considered to be the great delicacy among all the Jews. You'll see, the boys find it on the table and in one voice will say «this is what we need!»
- It is interesting.
- Do not think that tzimes - it is the only way to cook. There are many recipes. Just know that it is always sweet vegetable ragout. It can be done for dessert.
- I got it.
- So! Now when it does not like soup but as a paste, you see - mother said, stirring the carrots in the pan, - let’s put a little salt.
Sara took a pinch of salt and salted the carrots.
- And now a spoonful of lemon juice put here. Excellent!
- Is it all?
- It is possible all, but I would add the raisins and prunes, it will be real present tzimes.
Sara almost lost consciousness from the delicious smells, it is so long ago she did not eat anything that could be compared with that aristocratic meal, and the anticipation of the holiday excited her mind.
- Well, Sara, our tzimes need to be stewed a little, we will give it with nothing, but we already have the chicken, so who wants will eat only tzimes, or is very tasty pour on the chicken, we will have to set the table, and remember about our conversation.
- Ok.
- So! Take the dishes and go with me.
Sara took the dishes and went for the hostess dutifully.
In the dining room boys and father were still lively discussed some business matters, they were writing something in their notebooks, they counted and wrote again.
Philip joined to them.;He kindly said hello to Sara.
The table for paperwork stood apart from the dining area, near the window, so mother and Sara could easily cover it for dinner, coming from any direction.
Sara felt the sight of Arthur, he literally sparkled by eyes in her direction, and not only him.
She remembered a conversation in the kitchen and a stern warning of his mother, and she was confused.;Sara tried quickly to go to the kitchen again.
The mistress came, from her eyes nothing ever escaped, but as long as she did not utter a word, and Sara all cringed, fearing the new instruction.
- Mum, - it was heard from the dining room – do you need help?
- No, no, Arthur. Now I have a helper - Mum looked at Sara plentiful.
Finally, the ladies set the table, and the whole family sat down to dinner.
The dining table was large and oval-shaped.
All were sitting on a respectable distance.
Sara sat on one side next to the mistress of the house, and on the other side, Semyon, in front of, Mihail, but Arthur turned on the diagonal.
The father - the head of the table.
Sara looked at the table and barely holding back tears, such feast she had not seen for a long time: the first - the broth, the second - poultry, and to it tzimes, stuffed vegetables, fresh vegetable salad with meat chicken, fruits.
«That would be my Mum here, with me, for this elegant table, with such dishes which we are in good times, not very much saw» - Sara thought.
She did not dare to take anything herself from the table and put in her plate.;Seeing her embarrassment, the lady started to command:
- Here, I'll pour you first a broth with dumplings. It's delicious, try. Look how boys like it.
- Thank you – Sara said humbly.
- Eat.
Sometimes brothers exchanged with empty phrases and constantly praised mother's food. The father was dumb.
- Today we have chicken and take tzimes.
Come on, Sara, I'll put you.
- And pour the tzimes on chicken for me – Arthur handed the plate to mother.
- Who else wants tzimes?
- Well, let me – the father broke the silence.
- What a delicious, Mum, - Arthur murmured.
- Yes, yes, yummy - Semyon and Mihail supported.
- And this was Sara who cooked tzimes today.
- Thank you, Sara, - Mihail said sarcastically.
Sara nodded not lifting her head.
- And how is this to you, Sara? – the mother asked curiously.
- Very tasty, just very!
- Come on, I'll add more salad.
- Thank you.
- Do not worry, I will teach you tomorrow to do excellent forshmak.
Sara nodded.
The dinner with a new family member was constrained. All felt a little ill at ease.
Misha constantly was trying to joke, Senya pushed him by foot under the table, for some time it was enough, but then Misha forgot again and began to tell his stories.;He wanted to give the evening a little looseness. Philip was the quietest.
Mum and Dad treated only certain phrases:
- Eat, eat, you will chat then – the mother said looking sternly at Mihail.
- Misha! Close your mouth! – rather to support mother Dad spoke.
- Ana what? I am not guilty! - Misha smiled and kicked Senia in the ribs.
Senia snapped:
- Jerk!
- Enough – Arthur snapped abruptly -not today.
All fell silent.
After dinner everyone went to their business. Prior to sleep there was still time - to read, to chat.
Sara helped mother clear the table, and she invited her to rest.
Sara was left alone with her thoughts.
There were no tears, but the soul was crying out in pain.
She knew she must somehow pick up herself, she had to distract herself, well, at least by something.
And then she deliberately began to examine the room, she specially focused the look at any, even minor details, if only to divert herself from the heavy soul condition.
The room was quite spacious.
In the far corner was a nice big wardrobe.
In the middle of the room there was a large bed, covered with a bright satin coverlet.
At the window – there was a table and chair that was soft, with armrests.
The whole window was in potted flowers.
Sara stood at the window and looked at the riot of colors of one of the vases.
The impression is that this flower, in spite of everything that happens in the world, gives his love.
And Sara, quite unwittingly, gave him a smile. Sad, but smile.
She stood and talked to him mentally.
Only to him the unfortunate girl could tell about the pain, that was unbearable, boring and itchy.
The pain which she did not know how to handle it.
How to go on living!
And outside the rain poured. The autumn began. The sun appeared rarely - the sky was clouded over.
Arthur sat in the living room with his brothers, discussing tomorrow's working day, and his eyes were constantly looking at the door to the room of Sara.
Thoughts about her did not allow him to concentrate on the matter.
Brothers began to joke when Arthur posted them on their issues at random.
- And what is now, Arthur? - winking and nodding at the door Misha joked.
- Leave me alone – Arthur snapped.
- Leave him, Misha - Senia was not very fond of when Misha said something stupid.
The father decided to divert sarcastic Mihail:
- Oh, Misha, Misha! Don’t touch the brother! - and even more menacing - you'd better learn to make business as Arthur does - and said – you are a chatterbox.
- That what did I say?
- That's it, that you said nothing good! Think what we are going to do with the sale of goods. Search for the new sales. This is your business. Do you see what crisis is going?
- Jewish brains is the only saving from the crisis for Pharaoh and his people. And we have them - Misha joked.
- Oh-oh! I'm saying – you are a chatterbox.
The father shifted in his seat.
- Dad, come on, do not pay attention on him – these are his stupid jokes, - Philip said.
- Yes, you should always remember everything I taught you and do everything exactly the way I taught you, then no crisis we will not be afraid of. Keep in mind at all times the commandments of Jewish business – this is the foundation.
- Remember, Dad, remember - Philip quoted one of the points - for any money you must treat as to the last one. Always!
- Exactly – the father approved.
- There is the time to throw money and there is the time to save them, and it has come! – Arthur came into the game.
- Anything that can be done for free, it is necessary to do it for free! - the father said.
- I think that you should pay for everything! - Misha said.
- No! All that can be done for free, it is necessary to do it for free! – this is a Jewish folk wisdom.
- No need to borrow money in the bank under the predatory interest to pay taxes to the treasury!- Senia said!
- Do not try to do business there where for this plunder, take to prison and kill! – Arthur continued.
- Do not be blunt - almost interrupting him Misha shouted.
- Do not go out of yourself, the money from this will not increase! – said the father to Mihail.
- In general, do not make a hysteric, panic, reduce the staff without reason, it reduces the chances of survival, as it destroys the main anti-crisis asset – the staff morale.
- Well, how did you say, Arthur! - Mihail quipped.
- Pay attention primarily to the good people! Good man - this is not just a profession; it is a very scarce specialty. A good man must be taken to the job without asking whether he fits in the budget and staff. Just to be. Then you will understand what he is better able to do: the ice cream, coffee or business plans.
Boys proudly looked at their father and uncle, a clever, wise and good.
Mum smiled:
- How I love you!
The evening came to the end, all went into their bedrooms.
Tomorrow was coming full-bodied and full-day affairs.
It was day after day.
Pogroms in the city died down a bit, but Sara was still in the apartment, not leaving even the yard
She helped her mother with the housework, she learned to embroider.;In the evenings, the whole family gathered for dinner and cutely discussed the previous day.
Mihail began to look at Sara, he caught her more often: in the kitchen when she left alone, at night, when everyone had gone to bed, he knocked to her.
His brazen looks across the dinner table, literally devoured Sara, everybody began to notice it: parents, Semyon, and especially it hurt Arthur.
Sara was afraid to meet with brothers.
Mihail and Semyon at every opportunity shamelessly molested her, and she did not know how to say this to Arthur.
Between Arthur and Sara, even from the first moment of their meeting, there was a fragile romantic thread.
Their relationships were pure and innocent.
They grew up as a beautiful flower, and every day became stronger and stronger, more desirable.
Arthur was very cautious and courteous in his courtship, he was afraid to hurt so fragile creature as Sara.
One day the mother caught Misha at the door to the room of Sara, he quietly opened it and peeped through the crack.
She grabbed her nephew's ear and dragged him away to the kitchen.
- Oh, you are lousy, is it so possible?
- And can only Arthur does it?
- Are you an idiot? Your cousin has serious feelings, and you? You also only have!
Mum noticed long ago that Arthur is not indifferent to Sara.
She loved her son so much that she was afraid to hurt his feelings of her intervention.
She thought that maybe somehow this feeling will pass by itself.
And it did not pass, and it frightened her.
- What feelings? - Mihail argued irritably.
- You see, you do not even realize it. How you can? Do not disgrace me, understand? You shouldn’t come even close to her anymore.
- Come on, Aunt Maria, what Sara will lose? Are me and Senia worst of your Arthur?;Maria slapped Mihail in the face with her fist and threatened:
- I'll talk to Semyon. You will get the punishment, lechers!
Arthur already knew that brothers were betting on Sara, but here he was an unwitting witness of his mother talking with Mihail, because Arthur has come home a little earlier, and he was upset.
He went to the kitchen, he grabbed Mihail's chest and kicked him to the side of the table, so much so that Mihail sprawled on it, and all the dishes crumbled to the floor.
Mum cried:
- Arthur! Stop immediately.
Arthur ignoring his mother's scream bent over Mihail and sternly said:
- And if you ever again come to mind some dirty thoughts about Sara, I will kill you. - Arthur walked away from his brother, and then turned abruptly and added:
- I'm going to marry Sara.
- Boys, Arthur, but what is happening?
Mihail jumped to his feet, mother rushed to intercept him with a plead:
- Wait, do not you dare, do not go after him. Do you see what you had done?
Arthur immediately went to the room of Sara.
- Sara, may I come in?
- Come on.
- Sara! We need to talk.
- I am listening.
- I am, I am - Arthur hesitated – I am … you know everything, you feel ... I love you, Sara! I fall in love with you at the first meeting.
Sara was silent.
She looked at Arthur and thought that of course she knew it.
For a long time she feels a genuine love for her.
He went to Sara, took her hand, held it to his cheek, then to his lips, closed his eyes and kissed.
- And I love you – Sara said quietly.
Arthur opened his eyes. He did not even dare to hope for such recognition. And she is so easily without breaking, without affectations, she told him «I love you!»
These sweet words like an echo resounded again and again in his mind.
There was no limit for happiness.
His impeccable white shirt drenched instantly, he was trembling, it seemed the Earth went from under his feet.
Now Sara was stroking his arm.
No more words are needed.
Their lips were pulled toward the light and mutual love.
Arthur embraced Sara and kissed her so tender and long that she completely lost the sense of reality.
This is like a fairytale dream, like the vision of the perfect.
Back to here and now was only at a minute. They were just looking at each other and reading the most important thing for them at that moment, again and again continued their hugs and kisses.
Behind the door, there in the living room, there was silence.
As if the whole world held its breath, waiting for the birth of something beautiful.
And this beautiful is - love!
Arthur put Sara on his knees and said:
- My beloved Sara marry me.
Sara looked into his eyes, her lips trembled, she wanted to answer but her lips did not open. Tears were on her eyes. She nodded «Yes», «Yes», «Yes».
Arthur smiled wiping her wet cheeks.
- I do not want you to cry. You are so nice when you smile. From this day on you will smile and tears will remain in the past.
- Yes, I remembered my mother ...
- Well, well, well! Hush, my darling, I love you, I will not let anyone hurt you. Now you have me.
- And you – have me!
- Well, that's great! Here you are smiling!
- I am so happy and relaxed with you!
- I love you! I love you very much! We'll always be together.
And again they drowned in hugs and kisses.
Suddenly Sara as though awakened:
- And what your parents will tell?
- What will they say?
- Your mother will be against it.
- No, do not think about it. And then, it is our matter, and only ours.
- I would like to say to you that Misha ...
Arthur interrupted her:
- Misha, Senya - do not think about it. There will be no problems anymore. I've already figured out with Misha.
- You? How? Did you know that he ...
- That he is not indifferent to you? And what is abnormal can be indifferent to such a beauty? - Arthur said chaffed.
Sara felt herself like behind a stone wall.
«He is so noble – he doesn’t blame me, he doesn’t accuse me and suspect. He is so good -Sara thought – he is so reliable! He can protect me from any adversity and troubles. It is so calm and quiet with him. He is not able to blame he will not say «this is your fault». He is so caring! I will always cherish him! I will go for him even to the end of the world!»
Sara really admired this guy from the first moment they met.
He was a real man.
He was very responsible, kind, considerate, in any difficult times together and always he solves all the problems.
Sometimes Sara thought about the words «like behind a stone wall»
And now she feels it, knows it.
If someone ask her now, without blinking an eye she would have said:
«This is the same «wall» that will protect me from all adversities and troubles behind which it is reliably and safely.
This is such a man who is in any difficult moment with you, who will help to solve the problem, who will always support.
This is a man who never reproach and say: «it’s your fault»
This is a man who will not allow me to do hard work.
The man who would not allow his family and loved sitting without a piece of bread, so they had nothing to wear.
This is a man who takes care of the most difficult issues.
This is a loving and caring man.
That's what you will treasure, you will go to the end of the world for him, because you know that you will be good with him anywhere!»
Meanwhile, the mother went downstairs to the family shop to speak with father.
- Come, - she pulled her husband in the back room.
- What are you doing, how he fell off the chain?
- Rather, go here.
- Well.
- So much for the well!
- Yes to mention.
- I found Misha, he flirted with Sara, and he was near her room today, peering into the slot door.
- That bastard ... So I told him ...
- I have already said to him but the trouble is that Arthur came and grabbed him ... In one word, they were fighting.
- What? That still was not enough! Where are they?
- Misha jumped out and ran away, and Arthur went to Sara. Oh, oh…
- Do not say oh-oh.
- How could I not say oh-oh, he said he will marry Sara. It is about such daughter we dreamed?
- He's just like that.
- No. You didn’t see him. He can.
- Yes - the father sighed.
- What to do?
- Come on.
- Where are you going?
- Senia – you will stay in the store, we have some case.
- OK.
Parents quickly climbed the stairs to the apartment.
No one.
The silence.
Mum showed a nod at the door of Sara.
His father moved forward, then stopped.
- Hmm-hmm - slurred voice issued, father.
There were some movements in the room.
- Arthur! Sara! - The father did not know how to start a conversation.
– Go out.
- Dad, we need to say to you something! - Arthur blurted out, simultaneously with the opening of the doors and holding the hand of Sara.
- My son! – mother begged, feeling the trouble.
- Mum, Dad, Sara and me are getting married.
- Oh ... - Mum cried.
- Oh well! - Quiet, but irritably the father said on mother’s cry.
- Arthur, but what about ... You've got already have bri ... – Mum continued sobbing.
- Mum! You know, that's your choice, but not mine!
- Arthur, son, do not get excited.
- Dad. We love each other. Sara, tell them.
Sara was in a state of torpor.
It was well understood that Arthur’s parents did not dream about such daughter-in-law
Such an enviable rich and handsome groom could marry some equal in status and wealth a girl from a Polish noble family, but what can I say, and beautiful, too.
Sara was too thin that it is absolutely not part of the concept of beauty in rich circles. And what to say, not from the rich and noble family, and besides the Russian Jew, that was really quite disappointing parents, and now completely orphaned. Frankly speaking - just a burden.
And Sara was silent and afraid even to breathe.
- Son! - the father said to Arthur, I understand everything you're young ...
- No, Dad, it's not that – Arthur snapped, - we are serious.
- On-how seriously? Do you know that I never called your mother a wife? I always call her a home! It is written in the Talmud and the way it is. And if it is not - it is not right! You know that our people deeply honor the traditions of marriage and family behavior that persist for centuries in time and space for many centuries. And our family has always been famous and proud pedigree.
We always followed strictly to ensure that our sons were blameless before the wedding.
- Well, of course we are not monsters – Mum intervened - we just want you, son, happiness. I know you just ran to protect Sara from Mihail’s flirt, but I have asked him, and even talk to him, he will no longer stick to Sara. You do not have to marry her, to protect her.
- Mum, you don’t listen to me, I love her.
- Hold on, Arthur!
- Mum, I had already decided. We have already decided everything.
- My son! Mum right - do not get excited. You know that the Jews parental word has always been the word of God.
- You're just the ideal groom - a devout and educated - mother interjected.
- Shame on you! - Arthur pleaded.
- Sara, I'm sorry, but you must understand us - we are parents and we want good fortune to our son. We will help you, we will not abandon, but ... - father choked.
- Yes, and what is now the wedding? Look what's happening! - Mum was hoping to find at least some kind of clue.
Sara stood with her head down, she felt bad. What can she say she does not have any bargaining chips against their arguments?
- I love you so much! - Arthur said to parents, but my decision is firm. I know that it is a tradition among our nation that parents choose a wife. But it so happened that I have chosen a wife by myself - paused and added, - my beloved wife.
- Son! - Mum went to Arthur and hugged him - well, listen to us, we just wish you only the good.
- Mum, if you love me, do not stand on my way. I'm as happy as ever! Do not take away my love.
Mother burst into tears, the father stood and sighed.
- Mum, Dad, if you will hinder us, we will go away from home together.
Mother began to cry even more.
- No, no! Just don’t do it! Where are you going to go? The Germans are around.
- Son, do not do stupid things – father said - the situation is so dangerous, Sara is generally better not to appear on the street.
- Of course, do not go anywhere, live there, what to do? Live, we bless you, what to do, what to do! - Mum wailed.
She went to her son and Sara, took their arms and joined, weeping inconsolably. Father joined to her and said:
- Well, then here's our parental blessing. Live and be happy!
- Thank you father, mother, - Arthur said, - I love you!
- Thank you, - Sara whispered, she still did not believe in such an outcome.
- Well, go to your room and communicate, I let you don’t go to work today – father said to the bride and groom.
Happy and joyous Arthur and Sara turned and disappeared into the chambers of Sara.
- Today is our wedding, - Arthur said to Sara - looked straight into her eyes and joked - thanks to Mishka.
They laughed softly.
It was their night.
They could not sleep even when they were tired of hugs and kisses.
Then they just lay there in silence, staring at each other.
And suddenly, Sara began throwing questions to Arthur:
- Arthur?
- Yes - kissing and hugging Sara Arthur said.
- And tell me about your town.
- L’vov? – Arthur was thinking - It is a unique city. It is believed that this place was an urban settlement from the VII-VIII centuries.
- Wow!
- Yes!
- Really?
- As the city with the name of L’vov it has existed since 1256. And it was founded by the King Daniel Galitsky.
- Why did he call it such way?
- You're ahead of me, I just wanted to say, the king named the city after his son - Lev.
- A-ah? How interesting!
- Everyone always liked this town, so it was a part of many countries: Hungary, Poland, Kiev Rus, the Swedes were precipitated L’vov, the Ottoman Empire, Turks and Crimean Tatars attacked it, L’vov was the capital of Western Ukraine.
- How many nationalities live in it?
- Princely L’vov was very crowded city. There always lived and got on a lot of different nationalities: Germans, Armenians, Tatars, Russians, Italians, Scots, but - the famous L’vov Mayor Johann Alnpek wrote about medieval Lvov: «There are crowds of Jews, it's almost their promised land»;- I wonder where the very first Jews arrived?
- In our city there is a very old book acts where there is a record that in 1383 the Jewish communities already existed in L’vov. Our history teacher told us that most of the Jews had come from Kiev that was destroyed by the Mongols. And the ancient Jews, I have heard, appeared there from Byzantium.
- We were told at history lessons that the Jews live here due to the Polish king Kazimir.
- Yes, there is! In the XIV century, Kazimir the third was the only of all European monarchs, who gave the refuge to the Jews in his state.
- What a fine fellow!
- Not so simple. He had a mistress - a Jew.
- That's what love if for the sake of it, he took all the Jews, from whom almost all European countries turned away!
- Yes! Her name was Ester. She was very beautiful, and most importantly, she had very big impact on the king, about how you impact at me – Arthur joked, hugging and kissing Sara
- Really? - Sara smiled.
- She bore him four children!
- Yah!
- Two boys and two girls.
- That explains everything!
- So Kazimir was well aware that his children – the Jews, and therefore his whole policy was associated with the love of his Jewish woman and their common children.
They were keeping silence, embracing and thinking about their own matter.
- Look, over there is the minister of the synagogue, the one that in the end of Staroyevreyska street - we are familiar with him, he is running too – Arthur said in a whisper directly into the ear of Sara.
- And I have never been there.
- Really, this is the main synagogue of L’vov – the L’vov legend is associated with it.
- Really? You know I am not religious.
- So what? It's just interesting. This synagogue has a name – « The Golden Rose»
- Beautiful name.
- And have you ever been to the old Jewish quarter? Maybe you were on the Serbskaya street? Maybe you have seen the synagogue from some distance?
- No. And what kind of legend?
- At the end of the XVI century the Jesuits appeared in L’vov, and the king appointed a plot for the construction of the Jesuit church nearby Voloshka church in the Jewish sector.
But at this place the Jewish Mayor Isaac Nahmanovich laid the construction of a magnificent synagogue, which was designed by the L’vov architect, he was Italian.
- The synagogue was built by Italian?
- Yes, but what's wrong with that? - Arthur looked tiredly at her.
He again leaned close to Sara’s ear and continued:
- This synagogue was a real pride of L’vov Jews. But the Jesuits managed to find the document, once this land owned to some Catholic priest.
- So what?
- The investigation began on how the land was in the Jewish ownership. The Jews, in turn, filed a lawsuit and lost it.
- And?
- A terrible despair reigned in the hearts of people of Israel.
- Yes! To build such beauty and lose ...
- But in L’vov some very rich and very pious widow of incomparable beauty lived- the daughter of this Nahmanovich - Rose. She always generously engaged with the poor, the sick and the crippled. Seeing the disaster that had fallen on her people's head, Rose did not hesitate for a moment, she gave all her large estate to buy back shrines, but the Jesuit bishop demanded Rose herself, because she was so beautiful that looking at her bishop became speechless .
After recovering he said: «Stay with me, I will give the shrine to your brothers».
- Ah! – Sara cried - And what Rose?
Arthur stroked Sara, smiled and continued:
- «Good» - said Rose – «but now sign the paper»
- Paper what ...
- Yes, yes! The document that the Jesuits refuse from this plot of land in a few minutes were given to the senior of the Jewish community.
- And Rose? – Sara asked worrying.
- A Rose stayed with the bishop.
- The horror! What a sacrifice!
- Yes! And devotion to her people!
- That's all?
- No, not all. Rose could not stand dishonor and poisoned next morning.
Grateful Jews did not forget their savior and a wonderful synagogue was called by her name – «The Golden Rose».
- I am sorry for Rose, I just want to cry!
- Well, do not take all so close to the heart.
Days passed.
Previously Helbling family, and in particular their name, did not attract the attention of the Germans.
On the contrary, it seemed that the Germans respected them, they often came to the shop, could talk so easily.
And then one day:
- Today I heard the bad news, the Polish Jews also began to be taken to the camps – the father said grimly during the dinner-time.
- What to do? – Mum asked speechless.
Arthur anxiously took Sara's hand in his and said:
- And what if we change the surname?
- Yes, it's the only hope – and it looked like the father was already thinking about it.
- And Sara will have to change the name – Arthur continued.
- That's for sure! - Misha glared at her.
- What are your thoughts on a surname?
- And let's - Gordych! - Remember, they lived near us, they left three years ago from the city - Mum interjected.
- Well, Gordych so Gordych. – the father put an end.
- And let it be Sara - Stefania. Well Gordych was Stefania – mother suggested again.
- Do you like? – Arthur asked Sara?
- Very good, not too far away from Sara, and not hard to get used to - Sara or Stefania. – mother was trying to persuade.
- Yes, I agree – Sara confirmed quietly.
Now and forever, Sara became Stefania.
Chapter 6
The escape
Sara has gradually become accustomed to the new name.
Arthur constantly made fun of her and deliberately often called her Stefania.
And this name became usual to her.
As for the surname change it didn’t justify to the family.
For those unfamiliar Germans they were Gordych, but there were also those who knew well that they were Helbling family, and in addition there were also the evil tongues.
All residents of L’vov were in the same position, they needed to help each other but not - certainly there was someone who thought that he will get mercy for his denunciation.
The dinner was held in a relaxed home environment. All praised mincemeat, which Stefania prepared under the watchful guidance of her mother.
- Just yum! – Philip exclaimed when he tried this aristocratic dish.
- Thank you - Stefania smiled modestly.
- Come on, and I'll try, - Arthur said.
- And let me mincemeat - Simon reached for a plate.
- That came down, and leave us to try! - Misha laughed.
- Dad, did you try, this is a fairy tale! - Arthur exclaimed.
Maria satisfied with the result smiled cutely, looking at Stefania.
- Good for you, Stefania, it is really delicious!
- Thank you, but it's all you!
- No, no - it's all you have done by yourself, I just told you how!
- Oh, Jewish dishes are the most delicious in the world! – said Senia smacking enthusiastically.
- Senia! The Jews borrowed this dish from the Prussians and Swedes - Vorschmack. - Arthur corrected him.
- Yes? - Stefania was surprised.
- Only they have this dish hot. And the Jews love it cold.
- And that Jewish cuisine – the mincemeat with herring. After all, there are so many recipes with meat and mushrooms - all delicious! - Mum smiled.
- Yes! - Philip surprised - and I was also convinced that it is a Jewish dish. Okay!
- All the same, we do it differently, because in the Jewish cuisine the mincemeat transformed into a cold starter – Arthur concluded.
The doorbell distracted the family from such an interesting topic. Philip went to open.
He returned to the dining room with a guest.
- Good evening everyone and enjoy your meal!
- Good, come Cilia, sit down, have dinner with us - Maria said affably.
- So I have come for a moment to ask a little bit of salt like a neighbor.
- Sit down Cilia, we'll give you the salt, help yourself, see what mincemeat we have - we're all enjoying – father invited the guest.
- Okay, I like mincemeat.
- Who does not love him? - father said and everyone laughed.
- Did so! The mincemeat - this is a thing! - Tell Aunt Cilia? - Mihail loved teasing Cilia with fun.
Although Cilia was not old - she was barely thirty-five years, but sons of Maria called her aunt.
- And what do you think? - the father asked.
- Oh-oh-oh! Maria, I love your mincemeat!
They all laughed.
- I did not cook it, this is Stefania - the hostess said proudly.
- Oh, how delicious! Did you add the apple here?
- Yes - Stefa said.
- How I missed the mincemeat - and here you are!
- No - and here you are! - Misha joked.
All laughed again.
- I remember Bella told me a good story about the mincemeat.
- Well, Aunt Celia, tell us - Rubbing his hands in anticipation of the whole, Misha asked.
- Oh, we laughed so hard!
- Well, tell us - the father said.
- Okay, everybody is grown-up. Here, these guys! - She laughed.
- So will you laugh yourself - Maria asked smiling.
- Once we were sitting on a bench with Zlata and chatting. Bella was going. We were discussing something, she sat down beside and said «Yesterday our good friend Boris arrived from Zhitomir, I made a mincemeat, laid the table, they ate, drank with my Aronchik and you know my Aronchik still does not know measures! He lay down to sleep and Boris was tossing and turning, tossing and turning on the couch, and then he asked timidly - Bella, may I? But how? Because there was Aronchik and then I thought, he was sleeping like a log, well, I answered yes, but quickly ... And you know, what did he do? ... He got up and …DEVOUR THE REST OF THE MINCEMEAT!!!!»
They all laughed!
Cilia was a good narrator – she loved to joke.
- It is necessary to prepare a mincemeat of your recipe - indecently delicious! - Cilia said leaving home.
- The recipe is so simple - Maria is laughing - take a great herring, carve, make sure that all the bones removed, processed cheese, butter, carrots and onions. Put all through the wringer - there's your recipe!
- And I always take green and sour apple instead of carrot – it is also delicious!
- I know, I also do sometimes.
Maria, watching a neighbor, gave her salt from the kitchen.
- Well, thank you for everything and for mincemeat separately! Stefania - Cilia said in a singsong voice, - thank you. Well done! Bye!
- Bye! - All in unison said goodbye.
After a pleasant dinner and fun all did their own things, and then went to their rooms.
- And what will we do? - Maria asked her husband anxiously.
- I do not know.
- I know. They should be sent to Dnepropetrovsk, Jaworski went there- Galina is from those places. They called us with them and left the address.
So children have a chance.
Not only that bombing, there are rumors already that the Poles began to be picked up. Especially young!
- Yes - the father sighed.
- In the morning I was in the street Yablonovskii, I saw there Stasik, well, son of Mrs. Jadwiga who lives down the street – he was so pleased. I asked him, «What are you doing here? » And he said gallantly, «I was at the lieutenant enlisted». I asked him – «Are not you afraid?», And he shook his head.
- Because, he is fool! - Maria said sadly - Probably his mother does not know anything. The grief.
- Yes! The grief.
- The trouble came, it is a real grief.
- Maria, I still cannot believe that this is a war.
- Yes, this is a war.
- Dziennik polski found nothing better to do than call the Wehrmacht invasion of Polish-German «war of nerves» - the father said nervously.
- And Gazeta lwowska reported that «communiques from the field each time better» and we believed.
- Also, the Polish radio broadcast the good news. In the south, the speakers said, it was stopped the enemy offensive near Krakow. In the north, the Polish cavalry broke through the enemy line and crossed the Polish-German border on the way to Berlin!
- And what do we see? – tears were on Maria’s eyes.
- The horror! They always tell a lie.
- We have to leave immediately.
- It was necessary to. What to say now!
- The first duty Arthur and Stefania should be sent. Stefa is the biggest threat to us. But Arthur would not let her alone.
- It's clear.
- Let's try to sleep, tomorrow we will gather the family council.
The next morning was overshadowed by a new bombing.
Gordych family and neighbors in the district during the bombing were hiding in the basement of a beer shop that belonged to his grandfather Helbling.
People were quite clear that in spite of the construction quality factor, the beer shop will not survive a powerful attack, but they were spacious and dry, and it seemed to all that together it is easier to survive the danger.
Different people gathered there - Ukrainians, Poles, Jews
often with a variety of views on the situation and prospects, but no one started to talk on topics «Who is right and who is wrong, and what will be», they just were playing cards.
The walls of the beer shop could save from splinters of bombs and shells exploding in the street, but no more.
There were quite a lot of such beer shops in town, and all the townspeople tried to hide there from the bombing.
People in what they were dressed, ran to the pub, which now was open around the clock.
Someone seemed to have become accustomed to - not even a shadow of fear.
Pan Cheslav, Pan Voiceh and Pan Vladislav did not lose a single minute – they immediately began to play cards.
Bartosh loved to tell the stories about his childhood.
Older women gathered around him.
A bright beautiful Edita always had a lipstick with her - maybe it's nervous but she painted all the bombing and painted, and painted her lips.
Anelia and Eric always waited bombing in the farthest corner holding their hands.;Jan Paderewski was a scientist, all the young people gathered around him - he told them about the stars.
Arthur and Sara, but now with Stefania were sitting on the couch holding each other and talking about their matters.
Maria gossiped with neighbors. Father, as the host, communicated with everybody.
There were a lot of neighbors and they all knew each other very well.
Gordych treated all people with coffee and cookies.
There was a friendly and family atmosphere.
When it was over, people began to go home.
Suddenly, around the corner came a shout:
- You heard? Have you heard? - Stasik was running and screaming to people who were going to the streets.
- What? - People alarmed. All surrounded the guy.
Stefania knew that this guy was her former neighbor and she told about it to Arthur.
- I did not have time to run to the pub down the street Pilsudski just hid there and saw everything. Horror! Horror!
- What, speak! - impatient voices said.
- Polish anti-aircraft gun hit «heinkel».
- Well, so what? – the crowd hurried him.
- The nightmare! - The guy fell to his knees and took the head.
It was clear that the guy had a big shock. He was picked up and lifted:
- Well, take it easy. Where was it?
- Over the Lichakovskyi cemetery.
- Yes, yes, we heard a loud explosion.
- Falling down, he still had bombed.
- Yes, we have heard.
- One of the bombs hit the pub, which just gathered all the inhabitants of the house and many of the neighbors.
All were killed - and then even louder - all died!
Women wept, wailed, screamed, a lot of men began to question him further.
- How do you know that all of them died.
- I told you that I was close, everything was flattened.
- So you're lucky that you didn’t go to the pub! – It was heard from the crowd.
- And yet, this aircraft destroyed the pipeline and plumbing – Stasik continued.
- An hour from bad to worse, now there will be no water, no gas - Maria said to her husband resignedly.
Sons stood together. Arthur, at the time released from his embrace Stefania, took his mother's hand and squeezed, stroked by his other hand.
Semyon pressed his cheek against his mother's shoulder, and Mihail came closer to his father.
- Oh trouble, oh misfortune! - People did not go away, they all stood and listened to the details that they were told by the witness.
Many people immediately went to the scene of the explosion. Other people for a long time were discussing the news.
Returning home Maria asked her husband:
- I want to ask you, let's send children to Yavorsky as quickly as possible.
- Now, we gather everybody and talk.
The father was not sure that this is what should be done.
He was afraid for the children here and there - full of suspense, too, it is not clear what to expect.;Of course, this is a very difficult decision.
Gordych couple itself did not want to leave
firstly there was a hope that everything will come to the end soon, and secondly they are older, they have a big business that cannot be left - this is his whole life.
After dinner the father of the family said to the children:
- Children, we need to talk.
All remained seated at the table, knowing in their father's tone that the conversation will be serious.
- Your mother and I want to keep you out of trouble.
Maria sat and stared at her sons, and tears flowed from her eyes.
- Do you remember Jaworski? – the father continued.
- Yes – the guys answered in one voice.
- So we want you to go to them to Dnepropetrovsk until everything calms down immediately.
- They gave us the address when they left. Aunt Galina is a Ukrainian, she was born there – the mother added through tears.
Everyone sat in disbelief. A few minutes of silence, and the first who said was Arthur:
- And you?
- And what are we? We will wait out here. No one will touch us – the father tried to say cheerfully.
- Well, so no one will touch us too! – Mihail said almost indignantly.
Senia agreed with him.
- It's because of Sara we can be arrested? But we are Poles – Mihail continued.
- Not only that, did you see a bomb? - Mum was not abating.
- No, we're not going with Senia. Really, Senia? - Mihail patted his brother on the shoulder.
- Yes, we will not go - Semyon agreed.
Philip sat silent and listened.
It was the first hour of the night.
- Are you sleeping? - Maria asked her husband quietly.
- No.
- You know, father, I'm so worried about the children.
- Yeah, me too.
- Let's send them out of L’vov. The fact that we have changed the surname, I think will not help us. And the bombing is so frequent. If we could only have a normal bomb shelter!
- I am thinking about it constantly. Last name - that is fine, and can help, but more often bombed, and I am worrying that the base of our beer shop, although it has thick walls, but it will not save from the direct impact.
- Okay, Maria sleep, we will think over it tomorrow.
But the next day the events began to move at lightning speed.
Early in the morning two policemen came to the store and asked to call the owner:
- Yes, I am listening to you, gentlemen.
The father of the family did not feel the threat at once.
Sometimes policemen came to him, they were treated, and even took anything with them.
Although this was already Bandera police, who in the early days of the arrival of the Germans in L’vov proclaimed an independent Ukrainian state – the ally of «National socialistic Great Germany», and now they felt themselves like full owners of the city.
- Are you the owner?
- Yes.
- What's the name?
Cold sweat broke out immediately the entire head. Knees were trembling, it was hard to breathe. Once it was clear that someone reported to the store owner. He certainly knew that Bandera police did not particularly stand on ceremony, and if they are interested in the name, it is not without the reason.
They were terrible people, the whole city saw their atrocities.
They raped Jewish women on a white day on the street, beat them to death with stones, sticks, they humiliated, forcing women and sometimes men to undress everything. Marches on knees with hands up on the streets of L’vov, washing sidewalks, eviction of the Jews to work in the former prison of the NKVD, in the same place they were killed, after bullying.
The first pogrom took away many lives.
Throughout the city there was blood, pieces of clothes, moaning and crying.
For Germans this all was not necessary, they simply stood by and watched the refined brutality of Ukrainians.
The arrival of the liberators to Galicia, the declaration of independence caused the great elation at the local Ukrainian population.
According to the Bandera pogrom in L’vov it was the action of «self-purification» and revenge to «Judeo-Bolsheviks» on the side of the oppressed people to which the valiant German army brought freedom - and if simply to say – the revenge to Bolsheviks for those murders that they committed at the L’vov land.
According to the Nazi theory of «Judeo-Bolshevism» the Jews were to be responsible for the shooting of prisoners in NKVD prisons before leaving the Red Army out of the city.
And according to the Bolshevik theory of «revolutionary coercion» people who came from a decent audience had as hostages to be responsible for the murder of the Bolsheviks.
During the pogrom Bandera police grabbed the Jews in their homes and on the streets and carried them to the prisons of the NKVD to the excavation of corpses.
In accordance with the theory of «Judeo-Bolshevism» Jews were to be responsible for the shooting of prisoners in NKVD prisons before leaving the Red Army out of the city.
And they were responsible for.
They gave their lives, the lives of their children, mothers and fathers.
They answered ...
It was not just scary, it was incomprehensible!
- Last name? – With a loud and commanding tone the policeman repeated.
- Mr. policeman, and what, has something happened? Everybody knows me here – I am Gordych.
- You're lying, you're not Gordych.
- I am Gordych, here are my documents ...
- We know all your documents!
- Maybe you want some beer or something? Now we will do everything in the best possible way - he tried to appease them.
- Do you see this skin! - one policeman said to another.
- Come on, come with us, there it will be clear – the senior ordered.
- Where to go?
- Where it is necessary. Walk.
Sons watched the whole scene from the back room.
Even before the father instructed them: if anything - do not leave, do not be shown.
Whatever - you will not help, but only hurt themselves and family.
The complete confusion, what will happen!
The boys watched the convoy that lead their father, and did not understand - what to do next!
As they went away, the boys ran upstairs to the apartment:
- Mum, Mum! Dad was taken – Arthur and Phillip shouted excitedly.
Mihail and Semyon in the morning took the goods to the region, and had to come back only in the evening.
- But how is that? Who!
- Bandera police.
- Cattles - Maria said.
- Mum, what to do?
Hearing the crying Sara came out of her room.
She looked at mad Arthur who rushed from one corner of the room to the other, pulling his hands, clutching his head and all the while wondering question:
- What do we do?
- Where he was led?
- They did not say.
- I will go to the neighbor Galina, her husband is out there working, he's kind of good to our family, I will ask to know about father.
- I'm with you – Arthur said.
- And I – Philip joined.
- Okay, let's go.
A neighbor Galina, though a Ukrainian, but the Bandera arbitrary strongly condemned.
Not once frankly, even during the first pogrom she was shouting «What do you mean, the beasts!» «That is it can be so? » Sometimes she was trying to get help to older woman who was forced to go on her knees on a cobblestone street, but she was roughly carried out by some policeman and he shook his fist.
Her husband is too kind and quiet man, though he is working at prison.
Galina lived in the house opposite.
- If only she was at home! - Maria wailed.
She ran out into the street, the children followed her.
They went to meet Frida, she was always with a big laundry basket under her arm.
It's hard, of course to believe, but the whole neighborhood knew that she's hiding her husband - Izia and drags the cart continuously with herself, afraid to leave him home alone.
Izia is small in stature and thin, so he can curl up into a ball in the laundry basket, Frida covers his with underwear and goes to the store, to get water or somewhere else.
Frieda is Pole so no one would dare to touch her.
Of course she is afraid, like all of denunciation, but there is no choice.
All the time under penalty.
- Hello, Maria!
- Hello, Frida!
- Where are you hurrying up?
- Oh, Frida, the trouble. Just now the policemen took away my husband.
- Oh my God? - Frida screamed.
- What, Helbling was taken? – It was heard from the basket.
Frida made huge frightened eyes and jabbed her fist into the basket. She looked at Maria and her sons - if they had heard the voice out of the basket.
Maria noticed her confusion and reassured:
- Frida! All around a long time know that you carry Izia in your shopping cart.
- Who's everyone? – Frida asked anxiously.
- All the neighbors. But I do not care. My husband was taken away, I am running to Galina, maybe she will get to know at least something - where he was taken, when he will be released.
- Maria! They all escorted to work in the former NKVD prison in Brygidka - again a voice came out of the basket.
- Shut up, I told you - Frida got angry and again jabbed her fist into the basket.
Linen basket lifted and there was a piece of Izia’s head:
- Well, Frida, as they already know everything anyway!
Frida watched nervously from side to side, tucked his head back, hard-packed, lay underwear in the basket and said to Maria:
- So, if you will not to know anything from Galina really go down to the jail – maybe you will get to know something from Brygidka.
- Well, Frida, I am running.
Galina listened to Maria and her sons.
- Do not cry, wait still we do not know anything - Galina comforted the neighbor.
- But how, one who gets there, almost no one returns – Maria was sobbing.
- Oh well! Do not say that. My husband will come and I tell him and he will learn. Don’t be upset. Everything will be good.
- God forbid! Then we wait. Report immediately Galinka.
- Of course, do not cry, Maria. Oh how I understand you!
Maria and the children headed for the exit. Children comforted their mother. They went out into the street and right in front of their eyes the convoy drove the whole family, kicking and calling them.
The Ukrainian nationalist was walking behind a young girl and constantly lifted her skirt, father and mother tried to protect her but a second guard roughly pushed them.
Maria quickly turned to her sons and commanded:
- Hide away, quickly.
From that day, not only day but every minute was a nightmare.
The boys went down to the store on pain of constant expectation that sooner or later will come after them.
Arthur kept thinking about Stefania how to keep her.
He was sure that if someone told about his father, then someone can tell about Sara.
Already there was a deep night but there were no news about the father.
The whole family like as in mourning were sitting in the living room, wondering what to do, where to go, how to save their father.
The night was unbearable - all were looking forward to the morning with the hope that everything will be fine.
Arthur and Philip have gone to open the store. And Mihail with Semyon went to deliver the goods to the region.
Mary could not find a place for herself, she was about to run to the neighbor again.
Finally, standing at the window, which looked out directly on the main street, she saw Galina running straight to them.
Maria ran to meet her.
They met on the stairs:
- Maria, let's go better to you.
Maria felt a disturbing tone of her voice:
- Yes, Galina, come. Come on. Well, do you know anything?
The feelings of Maria were close to fainting, and Galina saw it:
- Listen, Maria, I have bad news from.
- What? - Maria asked with horror.
Hearing the noise Stefania came:
- Hi, - she said quietly. Her heart has already told to her that a great sorrow came.
- Galinka say! - Maria pleaded.
- Maria! – Galina sighed.
- Speak.
- They were all herded into prison. At first, they were forced to dig up the corpses in this NKVD prison, well, those that killed the Soviet, when they went. The bodies have all decayed, and they were forced right under the guns made directly with bare hands ... - she could not hold back tears, while as Maria looked at her, bravely raised her head up, straightened her shoulders, as though speaking of its kind, «I am strong!»
Galina looked at Maria, and could not squeeze out from herself:
- You know, they promised that after the work they will go home. Nobody even suspected ...
Galina swallowed hard and said quietly:
- Maria! After the excavation of corpses all of them were shot in the courtyard of the prison ...
- Everyone ... – Maria repeated even quieter. She closed her eyes and stood like frozen.
Stefania silently took her hand and pulled her to the chair:
- Sit down.
Maria sat down, but there was a feeling that this was - a wax figure, not a person. She continued to sit with her eyes closed, making no groan, no sound.
- Maria, you would better to cry ... – Galina said in hesitation.
At this moment Arthur entered the apartment:
- Hi, - he said hello to the neighbor.
Seeing his mother in a state of shock, he immediately realized that the neighbor had brought bad news.
He rushed to his mother, sank to his knees, put his arm around her waist and whispered:
- Mum ...
- No more father, son, all of it ... No more ... - and burst into tears.
Throughout the evening the family was in a deep mourning.
Mum was sitting at a table of her husband and constantly stroked his hands, sometimes she talked with him quietly, and then she cried, the children rushed to her and comforted.
Philip was shaking, he shouted angry words against the Ukrainian nationalists, so loudly that Misha and Senya had to close his mouth by force, so as the neighbors would not hear:
- All right, everything is clear, but now you can attract even more trouble.
- Do not yell, just you can say, but do not be so loud. Tomorrow all will be taken.
- How long can you tolerate it? - Philip persisted.
- We cannot do anything, Philip! - Arthur added grimly.
Women sat in silence and occasionally sobbing, embracing each other.
- I decided – I will go to the army - Philip suddenly announced.
- In what army? - Mum woke up?
- In which? In Polish.
- Son ... – mother begged.
- What, and let me go – Mihail said abruptly.
- And I! – Semyon said.
Stefania looked with horror at Arthur if he was not going to the army, too.
Arthur walked to Stefania and hugged her silently. And Stefa realized that he was not going to leave her.
- And what will happen to the business? – Arthur asked the brothers.
- And do not you see what's going on? Do you think that they will not take it from us?
- Children, what are you talking about? This is the matter of life of your father!
- Mum, I'm sorry, but now it is the time when we have to go out and beat this bastards - Philip said firmly.
- Son ...
- Well, then, it makes no sense to waste the time. Tomorrow at a dawn I will go so far alone.
- And we? – Misha and Senia rebelled unanimously.
- I will give you the news as soon as I will take a decision. If all is well, then your turn will come.
- My God, what is it - mother burst into tears.;- Mama do not cry, Arthur and Stefania will be with you - Phillip was adamant.
Arthur also would like to take off with his brothers in the army and protect their loved ones and relatives.
But!
On his conscience there were two favorite women and his father's business. And he was well aware that he would never abandon them – he doesn’t have such right.
At the dawn Philip said goodbye to his family and left.
Women stayed at home and the boys went on a business trip.;Arthur always managed by the production and the store, and Mihail with Semyon were engaged in the supply of products.
But today Arthur ordered Mihail and Semyon not to go around the city:
- Misha, today you will stay in the workplace. Let it everything come down, you have enough work here.
- Actually, I'm the chief of marketing, what am I going to do here? People waiting for me today in the region.
- I know who you are? And you probably well remember - who I am!
- I remember now, Arthur you're not just a chief technologist, but also the owner.
- Then we do not discuss this issue.
- All right - the brothers agreed.
- The necessary raw materials for today we have too, so go to track and monitor the technology and take control of the mill. There are not very experienced workers –control them.
- We’ll do - Misha agreed.
- Senia - Arthur turned to him - but what about the packaging in the last time was that?
- Dosing in cups was uneven - a failure!
- Semyon, so today it shouldn’t be a failure - watch out! - Arthur warned him.
- Okay.
- All the current production we will move to the warehouse. Your movers today let go – it will be enough for ours - Arthur again turned to Mihail.
- Good.
The work was in full swing. Arthur ran around the shops and commanded the process, when he heard shouting and noise.
He went to the door to find out what happened there, but the door opened abruptly and on the threshold the police appeared.
- Attention! There is an order - we should take you to a meeting in the Opera and Ballet Theatre - the policeman said sternly.
- A long time is it? – Arthur asked bravely.
- And who are you?
- I am Gordych - and this is my production. Can I leave a few people to monitor the production?
- There is an order - all!
- Well, I cannot completely stop the work process, all will be spoiled? – Arthur protested.
- I cannot do anything. Everybody go out.
Arthur looked at the staff and shrugged.
Workers began to take off their robes and go outside, where the escort was waiting for them.
Arthur saw in front of Misha and Senya quickly moved to him:
- What did they tell you?
- It is necessary to take us to the meeting - Misha said in disbelief.
- They said in a theater – Semyon added.
At this point, Arthur saw his mother and Stefania who stood at the entrance:
- Mum, Stefania! - He ran up to him.
There were a lot of people on the street, police officers from the People's Ukrainian and German soldiers went to all the houses in the neighborhood and drove people into the street.
The escort was waiting for them and immediately drove to the center of the street, surrounded men, women, children and elderly.
- Stay in a line! - the chief shouted.
Soldiers trimmed rows by kicking and the column moved.;Who was slow, he was beaten. If there were defenders - they were beaten even more.
There was a completely crazy policeman, for no reason he went through the rows and mocked at people.
Stefania was so scared that she could not move her legs - they always were trembling.
Arthur literally was carrying her all the time he worried - just would not have noticed.
Next the brothers came and mother, Semyon was holding her hand.
Talking was not allowed. Ahead of Gordych family one of their employees was going.
Crazy and nervous policeman thought he was looking at him disrespectfully.
Then this policeman ferociously, without explanation, began to beat him with a powerful stick, he beat so much that pieces of skin flew into the air.
Women began to scream and like the beast he turned in their direction, and saw a pregnant before him, he began to poke her in the stomach with a stick so hard that she fell down.
Relatives rushed to lift her, but the policeman again went toward the unfortunate and hit him so hard on the ear that it came off and flew off, falling directly on the shoe of Stefania - she lost her consciousness.
Arthur caught her and prayed to God that this furious monster did not pay attention to them.
The German soldier called this nationalist and it was clear that he ordered him to cool slightly.
When the column arrived at the theater of opera and ballet, they saw that the same way the other columns of people from all over the city were rounded up.
In a dense stream people were sent to the main entrance.
Stefania was holding Arthur and looking at the facade of the opera, which was crowned by the figure of «The Glory» with a palm branch, in her hands - a reward devote herself to the art.
Her sight continually flowed from one sculpture to another allegorical figures of poetry and music, the right and left on the front, between the columns two figures were placed, one of which symbolized the tragedy, as it was explained to her when she and her mother first came here, the other - a comedy.
Above, in the triangular tympanum, is a high relief: the composition reflects in allegorical scenes basis of theatrical art, a life of opposites –the joy and suffering.
It is simply breathtaking.
Stefania even opened her mouth.
Although she has already been there with her mother, as soon as they came to the city, but it was impossible not to be struck again and again by such beauty.
She remembered how her mother said that the first duty should be to look at the famous Opera House. Unfortunately, while there were no theater actions. Therefore, Stefania and her mother could not contemplate the beauty of the interior decoration of this temple of art.
Go into the opera failed, they enjoyed the view of the building and surrounding area.
Here they are in the lobby - the unfathomable beauty stairs, tiers of arched balconies above them, separated by Corinthian columns.
Everywhere there was rich sculptural decoration, in the interior design a lot of marble, stucco ornaments, gilding and decorative painting.
When they ran into the auditorium, Arthur said:
- Like?
- Highly!
- As soon as they start to give performances, I'll just give you here.
- True?
- Yes.
The multi-tiered auditorium, which is placed not less than two thousand visitors made on Stefania no less admiration.
- Sorry, the curtain is raised – Arthur said.
- What's that?
- He always admired the curtain of an incredible beauty. The Italian did – Mum added.
- You will see later.
Lodges theater were full of people.
It was pretty noisy.
People were everywhere.
Stefania stared at this beauty and could not reconcile the notion of the beautiful and cruel.
- How beautiful! When I saw this theater for the first time I marveled «How this miracle was built?»- Stefania said to Arthur.
- Yes! This is the pride of L’vov.
- I heard this is the second most beautiful theater after the Vienna Opera.
- I am sure! - Arthur stared arches columns.
Indeed, even under such conditions, where they were now it was hard not to pay attention to this architectural masterpiece.
Its gable is decorated with high reliefs personifying Courage, Joy, Heroism, Loss and Suffering, the top of the roof is crowned by a statue of Glory with a palm branch in its hand.
On both sides of it are statues of Genius of tragedy and music.
The interiors are rich and fine.
The auditorium is decorated with paintings and gilded carvings.
The architecture of the building combines elements of the Renaissance, Baroque and Viennese pseudo renaissance.
Just a paradise for lovers of beauty!
Seeing Stefania enjoying art, Arthur said:
- Do you know that right under the theater the river flows?
- Yes, when we first walked here with my mother people told us. It was the idea of the architect?
- Not really. Such an unusual place for the theater was chosen because of its high urban density, and therefore it was built on the bed of Roach.
- Wow!
- It is said that if you go down into the orchestra pit, you can hear the river rages beneath your feet.
- Wow! But how it's flowing?
- There's a sarcophagus built for the river and the power of the river water was hidden behind concrete collector plates.
- You're so smart, Arthur, - Stefa admired.
- Yes, since childhood he is terribly curious! And his memory is like a sponge! – mother said proudly – he always studied best of all.
- Come on, Mum – Arthur said and gestured – we will sit there, Misha, go ahead, take a seat.
Misha quickened his pace, Semyon was following him, in the blink of an eye they were on the place and waved Arthur and their mother, saying «It's all right»
- Yes, there is good, we are near the passage, so as soon as the meeting will be over, Misha, Senya - run to the plant, and on the way gather the workers in order not to spoil the products - Arthur worried.
- Okay, we’ll do everything- cousin said cheerfully.
Finally people took places and there was an order to keep silence.
On the stage there was a German of high rank and he made a brief announcement:
- From now on you will live here until the final solution of the Jewish question.
This ghetto was organized by the German authorities to isolate Jews from the local population.
We know that among you there are plumbers, carpenters, mechanics.
Therefore, now we’ll make lists and you will be sent to work.
Women, children and the elderly will remain here until the issue will be solved.
One member of the family will go home with the escort to take the necessary things to all members of his family.
Stefania clutched the hand of Arthur.
He stroked her, calming and said:
- Sorry, I was not able to save my father's business.
- It is not your fault – Stefania said with a heavy heart.
- We'll run away – Mihail said stooping to Arthur.
- How?
- We’ll think over.
- Oh, children, grief! - Mum moaned.
- Mum – Arthur took her hand - it is necessary to hold on to.
- Yes, of course - she agreed.
Meanwhile several militaries were commanding at the scene, they were compiling the lists of workers.
Their translators shouted:
- Locksmiths, come here.
- Mechanics - here.
- Workers for the kitchen - to the right.
Arthur looked at the family and said:
- Need to go.
- It is necessary - Senia agreed with him – We can be locksmiths.
- And I can be a mechanic - I know the cars well.
They went to sign up.
When specialists compiled the lists, a German officer appeared at the stage again and said:
- Now you have to choose the Jewish Council - and choose a Jewish elder – «yudeneltester».
This Council will ensure the order and execution of orders.
When the Council was elected, and it was elected among the most famous Jewish public figures, activists of Jewish parties, religious and charitable organizations, so the Jewish elder became the lawyer Josef Parnas.
- Mum, he visited us, they were familiar with the father - Arthur whispered quietly.
- Yes, I know, I know ... - Mum said absently.
- Maybe he will help us? - Misha said quietly with the hope.
- How? Do you think he has protection with the Germans? - Arthur said irritably.
Semyon sighed and kicked Misha that he did not say too much – ears were everywhere.
The German officer climbed again on the stage and said:
- We must create a Jewish police to restore an order in the ghetto. All wishing come and sign up.
People began to get up from their seats and come on record.
It was strange and disgusting for Arthur to look at these people, but on the other hand he understood them - in their arms there were children and the elderly.
It was necessary to take some decision to help their loved ones later.
All procedures were completed, the Germans quickly left the ghetto.
There was an escort of Jewish police and Ukrainian nationalists.
People were indignant, whispered, and some of them were looking for a secluded corner and took their whole family.
The convoy escorted to their homes for a few people for clothing immediately.
Maria was able to convince the police that her nephews - is another family, so she was allowed to go home with Mihail.
Maria, the first duty had brought enough money and stashed them in intimate places.
She knew - Ukrainian nationalists were corrupted, they will do everything for money.
Then she packed two suitcases with things particularly warm clothes.
And also two suitcases with all the necessary things she packed for Misha.
They were allowed to take only two suitcases.
Among the things Maria put as more as possible, she put the products and the most necessary of the crockery.
The escort was waiting at the front door, and they had a little time.
Maria sat at her husband's desk and wrote a note to Philip, about where to look for them.
The escort had already hurried them.
Misha took a heavier suitcases and they went with Maria.
Every morning all healthy men were taken away to work according to their specialties.
Arthur worked in the workshop, where he repaired German cars.
Women, children and elderly were confined round the clock in the theater, where there was no light from the street.
There were no elementary conditions.
The food was very bad and small - for each issued meager daily ration.
It has been a week since Maria with the children was in a ghetto.
It was very difficult.
Constantly starving, without water and almost no light people faded.
One day, Stefania, as usual, went to the tank to drink water, the Ukrainian policeman blocked the road for her:
- Come, come here – he took her hand and pulled her to the side, so quickly that she could not figure out.
- What are you doing? - Stefa tried to free herself.
- Shut up! - continuing to pull her behind the column , the policeman said in a commanding tone.
Before he could pull her slightly away from thousandths eyes as began to tear her clothes.
He threw the girl on the floor and perched himself, so that Stefania could not move under his weight.
She wanted to scream but the policeman covered her mouth with his hand.
Stefania fluttered as she could, trying to free herself, but the policeman had already torn her all linen and unbuttoned his pants.
For a moment he removed his hand from her mouth, putting a gun to the side, Stefania took advantage of:
- Ah-ah-ah-ah! Save!
Maria heard the voice of Sara, ran to her and began loudly to call for help.
Hearing her screams the Jewish policemen quickly rushed for help to the victim.
Among Jewish-Polish policemen there was a longtime friend of the Helbling family.
Maria looked at him and nodded in gratitude.
He quietly said to her:
- Masha, you should keep her to yourself for all the time. I might not be here today. You know with whom to deal with?
He stared at Stefania, saw that she was very thin, and she was swaying – he whispered:
- I'll bring you something to eat.
- Thank you, Aron.
- Sons of here too?
- Yes. They are at work now.
- Well, they have there better food.
Frightened Stefania clung to Maria shivering and sobbing:
- He broke everything: my clothes torn, he broke even underwear.
- Quietly, quietly. Come on – Maria too had a shock, they went to their place, passing by people who looked at them.
In the evening, when brothers returned from work, Aron passed by Maria family, by facial expression showed her to follow him.
Maria stood up and quietly trying not to attract the attention followed the Savior.
Having reached the last column it is in the area of the exit of the hall from which they were forbidden to go, Aron motioned to Maria here waiting for him.
He disappeared behind the door and quickly reappeared.
It was a bundle in his hand.
He quickly poked him to the hands of Maria and said:
- Hide.
Maria just as quickly tucked the bundle under her jacket and she saw a hand gesture of Aron, «Go»
At night, when there was a complete silence, the mother handed out sandwiches to children.
Everyone tried to eat quietly so no one could see and hear them.
A few days later there was a rumor that they were going to send the first batch of the ghetto to the concentration camp.
The horror and consternation seized the people.
Women moaned and cried – what awaited for them next?
One day Arthur came from work and said:
- I heard that the elder was shot?
- How? - Mum cried - Juzef?
- Yes, mother, lawyer Parnas.
- I heard - said Misha - then it is true.
- Is that also true that they want to transfer us to the camp? - Mum asked.
- Yes, that's why Parnas was shot - for refusing to draw up the lists of Jews to the camps.
- My God, what is happening? - Mum cried.
- Fearfully – Stefania said.
Arthur hugged her close.
- I heard that at night there were burned a few synagogues - Semyon crouched and was very frightened.
- Oh, what they do, not people! – mother distressed.
- And they say that all the property of those who were taken to the ghetto looted - Semyon stood up and looked at his brothers - Now what?
All were horrified in silence.
- We have to think how to escape – Arthur said quietly but firmly.
- What? – the mother said frightened.
- Mum, this is the only way to survive. I have heard that some managed to escape from the other ghettos. Maybe Aron would help?
- I do not know! - mother said doubting.
- And where to go? They will find us and it will be worse - Semyon was so sad.
- I've heard that some are hiding in the sewers of the city, where the Poles and the Ukrainians help them - they bring food and clothing - Arthur said encouraging.
- And how long are there to hide?
- Semyon, there are other ways, for example, some take a refuge in the Catholic churches, monasteries.
- Let's find out everything tomorrow and make a plan. – Misha completed the conversation confidently.
They went to sleep when suddenly someone pushed Maria.
She did not recognize Aron at once in the dark.
He put his index finger to his lips and motioned towards the exit.
Maria understood everything.;She quietly got up and went for Aron.
Children watched their mother.
Going far beyond the column Aron quickly began to speak:
- Maria! First, it was the information that you will forward to a concentration camp, but now I know that tomorrow morning, the theater will be burned together with people.
- My God! - Maria closed her mouth with her hands, so as not to cry.
- Maria, I do not know what else I can do for you?
Maria stood in near syncope.
- You know, get ready, I will try to leave the door unlocked. When you will see that the escort leave the theater, be ready. They will set the fire to the building, while they themselves will go a good distance, then you need to run fast, aimlessly. All! With God!
- Thank you, Aron.
- Hold on, Maria!
Maria returned to herself, eyes of four children looked at her, her heart ached with pain.
How to save children?
- Tomorrow at the dawn, the theater will be burned with people.
Stone faces were staring at her - they could not believe that this was possible.
- Aron will open the door, and when the entire escort will go to a good distance from the theater, it is necessary to escape.
- The bastards! – Misha said in the hearts.
- Hush - Maria said sternly.
- Arthur, do you remember that we must get to Dnepropetrovsk. Do you remember the address?
- Yes. Why do you ask me? We all will run together.
- Who knows what! You're in charge. Misha, Senia you must listen to him.
- We decided to go to the army – Misha said - we will crush these bastards.
- Mihail, Semyon, be careful, please! - Maria kept her heart.
- Mum, how are you? You feel bad? - Arthur worried.
- Here, have a drink of water – Stefania carefully handed the mug with water.
- Arthur! I'll give you some money for the journey. You will need them. And there you will have a hard time, so more reliably hide.;- Mum, what are you talking about, we're running together.
- Yes, yes - just let you have will.
Stefania sat next to Arthur and cried softly watching the farewell of mother with her son.
Maria took money and said,
- That's five hundreds of dollars - a lot of money. Take care of them.
Then the whole family was sitting in an embrace until the dawn and whispering again and scrolling the escape scenario.
And no one even suspected that Maria saved up for herself with a vial of poison, in the extreme case.
Once she seen as these bandits abused women, she decided she would never deliver them such a pleasure.
At the dawn, the escort started to leave the theater.
Maria with the children began to move closer to the exit.
People felt the smell of smoke and there started a commotion.
With cries of «fire» a powerful wave of people rushed to the windows, to the doors - there were a lot, but all basically fled to the central but they were securely boarded.
The madding crowd cut Arthur with Stefania from his mother and brothers.
Arthur gripped Stefania and all the time he was trying to look back to see where his mother and his brothers were, but the crowd carried them as if it was the strongest hurricane, sweeping out of the way everything in the world, sparing no one.
Under the pressure of such a force one of the doors could not stand and opened.
The powerful avalanche of people poured into the street.
Arthur and Stefania were just at that door.
They were literally thrown out into the street.
Arthur tried to turn around to find his mother but then shots rang out.
They had to run.
He grabbed Stefania and under a hail of bullets ran frantically shouting:
- Mama! Mama! Mummy !!!
Under his feet wounded and shot men, women and children were falling down.
This is a nightmare!
Poor creatures ran and everywhere could be heard the cries for help. But no one could stop only a bullet could stop.
Arthur and Stefania ran to a nearby building and ducked into the yard, when they ran across the yard, they heard:
- Over here!
Arthur looked around, Aron was peeking out of the door:
- Come here - he waved his hand to the door ajar.
Arthur pulled Stefania with him.
Aron said:
- Quickly with me. Here you can go to the sewer.;They went down into the basement, past a few dark spaces, finally Aron showed to Arthur the door:
- You see? Go. They will not go there. Sit quietly. What about mother and brothers?
- We just were broken by the crowd, my mother was left to the other side, the brothers – I did not see where? When we were taken out on the street immediately they began to shoot - we ran.
- Okay. I will try to learn everything. Go. I have to go. I will bring you some food.
- Thank you.
- Come on, go.
Steel doors can be easily opened and Arthur with Stefania entered the dungeon.
Tang slashed so that Stefania quickly closed her nose with her hand. Arthur reassured her:
- Hold on, we won’t be here for a long time.
- Well, Arthur, I have it.
- Don’t go, let's wait for Aron.
They sat down on a small stone ledge.
Arthur only thought about his mother and brothers.
He and Stefania were very hopeful that all were alive.
The waiting time passed slowly.
Already it was the evening, they were hungry, and most importantly, much like drinking.
Suddenly the door creaked.
Arthur jumped up and pulled Stefania into the niche that he saw in case it is necessary to bury.
- Arthur! – the voice called.
Arthur calmed down - it was Aron.
- I've brought you some water and food. On here.
- And about mother and brothers, you know?
- Yes! They no longer exist - Just like that, like an ax on head, Aron said.
- No, it cannot be. How it was? - Arthur could not believe it.
Stefania grabbed his hand and pressed it to his shoulder, she began sobbing.
- They drove all with the shots back and nailed the door. Some burned alive, others smoked from carbon monoxide poisoning.
What about your brothers, I do not know - there are so many dead bodies! - Aron wiped the sweat from his forehead.
- Mum? - Arthur asked gently.
- And I happened to see Maria - she was not even burned, suffocated, I thought, but then I noticed in her mouth a vial, maybe cyanide - she bit it.
Arthur did not stay on his feet and fell to his knees. Aron grabbed his hand and slightly softened his falling.
- Hold on, man. Look in your arms is a wife.
- Arthur, Arthur! - Stefania panicked.
- Be quiet, do not make a noise - Aron said strictly -give him some water.
Stefania took a bottle of water and started to wet his forehead:
- Drink, please have a drink a bit - she pleaded Arthur.
- Aron! You are welcome! Help us to get out of the town. We need to get to Dnepropetrovsk – Arthur asked in a doomed voice.
- Documents with you?
- Yes, I hid them.
- You really would better run out of the city quickly.
- There is a train at one o’clock p.m.
- Okay, I'll take you in a safe way where there are no patrols, and at the train station you will go into the crowd.
- Yes.
- And let Stefania cover her head with a handkerchief, and then her gorgeous red head of hair will give you in a jiffy.
Aron quickly turned around and left.
After a couple of hours Aron, as promised, accompanied Arthur and Stefania, winding through the dark alleys, through the courts, trying not to flash in the main streets and squares.
Finally they reached the station.
The train was already standing on the platform.
Crowds of people were near the cars, waiting for the opening of doors for boarding.
Arthur stretched out his hand to Aron and silently shook strongly.
Aron just nodded and disappeared from sight.
Arthur took Sara's hand and they quickly dived into the crowd of people.
Chapter 7
The way to Dnepropetrovsk
Arthur took Sara's hand and they quickly dived into the crowd of people.
Once the doors opened for boarding the passengers rushed forward to have a better time to take places.
Everywhere were heard cries of:
- Misha, come here, do not fall behind.
- Where do you climb?
- Ah-ah-ah, you will tear my dress!
One guy constantly urged all people:
- Young man, won’t you come?!
- I am coming.
Then he said with anguish:
- So why are you keeping silence!!?
- Oh you, a man waved at him.
And this one burst into laughter.
Then he noticed a lady in a bright dress with a large chest:
- Madam! – peering arrogantly into her cleavage, he said.
- What do you want? - she snapped, not forgetting at the same time to push forward to all to the train doors.
- You have the heart to the courtyard!!!
She didn’t think for a long time, gathered her fist, I must say that she was a big woman, and she cracked him on the head so strong, so immediately kicked him on the desire to continue his taunts.
Arthur and Stefania were right behind this lady, so it was quite easy – she was like a tank surely paved the way.
Very quickly they were in the car and they were able to take a seat by the window.
This Madame with neckline and another woman were sitting in front of them.
While all the passengers took their seats it was very noisy, but as soon as the train started, after a half-hour has come so quiet that even the whisper sounded loud.
Stefania and Arthur sat for a long time in silence. Stefania leaned against his shoulder and did not even know what words to choose to comfort Arthur.
- Arthur! - she whispered softly - I'm sorry that...
- Yes, dear, I know!
The train monotonously was tapping wheels and shaking as if cradled its guests.
The ride had to be all night, so Stefania comfortably settled on Arthur’s shoulder and began to fall asleep.
She dreamed of the theater, and she was the main character of the ballet Giselle.
She was Giselle.
Here she is taking a few steps, passing the flashing face of her mother, sisters, friends.
Here is Albert.
He is touching the hand of Giselle.
Gradually their dance is moving in a love scene.;Stefania has gone so deep into sleep that did not even know that it was not real.
Suddenly she was watching Hans with them.
She understands that she hurt him by her failure and there is an anger on his face.
Stung by the failure of Giselle he decided to solve the mystery of an opponent.
Albert runs the forester.
Stefania is watching herself in the bright smart dress, she is going on to dance.
She likes this dance so much, she can hear the music and suddenly friends of Giselle appear around her.
They are dancing.
It's fun.
Stefania - Gisele is flying in a dance.
The easy changing of images and now she is watching herself - Giselle is in the midst of the harvest festival, in their happy dance with Albert Hans bursts, he is showing on Albert and assuring that he is deceiving her.
Giselle is asking for explanations.
Here Batilda is coming and showing her wedding ring - she is the bride of Albert.
Giselle is falling on the hands of her mother with sobbing.
Again there are pictures of the recent past - the curse, words of love, dancing.
Giselle dies, but she knows exactly what it is now, she will always live in the memory of Albert, as an eternal regret for lost love - a love that is stronger than a death.
Stefania was completely under the power of dream, she has become even twitch, slowly moving her hand.
Arthur dozing gently stroked her hand and he gradually fell into his dream.
In the middle of the night he woke up and could not sleep.
He passed Stefania gently to a window, pre-putting his scarf under her head.
He decided to go out into the hallway.
There was much fresher.
Arthur was overwhelmed by his thoughts, he thought about the future life.
What to do, where they will live, and how long this horror will last.
He thought about his mother, about Philip - though he was all right.
Suddenly the door opened from the next car and three guys came in:
- Hello, you are here! - a long thin guy said.
- Hello! - Arthur nodded his head.
They did not wait for long, they immediately gathered around Arthur, and one of them came very close, and in the hand of the stranger Arthur saw a knife that flashed, which he put to his throat:
- Hey, you, seek something in your pockets, give us all you have.
- I have nothing there - Arthur realized that he did not even have the possibility to take off in the car or scream.
- Will you play the fool? Give me the money, I tell you.
- Money? How guys? I do not have a penny.
- Don’t cry the blues! – an undersized teenager sprinkled with saliva.
- Give us money or…. - and he pressed a knife to his throat.
- Guys, what do you mean, where can I get the money? – Arthur tried to get out, even doing the movement in the direction back to the car.
- Do not lie to me? - the man of small stature said, which at a speed of mill ate seeds and spit the shells directly to Arthur's face.
- Do not pull - the one with the knife said ominously.
- What do you mean? - Arthur protested easily.
- Give me the money, do not tempt my patience - The knife even more stuck in Arthur's throat.
- You do not want in an amicable way, then ... - suddenly the third spoke, and turned to whom who was holding a knife at the throat of Arthur - Petro, come on, show him what we can.
With his free hand, without taking the knife from the throat, he stroked at Arthur’s chest.
The hit was so strong that Arthur lost his consciousness.
Guys very quickly searched him and not finding the desired money they threw him out of the train on the go.
When she awoke at night Stefania found out that Arthur was absent.
She thought that he went to the toilet.
But the time passed and Arthur did not appear.
«Where's he, maybe something happened...?» - Stefania stood up and looked toward the vestibule.
All people slept around.
The silence.
Slowly she began to move toward the exit.
Passengers put their legs into the aisle and it was very uncomfortable to go. And yet it was not enough light.
Stefania did not see some feet sticking straight at the exit, she stumbled and hit her forehead on the door.
- Ouch! - she squeaked.
- Don’t you see? – a man woke up.
- Yes, it is dark, I cannot see anything.
- A!
Stefa got to the platform, there was no one.
She was very surprised.
Where did he go?
She opened the door to the toilet – it was empty.
Just when she wanted to get back into the car, the doors of the neighboring car opened with a crash and two drunken men burst into the vestibule.
- Oh! – one of them opened his arms for a hug when he saw Stefania, and he quickly blocked her way.
- Chick! - the second said and began to rub his hands.
Stefania leaned back to the door leading to the lavatory and said sternly:
- Give me the way!
- What are you? - a man in a high cap said mockingly.
- Give me the way, I told you!
- Well, stop! - the smaller but more angry man said coming closer.
- I'm going to scream, let me in! – she tried to escape from the hands of the lanky but her strength was not enough.
- Come on chick, we're not so scary.
- Help! - Stefania cried.
The long man immediately closed her mouth with his hand, but at that moment the door opened abruptly out of the car and there was the same man, on whose leg Stefania stumbled:
- Hey, kids! Go out!
- And what we, but we're kidding ... – the drunken lovers of jokes began to make excuses when they saw a strong man standing in front of them.
- Come on, go to your place - A man opened the door and Stefania slipped away.
Stefania was sitting and trembling with fear.
Not only that she had no idea where Arthur and what to do, so also these assholes finally brought her to a nervous breakdown.
She wept quietly buried in the collar.
- What are you doing? - the lady with the neckline woke up.
- I am, I am... nothing...
- How? I can see! Someone has hurt you?
- My husband is missing.
- Yah!
- I slept and when I woke up - he was not here.
- Mm-m – lady mumbled – thinking of what to recommend.
- I went into the lobby, I thought he was there or in the toilet - he is nowhere... It has long been...
- So ... And where are you going?
- To Dnepropetrovsk ... We went to the family ...
- Maybe he went out at some stop ... the train started, and he did not?
- What for?
- I do not know? He couldn’t sleep ... - the lady tried to dream up.
- He could not.
- Do not worry. Do you know the family address?
- Yes.
- Well, do not worry. If he's behind the train, you will meet him with his relatives.
The version of a lady with a neckline a little bit reassured and encouraged Stefania.
She could not sleep more, she was hoping that Arthur was about to appear.
However, the train has already approached Dnepropetrovsk and Arthur did not come back.
The autumn cold morning made it impossible to Stefania to get upset.
She buttoned all the buttons of her woolen jacket.
She tied a scarf on her head.
Her skirt was below the knees and significantly protected her feet from the cold, though it would be better with stockings.
On her legs there were white socks and black shoes, of course, it was not very suitable for a rainy weather.
Stefania looked around, maybe suddenly Arthur would appear, but all in vain.
Passengers were going with a broad stream and pushed her to the right, then left.
Finally she also went toward the main door station.
«Okay. Maybe I'm really worrying for nothing? Maybe he just came out to breathe and left behind the train. He will find me I know. It's good that he made me to remember the address, but it's very simple» - Stefania thought and came to the woman who sold apples:
- Tell me, please, where is the Winding street here?
- A! It's so right go past the market, and there ask someone, it’s near.
- Thank you.
Stefania looked up at the station and could not help but admire the beauty of the buildings.
- The beauty of the train station building's facade is not possible to look away, right? - some intelligent man stood next to Stefania.
- Yes, beautiful.
- Is this your first time in Dnepropetrovsk?
- Yes. My husband and I came to stay with relatives - Stefania decided immediately to dump the philosopher, she had called him so in her mind.
- Sorry - Taking off his hat the philosopher went away.
«Yes, I have a handkerchief wounded on my head, and still men flirt with me!» – Stefania thought.
She had something attractive that she could not remain indifferent to most men.
Whether a beautiful mane of red hair was driving them crazy, or languishing eyes, or shapely figure, whether neat little leg, and maybe all in the compartment.
Now Stefania looked a bit worn out, sad, confused, but even so she attracted the attention of the opposite sex.
Watching the area around her, she moved to the street Winding.
«What if Arthur is really waiting for me there?» – Stefa thought and her face got some confidence and even she smiled.
The Winding Street was really very close.
Stefania went straight through the market, and came out of the another exit to the street, which easily led her to the right address.
She was standing near the house number five and did not dare go into the entrance.
Finally when the kids ran out of the house with their mother, she found tranquility and even courage.
With a confident step she came to the apartment that had a plate «2» and knocked.
A few seconds later she heard the shuffling of someone's feet behind the door:
- Who's there? - there was a stern female voice.
- I came from L’vov. I'm looking for a family Jaworski ... Are you Galina?
- Yes - the woman replied opening the door.
When Galina opened the door a pleasant smell of fried potatoes and tender warm, home-like atmosphere came out – things that Stefania did not have so long ago.
- Do you know a family Helbling?
- Oh sure! Are you from them? - At once without ceremony Galina began to call her the «you», before she saw a young girl.
- Yes. I am Stefania - Arthur's wife. We went with Arthur, but I do not know what happened, we're lost. Is he here?
- No - Galina cringed - let's come on, tell me everything.
Stefania went into the apartment and felt the bliss and tranquility. The big woman inspired her a powerful protection.
- I do not know what to think! Maybe Arthur went out at some stop for fresh air and left behind the train?
- Yes, it happens! After all, does he know our address?
- Yes, the address is easy, we just memorized it by heart.
- Well, do not worry. If he fell behind this train he will arrive at the other. And he knows the address!
- Of course – Stefania agreed.
She liked the positive attitude of Galina.
- Come over here and sit down. And I'm alone at home. All are at work.
Oh, that's me! Do you want to eat?
- Yes – Stefania said softly.
- Now, I have potatoes, but still tasty salted cucumbers. I will bring it now.
While Galina was putting food in the kitchen for her guest, Stefania, literally «drowned» in the couch, staring at the picture of a bright summer landscape.
- Here I am! Come on, eat, hot potatoes, be careful.
- Thank you - not believing her eyes Stefania picked up her fork and began to eat.
- And why you just went with Arthur? I told Maria, «Come to us all» - in the crowd but not mad.
Stefania dropped her fork from her hand and turned pale.
- What happened to you? You're all white. Are you feeling bad?
- Parents of Arthur are dead - Stefania said quietly, her head bowed.
- How? - Galina clutched her head.
Stefania began to tell. Galina was sobbing. So they were sitting like that before the arrival of the family home.
The news of the family friends from L’vov has upset everyone.
The mourning evening came to an end. Stefania was put to bed in a small room with Galina’s daughter.
So it was nice to sleep in the bed with linen, and before that to take a bath, that Stefania felt almost happy.
Only Arthur would have found her!
If only everything was okay with him!
The next morning it was dark, it rained.
All went to work and Galina went to change - she worked as a nurse in a hospital.
- I'm going to close you, Stefania, you shouldn’t open nobody. The food in the kitchen. You can read – we have so many books!
- Good. And what about Arthur?
- Arthur? Oh sure! Of course you will let him come in.
It has become grow dark.
The whole family gathered.
They had dinner, discussed the news of the day.
A neighbor with a small daughter came, so beautiful and clever. She told the poem and sang a song.
The evening was very warm, homely and cozy.
Only Stefania was so sad. No news about Arthur.
- What to do .. What could have happened? – the young wife was seriously worrying about the fate of her husband.
- Stefania, you're really quite upset! – Galina approached her - Everything will be fine, he will come! Maybe trains go bad!
- Oh sure – Stefa agreed quietly.
- Get some sleep! Tomorrow everything will be fine.
All night Stefania could not sleep.
She was staring out the window at the huge round moon.
In her head pictures of the recent terrible events flashed.
She closed her eyes but she quite clearly saw her mother, when she was taken away by the policemen, violent scenes in the opera house, and a fire, the escape.
Everything was so terrible that she shuddered and quickly opened her eyes again, and saw the moon in front of her.
Finally this struggle with the sleep finished by sleep.
She dreamed of black corridors that lead her into the depths. As if someone pulled her back.
She understood that she cannot go, it was necessary to run the other way, but there was nothing she could not help herself, and she went.
She was cold and scared. She was hearing a roar, loud screams, a knock.
And then she woke up and realized it was a knock to the apartment.
The time was five in the morning with a little.
Stefania heard the husband of Galina tambourine himself something under his breath, shuffled by slippers to the front door.
- Who's there?
Stefa did not hear the answer behind the door, but froze in the hope that it was he ...
- A-ah-ah! - Galina's husband said - Now.
And Stefania heard the sound of locks. Someone entered.
She was transfixed by stopping breathing, straining her ears to understand - who was there.
Snatches of phrases that drifted up to her gradually dispelled her hopes.
It was a neighbor.
In a separate phrases Stefa understood that he went to his relatives and asked to look after the apartment.
Stefania turned to the other side facing the wall and again plunged into sleep.
She woke up when she heard the voice of Galina, singing a song:
...
The violets get blue in Chayir Park,
Cherries flowers are whiter than snow.
I see a dream of spring and a hot flame,
I see a dream of you, the sun and sea.
I remember the parting. It is unclear and vague
The ships are gone to the blue night.
Did I forget your smile!
Did I forget your songs!
In Chayir Park the roses bloom,
In Chayir Park hundreds of thousands of bushes.
I dream of your golden tresses,
I dream of your light, spring and love.
- Stefania!
- I woke up.
- Okay, I just want to say that I am leaving ...
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
- Who? - Galina asked cheerfully.
- Aunt Galia - Arthur is from L’vov, remember? – the voice was behind the door.
- Arthur! – Stefa rushed to the door.
Galina opened the door and on the threshold Arthur appeared, he was exhausted, dirty with an unhappy expression on his face.
The same Arthur Helbling, from an educated family, always so educated, clean and tidy - just such Arthur Galina remembers.
- Sweetheart, Stefochka, you're here! Thanks God! What luck! - He ran to his beloved, tightly hugged her, afraid to let her go, afraid that separation can stay between them. Then he turned to Galina - Hi, Aunt Galina! Thank you for Stefochka!
- Hello, Arthur! Well, thanks God you are here!
- Arthur! Dear! What happened? I did not know what to think! How do you do? – happy Stefania asked him so much questions.
- Wait, Stefania, let him go and come a little to himself - Galina comforted her and turned to Arthur - we will feed you now. Come into the room. - Galina motioned.
Arthur and Stefania did not have such a warm, home-meal for a long time.
They tried not to discuss the L’vov pogroms.
Galina and her husband knew that this memory was very painful for children who lost their parents one by one, and the fact that they have experienced themselves – the fear, humiliation, threat to life, ghetto, fire, escape, the risk of death and the loss of each other.
And now everything is not so good – there is a danger because the city is full of Germans.
Someone knocked at the door.
- I'll open - the husband of Galina said.
- Oh, Vera, it's you! - hearing the voice of a neighbor Galina loudly greeted her.
- Are you having dinner? Did I bother?
- No, come in.
- Do you have guests?
- Yes, this is Arthur and Stefania - the children of our friends.
- Lilia from the fifth apartment said «Galinka has guests, some girl washes the windows»
- Yes! Stefochka helped me today to do the chores around the house.
A neighbor stared at Stefania:
- Red-haired beauty!
- Yes, she is pretty! Arthur and Stefania are young husband and wife.
- Really? .. – the neighbor curiously glanced at Arthur.
- And where do you come from?
- From L’vov - Galina said.
Galina's husband flashed his eyes and she saw this view, she should not say where from, it would be better to say from another town, because the neighbor is very talkative. However, it has already been said.
- Help yourself –Galina offered her neighbor trying to change the subject.
- Thank you. The smell is so good! Cutlets?
- Yes.
- You live well!
- Yes, today we have a holiday, Arthur sat in a butcher's shop – today he had been given a gift, a piece of meat.
- And this is what the bench?
- To Mihail.
- A-ah-ah! – an old curious woman said.
Arthur and Stefania smiled politely but did not participate in the conversation.
When the neighbor left the husband began to tell Galina that she was not careful.
- Of course she's a good Grandma, but talkative. What if she will tell someone about it?
- Maybe I would ask her not to tell anyone about our guests? – Galina worried.
- What's the use? She will promise you anything, but as soon as you go out, and even faster she will run to tell gossips. These are such kind of people! The secret to all ...
- Yes, and she stared at Stefania!
- She can guess that ... they ran away, and that the Jews ...
- They have Gordych documents. It doesn’t matter to whom someone is like!
- Whom do you explain that?
All were depressed. Arthur hugged Stefania:
- Do not worry, everything will be fine.
- Okay.
- Yes, Yes! Do not cheat yourself - Galina decided to cheer them up.
Galina's husband got up from the table and went to bed in silence.
Galina waved after him to calm down too and said that tomorrow she will talk to grandma not to tell anybody, because people are now all sorts of ...
Day went after day and all have forgotten a little about the visit of a neighbor.
They stopped to listen, afraid of every sound, knocks on the door.
Galina even took Stefania to the bazaar with her, only she asked to tie a scarf on her head so that no one paid attention to her beautiful curly fiery red hair!
And when Arthur had a week-end, a young couple without waiting for Galina and her husband have decided to go to the market for food, so they wanted to do everything nice!
The lively market created a sense of celebration.
Before entering the grandmothers sat with seeds, herbs and all small things.
The noise, noise. The cries are everywhere.
The Germans who were there were busy especially shopping, but more often they were given everything just so, but would not cling to people.
Everywhere the boys ran – the street newspaper sellers.
From somewhere it came the sound of an accordion.
- Hello! - Right in front of the eyes of Stefania and Arthur grew up a figure of the grandmother- neighbor, and next to her with curious sight was her companion who looked at them.
- Hello! - the couple greeted politely.
- What are you buying?
- We want to buy potatoes and some vegetables.
- A-ah-ah! Good deal! Do you like our market?
- Good! - Stefania praised.
- What is best, yours in L’vov or ours?
- The L’vov market was bombed - Arthur replied sadly.
- Are they from L’vov? - Granny’s companion asked.
- Yes! They came to Galina, I told you.
- A-ah-ah! It is you?
On the right side of Stefania directly at the counter there was a man, he obviously listened to their conversation.
He pretended that he was examining the goods but his eyes kept mowed toward Arthur and Stefania.
In his confident behavior, the way he casually touched all, felt and even looked, it was clear that he was a frequenter of the market.
Stefania felt his sight and hurried Arthur to say goodbye to neighbors and quickly get out of here.
- Arthur we have attracted the attention of the man that was standing at the counter.
- Maybe just punks?
- Not like that!
- Okay, let's go faster.
- And potatoes ..?
- Not now…
They walked a quick pace, passing the rows of vegetables, they decided not to delay and headed for the exit from the market.
Right at the exit the local police approached to them:
- Documents.
- What happened? - Arthur asked.
- But nothing happened! It was said «documents»?
- You are welcome.
- Gordych? - Examining the documents the Ukrainian said.
- Yes. And this is my wife.
- The wife - repeated the second - looking at Stefania with appraising look.
- Come go with me.
- Where? - Arthur asked in an agitated voice.
- Come on, he said.
- Arthur! - Stefania clutched his hand.
- Quiet, do not worry - Arthur understood that everything was bad, but tried as he could to reassure Stefania.
They were led to the German General Staff. Officers were standing in front of the building. The Ukrainian policeman asked one of them, informing him that he delivered some suspicious elements.
- Who are you? Communists? - the officer said to Arthur.
- No, really? – Arthur said in a frightened voice.
- Jews? – the officer continued fastidiously.
Arthur swallowed, the saliva treacherously cut off his breath and he said as confidently as he could:
- No ... The officer I also showed the documents on my name - Gordych. We are Poles.
- Poles? - the officer looked at Stefania with obvious disbelief.
- Take off your headscarf.
Stefania was terribly frightened, her hands were numb and she could not move. Then the local policeman ran up to her and pulled a headscarf.
Beautiful bright red hair spread over Stefania’s shoulders.
- We are Poles - Arthur went wrong.
The policeman whispered something in the ear of the officer.
Then he looked again at Stefania and in a commanding tone ordered his soldiers:
- Let's take them away.
A few hours later Arthur and Stefania along with hundreds of such detainees also rode in a freight train in an unknown direction.
The fear and dread for the fate overwhelmed their hearts.
They seemed to be hovering over the abyss, and there is no way out ...
Chapter 8
The road to hell.
The train was traveling more than a day.
The cars were crowded.
Despite the autumn weather and cracks in the cars, it was stuffy and hard to breathe because of the intense crowding .
All people were scared to death.
It was heard the moan and cry.
People were sitting directly on the floor of the car and space was enough only to sit cross-legged.
Each was trying to figure out where they were taken but there was no information.
They were not given food or drink.
A lot of women were pregnant and because of stress they started miscarriage.
Many old people were sick to the extent that a strong shock killed them instantly.
There was a man in the car who was seriously wounded in the stomach.
He groaned in pain that everything seemed to feel the same pain, but no one could do anything to help him.
Just people were sitting next to, someone found a nurse, they kept him tight and wiped the sweat pouring from his forehead.
From time to time in the corner it was heard the cries of a man «ta-ta-ta» it was said in the carriage that this man got crazy: «ta-ta-ta-ta-ta ...»- no one understood at first and then people guessed at his gestures that he was portraying in his hand the gun, and again «ta-ta-ta ...»
It has been a whisper in the car: «Friends, we are going to a concentration camp. Run along the road, as soon as the opportunity will be! As soon as they stop the train, run away!»
- How to run, did you see the protection? - the man who was sitting next to Arthur and Stefania said resignedly.
The fear of the unknown almost paralyzed Stefania and Arthur.
What will happen to them, where they were taken?
Surely the truth to the camp? For what? – such thoughts were in the mind for all the time.
It was still worse when from different places of the car cries of pain were heard:
- A-ah-ah! A man is dying. Help!
- It is not enough air ...
- Mum, I'm hungry!
- Oh, a man died here ...
- Doctor, quickly, she is pregnant ... she is giving birth ...
People as they could helped each other but without drugs, even the doctor was not able to bring to life the core or diabetic.
And people were dying.
And continued their way with the alive.;And it became unbearably frightening.
Arthur was holding Stefa in his arms and constantly whispered to her:
- All will be fine! Do not be afraid! We'll find a way out.
- No – Stefania couldn’t be calm - all is bad, we may die or they will kill us.
- Do not, my dear, do not talk like that. I love you! I will do everything to save you! Do you believe me?
When Stefania listened to him and looked into his eyes that were full of love and determination, she began to believe that it was he and only he who was able to save her.
- God, although I am not religious, I plead you, save us! - Stefania whispered, curled up in the arms of her husband.
- Believe me, everything will be fine! I will not let anyone hurt you. And no matter what will be, believe in the best, in life! The only way we can overcome all troubles, only by faith!
- I believe you, Arthur! I love you so much!
A man of forty years was sitting next to Arthur.
He exclaimed constantly:
- No one escaped from the death. The death - is an arrow shot into you, but life is a moment for which she reaches you.
Looking at the neighbor's Arthur thought «The philosopher» he had such a look of meaningful and thoughtful.
- Who knows, maybe to live - it is to die, and to die –it is to live? Even Euripides said so – the neighbor continued as if talking to himself.
Arthur listened to him but did not want to join the conversation more because of Stefa, but he remembered too the saying of Plato «Nobody knows what the death is - it is quite possible that this is the greatest good for the people. However, all people are afraid of it like the death is the greatest evil»
At the dawn the train stopped in the field.
Closures cracked.
People strained, some began to encourage each other:
- Now, perhaps, we will be allowed to relieve ourselves, here we will run away.
- Running is necessary in the loose ...
- How much will ...
Arthur whispered to Stefania:
- Now we will look and act according to the situation, I'm not sure that's possible.
- There's a lot of protection and the dog, Arthur, nothing will happen - Stefania clutched tightly Arthur’s hand.
- We will see…
- I'm afraid!
- Do not, my dear ...
- What if they just check all and then we will be allowed to go with you - we are in no way not blame!
- Who knows what they have in mind!
- We have good documents!
- Yes, Stefochka, but where are they now ...;Stefania hid behind Arthur’s back.
The doors of carriage opened.
People in civilian clothes with armbands pointed their guns at people and commanded in Russian to throw corpses from the wagon.
- Here are bastards! – it was said on a chain.
- False bitches...
- Creatures ...
A short distance away German soldiers stood and watched the scene.
Even the most strong in spirit and with strong nerves began to lose consciousness.
However, the will to live truly does wonders.
Who was healthier took the bodies by the hands and feet and threw out of the car.
Women and children huddled in the far corners of the car, they were groaning and trembling.
When all the bodies was thrown, the arrested were not even given the opportunity to relieve themselves in the street.
People were forced to somehow adapt through the cracks in the cars.
It was immediately clear that under such circumstances there was no way to escape.
It was given three buckets of water for each car, that's all.
Gates closed quickly and the train set off again in the direction unknown for the wretches.
However, fairly quickly, about two hours later the train stopped again.
Servants in bandages began to withdraw all arrested and to line up.
The Germans controlled them.
It was clear that they arrived at the destination where at the plate was written «Weimar».
- We are in Weimar - Arthur said quietly.
- Yes, in Weimar - Stefania repeated wearily.
- In the homeland of the great German humanists.
- The homeland of Bach and Liszt - Stefa said sadly.
- The homeland of Goethe and Schiller ... – Arthur continued.
Stefania clutched Arthur with an iron grip, she was shaking.
Arthur also was scared but he knew that he could not show it to Stefa, and he constantly reassured her:
- Everything will be good. They will check and let us go.
- No, no, you can see everything, they do not check.
- Hush, hush, my dear.
- I'm afraid, Arthur, I'm afraid. What will happen?
- Darling, darling, please, calm down! I'm with you.
Next to them was «the philosopher» again, deep in thought he said great quotes:
- The world is moving forward thanks to those who suffer. I never suspected it could be this way!
- Yeah! – Arthur replied to him - The greatest truths is the simplest.
- I feel we are here for a long time, we will have to get used to!
- I do not want to, I cannot get used to this – Stefa said trembling.
- Girl, there are no conditions to which a man could not get used to, especially when he sees all around him live as well.
- What a nightmare! The world is going crazy! - She moaned - When it all will be over! I cannot stand…
- It is necessary to survive, you have to wait - the philosopher continued - all comes to those who can wait.
The scurry around the cars, the clank of weapons terribly frightened, especially women and children.
The station.
There are mountains around covered by dense forest.
In the distance could be seen on a hill some factory buildings - probably this is a plant - Stefania thought.
They were surrounded by SS men with machine guns, hangers in bandages and dogs.
No signs of the camp were near ...
When all were staying in a line, there was an order and people were driven down the road through the woods, towards the mountains.
All the way people were forced to run, they were chased and beaten with batons.
Dogs ran alongside and barked menacingly.
Someone who was a little behind, the SS men set dogs on them.
And if the prisoners really slowed down, they were immediately shot.
Some German soldiers entered the fray with the fascist manners of people in bandages, and they began to make excuses.
But no less atrocities continued.
One who tried to escape the dogs caught up alive and tortured, and then they were shot.
By the roadside the corpses of the unfortunate, who wanted to run away constantly came across.
Stefania and Arthur were in the middle of the whole system, they are almost always were running, only occasionally they were able to breath.
- Dead men do not envy to alive – «the philosopher» would say – Arthur thought.
He even looked where was their neighbor, did not he get there by this section!
The village that was seen in front of, with neat houses surrounded by the greenery, didn’t look like a camp which Stefania imagined herself.
- It’s beautiful! – Stefania said involuntarily.
Arthur confirmed with a nod.
Indeed, it was very nice around, the quiet day, the sun, clean air, a lot of greenery around - all this was completely impossible to compare with the formation of exhausted prisoners, the cruelty, weapons and dogs.
After about an hour they climbed the hill and saw a large building.
From this hill the big camp was clearly visible, consisting of many buildings scattered around the grounds.
Stefania and Arthur stood frozen with surprise.
To their eyes and the eyes of all the prisoners a huge facility all surrounded by a wire fence, electrified was opened.
It were capital stone buildings, which were arranged in regular rows with German precision clean roads between them, and a lot of greenery.
You could see a group of prisoners who were standing or walking between buildings.
What is this camp?
It remained quite a bit and they would know.
After ten or fifteen minutes later, tired and half-dead prisoners were driven to a large gate.
Across the building a whisper rushed: «This is Buchenwald»
Indeed, when Stefania and Arthur found themselves at the main gate they saw the name of the concentration camp - Buchenwald!
And just below it was written – «Everyone has its own»
The horror and fear literally paralyzed Stefania.
She stopped at this line and she was saved only by that there was a loud and eerie siren, which pushed Stefania and she went on after Arthur.
They couldn’t stop even for a minute.
And in her head it thundered constantly: «Everyone has its own», «Everyone has its own», «Everyone has its own»…
Chapter 9
Buchenwald
«Everyone has its own»
«Jedem das Seine»
Cicero
SS concentration camp Buchenwald was established in 1937 on the territory of Germany near Weimar in Thuringia.
Originally it called the Ettersberg and was intended to isolate opponents of the ruling regime.
At the main gate of Buchenwald there was motto saying – «Everyone has its own»
«Jedem das Seine», «Everyone has its own» - sounded in Stefania’s head.
Neither she nor Arthur did not need a translation of the phrase «Jedem das Seine» - they taught German at school and knew well what these words meant.
From these dark lines it was waved with pain and fear.
The heavy iron gates and this sinister inscription led them to such terror that it was difficult to overcome this condition.
Stefania and Arthur were stopped by the order of the police and took turn for the registration of the newly arrived prisoners.
The registration lasted more than an hour.
- What are the huge gate and the building – probably this is a camp management – Arthur whispered quietly to Stefania.
- See how many SS men - Stefania’s teeth chattered with fear.
- I guess these are their barracks. Standing and staring, bastards.
One of the Germans which accompanied their column went to the chief and strictly according to the form said in German.
Stefania listened.
- Arthur - she whispered to her husband - this German looks like a normal.
- Yes, it seems. He said that he considers it his duty to report about the egregious treatment with prisoners.
- And the chief barked at him.
- No, he just reassured him and said that there is a war, and that we are enemies. But this guy is still proving the superior that this is wrong.
- The human German - Stefania was afraid to look in the direction of the command, she only saw that the German who was caring about the fate of Russians was very young.
- He is not satisfied - Arthur listened – he is saying they have no right ... he protests ...
- Yes, a decent man ... - Stefania admired.
- Protest as much as necessary! – the boss shouted loud.
After the registration the massive gates opened and the prisoners entered the camp.
For newcomers in turn the whole group of prisoners approached, they were dressed very clean and tidy.
Stefania and Arthur even calmed down a bit:
- Look, they look quite good - Arthur said to Stefa.
- Yes – Stefania was surprised.
Unexpectedly they found a man standing next to, it was «the philosopher»:
- It's not as simple as you think! - he spoke, still looking thoughtful.
- Why? - Stefania asked.
- Do you see the stripes on sleeves?
- Yes – Arthur and Stefania replied in one voice.
- Most likely – they are «bosses» inside the camp - the same prisoners, but the policemen and other bastards.
At this moment, these very neat prisoners with the stripes on the sleeves approached them:
- Welcome guys - they said with a smile - Where are you from? From the Union? And now welcome to Buchenwald.
- And what is this camp? Why do people get here? - Arthur asked.
- Everyone has his own story. You will have more time to learn about it. And now you will have a sauna, a disinfection.
- Do you have women? - Stefania blurted.
- It's a man’s camp, women here are temporary, then they are taken to the other camps.
- And you're pretty! If you're smart enough - you'll be fine – another said smiling and winking at her.
Stefania turned pale.
Arthur noticed it and squeezed her hand so hard as if he wanted to say that he was here, close by, and he would not allow anything bad.
And away there were the real prisoners who were afraid to approach newcomers.
Those, in bandages, began to blandish newcomers with their tricks, a lot of believed them:
- Guys, give us everything you have, we will save, then we’ll return it back after a bath, or they will take everything from you at the bath – policemen said with a fake smile on their faces, walking through the rows.
Some people gave them their belongings.
Then they have no longer seen them.
Stefania and Arthur's absolutely had nothing there, so they did not have to upset about it.
The order sounded and they were led to the bath.
Stefania cringed when she heard that they will be cut, so it was a pity to lose her luxurious hair.
But then it turned out that only men were cut, and women and children were sent directly to the shower room.
The bath seemed to Stefania very well-maintained.
However the water was cool.
They were given a soap and always it was said to them «faster ...».
Those who took the bath sent to the next room, where they got prisoner’s clothes and their personal number.
Then all went out of the bath and waited for the others.
Stefania saw Arthur standing, he was shaven bald, she even did not recognize him at first.
- How are you, Stefochka? -Arthur asked worrying - Did they cut you?
- No. And you…
- Yes, now I will be with such hair ...
- All would be the trouble - Stefania waved.
- How did they treat with you?
- Normally, though the water was cool.
- And we had the ice water. First they cut hair, then drove us into the shower, then the policemen with rubber truncheons came, they let the cold water on us. Someone who evaded – was beaten, right up to the blood.
- The bastards!
The prisoners of the camp began to gather around the neat and numbered newcomers. It began mutual questions and answers.
- There is very strict.
Stefania and Arthur listened and just thought, even if they would not be separated.
- This is the oldest concentration camp – People who were there for a long time continued to share information.
- There are a lot of Germans that Hitler put as early as 1938-1939 years.
- Some of them are good, but not enough, those who remained alive are basically just selling skins, which serve to the SS men.
- What are you doing here? - Arthur asked.
- Some prisoners worked at the factory that produces guns. It is not far away - they showed on the roofs of buildings that came into view of the forest.
These were the buildings that Stefania and Arthur had seen from the station.
- Most people do not work or work inside the camp.
- Why? - Stefania inquired.
- Sick or weak.
- And how do they feed? – one of the newcomers asked.
- The food is bad and even the police is stealing the food, so we have a little food.
- And these probably eat with two mouths! - cried a woman in the hearts, she stayed behind Stefania and pointed to a sleek policemen with armbands.
- Who works for the Germans in the camp, all the attendants, men with armbands, of course, they live well – a thin young man said.
- Just do not talk so much - the little man with a kind face warned.
- You cannot say anything like that - looking carefully – or you will go immediately to the crematorium.
- What's next, where will we go? – there were a lot of questions.
- It is hard to say. But you have new clothes, most likely you will be sent to the other branches. Here, you can see what kind of clothes?
The man pointed to the distinctive features of his clothes and beginners.
- The main thing is not to get to the «Dora» – some nosy man noticed precautionary.
- What is «Dora»? – people worried.
- This is a secret branch of the Buchenwald.
- There are actually several of them.
- The Germans call them by the female names. I know that there is «Anna» but the worst is «Dora».
- Why is it scary? - frightened people simply swallowed the information.
- There's a job that people die quickly.
- If you get there - it will be bad.
- It's better if you stay here – the old men said - but clothes do not seem to ...
«God, what about all the terrible!» - Stefania thought. And some sinister «Dora»! Just awful!
Once all showered and dressed the policemen ordered to line up for the roll call.
Women and children were in one column and the men in another.
The roll call lasted quite a long time.
Policemen found what complain to almost everyone.
It was just announced that Buchenwald is a men's camp, and women and children will soon cross over to the other camp.
They took a strong men and lined them up separately, but Arthur didn’t get to this group because he was thin and even painful at look.
Then the selected strong men were ordered to be loaded into the car, saying that they will live and work in another area of the camp.
And to others where Arthur was it was announced that they are still in the camp, and would work at the plant two kilometers away from the camp.
From that moment on Stefania and Arthur could see only occasionally and only from a distance.
Stefania came every day to the hour when a group of men where Arthur was, was brought home from work and staged roll.
So she and he could at least for a few minutes look at each other from afar.
Stefania lived with women and children in close barrack.
The living conditions were inhuman.
Cold, hungry and full of suspense.
As they were preparing to smuggle in another camp, then they were not forced to work.
Prisoners men worked at the factory which was located a few kilometers from the camp, and produced guns.
In the camp there were 52 main barracks, but the place still was not enough and many prisoners were placed in a tent, even in winter.
No one survived from the cold.
In addition to the main camp there was also so-called «small camp» which served as a quarantine area.
Living conditions in the quarantine camp were, even in comparison with the main camp, so inhuman that it was hardly possible to imagine.
The column where Arthur was went to the side of the mountain.
Not people, but shadows.
She was very well aware that very soon the newcomers will become like these poor - the hungry, tortured with pain and fear, almost lost their human dignity.
It was terrible to see subtle punishment of the Germans, when the prisoners were taken to the squares in front of the barracks, they were given a bucket with stones or soil.
They were forced to stand still.
If you let go the burden out, you will be shot on this place.
People kept these buckets as long as they could: someone - a few hours, someone ¬ a day, someone- a day, two ...
The frozen, hungry, walked under themselves, but kept those damn buckets.
In spite of everything everyone wanted to live.
And, of course, everyone knew that he would die on this square because sooner or later lead fingers will unclench themselves - and the bucket will fall to the ground.
Every day they got to know about the new executions, deaths.
A new batches of prisoners came to the camp every day.
And, God forbid, if there were severely ill, they were immediately on the orders of the chief physician of the concentration camp euthanized.
However, still in the camp there was an invalid unit.
And he was not far from the barrack where Stefania lived.
Moans and screams could be heard from this unit.
There were hundreds of people rotting.
This absurdity did not fit in the mind of a young girl.
Stefania could not sleep because of the constant screams coming from an invalid block.
The day before it was heard just an inhuman roar that emanated from there.
Later it became known that to one of the prisoners, he was a Soviet officer, without anesthesia his feet were amputated.
Stefania just reached syncope listening to the story of how the patient was cut alive.
When the bones were sawing the miserable man was howling like a wild beast.
On a stick, which was inserted into his mouth, he skived teeth, his lip was bitten.
Ten nurses could barely held the poor.
And now, Stefania has experienced something similar with the death.
She did not even believe that the trouble left behind her and Arthur.
«Thank you ... Thank you ...» - she repeated softly, clasping hands over her face and swaying from side to side.
Probably from the side it was possible to think that she is crazy. Looking at one point, periodic whispers, moans.
But it was an incredible joy bordering on madness.
In the morning the policemen came to the barracks and said that all women today will be transferred to another camp.
Stefania was terrified.
«What will happen? What about Arthur? How even to see him?» - thoughts were ahead of each other.
Preparations were in haste.
All were driven up and ordered to line up.
Stefania was frantically looking for Arthur but she did not see him nowhere.
After the roll call all women were put in trucks and the column moved into the unknown ...
Chapter 10
Ravensbr;ck
«It doesn’t matter what strands can weave our destiny, we have to keep our heads up high and be calm, because nothing can break us, as long as we are faithful to ourselves ... so long as we can, we keep the back straight and suffer from pain, always waiting for the life, the life that awaits us on the other side of the barracks»
(These words of an unnamed Austrian prisoner, shortly before her death, were written in the Ravensbr;ck camp, they intended to comfort the unfortunate female prisoners of this concentration camp.)
«What now?» - this phrase sounded in Stefania’s head like a bell.
She sat in the truck and saw in front of her the same women poor with frightened eyes.
Everybody was so weakened by malnutrition so they could not sit still and fell on each other, like grass clippings.
But the heartache overwhelmed their hearts are much stronger than they felt physical pain.
Each of these women had lost their loved ones, and the worst – many of them lost their children.
Heartbroken mothers were not able to cope with themselves.
Many of them rushed to the police trying to take away their kids, but in return they were beaten to death, and in this state, as the carcass, they were thrown into trucks.
It was impossible to look at poor people.
Such a woman was next to Stefania.
Stefa took off with her head a handkerchief and began to wipe the blood from face of battered woman.
She almost had no signs of life.
- Beasts! - an injured woman who tried to protect her was whispering nearby.
Stefania’s heart was broken because of the pain for those poor mothers.
Looking at their misfortune, it seemed to her that she doesn’t have the right to whine and moan because their grief was not comparable with her, although it was very difficult to part with her husband, the only native man for her who is so gentle with her and so attentive, the only mainstay on whom she could rely completely.
«And what will happen to us now?» - How could anyone ever answer this question.
Stefania strongly tightened her lips, closed her eyes, barely holding back tears, that dimmed by treacherous way.
She never liked to show her pain and weakness on public.
And what would it help. Now everybody is in such a situation.
Gradually groans subsided.
The column of trucks was carrying unfortunate female prisoners into the new unknown.
- Stefania - Bella who was a young and very slim girl, with whom they met in Buchenwald, turned to her – are you scared?
Stefania looked at her and said sadly:
- Yes, my dear, I'm afraid. Most afraid of the unknown.
- And I'm scared. I do not know anything about my parents, brother and sisters -she cried.
- Well, well, take it easy, you have to be patient. Here they are somewhere right now thinking about you. The time will come and you will meet.
- I’d like it to be soon – Bella said wiping her tears.
- You have to believe, it is necessary - to believe!
- You know, I believe, I only want this horror to finish as soon as possible.
- When did you see your relatives last time?
- It was long ago.
- Where are they now, do you know?
- No, I do not know anything.
- And where are you from?
- I am from Sosnowiec, Poland ... - Bella paused and continued - my Dad had a knitwear factory.
We lived very well. I have a brother and two sisters, they are younger than me.
When the Germans attacked us they confiscated our factory.
Then we were sent to the ghetto ... Then I was sent to Greben - it was just so scared to lose the whole family ... Then I was again transferred already to Buchenwald ... Now ...
Bella began to cry again.
Stefania hugged her.
She carefully wiped the tears on the cheeks of the girl and pressed her to herself, feeling the need of the guardianship over her.
Although Stefania and Bella were almost the same age, Stefania was only two years older, yet Stefania seemed much wiser, more sensible, more mature.
She constantly comforted and cheered all around.
- All will be well – Stefania said this as necessary phrase in which all wanted to believe, but it did not help anything.
- Do you really think that all this will be over soon?
- Of course. Well, it may not last that long. Necessarily, everything will be fine soon.
- If it could be as soon as possible ...
- God, how long will this horror to continue? What's going on? For what? For what? - a voice of a young woman to the right of Stefania came.
- We must stay! Just do not give up! - Stefania repeated.
- How? It is simply impossible!
- Let's talk. Tell me about yourself.
Women who were sitting near looked up and fixed their eyes on Stefania.
- Yes, we must try not to panic. I know it is very difficult for everyone.
We all have lost our relatives, husbands and children, but we need to believe that we must sooner or later meet with them. Now the most important thing is not to make a hysteric.
What is your name? - she said to the woman that was right from her.
- Liza- she replied fascinated and obediently.
- Liza, tell us your story. Where are you from? How did you get there?
Liza looked around at all in the car and began slowly:
- I'm from ... Vitebsk region - all women's eyes were directed at her.
Stefania nodded approvingly and gestured to Liza, so she went on:
- I remember only a shower of rain. It was quiet and good. Everything was just beginning to bud - spring ...
And in our country already, as the hosts, policemen with their checking went to all the houses.
So on this day two of them came. Such ugly, all in black with white armbands.;I realized on my parents that there was something bad. They said that it was necessary for all of us to go for the registration, so we took only the documents.
I remember Dad began to ask questions, so it was very evasive answer, that this was not a long time, that none of the things to take with you is not necessary and only documents – we should sign up and then we would be released.
I immediately felt Dad's excitement and my mother was scared to death.
Even then all felt that something was wrong.
Nobody, of course, believed the police, but nothing could be done - they were with weapons and our little objections would lead to very serious consequences.
My grandmother told us «We must go» and here the entire family went on the wet road after rain.
I was constantly slipping in my galoshes, and my mother held my hand tightly.
She held my hand so strong, she was afraid to let go, I felt the pain, but I could not tell her about it - I understood her ...
My brother went with my Dad, even he understood that there was something wrong, he was crying.
One of the policemen caught up with my brother and decided to comfort him, stroking the head he said «Do not cry. Do you want candy?» And handed him a lollipop. My brother shook his head but the policeman put him into his palm ...
Even this bastard had the ache in the heart, it is in fact he knew that we would not get home ...
We were driven to a place where there were a lot of people.
Germans with the guns assorted people in the young and healthy in one direction, and children and old people to another.
I hit the side of the young. We immediately went to work - digging trenches for the Germans ...
The food was just awful.
And then I am, among the young, was taken to the railway station in Vitebsk ...
I kept peeking my family, but ... We spent the night there, and in the morning we were loaded into wagons and sent, as it turned out to be later, to Lublin, to the concentration camp.
And here we are in the column already in the camp, there are a lot of Germans with dogs, they are talking something on their language, and one woman said something against them - they started beating her so much, the blood was everywhere, and then she fell down and already she did not get up ...
It was the first time I saw the murder ...
They placed us in horrible barracks, and around as a mockery there were flowers, purity ...
It all looked very ominous ...
And then they drove us to work ...
The food was such filth that people got weaker day by day ...
And then one day a lot of people and I was sent to Buchenwald ... And now ...
All the women were looking intently at the storyteller.
Each listening to her was thinking about her own.
By the morning the convoy arrived to the new settlement.
- I do not like coffee.
- Think of it as a medicine which is able to save your life.
- I am…
- Do not argue. Drink.
Bela took the cup that Stefania held to her and began to drink in small sips this «medicine».
- That's it, well done! Listen to me and all will be well. With the meal we'll figure something out. Stefania smiled, exclusively to lift the spirit, in herself at first.
When she was a child and her name was Sara, this little girl has experienced all the emotions are much more intense than other children.
And this applied both to love and to hate.
She has always been a fighter and an independent person.
She always did not care what people think about her, and she knew exactly how to act in any given situation.
She intuitively feels like the better for her, what she needs and what not.
In the case of Sara – it is useless to argue or insist - she is firm in her submissions - both right!
And her most important «thing» since childhood is a keen sense of justice.
Becoming an adult Stefania has learned to be very low-key appearance, and already she knew how to control herself well.
But with all this, she has become even more acute to trust to her intuition, and each time she was convinced of the correctness of the chosen strategy.
It must be said that overall viability was very high of her.
One of the Germans noticed that Stefania did not have food and poured it into the bushes.
He stared at her but she did not notice this.
When everyone was ordered to return to the barracks, the German came up and said to Stefa in bad Russian:
- You'll be hungry ... I saw that you threw the food ...
Stefania said nothing.
She felt that the voice of a German was not scary, and calmed a little.
- You looks like my daughter. I have not seen her for long ...
Stefania looked at the German, still not believing that there are usual and normal people among them.
- Go right - he said.
Stefania walked quickly in the direction of the barracks.
- What did he want? - Bella hurried with questions.
- He saw that I threw the food.
- What do you mean? – a frightened friend exclaimed.
- All done.
- How?
- It seems that he is a normal person, I do not know.
- What did he say?
- I reminded him of his daughter.
- A-ah-ah! - Bella said.
- What will happen to us next, does anyone know? - a large woman of about forty in a far corner of the barrack asked.
- Do not worry, they will come up with! - another prisoner of thirty years retorted with pessimism.
- Who knows German? Perhaps you heard something? The guard said something to the Germans and showed on us, I did not understand anything.
- I understand German - Stefania said.
- And what did they say?
- It looks like some of us once again will be transported to another place.
- When? – the voices were heard.
- It's hard to say, but around - soon.
- The nightmare, but when it's all will be over! - women wailed.
- It is strange, will we go to the job? - someone asked from the far corner.
- Are you waiting for work? - her neighbor snapped.
- Well, well ... No, girl ... It is not enough to us to argue with each other.
- Yeah, I just ... – the girl began to defend herself.
- Stop, enough.
- Stefania, and you always listen what the Germans say, at least something will be understood.
- Of course.
Then everybody spent the time as he could. Basically people shared their stories.
Stefania lay down and fell asleep.
In the half-asleep she recalled Arthur and unforgettable the most moving moments together.
She remembered his kindness, his gentle hands and so much she missed his hugs, kisses that she wanted to feel it again, feel it.
«How are you, darling?» - she was constantly talking to him in her mind.
«You know, my dear, Arthur, today I was very scared, just very seriously.
This German could punish me so strictly, he could beat and may even incite on me his dog. If it was some another, even one of our wardens - just it would be so.
And he was a normal person. I just mentally can communicate with you, Arthur.
We are not allowed to write letters.
Although, in our barracks, there are the Germans and the French - they are allowed to write letters and even receive parcels from their relatives, though they were already been there when we arrived ...
And the attitude to them is better ...»
Stefania quietly fell asleep, all the more moving away from the world of reality ...
She saw herself in a dream dancing waltz on music of Chopin.
Long dress of pale pink swayed to the music, sometimes it was slipping on the ankle bared it and again covered with plume.
Stefania was born to ballet – she was surprisingly sensitive perceived the beauty, her soft and graceful movements fascinated everyone around.
She hovered in the dance and she was at that moment very happy!
The strong cry woke Stefania.
- Ah-ah-ah-ah! She ... she .... ah-ah-ah !!!
The young girl was running around the hut, crying and pointing toward her bunk.
- Ah-ah-ah-ah! God!!! Mama!!! – the girl could not calm her down.
People were trying to calm her, to bring her to life, but she struggled, and again began to rush, as in agony.
- What happened there? – Stefania asked her neighbor sleepily.
Bella also fell asleep and did not wake up yet.
- Her mother died. Probably from the cold ... - nodding in the direction of the poor woman, she replied.
- Oh, my God, how terrible! - Stefania sympathetically expressed.
She got up and went to the poor, the orphaned girl:
- Quiet, quiet. I know it's very scary.
Stefania took her hand, stroked, then sat down next to her and hugged.
- I know, I know ... I understand everything ... I also lost my mother ... I thought I would go mad from the pain ... Yes, yes ... This pain will be here for a long time. She pointed to the heart.
- Mummy, Mummy ... my dear ... - the girl burst into tears.
- What's your name?
- Alia.
- Alechka, listen to me. I know it is very hard, but nothing has been done about it. Of course, cry – it will become easier.
Stefania stroked the girl's fallen head on her shoulder, and she remembered all that fear, the terror and pain she suffered in recent times.
When the command has sounded for dinner, the women gathered at the bedside of the deceased, bowed their heads, watching her last journey.
Then they carried her body out, telling the guards about the new death.
When Stefania’s turn came she took a mug of coffee and two hundred grams of bread, turned to move away from the hand, but she was stopped by the very German who noticed how she threw the food-garbage.
- What's your name?
Stefania all cringed, she lowered her eyes, in the throat it was dry because of fear. The first thing she thought, «What does he want from me?».
- I ask you - what is your name? - In bad Russian the German repeated.
- Stefania.
- Are you Russian?
- I'm Polish.
- Exactly?
- Yes…
- And maybe a Jew?
- I am Polish.
- Such red-haired?;Stefania shook even more. But the German did not continue the subject any more. He took a little girl to the side, pulled from his pocket a bundle and said:
- This is chocolate. You are quite thin.
Stefania looked at the package and did not dare to take.
- Take it, take it.
The German gave the parcel to hand where Stefania was holding the bread, and walked away.
She was stupefied by this act and still standing she did not know how to behave.
Bella watched the scene. When Stefania came up to her, she immediately asked:
- What did he want?
- I do not know .. He gave me some chocolate ...!
- Wow !!! – Bella exclaimed.
- Yes, it's amazing.
- Yeah!
- Let's divide into three ... I want to give to Alia – she is so weak. Where's she?
The girls began to turn their heads from side to side to find the poor girl.
She was sitting at a distance from everyone, like a wild animal, curled up in a ball and crying quietly.
Stefania rushed to her and Bella followed too.
The girls sat down near Alia:
- You have to eat, Alia – Stefania said.
- I cannot.
- You can, you must. – Bella added confidently.
- I cannot.
- Okay. You will eat your own bread later. Here is. Stefania handed her a third of chocolate.
- What is it? - Alia was looking at chocolate as unusual.
- Chocolate. The German treated Stefa.
- What? - Alia abruptly threw the chocolate away.
Bella jumped up, picked it up and shouted:
- What are you, we are with all heart to you, with compassion ... and you ..!
- I do not want handouts of German!
Stefania stood up and walked to the barracks.
She was very sick and sorry for this action of Alia, but she understood her well.
However, Stefa has always divided people only on good and bad.
She saw that this German was really human, compassionate, and most likely he is like so many Germans - a victim of circumstances.
Do they want war? Would a normal person may want a war?
Will ordinary Germans who also have children, wives, parents, brothers and sisters voluntarily go to war?
For Stefania it was hard to believe, especially looking at this German, who could be as father for her, who takes care of the girl, so much reminding him his own daughter.
All nations have fascists.
Or rather - fascism has no nationality.;He has his own special cruel face, like some local matrons.
That's really true - fascists.
Stefania remembered yesterday's story of female prisoners, old people - they have long been in this camp, and they have seen a lot.
They whispered about the brutality and sadism of matrons who beat to death and torture women for any fault.
Stefania listened to the terrible story and she was shaking with fear:
«-Gera is in the infirmary - it is bad, I'm afraid she will be sent to the crematorium.
- What do you mean? You were next to her when she was beaten?
- No, I got to know when the work was finished. I was told that she snapped up for our matron, and she began to beat her as long as she stopped to move.
- Did you talk to the nurse, she's kind of good to you?
- I said ... She promised me to hold me to Gerka, but still she says she's really bad.
- What the superior think of her?
- I do not know. You know that to get to the medical unit - is to be doomed to death. I'm afraid they will not bother with her. And the matron is a bastard.
- God, how can we help Gera?
- Yes! Gera is in trouble! And I know well the hand of this bitch, one day she almost finished off with me. Barely I came to mind»
Stefania was embraced by the panic fear.
She knows well this insidious danger of the death, which has already hung over her head.
Here is the death, walking nearby.
Now Stefania felt like she was over the abyss, and that she just does not see the way out.
She thought about Arthur and she felt even worse and unbearable.
It was especially difficult to endure the uncertainty.
And in the meantime:
«- One way out - it is necessary to beg Helene that she had got the medicine, otherwise, Gera herself will not recover, and these bastards quickly will get rid of her.
- Do you think the nurse will take such a risk?
- Let's see ... I hope ... She had a score to settle with the Nazis!
- How do you know her? Is she also a political prisoner?
- We are still in prison have become friends with her. She, like me, was arrested after being denounced. She was a fighter of the Resistance in Spain. And then, when we met here, we were incredibly happy, because we became so close friends.
- When will you go to her?
- When all will go to bed, then I go ...»
Stefania felt herself unthinkable terribly listening to the conversation of women.
«How do people endure it?» - she thought.
Suddenly, Stefania caught the sight of Alia who was standing in front of her:
- I'm sorry ... I'm not right ... I know you're good, you wanted the best ...
- Nothing, nothing ... - Stefa replied shyly.;She saw how Alia unclenched her fist, and there was already half-melted piece of chocolate. Alia decisively put it into her mouth and looked at Stefania's eyes.
- You know, I thought you ... Well, actually, I thought ...
- What? – Stefania asked in surprise.
Alia looked at Bella and hesitated again:
- Well, I thought that they give you chocolate for ..., in short, I have heard that there are some prostitution.
Stefania was taken aback.
- Are you crazy! How did it come to your mind?
- I, I, I do not know ... It's just there I heard neighbors said, and they were here a long time ...
- What did they say?
- That some to be saved agree on prostitution.
- The nightmare - Stefania widened her eyes - I'm married, it is for your information.
- Well, I did not know? – Alia said guiltily.
- Terrible, of course ...
- I heard that they take young and thin, then they are fed, treated, if necessary, and use.
- This is still not enough!
- Oh, how terrible! – Bella moaned huddled in the corner.
- Do not think about the bad, do not ... This German just greatly misses his family, his daughter whom I reminded him. He is not evil.
- Yes, he has a good face, he treats everybody well - Bella confirmed.
- Well, let’s, sleep? Tomorrow again they will wake us early to roll.
The night was terribly cold.
Stefania and Bella huddled together, but still could not get warm.
From different corners of the barracks the groans of the sick female prisoners came.
It was very difficult to sleep in these conditions.
So it was a pity for poor people, and absolutely nothing to help.
Suddenly Stefania heard a silent prayer of a woman, which was located in front of her.
That woman came to the camp because of the help to the Jews.
To anyone who came to her house she provided food, shelter, clothing.
Now she was in a concentration camp and despite this, she is so deeply and with such love turned to God:
«God, hear me. I beg you, God!»
Stefania asked Bella:
- Do you hear?
- Yes. Do you believe in God?
- I do not know, after all what happens to us ... And you?
- And I do not know ..
- Hush-a ... listen ...
The woman so emotionally appealed to God that it was impossible to ignore:
«God, God! I beg you, do not leave us!
We are very scared, but we trust that You are with us!
You will not leave us!
Help us, please help us!
We are all your children ... teach them, do not let the evil happen, please, give them the sense, instruct on the right path!
Forgive them all the cruelty that they have already done, and do not give them such a power!
They killed my sister, God, teach me how can I forgive them?
Help, teach!
I used to teach everybody to forgive ...
And now, I ask you, teach me to forgive!
I cannot handle it ... I remember that guard who has brought a fatal blow with a club right on the head of my sister ...
God, how can I forgive that? ..
I know I should ...
But whenever I think of the death of my sister my blood run cold.
How can I erase it from my memory?
Is it possible? My heart is filled with tears, pain ...
But I just want to forgive ...
Help me, God!»
There was a pause.
Stefania sobbed quietly.
She also remembered her mother when she was being led away, when she found out about her death ...
The cold gripped the heart of Stefa.
And suddenly it was quiet whisper again:
«O Most Holy Lady the Mother of God, Queen of heaven!
Save us sinners and have mercy on your servants from the evils and misfortunes, and sudden death. Mercy in the daytime hours, morning and evening, and at all-time keep us - standing, sitting, walking, sleeping in the night hours in every way.
Implement, atonement, cover and protect, the Virgin mistress from all enemies - both visible and invisible, from every evil deed, in every place and at any time - whether we Mother Good, invincible wall and strong intercessor. Always present, for ever and ever and ever! Amen!»
The whisper of the woman grew quieter and quieter ...
«Our Father, who art in heaven!
Hallowed the name
Yes, your kingdom will come
The will be done, on earth as in heaven our daily bread Give us this day
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
In the name of Father and Son, and the glory forever. Amen!»
Bella fell asleep.
And Stefania has long reflected on the theme of God:
«Who is God for me?
Who is he?
I'm always on the lookout.
Perhaps, above all, God - it is Justice, Fairness, Perfection of Purity, Love ... more often it is said that God - that is all around us ... we're all in this hut from God, and those animals, the Nazis also from God ... So He is also a Hate?... Oh-oh-oh, how to understand it?
Yes, I do not understand anything!
In our family no one understood anything in it.
If now Arthur would be here, he would be quickly reminded me as he often did, and this is «Any suffering that God sends to a person in this world - comes to awaken him to the prayer»
When trouble comes, the faithful Jews know that God «yearns for the prayers of the righteous»: because troubles come - to pray to Him»
Suddenly Stefania remembered one of her happiest nights with Arthur, they spent the long arm in arm, and they also talked a lot about love and about God.
Arthur told different stories, quoted many great people who sooner or later came to God or found him in their souls or hearts.
He told her that often it comes to saving, this is what people are praying to God.
And Stefania like a child asked him questions, «What kind of saving?»
And then Arthur began again patiently explain «Humanity asks God to give him a chance to return not only to the primary, sinless and immortal state, but to get from God his particle, his character».
After all, the man himself is to blame for destroying the union with God as a result of the original sin of their own.
In these moments Stefania not just admired his intelligence and knowledge but also prided.
She was like a sponge that absorbed everything Arthur explained to her, though always she had her own strong opinion.
She could even plunge into a heated dispute.
But yet quite often Arthur opened something new that incredibly admired her, something that she was looking for, and it was somewhere nearby, on the surface, but she could not touch it.
She especially remembered and liked the statement of one of the greats, which her husband quoted - «There are only three classes of people: some have found God and serve to Him, these people are intelligent and happy. Others have not found and do not seek Him these people are mad and miserable. The third have not found, but seek Him these people are reasonable, but now unhappy».
«Yes, - I'm from the third category - it's about me – Stefania said absolutely stunned, gratefully looking into the eyes of Arthur who opened her veil a little».
Stefa then thought that she would very much like to come to God, but did not know how.
And each new probation alienated and alienated her from meeting with God.
She could not understand how He is such an almighty allows pain and suffering, hatred;and war.
Yes, Arthur tried in his explanations to convey to her that God has given full freedom to mankind and mankind chose such way in which there are war, anger, hatred, fighting.
God created everything, including mankind, but He does not affect their life, He has given a man freedom.
«And if so – Stefania thought - then why do people ask for the grace of God, in the hope and even confidence that He will give it to them? So the majority of people do not realize that their choice the mankind has made, having complete freedom and now is paying the price for it!»
Thoughts plagued her mind, she could not sleep for a long time.
And hunger made itself felt. It sucked in her stomach that Stefania fidgeted in the hope that in another position the stomach will rest.
Bella for a moment went of her arms, but when Stefa turned over, she again grabbed her around the waist. Stefania felt the warmth and realized that this is the only way to survive in this terrible cold, by giving warmth to each other.
She carefully adjusted her thin blanket thrown over each other and began to slowly fall asleep.
Each night became the next probation in the fate of female prisoners of the concentration camp Ravensbr;ck.
Every day they found the dead bodies.
Many could not bear the cold and did not wake up.
It was not just scared but some even got crazy.
Any such hysteria was extremely dangerous, as the Germans immediately took away the victim and she is no longer came back.
And when the prisoners talked with each other, it was possible to learn that they had heard rumors of where sick women were send- to the crematorium.
Stefania shook every time she thought that she will sick and they will burn her alive in a crematorium.
She could not listen to such feminine passion stories, and therefore she left alone more often, and closed her eyes she went into memories.
She remembered all the best that was in her life.
And these memories warmed her heart and saved her.
And yet she often thought of that woman who prayed most of the night, and her prayer, «I pray you, God, save us all, save souls and these monsters, teach us to forgive, spare us all ...», and the next morning she was dead.
On that terrible night a lot of people did not wake up.
In the barracks was an eerie silence, when all the dead were carried and counted - there were thirty-eight.
For one night only!
People were dying so frequently that alive people even almost did not react, only silently bowed their heads and reported to nearest neighbors in the barrack.
Every morning started with a sharp shout of matron:
- Stand up.
All jumped up quickly, because the delay threatened to a bad end – they could be beaten half to death.
The attendants had to go to the kitchen for coffee.
One day, while on duty Stefania and Bella were appointed, there was an incident.
They were both small and fragile girls, who themselves could barely walk, and here it was necessary to bring a large pot of hot coffee to all women prisoners.
Reaching almost to the middle of the way, Stefania stumbled and fell, and after all she spilled coffee.
She cried so much! And not the fact that she was a little bit burned, but because she imagined that all the barrack will be left without hot drink, to which all had hoped.
Bella sat beside her and stroked her hair, comforting:
- You're not on purpose. Well, take it easy. Do not cry.
- What to do? I am guilty! What to do now? How I will look at them?
- But your weight is about of thirty-five kilograms - how they could send us, even if Maria would help. She has a tremendous strength!!!
- Come on, come what may, I will tell them in the kitchen, let me be punished, but even still they should give us some coffee - I have to bring coffee to women.
- Do not go there. Women will understand you - but there - just will be bad!
- What will happen - it will!
Suddenly out of nowhere Fritz who sympathized with Stefania appeared. He understood right away when he saw the girls with an empty pot.
- Did you spill coffee?
- Yes, it's my fault - Stefania said.
- Okay - without lecturing Fritz said- go with me, I will say that I stumbled on you occasionally.
So the German rescued girls, who could face a good spanking.
- Stefa, what do you think, what is happiness? – Bella asked Stefania one day.
- Happiness is .. Happiness - is when the soul stops to ask what she does not have, and begin to enjoy what she has.
- Yes! - Bella surprised.
- And what do you think?
- And I love music. When listening to it I even forget about all the troubles.
- This is true. I was also always very happy when dancing.
- No wonder people say - the music is the language of how God speaks to man.
- Maybe.
- Are you sleepy?
- Yes, I think it is time, something tells me that tomorrow we will go somewhere again.
- Yes!!! Why?
- Today I heard a conversation of matrons.
- So what?
- Nothing special but one said that tomorrow after posting a big party it will be easier.
- The horror! And where to now?
- We will learn ...
- Yes, we’ll learn.
- Let's sleep.
And it is true.
The next morning at the roll call it was announced that the basic number of female prisoners will be sent to another camp.
And the road again.
And again to the complete uncertainty.
Chapter 11
Bergen-Belsen
«If the outcome of the war could have been foreseen, all wars would stop»
Karal Bunsh
Already in the car Stefania got to know from a young and pretty well-groomed woman who sat next to her that they were being taken to Bergen, where was another of their refuge - the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen.
A column of cars moved in the early morning.
In the lists of moving to another camp there were not all prisoners from the barrack where Stefa was.
There was no Bella in these lists.
Their parting was difficult.
They were very well aware that most likely no longer ever they meet again.
The woman of good-looking type plopped down next to Stefa and immediately presented herself:
- Natasha. And what is your name?
- I am Stefania.
- Stefania? Interesting! Are you not Russian?
- I'm Polish.
- Yes!? In general you're more like a Jew!
- I'm Polish. - Stefania repeated stubbornly.
- Come on! - Natasha laughed – maybe I am on the contrary made you a compliment!
Stefania was silent. She herself knew that upon close examination it is easy to discern the Jewish roots.
- And where are you from? - Natalia was not appeased.
- From L’vov.
- And I am from Moscow. I came to my aunt to Dnepropetrovsk - and these bastards took me there.
- And what's your name? - Natalia turned to the woman who was sitting on the other side of Stefania.
- Vera -she replied softly.
- And where are you from?
- I'm from the front – Vera replied a bit abruptly.
- Wow! So you're lucky not to be killed! - Natasha continued in her repertoire.
She was quite talkative and didn’t look like a majority of those poor people who went by and they did not even have the strength to speak, they were so thin – only skin and bones.
But Natasha was a very fit, that surprised Stefania.
- So did you fight? - Natalia continued to ask.
- I fought.
- And how did you get here?
- They shot down the plane, I jumped with a parachute. A couple of days I was hiding and looking for a way out of an ambush, but they also took me.
- How scary – Stefania said quietly and sympathetically.
- Yes, but not worse than here.
- What happened to your hand? - Stefa asked solicitously.
- The dogs attacked me and severely bit, it heals badly.
- The poor thing.
- Come on, it will heal - and turned to Natasha she asked – you are saying that we go to Bergen?
- Yes. I've heard that it is a huge camp. It is not clear where we will get. There are eight different camps. For Hungarians there is a separate camp, that is of Hungarian Jews - they should not work, should not go on a roll, they have good food, they even wear their own clothes ... But they all have to dress the star of David. The same there is also the Star camp for Dutch Jews. They have their own Jewish self-government. These, you know – Jews with the advantages! - Natalia smiled.
- Do you have something against the Jews? Or are they not the same people? – Vera said abruptly.
- And what did offend you so? - Natasha snapped - I do not mind against nationalities! Quite the contrary - I am against the separation. That is just the question: what is better or worse than this or that?
- Okay, come on - Stefania looked first at one, then the other and smiled.
The silence was broken again by Natasha:
- Yes ... Perhaps we will get to the camp for those who will not stand on ceremony! There are only one or two camps where there are complicated living conditions, poor nutrition and work from dawn to dusk.
- How do you know? - Stefania curiously looked at Natasha.
- I know.
- Tell me what could be there- Vera spoke up.
- Yes, you have already guessed probably...
- We? – Stefania repeated naively.
- In one of the most terrible days, when I was at Auschwitz, the door opened and I was told to get out. Then I was plunged into the car and I ended up in Ravensbr;ck.
- Were you driven alone? - Stefa surprised.
- Yes. I myself did not understand why?
- Clear – Vera said.
- Yes, that's clear to you And I did not fully understand. When we arrived, as soon as the gate opened I saw terrible pictures: the crowd of people who were exhausted, tottering with hunger and exhaustion, gnawing bark from trees. Probably all my life I will hear the cry of an unhappy mother from whom guards were taking the dying child, which in her eyes was stabbed and thrown into the crematorium. It seems that all this was specifically shown to me in the first day, because then I was taken to a distant house that was quite clean and well maintained. The guard met me and ran to the shower room on the second floor. Then I was given clothes - it was a beautiful dress, shoes, lacy underwear. A young woman who was also very well-groomed came and did me a haircut. I still even had no bad thought because I'm a musician, I thought that I would give a concert ... - she wiped a tear - but it turned out that I was prepared ...
- Where? – Stefania asked with wide eyes.
- Oh, girl! How old are you?
- I'm eighteen. I'm married.
- Oh, that's how! - Natasha pricked.
- And what's next? – Vera asked.
- And then they demonstrated me some lessons. On the morning of the next day I was a witness of how matrons reprise with disobedient.
First, just beat, then mutilated face, then threw into the chamber without food and water. No one came back from there ...
Suddenly there was a silence. Natasha closed her eyes and raised her head to the sky. Her lower lip trembled with painful memories.
Vera and Stefania understood everything and no longer did not ask questions. But waking up, Natasha herself has decided to continue the story, she felt like in the confessional, she really needed this.
- Then I decided that I would not do nor bad nor good with my death...
But to use Fritz, deserving their trust I am quite able - and this thought really warmed my heart.
- How did you use them? – Vera asked.
- But how? – Stefania repeated.
- Probably I played a role very convincingly, so one SS man was filled with warm feelings to me, he willingly shared with me various secret information. So I knew when and who was going to be liquidated, it applied to prisoners of war. I had the right of free movement in the camp, so it was not difficult to convey this information to the necessary address.
I have helped many people to run away. To lull the guard was very much possible.
And when I learned that it will be checking - I warned people in the barracks so they avoided a very severe punishment.
After all, women did not even have the right to wash and dry their own and children's underwear.
And they did it, and very often dried directly on themselves, or otherwise their children could be taken away.
I remember a terrible case. I walked around the area and heard the scream, it turned out to be a woman in labor. I saw the matron coming to the barrack, and she cried out loudly mothers number. I realized that something was wrong.
I went out there and start asking not to touch the woman and the child, but my interference only further angered that bitch, she grabbed the poor man, who had just given birth to the baby and he was wrapped in newspaper, and dragged him towards the crematorium.
There was a moan in the barrack, women could not help, and in frustration the heart of each was aching.
And new mother hugged the baby to the breast ... and was staggering ... her lips moved silently, but she was never able to squeeze out a sound, only shook the baby, who never heard a mother's lullaby ... only large drops of tears were running down unusually pale mother’s cheeks on the tiny face of her child, which she carried into the clutches of death ...
Women who were listening to this story could not hold back their tears.
Stefania buried in the shoulder of Vera, who did not knowingly take it, and on the other hand she began to stroke her hair.
- What happened next? - a voice from the other end of the car came.
Natasha looked in the eyes of women staring at her from all angles and continued:
- I ran to the matron and persuaded her not to touch the child. I promised her a gold ring, I promised all that she had to, I could easily take it all from my Fritz, but she was adamant.
Then I decided to make a small riot, I did not even know what I hope for?
Rather the intuition told me that in such way I can save the time.
And the truth is, the matron got very nervous because of my hysterics , she fully paid attention on me, but I knew she could not do anything bad to me, otherwise she would attract on her the anger of my Fritz, the only thing she could afford, so it was screaming at me and threatening with a whip.
I winked to the nurse who was standing in the distance- a good woman, she saved a lot of people, I showed her with a nod that I needed help I had no idea how she could help.
However, it was fantastic - she realized that I would divert the attention, so she came quickly to an unhappy prisoner with a child, caught her by the arm and dragged her to the medical unit.
As I snapped a matron, she was able to replace the child on recently died infant.
She had a hard time to convince this young mother, barely pulled out of her hands the child.
Changing the baby the nurse quickly brought them.
And at that time I continued to snap up to such an extent that the matron barely had the strength not to put a bullet in my forehead.
When a nurse gave the woman in childbirth, I immediately realized that everything was in order.
Then my hysteria ended abruptly.
And a matron promised me to give me a hell of life.
That's why I'm going with you in this truck.
There was a long pause.
Everyone thought about their own.
After some time Stefania turned to Natasha:
- It's just wonderful! You are so brave!
- No, I'm a German slut. I do not know how to live with it!
- No, it's not, you were made ... Do not even think about it.
- Yes, yes, it is not necessary to execute yourself - the war, and none of us have no power ... - Vera choked, in fact, she did not know whether to believe Natasha.
- I do not want to live, disgusting ... - Natasha continued to reproach herself.
- Come on, do not, I beg you .. – Stefania pleaded - patting her on the shoulder.
- You are so kind! You are holy!
- No! To a saint for me is much more than you do!
- What's wrong? - Natasha asked.
Vera suddenly tensed her mind, she was also convinced that Stefania is innocent.
- What are you too? .. - Vera asked cautiously.
- No, no ... It's not in this sense. The fact is that I do not believe in God.
- A-ah-ah! –Vera said calmly.
- And how to believe in it after all that is happening to us? - Natasha glanced sternly toward the cockpit where the guards were.
- So in fact a great many, no matter what, believe – Stefa said timidly.
- Maybe they didn’t have so much troubles, and if in front of them their child was put to the oven - I would then like to look at them ...
I would then like to listen to their curse ... - Natalya trembled and wiped tears away, but still went on - if they would see as a great number of innocent people is being killed, previously also humiliate them, stripping them to the nude and pushing them back pass women in the vagina big clubs and laughing while ...
I would then look on their faith ...
Natalia was trembling, remembering the terrible scenes from the life of recently witnessed, she had unwittingly become.
The car mercilessly rolled along a country road, women fell silent knowing how much they do not have the slightest chance to survive, and what is expecting for them next nobody knew.
By evening the village appeared, someone suggested that it can be seen the camp to which they were being taken.
And the truth is, about a quarter of an hour the car with prisoners pulled up to the camp.
All women have already guessed what sequence of actions on the side of guard was waiting for them.
According to the order the prisoners jumped down from the car, helping the elderly and the infirm.
And then everything as everywhere – lining up, roll, cut, sauna ...
As in a nightmare ...
Stefania has always tried to stay closer to Natasha and Vera.
It seemed they were very brave and reliable. Stefa felt her more confident with them.
Late in the evening they were assigned to barracks.
Chilly and almost winter weather played its role.
Many people who were dressed in light camp clothing just caught a cold after a bath.
Coughing and moaning lasted all night.
And though Stefania was pretty tired after the journey and all procedures, but she could not sleep with such rampant cough.
In the morning more than twenty women were hotter than forty but it was ordered to everyone to go to work.
What kind of work no one knew.
But what a surprise it was for Stefania when they were led into a huge workshop, where many women sewed something.
When they were explained that they will make parachutes, Stefa calmed down a bit, «I think I will be able to do it»
And even though at the end of the day Stefania fell from exhaustion, but it is not in the froze weather to dig trenches as women from the nearby barracks had to do.
In the evenings they shared their impressions of the day and Stefa learned with horror about the conditions of work of other people.
At first, life in the camp, although it was far from the resort, but it was quite bearable.
Every day Stefa learned something new about the camp.
It turned out that once this was a camp for prisoners of war, and then it was rebuilt to exchange camp where Jewish prisoners were kept whom the Nazis exchanged for their soldiers.
But when Stefania came to this camp it was already the usual concentration camp, where all prisoners were being taken.
That less Stefania, like everyone else, often seen in the camp the international commissions, which now and then checked the working conditions and the life of prisoners.
In this connection, indeed, for a long time with the prisoners, especially with those who was preparing for the exchange, treated relatively well.
Natasha was very outgoing and constantly coming from work she brought new information about the camp.
- Girls, I learned so much today from the old-timers of the camp!
- Say – Stefa asked impatiently. And Vera had always been not-talkative but she never refused to listen.
And besides they were joined by a young girl whose name was Vera too. All of them began to call her a bird-Verik not to confuse the two Veras.
- Yes, yes, tell us quickly - bird-Verik said. Stefa liked her so much so she took over her a patronage. She took care of her, when there were treats she always gave more portion to Vera.
- But today I found out that the camp was created for the prisoners of war from Belgium and France, and only a couple of years ago. And now here are basically Poles, Hungarians, Dutch, well, mostly - the Jews. And they live not really bad – they do not work, and they have well food in comparison with us.
And Russians there are not so much - Natasha looked at Vera and added - it seems only you and me, Vera.
- Who told you? Do you even know how many people here have already died from the USSR? – Vera turned crimson.
- Me not. And what do you know about that? - Natasha surprised.
- Girls, only quieter, don’t get angry! - Stefa said to them. - And really how do you know?
- I know! It does not matter! I also have ears sometimes you can hear something! ..
- Tell me! - Stefa asked quietly.
- I overheard a Spanish speaking and listened. - Vera looked at friends who were surprised.
- Do you know Spanish? - Natasha and Stefania exclaimed in one voice.
Bird-Verik blinked:
- Wow, you are so smart!
- She's very smart, she's our aviator! - Stefania confirmed emphatically.
- No, not so good, but understand a lot. Once I was fond of languages, and Spanish I liked the most, and therefore I memorized easily – Vera said modestly.
- Say something – Verik asked.
- And what is the Spanish for «love»? – Stefania asked with a smile.
- Amor.
- Amor ... – Verik repeated as sang.
- Beautiful! - Stefania immediately imagined Arthur and his gentle touches that could be comparable with nothing.
- S, hermosa! - Vera dreamily repeated in Spanish.
- S, Hermosa! – Verik duplicated.
- Well, don’t exhaust - Natasha shook everybody impatiently - what they talked about.
- One pointed to another on the distant gray box and said that last year in a huge number of prisoners of war from the Soviet Union were brought to the camp, it seems more than twenty thousand, they say, it was something terrible - they were almost not feed, not treated and they were brought in the summer and over the winter almost all have died from cold, hunger and disease.
Around this barrack was a constant moaning and cries. People died from the wild pain ...
Everyone froze in silence.
On this grey terrible building all in the camp tried not to look in its direction - it brought fear, it was the only wish - to turn around and go the other way.
Probably it mystically kept the pain of all who once inhabited it.
- And who is now held in this block? – Verik asked curiously.
- Judging by the fact that very few people out there - it is either for terminally ill or even torture, and perhaps for the experiments.
- What kind of experiments? - Verik gripped Stefania's arm.
- Vera, stop scaring us, there is a nightmare - Stefania tried to change the situation - better tell us something good, did you hear?
- No, just this. They were passing by, these two «Ladies» - Vera said the word «ladies» bullying - I realized that they have some privileges, they were just walking next to our shop, and I was just sent to bring to the streets a bag of waste.
So I paused, pretended to straighten socks in the shoe, and they walked slowly past me, talked about their own.
- Yes, they do not have to work in the camp, they are lucky dogs! - Natasha said.
- And why? - Verik surprised.
- Didn’t you know that there are some prisoners can not to work? - Stefania looked straight at Verik.
- No.
- For example there is a neutral block, it is only for the Jews from Spain, Argentina, and it seems from Turkey, in short, for the privileged. They have good conditions, good food and they do not work.
- Wow! - Verik admired.
- But these benefits are not for all, we are not so lucky, though compared to other camps, it is still nothing - we can live! - Natasha threw shoes and climbed on her second tier – It was already late, it's time to go to bed as early in the morning it is necessary to go to work.
- Yes, girls, we have to relax, let’s go to bed - Stefania went to bed and quickly fell asleep.
Life is constantly starving, barely let's get a good rest for the night.
Stomach, endlessly reminded his wildness that it is empty.
And it was very difficult to sleep in this state.
But, today, one of the female prisoners, a German woman, Helga,
encased small hut, brought to work and regaled Stefania chocolate, which received a parcel from his family.
Stefania was pleasantly surprised and pleased with such a royal gift.
And actually, why surprised?
After all, she has deserved to herself such an attitude.
The kindness and empathy of Stefa knew no bounds.;She always tried to help when she saw that someone needed help.
That's Helga repeatedly fell from fatigue, she was unable to carry out the hard work that threatened her beating to death from the guards, but Stefania who worked with her, always came to the rescue - heavy bales, she herself was thin and exhausted, she helped the German woman to raise and put them on a high shelf before the guards noticed that Helga is not doing her job.
And today Stefania saved up for the evening this precious chocolate.
Just before the bedtime she divided it into equal parts having treated her friends.
And she put a piece into her mouth, and lay down, slowly dissolving and enjoying this delicacy.
And she fell asleep with a contented smile on her face.
Every night she saw the same dream as she runs to meet Arthur, he picks her up and turns among the flowers and multicolored butterflies, as he kisses and caresses ...
Sometimes this dream was interrupted by someone's groan or cry, but then Stefania returned herself in this cozy saving sleep.
It was her refuge from the reality in which she got every morning when she woke up.
Stefania often wondered why she came to the exchange of the camp:
«Well, Vera is a Russian aviator – she is really a valuable person, or even Natasha, of course, she may be of some interest, and what is the use of me. Natasha says that we are just lucky.
But Vera always says pessimistic that she doesn’t need favors from the Fritz»;But from the very beginning of 1944 it was evident that the value of «exchange» of prisoners came to naught.
The conditions got worse.
The number of prisoners got more and more.
Food was not enough, the almost complete absence of medical care, dozens of people were dying every day.
Especially the situation was aggravated in winter, when the barracks barely heated, drafts were everywhere, and the clothes of the prisoners were very thin.
Stefania slept on the second tier, and on the tier above Verik slept.
This young, sweet girl, the namesake of the Russian pilot Vera, which Stefa met along the way here, she has been taken away from her parents and sent to the camp.
Stefania immediately took over her the patronage.
She guarded her as she could.
Very often she shared a meal or a piece of bread that was divided after the death of a neighbor.
And also Stefania was often treated by German officers.
Though she was severely emaciated, but still very pretty red-haired girl, on which it was simply impossible not to draw attention.
The Germans, as it turned out were very different.
There were very compassionate among them, that by the will of fate found themselves in the performance of military duty, but they have not lost the human person and dignity.
They constantly fed the camp prisoners, and they have shared with their neighbors. And it rescued those who got this scanty, but help.
Stefania, thanks to this aid, could little to satisfy constant hunger not only herself but also her friends at the camp.
She always wanted to help all those who need.
In extreme cold Stefa called Vera to herself and they cuddled up to each other and at least slightly warmed.
Though Stefania was a fragile, skinny as a teenager girl, yet she possessed some powerful self-protection.
She was able at the right time to gather all her will and overcome another challenge that very few people can do, even those who were physically hardy.
On that day Stefa woke up early because of severe wheezing that Verik was making.
She was obviously choking.
Stefa quickly ran up to Natasha and began to shake her:
- Natasha, Natasha get up. Vera is really bad.
Natasha jumped awake and headed in the other direction:
- No, not with that Vera, with the bird.
As for evil, elder Vera was too ill and did not get up for two days.
- What?
- I do not know, she gasps ... I do not know what to do ...
- Take my blanket, warm her, I'll call the doctor.
And Natasha ran to the exit.
Stefania raised Vera’s head, giving her another pillow under her head and wrap up Natasha’s blanket.
- Now, the doctor will come, wait, dear. Breathe, breathe ... Now, be patient ...
Stefania was scared as ever.
In her eyes the death of the most ruthless manner took possession of the young, helpless creature.
Verik looked straight into the eyes of Stefania, it was seen that she was scared. Her body suddenly shook severely she began to convulse. Stefania grabbed her and hugged her tightly.
She squeezed harder and harder but fragile Verik acquired at the time a monstrous force. She tossed from side to side as if she wanted to escape from the death.
Elder Vera barely moving, quietly asked in a hoarse voice:
- What is with her, Stefa?
- I don’t know.
Next were already awakened neighbors from the barracks, someone howled with pity, someone shouted, «Doctor, doctor!», someone stood silently and looked with a horror at this terrible picture.
Here are a couple of strong convulsions, so strong that Stefania has kept Verik in her arms, she tried in vain to escape from the clutches of death, and then ... the silence ... the silence ...
The death dragged to its lair the next victim.
Stefania understood immediately.;But, that's just her hands did not obey, did not release the lock to which they completed to keep the poor in agony. And there were no words,to describe the pain that tore at that moment the heart of Stefa.
It's not even the pain – it is a complete hopelessness.
A strong buzz was in the ears, in the eyes darkened. And then it all disappeared somewhere ...
And the ominous silence ...
Stefania woke up only when Natasha separated her hands.
All prisoners began slowly to go to their places.
The doctor looked up and silently walked toward the exit.
- There is still quite ill - said Natasha to her, and pointed in the direction of the elder Vera.
- What with her?
- It looks like pneumonia. She is wheezing and has a fever.
The doctor came and took Vera's hand and then put it back.
- She's dead too.
- How? - Stefania cried - she's just was asking about the ...
She was not able to finish.
A lump was in the throat.
Stefania sat on the edge of the bed, Natasha comforted her but Stefa did not hear anything.
Natasha covered quivering Stefania with a blanket.
- Stefochka do not give up! They all have finished their sufferings. Come on, it is still not enough you to get sick. You are very badly dressed. You know, you can get sick. You have really thin socks, while our pilot has good and warm, I thought that she does not need anything. Now they will come after them. Let's you wear socks of Vera, eh?
Stefania looked at one point and said nothing.
Natasha took off socks with the eldest Vera, they were full of lice that jumped on her hands, but they were very warm and could significantly warm in this bitter cold, and pulled them to Stefa.
And then Stefania burst into tears.
Tears were running down her thin face.
Natasha tried to cheer her, but she surrendered, they were sitting in an embrace and sobbed almost silently.
And then ... .. a cup of coffee and a slice of bread ... back to work ...
Day after day – the grief, the death, constant fear, cold, hunger and hard labor.
Chapter 12
On the edge of the abyss…
August 1944
The warm August morning brought into the barracks bad news about the movement of all the prisoners of the barracks, where Stefania was, to a tent camp.
Stefania immediately became anxious.
«How many people will die out there?» - she thought.
«After all, the conditions in tents even in summer nights are not very suitable, - what will happen in autumn? And in winter? - Stefania choked - What am I thinking about? In autumn or winter, in these conditions of life, we will not survive at all»
Fortunately for the tent prisoners, summer and early autumn were extremely kind to them - the nights, although were cool, but quite tolerable.
October 1944 startled the whole camp.
The crowded camp was decided to score the prisoners to failure. About three thousand women were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen, most of whom were very sick.
Stefania was awakened by a loud scream that could be heard from the street.
It was already dawned, but it was too early to go to work. She guessed that it was brought a new batch of unfortunate prisoners. She had heard that shares planned for them.
The cries were so harrowing that it was not difficult to guess that this is more likely were mothers whose children were taken.
Scary, it was very scary to hear the unbearable pain of these unfortunate mothers, but Stefa always hoped that this time everything will be good, as there were the cases when the children were taken away, they passed a medical examination and then they were returned to their mothers again - it was a real holiday.
Not only mothers wept with a joy but also all the inhabitants of the camp.
Here and now, Stefa gently whispered, «God, I do not know whether you exist or not, but I would love now to be sure you exist and can help these poor mothers and their children!
Do not let the grief, I beg you! Let no one gets hurt, please!»
She whispered again and again these words like a spell, her hands were clenched into fists,the shivering was beaten all over her body, she could not crying for a long time, all tears were wept for years in endless barracks.
Gradually the cry died down, but the noise grew louder.
There were cries of the guards heard.
Stefania came to the gap in the barrack and began to watch what was happening.
She immediately noticed the dark-haired teenage girl, for which, as per magnet her sight rushed.
Frau Elizabeth Folkenrat, one of the most brutal wardens, approached the girl and shoved her with a stick toward the baths. The girl looking around, obviously looking for someone, was forced to go forward, but as soon as Frau Elizabeth Folkenrat turned, the girl stopped.
«What is she doing?» - Stefa whispered under her breath. «Go, fool, go please! You are now will be beaten!»
But the girl stood and watched all the time in the sides, clearly looking for someone to look rather someone native.
Finally, when she saw in the distance a young girl, she began waving her arms and bounce.
Stefania all the time was watching the scene and was very nervous that something would not have happened with this teenager.
A minute later girls were already there and disappeared behind the door of the bath.
After lunch, as usual - a cup of coffee and a slice of bread, Stefania, along with all went to work.
In the doorway she faced a matron, who roughly pushed her aside, saying:
- Where are your free beds?
Stefania stood stupefied because in front of her there was the same teenage girl with her friend.
«What happiness!» - it flashed through her mind.
She did not know why she was so glad that this little girl was brought here, in this tent, and even directly to the bed of Stefa.
Maybe it was necessary for Stefania to find a replacement to Verik for which she was very bored, and she could not come to terms with her death, she intuitively felt it when she saw the black-haired girl.
- Right here, but only one, all the others are busy - she quickly ran to the three-tiered structures made of planks, which were served as beds for prisoners, and pointed to an empty seat to the matron.
- Nothing, you will move. This is for two – the frau said rudely to girls, pointing to the free bed.
They proceeded anxiously to their seat and stopped as stone-still, looking around.
Stefania immediately noticed in their eyes the horror that gripped these still very young girls.
- Quickly have breakfast and go to work – the matron looked at Stefa and added - show them everything.
After the departure of Frau Elizabeth Folkenrat, Stefania immediately rushed to the tank to pour some coffee for girls.
- There, now it's your house, it is not known for how long. Sit. My name is Stefania, and you?
- I am Anna, and this is my sister - Margo.
- Are you sisters? - Stefania repeated by giving them mugs of coffee.
- Yes.
- And where are you from?
- We're from Holland.
- Really? Is this your first camp?
- No. At first we were in Auschwitz - Anna said.
- Clear - Stefania looked at girls sympathetically - I'm from Poland. And this is the third camp. Okay, we'll have more time – we will talk. And now it’s better to hurry for work.
- What are you doing at work? – Anna asked taking a sip of coffee.
- Parachutes - after a pause she added - and I must tell you that you're in luck, although it is difficult to say such a thing about us, nevertheless the work is quite tolerable.
On the face of Anna the surprise came:
- Parachutes?
- Yes. Come on, now you will see everything.
They went out into the street and walked to the far building to which they immediately were pointed by Stefa.
- I like to walk across this alley, this is the rare case when you can escape a little from the reality - Stefania smiled.
They walked along the length of the track, carefully lined with cobblestones, and on both sides of different flowers bloom, young trees grew, and even the birds were singing.
- And are you not afraid, Stefania? – Anna asked suddenly.
- Always scared. But it happens that we have something to get used to and lose the fear for some time.
- How long have you been in the camp? - Stefania finally heard the voice of the second girl.
Margo took off her glasses and wiped the glass of her dress.
- A long time ago. Four years.
Stefania sighed.
- And we have two years hiding in a secret apartment, but Gestapo have found and arrested us.
Then we were separated from our parents ... We do not know where they were sent to ...
Anna looked at Margo, she wept silently.
- Oh, oh, oh! Do not, my dear ...
Stefania embraced Margo. Do you even know that they are alive ...
Sooner or later it's will be over and you will be together again.
- Where are your parents? - Anna looked straight at Stefa.
- They are no longer alive ... And I do not even know if my husband is alive - Arthur. We were together in the first camp, but then all the women were taken from there. We are not allowed to write letters.
- Do you have a husband? - Anna asked.
- Yes, Ania, I know that I look like a teenager because of my thinness. I am twenty years old.
- What are you, really? - Anna's eyes widened.;- How old are you? - Stefa asked Anna.
- I'm fifteen. And Margo is eighteen.
- Well! Then you will listen to me - I'm older than you - Stefania smiled playfully.
She gently pushed girls to the door.
At this time the tent jammed more and more newly arrived women prisoners.
They were ordered to hold a bed for two.
They were given half a cup of coffee surrogate and driven to work.
In the evening, Natasha acquainted with Anna and Margo began her questioning as she loved it.
But Stefania became intercede jealously:
- Wait, do not you see, the girls are tired. Let’s they have a rest.
Margo really looked very tired or rather suppressed.
She immediately went to bed and closed her eyes.
Anna, on the contrary, was not against to ask her new acquaintances some questions.
- Stefania, are there any gas chambers?
- No, Anya, but people are dying with the terrific speed without them.
- How scary!
- Yes, dear, we've seen so many deaths that we cannot count - Natasha added.
- Okay, okay, do not be frightened, maybe we will be lucky - Stefania hugged Anna.
- And when we were hiding in the shelter, I kept a diary – I recorded there all our life. Unfortunately, we were arrested so quickly that my diary left there. I really miss it.
- What did you write there? - Stefa asked.
- Everything. I was very frank with it. However, my father did not always like that. Father's colleagues and one with his family lived with us. Two years do not go out - it's hard. So, the diary has been my salvation.
- It was hard for you! - Stefania sighed.
- Yes, we were constantly living in fear that we will be found out. We could not even look out of the window. But sometimes I opened a thick cloth, just a little bit and watched at passersby, I terribly jealous them that they could walk so freely. And all of my thoughts and feelings I was writing. Dad always said that I have the talent of the writer.
- I'm sure, and so there! - Stefania smiled.
- I could go on and write here, but I do not have a pen and paper.
- This is a problem – Natasha said thoughtfully.
- You know, maybe we will be able to come up with something – Stefania reassured Anna.
- It is good to!
- And you describe our life here, and then the whole world will read your notes and shudder. They need to know everything, every detail. The book by Anna will spread all over the world ... - And what is your name?
- Frank.
- Anna Frank.
Anna smiled.
She obviously liked this idea.
For a long time Stefania could not sleep that night.
She really was worrying about finding the paper and pen for Anna.
And on a sign it was already a prisoner of German which was allowed to write letters home and to receive parcels.
Stefania hoped that she will help them to get a notebook for keeping a diary, but she was well aware that they will need to be very careful because it was not safe.
As it turned out later, to get a pen and paper, and even in this case to be able to safely hide it all, it was not so simple, because the constant checks were quite careful and if it was found something forbidden, the severe violence would expect for the girls.
And so no less, the German has promised to share paper with Anna. However, on the second day, much to the disappointment of Stefania and Anna, a German woman was transferred to another unit.
There were not opportunities to get the paper.
Day after day followed each other.
In winter the outbreak of typhoid fever was throughout the camp.
This terrible disease caused the deaths of prisoners with such terrific speed that even the leadership of the camp possessed a real panic.
They absolutely could not control the situation.
The disease spread quite rapidly due to the poor sanitary conditions.
Stefania heard from the prisoner who was a doctor that in this period it was important not to drink any liquids, especially water, and only coffee.
Coffee was brought to them constantly, and Stefa complied with a doctor's recommendation very obediently.
She strictly followed her friends and neighbors at barrack, she didn’t allow them to drink water.
Discovering that many of those who drank coffee yet began to show symptoms of fever, Stefania decided not to eat any liquid food and said about this to Natasha, Anna and Margo.
But in spite of such stringent precautions, one day after returning from work, Stefania saw her drooping Anna.
- What is with you, Anna?
- I don’t know. I have a headache and I am very cold.
- Let me check the temperature - Stefania put her hand to her forehead.
- No, I'm cold - Anna argued.
- And so no less, you have a fever.
- She feels herself bad all day, she had a stomachache – Margo said sadly.
- So, tomorrow do not eat anything - just coffee - Stefania ordered, turning to Anna.
The morning brought no relief to Anna, but what was really regrettable, all the symptom her sister Margo had.
Stefania was very worried.
There was no anyone to advice.;The doctor who would advise in this situation unfortunately has been transferred to another unit.
And although the girls went to work in such a state, it was quite obvious that the disease was progressing.
By evening Anna had a fever, and Margo squirmed at all from the wild abdominal pain.
Stefania was rushing from one to the other and put them compresses to the forehead.
She understood well that there was nothing good in their case, but still hoped for a miracle.
When a few days later, Anna was really bad, and Margo and lost consciousness from pain in the abdomen, and Natasha was ill, Stefania begged nurses to put them to the infirmary.
Of course they referred to the fact that the hospital was overloaded with patients, but still in the end they took the girls.
Every morning nurses came to check into all the barracks and have carried out dozens of corpses, and by December hundreds and more.
The epidemic was growing in the progression and reached the point of no return.
Everybody got sick even the camp staff.
It was a terrible pestilence.
Stefania could not visit her friends in the hospital, nobody was allowed to go there, and no one gave information. Therefore she did not know how Anna, Margo and Natasha were.
In February 1945 the epidemic was not quite controlled.
Stefania still only drank coffee and ate a piece of bread from time to time.
She was so emaciated and exhausted that she barely moved and even tottered on the wind.
It was difficult to speak and almost no one.
There were condemned and almost immobilized patients around.
Barracks were more and more becoming like barrack-ghosts where was only the death.
With the beginning of spring, in early March, Stefania could not get out of bed.
It was absolutely no one to care.
She lost her strength.
Sometimes she was completely sinking into the unconscious state, and coming out of it she thought that «it would be better not come out! What she was going through, as well as those who are yet alive - it is beyond human capabilities!»
Since that time Stefania could no longer recognize where was reality and where delirium.
She flew away and swam among the yellow autumn leaves, then suddenly found out people who whispered something over her and then moved her, did something with her body parts, then suddenly again sharply she fell in some funnel and rushed, rushed to a nausea, circling in this infernal drum, and again someone's face was looking straight into her eyes, touching them with his fingers.
Sometimes she was able to catch her thought, «Well, enough already! Enough! I cannot! I do not wa-a-ant!!!»
- What is here? – a strict elderly man in a white coat was standing near the bed of the patient.
- Severe exhaustion ... She almost doesn’t come to life for five days - the young doctor said, adding - and no name, no last name ... Who is she?
- Yes, in spite of all our efforts, since the release of prisoners, so many of them cannot be saved. They are too weak. And this one is just like a baby ...No - he shook his head - not the tenant!
- Professor, I think that her body is still struggling, do not giving up, maybe it can cope!
- Let's see ... we'll see ...
Professor went slowly toward the exit.
He took off his coat and went out into the street.
The April breeze blew on him with its freshness.
«Life goes on!» - he thought.
Over the infirmary the British flag was waving.
Chapter 13
The rescue
The car drove and sharply braked at the entrance to the infirmary, and a tall young man in the Polish army uniform jumped from it.
- Please, tell me - he said to the professor standing at the threshold – from whom I can find out the information about the former prisoner of the camp?
- Go inside – the professor pointed to the door.
- Thank you - the man shouted.
He went to the first door and saw a great number of beds with immobile patients.
- You are not allowed to go there! - seeing the military the doctor said strictly.
- I'm looking for…;The doctor did not let him finish:
- You need the permission from doctors.
- Look, I have five days .. all the hospitals ... But what do you know!
Without waiting for permission from the doctors, and even not looking for them, the guy began to approach beds and look at people's faces. Going round the whole room, he left and went to another. The third ... fourth ....
Finally he saw a patient who was able to answer the questions, and even the doctors were not against:
- Please, do you know such a girl – her name is Stefania?
- No, I have never heard such a name - an elderly, severely emaciated woman who sat on her bed with lifeless legs,said.
- Who else can I ask? – the question has been sent simply nowhere by a desperate guy - since the liberation of the camp I am looking for her, I have already watched all hospitals.
- So maybe she is not alive anymore! – a woman said in a low voice.
- No! I know, I feel that she is alive. I have to find her ... I will find her.
- And how does she look?
- She's very beautiful. She has gorgeous red hair. Not high. Thin.
- We all were beautiful ... How long you have not you seen her?
- Four years.
- Yes - woman sighed.
- And did you look at the second floor? There's some nameless, I was let down only here today, and I was lying next to her. She’s red-haired ... But, really, she is just a child, it seems ...
Suddenly there was a car alarm.
The guy got nervous:
- It's me. The British gave me the car for help and already it’s time to run out.
He went to the window, leaned out and shouted:
- Five more minutes.
And then, without another word, the guy grabbed the woman in his arms and with quick jumps suddenly found himself on the second floor:
- Where to go?
- There -woman motioned.
He quickly went to the side of the chamber to which he was pointed.
The door was slightly ajar.
He opened it with his elbow and saw a huge square of beds, and there were groaning in pain, either totally immovable patients.
At first he was stunned.
It was more like a mortuary than a hospital ward.
Distorted face that did not respond to anything.
Finally, having come to himself, he said:
- Where?
- Over there.
Making his way through the ranks he only thought: «Sara, I'm here, I know it's you I am running to you!»
After a moment his eyes frantically searched the features of similarity with his Sara.
He looked at the skeleton with a skin, and could not get over it, still holding in his hands a woman, about which he even forgot.
Just he stood there, hold, and his eyes like a magnet were confined to the human likeness on the bed ...
But the heart pounded as could only knock the heart of a man who found his love.
At this point the doctor with a medical orderly approached to him.
His hands were free.
He did not hear loud reprimands of the doctor, he only heard the quiet beating of the human heart which was the dearest to him in the whole world.
- Arthur! – Stefa whispered almost silently, opening her eyes a little – Did I die?
- Sara! - tears of joy and happiness were running down his cheeks - No, darling! You only start to live!
- What does it mean?
- This means - the end of the war!
The whole world suddenly began to play by rainbow colors, disturbing each chord of their souls.
The next moment Arthur was already going down the stairs to the car with Sara in his arms.
With his greatest treasure.
British doctors and endless love played their role - Sara quickly got better.
Arthur was constantly beside.
They told each other about those years of separation and how they lived ...
Sara learned that Arthur managed to escape from the camp and he went to the Polish army.
He doughtily fought against the fascists.
When Bergen Belzen was commissioned by the British troops, Arthur found on lists that Stefania was in that camp.
At his request he was given the car to search for his wife.
And here is the happiness – out of thousands of possible life turns of fate, that happened of whom four long and terrible years, they dreamed of!
The two halves of the newly found each other!
«The love destroys the death and turns it into an empty ghost, she draws the life out of nonsense into something meaningful, out of unhappiness makes happiness»
L. N. Tolstoy
The conclusion.
«There is only one undeniable happiness in life - to live for another»
N. G. Chernyshevsky
Stefania and Arthur lived a long and happy life, giving birth to fine sons.
In 1984, Arthur didn’t survive the heart surgery.
But he remained forever in the hearts of his wife and sons.
He knew the camp trials but managed to escape, served in the Polish army where he fought with the Nazis to the Victory.
Sara's brother, Boris just fought bravely against the Nazis, having passed through the war and reaching Berlin.
He was searching for his sister Sara for many years and found her on the red cross in 1970.
Boris died in 2010 in New York, although the main piece of a life he lived in Moscow.
Philip Helbling, Arthur’s brother, passed with honor and valor the whole war, fought against the Nazis, he liberated Auschwitz.
Now Stefania Helbling is living in America, Florida.
She is already 92 years old, but she is still very elegant and attractive woman.
Her sons, Eddie, Mark and Ervin and grandchildren live with her.
Stefania has a large and friendly family.
The message to mankind
People, take care of each other!
Do not waste your precious time on the insults and evil, give the world your love!
And this love will always come back to you!
Yours Elena Fishtik.