by Mary Wood
‘We are sending you to Tehran, initially. We have a training school there, dedicated to polishing our chosen Russian-speaking agents. After that, we want you to contact Mihaylov and ask him to give you a home for a few months. Tell him you are going through a traumatic time and need to get away. You have made it to England and have been working as an interpreter in the Foreign Office. Say that you are on a sabbatical for health reasons, and that you wanted to go back to Russia, where you feel you can recuperate.’
‘I can make Vlady believe that. He knows that I would choose to go there, as I have often expressed my love of the country, when with him. There is something about Russia that always relaxes me. It is like the next best thing to home, to me. Also, he and my other Russian friends know nothing about my marriage as of yet.’
‘That is excellent. But I hope you feeling at home there hasn’t given you a feeling of allegiance to the Russians?’
‘No, of course not. It is just the place itself and the people, not the politics. Politically the Russians have often been at odds with, and aggressive towards, Poland. I hate it that they have invaded my country once again. But Vlady will know that even though this will have hurt me, I would still want to go to Russia. He knows that Poland is my first and real home. He often says I am a lost soul, but he knows where my allegiance lies. He will be glad that I got out, and will understand why. But how will I explain that I am able to work in Britain, and in such a high position?’
‘War makes for strange buddies. We have a pact with your country that is so strong that we have entered a war because of it. Therefore we’re going to welcome refugees and make use of them, if we can. You have language skills that we need. Besides, just as you are shocked at him being a secret agent, he would not be able to think of you as one. He is more likely to think of you as naive in going to his country at such a time, despite your love of it, and he will possibly try and manipulate you into becoming an agent for them. He will play on your vulnerability. You will say that the reason you are unwell is that you had a nervous breakdown, brought on by all that is happening. You will tell him of your marriage, but that your wife went back to her family in Poland, and that your family has already left for America. You won’t name her as Elka, and he won’t guess, as he still believes she is your cousin.’
Once more Jhona was shocked. How does the colonel know about my own and Elka’s background? Choosing not to pursue this, he sought to change the subject. ‘What do I tell my family?’
‘Just that you have been deployed. What do they know about what you are doing?’
‘Nothing. As you have just said, my own family has left for America. My wife’s parents are both war veterans and think I am in training for a job at the Foreign Office and that my wife – their daughter – has gone to France to set up communication facilities, after her training in that field.’
‘Yes. We know all about your in-laws. You should be proud to be associated with the Pevensys. They will pose us no problems; they know the way of it. Your father-in-law is an exceptional inventor. His work is much talked about at the moment, and some items are already in use. Well, Jhona, have you any problems with everything we have discussed?’
‘Yes, a great many problems, but you already know about them. If I do go ahead, what about my identity? If I am to go to my friend as myself, it may be difficult. The Jews are having a hard time in Russia.’
‘You will be given a new cover and everything you need, as you would expect. Once you are fully trained and equipped, you will send a letter from here to Vlady before you leave. In it you will tell him that you have to travel under a different guise, as you are afraid to be exposed as a Jew. And that you have paid for false papers.’
‘I’m still not sure. Vlady can be very astute, and may hoodwink me and all his friends. He will suspect something, if I go from working in the Foreign office in Britain to wanting to spend time with a Russian agent. It smacks of coincidence and is highly suspect.’
The colonel stood up and turned his back to Jhona to look out of the window of his office. His view, Jhona knew, would take in the magnificent buildings of Whitehall, which dominated the corner of Whitehall Place. The area fascinated Jhona. In the lonely days since Elka had left, he’d explored it alone. Within a very short distance of the War Office he’d found Big Ben and London Bridge, Westminster Abbey and, above all, Buckingham Palace.
As he’d stood at the railings gazing at the magnificent palace, a car had driven from the back through an archway. The King and Queen and the two princesses had been sitting inside it. Princess Elizabeth, quite the young lady, had looked directly at him as the car had passed by. She’d smiled. Well, it was more of a grin really, and he’d felt proud that he, a foreign national, was serving her family. It was a strange feeling, but the moment had suddenly given a purpose to what he was doing. Yes, the ultimate goal was freedom for his own country, but to do that in allegiance with that young princess’s country had become very special to him at that moment.
‘You’re right. We need a convincing angle to make sure Vladislav is taken in.’
‘What will be my ultimate goal? I know you need information, but what exactly?’
‘We believe there are double agents here. We also believe that young men are being recruited to become Russian agents and yet work in our country – British men in our universities, those with communist and socialist leanings. We want to know who they are. We also need to learn Russia’s real military intentions.’
‘And you think I can get this information?’ Jhona had never seen himself as a spy. He couldn’t imagine how he could be of use. How did one go about obtaining secrets? He was a jeweller – a Jewish jeweller. He made and designed jewellery, for heaven’s sake! Nothing more, nothing less.
‘Your new identity will be the key. You will tell Vladislav that it cost you an arm and a leg to set it up, but that there are people in Britain from many countries, and some of them are making their money by forging documents and precipitating the movement of displaced persons. You will tell him that you are doing this because you want to hide the fact that you are a Jew. You will tell him you have a new name and a passport that makes you a citizen of the Ukraine.’
‘I don’t understand. Why the Ukraine?’
‘Because it will give you better access to Russia. Many Ukrainians are seeking to help Russia. You will tell your friend that it is the reason you chose that country, when seeking a new identity. This work will ultimately help us to save your country. Russia is a force to be reckoned with. We need the Russians on our side, not out there alone, grabbing what they can for themselves. It will take the world to stand together to beat Hitler. Yes, Hitler has made a pact with Stalin, but Hitler is not to be trusted. When Stalin comes to realize that, we want him on our side. In the meantime we need to know what he is up to.’
A trickle of apprehension ran along the length of Jhona’s spine. At the mention of such powerful names as Hitler and Stalin, the reality of what was expected of him hit home. This wasn’t a trip to visit a friend to see what intelligence he could pick up on the off-chance; this was part of something much bigger. ‘You want me to become a double agent, don’t you? That is what this is all about. I – I’m not up to it. Not brave enough. I’m sorry.’
‘No man knows what he is capable of achieving until he is tested. The recent training you completed with your wife assessed you on many things that you didn’t realize you were being assessed on. You were tested much more extensively than your wife. Once we knew your Russian connections, we went into overdrive to check if you were of the right calibre. You are. Make no mistake about it, Jhona – you are what we are looking for and what we need. We can teach you everything you need to know in our training camp in Tehran, though there are very few gaps in your knowledge now. You are perfect for the position: a Polish Jew who has chosen to take on a citizenship that is still acceptable to the Russians. Who is going to suspect that you are a British agent? You aren’t even a British citizen.’
‘And my wife? What will I tell her?’
‘Nothing. You will be gone before she returns. We will tell her you have gone on a mission. To all intents and purposes, that mission is a long and secret one. She will be kept busy on missions herself. From now, until the end of the war, you will have no contact with your wife or any of your family. Not even when you are in this country.’
Jhona knew that his mouth had opened to speak words of protest, but none came. His heart had dropped as if it was a concrete block. His mind wouldn’t comprehend what he’d just been told. He couldn’t see Elka? Or talk to her, or write to her. No! ‘No!’ The word was out before he could stop it. But now that it was, he knew it to be a truth. ‘I can’t agree to that. I won’t do any of this unless there is a way that Elka and I can receive news of each other. It is barbaric to expect anything less of a husband and wife. As it is, it is cutting me in two being apart from her. I won’t do it.’
The silence wasn’t comfortable and lasted for a few minutes. The colonel sat down again and clasped his hands together, leaving his two index fingers standing, as if making a church and steeple in the way children do. Leaning his chin on them, he stared intently at Jhona, increasing the uncomfortable feeling running down Jhona’s spine.
‘Very well. There are two schools of thought concerning how our agents conduct their private lives. One is that they should carry on a normal life, on the face of things. But they are usually the ones who remain in this country and work in a government office, passing secrets that they are specifically tasked to pass on. When an agent leaves these shores, it is very complicated. He has to be seen to be leaving his old life behind. No ties. Families can be in extreme danger, if an agent falls out of favour. Their torture can be a bargaining tool used against the agent, to make him talk and tell real secrets and to expose other agents.’
Jhona hadn’t thought of that. He could cut the ties with his own family, as long as they were informed that he was doing war work and would be out of contact; but not with Elka. Never with her. On the other hand, would he want her to be in danger? He knew he wouldn’t. The colonel stood again, and this time his action was dismissive rather than contemplative.
‘I think I need to consult on this one. In the meantime you will be prepared for your mission. Instructions will come about where to attend. Information will be given to you for you to include in the letter to your friend, Vladislav. Something will be sorted out so that you are able to cope emotionally. This is essential, because we need you. We have none better. No one has your connections and your command of the language, let alone first-hand knowledge of Russia. Absorb what you have been told and come to some conclusions yourself, for time is of the essence.’
Jhona stood, clipped his heels and saluted. The colonel did the same. The gesture touched Jhona. It cemented the fact that he really was important to the British Army, and to Britain itself, and in being so, he knew he could achieve his ultimate goal – to be useful to his own people.
There was little change in the colonel’s directive when it was given to Jhona a couple of days later. He must write a letter before he left, which would be given to Elka. He wasn’t allowed to include any details about the job to which he’d been assigned – only that he was going on a mission that might take him away for a long period of time. The colonel added a note saying that he was sorry:
Regarding our chat: I cannot break the rules, because Elka’s safety is paramount.
If the mission Elka is undertaking is a success, she will be called upon to make many more. And so, like thousands of other couples, you will be apart, whatever you choose to do. War brings its own sacrifices.
The only thing that I can promise you, Jhona, is that I will let Elka know that you are all right. As I will let you know about her. And I will inform each of you if the other falls into mishap.
I am sure that Elka will understand, as she herself is restricted and cannot write to you. If it is at all within the realms of possibility – if there is an occasion when you’re both back in Britain – then I will try to accommodate you meeting each other. But I cannot guarantee that.
Therefore if you decide to take on this assignment, you have to decide whether you can do so knowing that you will have little or no contact with your wife or your family, and whether this is a sacrifice you can make.
You will be making that sacrifice for your country, Poland, and for Britain, which is trying to support your country; and, most of all, for your wife’s safety. Bear in mind that it is likely you will be called upon to make this sacrifice for the duration of the war.
Please inform me of your decision by tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Colonel Wright
The last paragraph really pulled on Jhona’s conscience. Part of him wished that he and Elka had never come to Britain. If they hadn’t, then they wouldn’t have been involved in the war in this way, but would more than likely have joined a Resistance movement and worked together.
Looking out of the window of the sitting room in which he and Elka had spent so little time, he gazed over Holland Park. The day was a pleasant one. A crisp late-winter sun shone down, giving a pleasantly warm feel, but remnants of frost still clung to the foliage.
Jhona’s sigh held resignation. He could do nothing but accept the assignment. Oh, Elka, my Elka. When will we be together again?
But with this thought came another. He couldn’t leave her without hope. He sat down to write the official letter. Placing that in an envelope, he then penned another. This one he placed inside the pocket of her favourite coat.
19
Elka
Zakopane, Tatra Mountains, Late March 1940 – Revelations Cause Pain
On her third day in Zakopane, Elka rose, intent on making sure the group moved today. Much was in place already. Everyone had learned their new code-names, and had taken on board what they must do to become an elite unit worthy of receiving instructions from London and passing back vital information to the intelligence core there. In turn, they would receive help in the way of equipment and ammunition.
When Elka entered the living room of the chalet, Baruch was waiting for her. The look on his face told her something was wrong. ‘Elka, I have much to tell you that is horrific.’
Her stiff, cold limbs prevented Elka from answering Baruch. His tone worried her. Somehow she’d known there was more for her to learn. Please God, don’t let it be about Ania.
She rubbed her limbs vigorously, before straightening and zipping up her thick, padded ski suit and moving nearer to the fire. Baruch handed her a mug of cocoa. The steam warmed her nose as she lifted it to her lips. The cocoa and the sweet smell of the pine logs sending sparks up the chimney reminded her of her childhood. Through the window next to the fireplace she could see that a fresh layer of snow had fallen during the night.
‘What is it, Baruch? Not Ania? Have you had a message?’
‘Yes, it is about Ania. But no, I haven’t had a message. It is knowledge I already have, but I couldn’t give to you straight away. You had so much information for me. But now that you are settled in and rested, and all that is left for us to do is move camp, I have to tell you.’
‘You said she was all right. You said—’
‘I know. I’m sorry. As far as we know, she isn’t under suspicion, but . . . She – she’s been treated badly by all.’
‘What do you mean? Tell me.’
‘She was raped.’
‘No! No . . . Oh, Ania.’
Elka moved away from the fire. Her sagging body made it to the table and sank into a chair. Baruch sat down on the other side of the table and buried his head in his arms. The brown-gold curls of his long hair cascaded over his hands.
‘When did this happen? Is she okay?’
‘It happened at the very beginning.’
Elka sat listening to how Ania was brutally raped, as Petra lay dying from gunshot wounds.
‘But she didn’t say anything in her letter!’
‘She doesn’t know that I know. My contact overheard a German soldier boasting about it in a bar.’
‘Couldn’t you have got her out, Baruch? You got out – how could you have left her there?’
‘It was a perfect plan. When Petra told you of your real birth and provided you both with papers, you were ideal for the job of infiltrating the Nazi regime’s operation here. Your knowledge of languages was particularly useful. You chose to leave. Ania didn’t – she wanted to do this. She has courage, and we had no choice but to use that courage. If our Freedom Army is to have any chance of succeeding, it needs intelligence. Do you think I would use my wife in this way – the woman I love beyond anything – if there was any other way?’
His outburst threw Elka. It made her sound like a coward. Shame prickled her conscience.
‘Baruch, we made choices. You are right – in choosing her path Ania showed great strength. You have shown that same courage and strength. But I am back. There are few who could accomplish what I have taken on. I did not flinch from the task and have brought information for you from the outside world – information that will help your army and enthuse and lift the Polish people. Jhona, too, is preparing for clandestine work. I don’t know the nature of it, but there is already an indication that he will be used in the near future.’
‘I know. Forgive me. I’m sorry, Elka. I’m just so very worried about Ania.’
‘I wanted to get her out. They stopped me.’
‘I know, you told me. And your plan was a good one. I wanted that for my Ania. The news that has filtered out about her health is not good. It is gnawing away at me and breaking my heart.’
Elka didn’t know where she found the strength, but she crossed the room and put her arm around Baruch. ‘Ania will survive this, and then we will help her to forget. You must get another contact back into Krakow, and you need one in Warsaw, too. We have to make sure the leaflets that Paul is preparing for us are distributed. Our people need news of the outside world.’