In Their Mother's Footsteps

by Mary Wood

  She’d absorbed the intelligence that she was to impart, such as where supplies would be dropped, new radio codes to use and how messages would be relayed over the BBC World Service, and the encouraging propaganda, which would need to be printed and distributed throughout Poland. Most of the latter was far from the truth.

  The news wasn’t as good as the leaflets said it was. It didn’t tell of the Allied forces having been driven back. Nor could she add what she now knew: that in the last few days there had been a defeat and terrible loss of life, whilst a mass evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk had taken place.

  The news from Dunkirk renewed her fear that Germany would succeed in taking control of France, and that could only mean that Britain would be next. When she’d first heard the news of the defeat of the Allied troops, it had felt as if their efforts were falling into an abyss of hopelessness. But then yesterday they had managed to tune into the BBC and had listened to Churchill’s rousing speech. He said that Britain would never surrender, and her spirits had lifted again, helping her to accept her own and Jhona’s sacrifice.

  One thing Elka was determined about was that she would see Ania on this trip. She would try and take her sister home with her, but if that wasn’t possible – and she had to admit nothing was in place to make it so – then nothing short of seeing her would do. She had given Baruch an ultimatum: help her to see Ania or she would go into Poland on her own, and he’d have to kidnap her to stop her. She had decided she would begin the journey today.

  She shivered as a chilly mountain wind blew around her. The camp was sparse in the extreme. They were housed in caves, because erecting any form of shelter would be too risky and would be seen from the air. Knowing that if she was to make the journey to Poland she would have to be prepared, she had packed extra items of clothing, as she couldn’t travel in mountain gear. But dressed in them now – a twinset in pale blue, topping a navy skirt with a panel that fitted snuggly to hip length and then flowed into a flare that reached her calves – she found they were no match for the thin air at this altitude. Not even donning the jacket that had been a last-minute add-on helped to warm her. But then her worry was partly to blame for her coldness. What will Ania look like? What has she suffered? Will my beloved Poland lie in ruins? These and many other questions formed in her mind, making her feel an anxiety that almost undid her resolve.

  The first part of her journey was to be by truck, travelling further down the precarious mountain pass. Then she was to take a track used mainly by shepherds, their herds and their beautiful, intelligent, white-as-snow Tatra sheepdogs. Once as far down as Zakopane, she would be able to relax and move around normally, as the risk of being questioned would be far less than if she was apprehended on the mountainside. From Zakopane she hoped to catch a train to Krakow. She expected the whole journey would take at least half a day.

  ‘Are you decent, Elka?’ Baruch’s voice came to her from behind the makeshift curtain created out of sacks, which they had erected for her privacy. Something in his tone spoke of trouble.

  She pulled the sacking aside. ‘Yes. Is everything all right?’

  ‘No – well, yes and no. I have had a message delivered. Ania is on her way here.’

  ‘Baruch, it won’t work. I’m going, and no story about me not having to leave here, because she is coming to me, will stop me. Is there any sign of the truck?’

  ‘I haven’t made it up. Come to the entrance of the cave. We have a fire lit. The lookouts will signal to us if there are any aircraft about, which might be likely to see the smoke. There’s a kettle on for coffee. I have quite a bit to tell you.’

  She listened to Baruch’s story about how Ania was under suspicion and was being brought out by Hadriel. The news both lifted Elka and concerned her. ‘Will they be in any danger? How will they travel to here from the sewer exit?’

  ‘There is a route we all take, with safe houses along the way. Mostly farms. Once they reach the first one, the people there will transport them to the next. It can take several days.’

  ‘But can’t we go and meet them? Surely we could take the route towards them and meet them somewhere along the way. We have to see that they are all right, and offer them extra help and protection.’

  ‘I have already planned that. You see, there is something else. I – I have been informed that Stefan has been arrested.’

  ‘Oh no! Can we trust him not to tell what he knows?’ Baruch didn’t answer. ‘Baruch?’

  ‘Look, Elka, you have to understand . . . Oh God!’

  ‘Baruch! Understand what? Baruch, tell me.’

  He looked like a broken man. His head was bowed, as if the weight of what he was about to tell her was too much for him. His shoulders were hunched over. When he looked up, his expression held intense grief. ‘Stefan may consider Ania expendable now.’

  ‘What! He can’t. The bastard – I’ll kill him if he betrays her. No, Baruch. I won’t stand for that.’

  ‘I couldn’t live with myself, if he does. And I, too, would want revenge. But Stefan needs to give them something. Ania is compromised. The Germans need to capture her, to show an example, as much as to get information from her. I am worried that Stefan may think that, by betraying her, he could avoid having to tell them about us.’

  ‘He can’t do that – he can’t. Don’t you think Stefan will keep his mouth shut and go to his death, rather than betray Ania, and us?’

  ‘I don’t think he will betray us. But I do think he will try to save his own skin. His knowledge of what Ania has been doing, and where she is now, might be enough. He could cook up some story about remaining her friend, then being shocked to find out what she was doing; and that he had only helped Ania because he’d become afraid, when he’d come to realize the truth after the encounter in the shop.’

  When she’d heard about the encounter in the shop, Elka had become extremely anxious about Ania’s safety. But she couldn’t imagine how Baruch could deduce that this was what Stefan would do. Had it been in their plans, ready if such an event occurred? She asked him this now. The answer made her despair.

  ‘We did discuss how it would be better to rid the chain of communication of anyone who was becoming a liability, and it is why I think this is what Stefan might do. But never – never in my wildest thoughts – did I ever imagine Ania becoming that burden. Or that she would go through what she has. It’s beyond human decency, and quite incomprehensible what has been done to her. How can any man treat a woman as Ania has been treated, or do the things they are doing to the Jews?’

  Elka fell silent for a moment. If Baruch had known it was a possibility that Ania would be betrayed, then why didn’t he get her out the moment he knew how badly she was being treated? Didn’t he realize then that Ania could become a weak link in the chain of communication? And when it came to the way the Jews were being treated, she had come up against a barrier herself, when reporting back to HQ what she’d found out. It was as if no one wanted to believe it, or do anything about it if they did. Leaving both questions for the moment, she asked, ‘What are your plans now, Baruch? How are we going to meet Ania, and when?’

  ‘We leave immediately, but you will need to change your clothes. They aren’t appropriate for the route we will be forced to take. We cannot go via Zakopane, for the German presence there makes it out of the question. We will still go by truck most of the distance, but it will be necessary for us to walk a good deal of the way, and there are some gruelling tracks over rough terrain to negotiate.’

  ‘Do we have a chance of getting to the exit point of the sewer, before Ania does?’

  ‘Yes, a chance. They only began their journey a few days ago. I imagine they are just over halfway there. It’s not an easy trip, as you can imagine. At times they will have to wade waist-high through the human excrement of a city. It is a slow process. And it will be especially so, if Ania is weak.’

  By the evening of the next day Elka and Baruch and a contingent of four other armed Resistance members, code
named Eli, Filip, Karol and Gabriel, had reached the last safe house. Elka knew all four men from her childhood, as well as their families, so it was strange to her to call them by their cover names. They were all devastated that Ania and Hadriel had not yet made it to the house, but settled down to refreshments and to regroup.

  ‘What now?’ Elka asked.

  Baruch considered for a moment as he blew the steam of the weak coffee away from him. ‘We will have to make our way to the exit point. They should be out now, and we may meet them on the way. But we must approach with caution and will split up. Coming from different directions will give us a better chance if there is a German patrol in the area.’

  ‘How far is it? Surely we would have seen some Germans by now, if they were going to waylay Ania and Hadriel?’

  ‘No, if Stefan has given information, he might have betrayed Ania and Hadriel, but not us or the safe-house route. In that case, we would not see Germans this far up.’

  Elka could understand this, and it made her heart heavy with despair. Please God, don’t let Stefan have betrayed Ania. And if he hasn’t, then help him through the torture he must be enduring.

  ‘Right, Eli and Filip, you come with me. Karol and Gabriel, make your way around the edge of the woods and approach the river from that direction. Load your rifles now, and take care, everyone.’

  Baruch’s voice was charged with emotion. Elka couldn’t speak. Falling in behind him, she followed him to the gate of the farm, where he stopped and loaded his rifle. She followed suit with hers, and so did Eli and Filip. These men had been out on so many missions before; they didn’t have to ask questions. She had a dozen that she’d like to ask, but thought better of it. Baruch had ensured that she had been trained well and could handle herself in combat, should the need arise. She would prove his confidence in her and obey whatever he told her to do.

  It was funny, but now she was actually involved in a real warfare mission, her fear had left her. As had all other emotions. A big part of her training had been about the ability to focus, no matter what the cost to herself. She was glad to find herself able to do that.

  Within a short time, the four of them – herself, Baruch, Eli and Filip – were on their stomachs, crawling up a mound that would give them a viewpoint of the river below. Baruch motioned to them to keep their heads down. He lifted his own, then immediately flattened his body, turning at an angle to look at them. ‘German soldiers! They’re milling around the exit.’

  Elka caught her breath.

  ‘How many?’ asked Eli.

  ‘A dozen or so. Two trucks are parked nearby.’

  Every nerve in Elka’s body reacted to this. She waited, willing herself to keep calm; she had to put her trust in Baruch.

  ‘We can take them by surprise. Karol and Gabriel should be in position. The moment we open fire, they will, too. The Germans won’t stand a chance, as they won’t know which way to defend themselves. On three, crawl up to my side.’

  The ground chafed against her stomach, but within seconds Elka was level with Baruch, along with the others.

  ‘Guns ready! Take a look over the top. And . . .’

  Elka had seen what was happening at the same moment Baruch had, and she understood his hesitation. Her own heart dropped like a stone in water. Two bedraggled figures were emerging from the ground.

  Squinting against the setting sun, Elka took in the scene some thirty yards ahead of them. Ania, her beloved twin, stood covered in filth, her hair stuck to her face, a gun pointing straight at her. Hadriel stood behind her; his body language showed his despair.

  A shot rang out, making Elka jump. Hadriel slumped to the ground.

  There was a movement next to her. Elka released the breath she’d drawn in with the shock of what she had witnessed. Biting her tongue to stop the scream that rose in her, she held her breath once more. Baruch aimed his gun and fired. The body of the soldier who’d shot Hadriel was flung backwards.

  ‘Fire!’

  A hail of bullets followed Baruch’s command. Elka’s shoulder ached with the kickback from her rifle. As she reloaded, she peered through the smoke and dust. No! Two soldiers had hold of Ania and were dragging her to one of the trucks.

  ‘No! No, NO!’ This time she shouted the words as she stood and aimed, firing shot after shot as fast as she could reload. But the truck pulled away, just as a force compelled her body to fall over backwards. When she hit the ground, the burning pain in her arm told her that she had been shot.

  Rolling over caused her pain, but gave her a view of the scene once more. Guns firing and pain-filled screams and shouts filled the space around her. Below, bodies lay in hideous positions, but all Elka could do was stare at the retreating truck.

  Before she could think about the implications of what had just happened, a massive explosion assaulted her eardrums. Parts of the truck soared into the air in every direction. Flames engulfed what was left.

  Through her dry, cracked throat came a long howl of pain. ‘Ania, no. Not my Ania. Please God, no, nooo! NOOO!’

  Baruch fell to the ground beside her. His sobs joined hers. She couldn’t comfort him; she had nothing left inside her. Ania – her darling twin sister Ania – was gone. She would never see her again.

  A voice penetrated her anguish. ‘We had to do it, we had to. We couldn’t let her go through what the Germans would put her through. Ania didn’t deserve that. She needed her friends to rescue her from that. This was the only way we could save her from torture.’

  Reaching for her gun caused Elka a searing pain, but now that she had it, she pointed it at Gabriel. It had been his decision to throw the hand-grenades. He should die!

  He stood straight, looking down the barrel. ‘I stand by what I did. I did it for Ania. I don’t blame you if you kill me, but my love for you and your sister drove me to do it. Always remember that.’

  Elka lowered the gun and laid her head down.

  Gabriel knelt beside Baruch and asked for his forgiveness.

  ‘There is nothing to forgive. I only wish to thank you for saving my Ania from the clutches of those who would rip out her heart while she still lived. This way, she died instantly. I would want that for her.’

  ‘Hadriel is dead too. I checked.’

  Hearing this, Elka felt her world close in on her. All she wanted was to be with Jhona. Jhona, my love, I need you. Come back to me. Please come back to me.

  23

  Jhona

  The Polish-Russian Border, June 1940 – A Terrible Choice

  How could the sun shine, as if today was a normal, pleasant summer’s day? How could he not feel pleasure in breathing in the air? But as Jhona asked himself these questions, he knew the answer. The sun was just a reminder of days that were never again to be, and the air had been fouled by the smell of death.

  He was on the border of the Russian-held territory of Poland, outside the city of Krakow, and now in the German half of his beloved occupied country. It was funny how something as small as a stream – a stream he’d played in many times as a boy – could be the division between two countries.

  His belly rumbled with hunger and he shivered with cold. But he couldn’t attribute the cold to the weather, for it was betrayal that had chilled his blood. Vlady, his best friend of all time, had exposed him.

  They had met up a week after his training had been completed. This had been arranged after Vlady had replied to the contact letter, which the service must have sent from England within days of Jhona leaving. At first, all had gone to plan. Within a few days of being with each other, during which time Jhona and Vlady had renewed their friendship and caught up with each other’s news, Vlady had taken him to a restaurant.

  After the meal he’d excused himself and left the table. Something hadn’t felt right, but Jhona had remained seated. When Vlady hadn’t returned after a few moments, Jhona had turned and started to rise. As he did so, he saw a man of slight build leave Vlady’s side and disappear through the door. Something about him was famil
iar.

  Vlady had marched back to their table and fixed Jhona with a cold stare. ‘You are a spy, Jhona. Did you think you could dupe me?’ The words chilled Jhona. Vlady’s whole demeanour had changed. Now he seemed like a stranger. ‘Sit down, we have to talk,’ Jhona commanded, in a clipped tone.

  His friend was now his enemy, thought Jhona. His stomach had clenched and threatened to reject the meal he’d just eaten. The man Vlady had been talking to was Gevork Vartanian, a Russian agent who’d contacted the British wanting to become a double agent. He’d been on the same training course as Jhona. It didn’t take a genius to work out that Vlady had arranged for Gevork to look at Jhona, to see if he recognized him.

  Jhona had known in that moment just how ruthless Vlady really was, and his fear of him and of what would happen increased. Not only had he lost a friend, but he stood to lose everything life had given him. If Vlady didn’t expose him, then Gevork would – and he would face certain death. A trickle of hope filtered into his mind. Maybe he could turn this into an advantageous opening, a means of becoming the double agent he’d been instructed to become.

  ‘What do you have to say? Is this the way you use your friends?’ Vlady had asked.

  His words had hurt, but Jhona counter-attacked. ‘What about you, Vlady? You have put me in great danger. What if I told you I am willing to become a double agent? I have allegiances to Britain, as they have promised to help my country, and to Russia, as I have a natural love of your country through its adoption of me when I was a child.’

  Vlady’s gaze had been unyielding. ‘This is obviously the purpose of your mission. But it won’t work, Jhona. Russian intelligence wouldn’t work with a Jew. What were British intelligence thinking? They are obviously not well informed.’

  There hadn’t been anything Jhona could say to this. The words had stung. It was as if in the last few months his respectability had been stripped from him and he’d become a leper to all. Even Vlady had said the word ‘Jew’ with a sneer in his tone.