Feeding the Enemy

by J. R. Sharp

  Gino agreed to let them know ahead of time when he was coming to visit but he wouldn’t know the next time he could make it until he figures out what he would be doing in Rome.

  “It’s time we all go to bed so Gino and Catherina can spend some time by themselves,” remarked Pietro. Anna walked over to Gino and Catherina and kissed them both as she made her way to their bedroom. Bruno excused himself as he exited to his room in the back of the main house. Catherina picked up Maria and led Gino to the bedroom that would be their sanctuary for the unforeseeable future.

  Chapter 8

  AUCTION HOUSE

  IN LATE SUMMER 1941, the Axis controlled most of Europe, with the exception of some neutral countries, and Germany shifted its attention from England and invaded Russia with the help of Italy. Mussolini sent troops there to support Hitler’s efforts and at the same time established the Italian 8th Army. There were still Italian troops in Africa, Albania, and Greece; Italy had surrender what was left of its army in Ethiopia. The country was starting to question what Mussolini was doing and if Germany was really the ally or the enemy. Stories of German atrocities, systematic euthanasia of the mentally ill and handicapped, and the elimination of the Jews were starting to become more of a reality to the people of Italy rather than just rumors. None of these actions sat well in a country that was mostly Roman Catholic.

  Pietro was patiently waiting for the auction house to open its gates so he could bring in his crops with his horse and carriage. This was his fourth and last trip to the auction house; he so wanted a tractor but it would have to wait until after this war. With this last load Pietro made his crop goal, and Gregory again made his goal with some help from Pietro. The weather was very pleasant, which made the ride out to Cimpello less of a burden on Pietro and his last remaining horse.

  Bruno usually came with him, but Pietro didn’t want him to be exposed to the likes of Francisco and the other Fascist goons. Bruno would load the cart before his father left the farm, which meant that Pietro would have to unload at the auction house. He usually would get another person to help him unload after the crop was inspected and weighed. As Pietro was waiting for the gates to open, he was thinking about this year’s crops and what had happened over the summer. Francisco and his goons didn’t come out like he thought they would have back in the spring, although Pietro saw them driving by the farm many times. It was during these times that everyone at the farm practiced what they would do if the Italian Fascists or Germans stopped to search the farm.

  The silk factory was turning out more uniforms for the soldiers, which meant they needed more workers, so Anna and Catherina were able to get some extra work while the children were in school. Bruno was the same but seemed to be stronger on the hotter days than the colder ones. The railroad would be calling for workers soon, so he would be gone most of the winter until the spring. Gino was able to visit two more times, but both again for only one day, which meant he needed to get back to Rome without being detected.

  Pietro finally received a letter from Chester who was now somewhere in Egypt fighting. His unit was moved out of Ethiopia before the Italians surrendered. The letter made Anna very happy that he was alive, but she was still very concerned about him, which always made her very sad.

  Pietro could finally see some movement on the other side of the gates. Since they put the walls up a couple of years ago, you couldn’t see inside anymore. As the gates opened up, Pietro delivered his crops for the last time that year. Fascist supporters and the occasional German soldier had replaced almost all the locals that worked at the auction house. Today was no different, except Pietro could see that Francisco’s car was parked near the office building of the auction house. He had some Germans with him doing some type of inspections. As Pietro made his way to the weight and inspection station, he moved his hat down so he wouldn’t be recognized. The inspector was looking over the crops on the cart.

  “Name of the farm?”

  “The Zucchet farm. This is the fourth and last load,” replied Pietro.

  The inspector wrote something down and instructed Pietro to the unloading area. After unloading all of the corn, Pietro made his way back to the weigh station. The inspector went towards the office building.

  “Hey, where are you going? Just take my weight so I can get going,” yelled Pietro. The inspector just kept walking towards the office. As Pietro waited for the inspector to return, he couldn’t help but feel that something wasn’t right. After about ten minutes the door opened and out came Major Klein, Francisco, and the inspector. Pietro smiled, trying to look relaxed. He didn’t know what they wanted, but he would be pleasant to them, knowing how cruel they could be to the farmers.

  “Mr. Zucchet, congratulations on making your goal this year,” remarked Major Klein. All three were smiling.

  “Thank you, Major, it is good to see you again,” answered Pietro in German.

  “So how is the family doing?” asked Major Klein.

  “They are doing fine, Major, thank you for asking,” answered Pietro. “I have something for you, Major,” Pietro said.

  “For me? What could you have for me?” remarked the major. Pietro reached below his knees and into a wooden box that carried spare cart parts and tools. He pulled out a small potato sack and handed it to Major Klein.

  “What is this, Mr. Zucchet?” asked Major Klein. Francisco was trying to see what was in the bag but was blocked by the major’s broad shoulders.

  “It is the hazelnuts you requested during the spring, Major,” answered Pietro. “I would give them another couple of weeks to dry out, but then they should be good to eat.” The major looked inside of the bag and then he turned to Francisco with a big smile.

  “You remembered the hazelnuts, Mr. Zucchet. That’s very nice of you.”

  “No problem, Major,” answered Pietro. What Major Klein didn’t know is that Anna always put a bag of hazelnuts in the cart for Pietro to eat during his trips to the Cimpello. Pietro enjoyed the nuts with a glass of wine and he usually shared them with some friends.

  The major handed the bag to Francisco and started looking at the cart and horse. “So how long have you had this cart and horse?” Major Klein asked.

  “Well I would say about ten years; it is very reliable. The horse is about the same age.”

  The major nodded while he was inspecting the cart and looking at the horse’s legs. “It is a very nice horse, Mr. Zucchet. Do you use it to plow as well?”

  “Yes, and other choirs around the farm as well,” answered Pietro.

  The crop inspector wrote down some numbers on a receipt and handed it to Pietro and then patiently waited for the major to tell him he could go on his way. The receipt was the most important paper that Pietro would hold all year. He would take it to the bank and get paid for all his hard work. The money would have to last until the next planting season.

  Major Klein walked over to Francisco and put his arm around his shoulder as he guided him towards the office, talking to him about other issues that concerned the Germans. The inspector gave Pietro a wave, signaling he could leave.

  Pietro handed his four receipts to the bank clerk; most farmers didn’t really know the going prices until this point. As Pietro waited, he decided to look around the bank to see if knew anyone. He was shocked that he didn’t recognize a single person. The Fascists have totally taken over the whole banking industry, he thought. The clerk handed him his deposit slip, which included all of the expenses that the government took out. Pietro looked over the deposit slip and couldn’t believe that he made about 25 percent less than he did the previous year, even though he delivered more crops. He moved over to the side to inspect the deposit slip and noticed that the government had taken out some money for the extra seed he had thought was free and it imposed a tax. Pietro had been a farmer his whole life and never saw this before, so went back to the clerk.

  “Excuse me, but what is the Horticulture Science Advisor tax?”

  “That is the new tax for Maj
or Klein’s advance horticulture education and advice to all the farmers on how to better produce crops and livestock.”

  Pietro knew that he couldn’t fight this new tax without some type of pain coming down on his farm, so he thanked the clerk and left the bank.

  ***

  Pietro told Anna the bad news about the money. They would have to really tighten their belts. The good news was that all of their hidden pots were full of food and should last them until the spring. He was also able to barter more sausage and cheeses with the extra corn that he grew on his extra parcel of land. Anna hung most of the sausage in the attic behind a false wall that Bruno had made the previous year. They would always leave some sausage and cheese in the kitchen in case the farm was raided, and at least there was something that could be taken by the Germans or Fascist supporters. Pietro worried something was amiss because Major Klein or Francisco had not visited the farm in a long time. They may be planning a big raid, he thought.

  Pietro and Bruno were sitting in their normal places out front having a smoke waiting for Anna to bring them their afternoon coffee.

  “When are we going to turn the soil and prep the fields?” asked Bruno.

  “It will probably be the next time it rains. I think next week it will rain, so you need to make sure all the equipment is good to go,” replied Pietro.

  Bruno always wondered how his father could predict the weather. He was very good at it but he did get it wrong some of the time.

  Anna came out and served her husband and son coffee. She looked down the road towards town.

  “Is that dust coming from the road?” asked Anna. Before Pietro could say anything both Anna and Bruno were already heading into the house. Bruno knew that he was supposed to help Anna get the children in their positions and then go to his room in the back of the farm. Anna had already called out to Catherina to gather up the children so they could take their positions on the steps. Bruno was heading upstairs to make sure his grandmother was awake. Valerie, Valasco, and Maria were already in their positions. Bruno went to his room on the backside of the farmhouse.

  Pietro watched the smoke turn into dust as the cars and trucks rolled towards his farm. He could see Major Klein’s car leading the way and behind his car was a troop transport truck. As they made their way down the main road, Anna yelled out to Pietro that they were all ready for the visitors. This could be another rehearsal, thought Pietro, but this time he felt that they were going to make a left onto his farm.

  Pietro put his best smile on and started to wave at Major Klein’s car, which started to slow and make the left into his rocky driveway. Pietro stopped waving and put his hands into his pockets, this was the signal to Anna that they were getting visitors. Catherina immediately went into the kitchen to get refreshments ready, but she would wait until her father made the request for her to come out.

  Major Klein’s car came to a stop near the front door of the main house and Francisco was sitting next to him. The troop transport stopped just behind the car and Pietro could see that there were four German soldiers getting out of the back. Pietro took his hands out of his pockets and put his right hand behind his back with his ring finger extended out. Anna saw the signal to bring out the refreshments and gestured Catherina to make her way out to the driveway with the tray of goods.

  “So, what brings you all the way out here, Major Klein?” asked Pietro in German. Major Klein made a hand gesture for them to sit down next to each other on the front porch. They both sat.

  “Mr. Zucchet, you had a great growing season, in fact, it was the best in the region. I came here to congratulate you on your success.” Just as the major was talking out came Catherina with the refreshments.

  “Would you like something to drink or eat, Major?” asked Pietro. The major looked at the refreshments and declined, but Francisco who had made his way to the front of the car gestured Catherina over so he could take some wine and fruit. Pietro noticed that two of the soldiers were going into the house, while one was going to the hazelnut trees, and the last soldier was headed towards the barn.

  “Mr. Zucchet, I wanted to thank you for the nuts you gave me and would like to take some more, if that is alright with you?”

  “Take as many as you would like, Major,” replied Pietro.

  Inside the house, the soldiers searched, moving furniture, baskets, and anything that wasn’t nailed down. When they reached the second floor they even checked under the mattress of Pietro’s mother’s bed, which required that his mother be removed. This was a large task for Anna to get his mother out of the way, but she did as she was requested for fear of repercussions. The third floor was the attic and they quickly looked around and took the couple of meat and cheeses that Pietro purposely left. As the soldiers made their way back to the first floor, they passed the three children sitting on the steps, none the wiser of what was hidden under their young bodies and the steps. Each step had a removable top that covered the perfect hiding place for the family’s coin, food, and other needed valuables. The last place the soldiers always go to on their way out was the kitchen. They never leave the house without taking something from the kitchen and today would not be any different. All the wine, bread, cheese, and vegetables were confiscated, with nothing left for the family except some scraps. Anna was upset and was asking them to leave some food, but the soldiers ignored her comments because they did not speak the language and didn’t really care about what she was saying. As the soldiers made their way out of the house carrying their stolen goods, Francisco stopped talking to Catherina. As the two soldiers made their way to the back of the troop transport, they dropped off all the goods into Major Klein’s car. Francisco looked to see what the soldiers had taken.

  Francisco ignored Catherina, walking past her as if she was invisible. As Francisco approached the main house, two soldiers were bringing Bruno by force to the cars. He wasn’t resisting, but he also wasn’t coming willingly. Pietro tried to defuse the situation.

  “Major Klein, you remember my son Bruno. He helps me on the farm during the planting season and then works for the state during the winter on the railroad station.”

  “Yes, I remember him. What was he doing in the back of the farmhouse?”

  “That is where his bedroom is located, Major. He doesn’t sleep in the main house because we don’t have the room,” replied Pietro.

  The soldiers approached Major Klein and one of them handed him a piece of paper with a list written on it.

  “How many horses do they have?”

  “Just one,” Pietro replied. “The one you saw when I delivered the crops to town.”

  As the Major looked over the list one more time, Pietro noticed that it was an inventory of what was in the barn. The soldiers even counted the chickens. The major finished his wine, handed the list to Francisco, and then asked Pietro, “How do you think this planting season will be compared to last year, Mr. Zucchet? “

  “Well, Major, that depends on the weather. If the winter is not so bad then we will have a good planting season. If the weather is very cold and we don’t get the rains, then it will be a tough planting season. We are at the mercy of Mother Nature I am afraid.”

  “Hmm, I see. You will get your supply of seed in the spring as usual and don’t forget the goal we sent for your farm,” replied the major.

  “Yes, Major,” replied Pietro.

  Both of the vehicles worked their way out of the driveway. Pietro looked at Bruno.

  “Start the fire and let the other farmers know that the Germans are coming.”

  Bruno reached into his pocket for matches and as soon as they were out of sight, he lit the patch of dried grass in the field that was already set up for the signal.

  Chapter 9

  LOOKING FOR JEWS

  THE WINTER OF 1941-42 was the coldest European winter of the 20th century. The temperature was much below normal from the beginning of January until the end of March. It was also during this period Europe saw a noticeable shift in the domina
nce of the Axis Powers. The war in Russia was not going as planned due to Germany’s and Italy’s lack of proper clothing. Their equipment also malfunctioned due to the snow and extreme cold. The inadequate clothing was due to the German and Italian High Command being convinced that the war would end before the arrival of winter.

  Pietro was sitting in his kitchen drinking a glass a wine and thinking to himself, This time of year I should be outside but it is too cold. Anna was doing the dishes from dinner and they were alone for the first time in a while.

  “Anna, we have been farming our whole lives. Do you remember a winter as cold as this one?” asked Pietro.

  “No, Pietro, this is the coldest one so far and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

  Anna and Pietro knew that they had just about used up all of their hidden resources, but they still had plenty of coin left. He knew he couldn’t use the coin locally because Francisco would find out. So, he usually sent Bruno out to the surrounding towns for supplies. But Bruno had been gone since November working the railroad job, and Catharine was working at the silk factory making uniforms at night. Anna was busy as well during the day taking care of Maria and the normal farm choirs. So Pietro would go in the next couple of days for the needed supplies. The horse needed some exercise, so the trip would be good. Besides, he could find out what was really going on in the war. Pietro had heard that America had joined the war and that Russians were winning against the Germans and Italians.

  “I will leave this weekend to go get supplies and be back before Monday,” Pietro told his wife. Anna finished her last dish and turned around while drying her hands with a dish towel.