“What about your brother? Why doesn’t he assist your father?”
“Louis is a religious man. He studies with the elders. He also serves on the Judenrat. Look, the new brickyard is operating well and filling more orders every day. We’ve done a good job in setting it up and we’ve hired a capable foreman. We’re well staffed. My oversight is not required on a daily basis. You can manage the business all by yourself.”
With a quick shake of his head, Maximilian said, “First of all, I don’t want to manage the business. I want to own the business and have you manage it, not some foreman. Besides, I need the freedom to be closer to my German contacts. A great deal can be learned over a glass of wine. That is precisely how we are all surviving this war.”
“Maximilian, you don’t need me, and I want to be with my family.”
Maximilian didn’t respond. He stared straight ahead and drove on into the night.
After a moment, Eli said, “I know you heard me. As much as I love your charming company, I want to stay at home and wait out the war with my wife. Sooner or later the war will end, and things will get back to normal.”
Without looking at him and in a quiet tone, Maximilian answered, “That’s not going to happen, Eli.”
“It’ll happen if I choose it to happen. If I decide to stay in Lublin, you’ll have to return to Lodz without me. Despite all your self-perceived influence, I don’t belong to you.”
“No, I mean the part about things getting back to normal. It’s not going to happen. Not for you. Not for Esther. Certainly not for the Jews, and maybe not for any of us.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Maximilian shrugged. “A glass of wine, a snifter of schnapps, late nights, loose lips. Information passes easily in the wee hours. If one stays alert, one learns things. Let me ask you, how do you think Odilo Globočnik got appointed as SS und Polizeiführer of Lublin in 1939?”
“I have no idea.”
“He was a Himmler favorite. He still is. They share Hitler’s views of racial purity for the Germanic people, both in Germany and in the occupied territories. Himmler appointed Odilo to be the SS Germanic overseer of the Jewish laborers in the ghetto. Do you remember me telling you about the Jewish reservation in Nisko? Five hundred thousand Jews?”
“Yes, but you said the plan was abandoned.”
“Correct. Not because of any moral concerns, but because it was too costly. Odilo has remained in Himmler’s inner circle and has also found favor with Heydrich and Hitler himself. There may no longer be a Jewish reservation, but Odilo is unquestionably the man in charge of Jewish affairs in Poland. As such he has recently been tasked with Jewish depopulation.”
“Depopulation?”
Maximilian nodded. “Removal.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“From Globočnik himself, the other night, right before he passed out.”
“He told you those things in a drunken state?”
“Drunken does not begin to describe the level of his impairment, but he was still lucid. Sort of.”
“So, of the things he told you in this drunken state, how many of them are true and how many are fantasy?”
“I suppose the future will tell us.”
“Did he actually say ‘Jewish depopulation’?”
Maximilian nodded. “Removal of Jews from all areas of the former Poland. One possibility means evacuation of Jews to the east, perhaps to conquered regions of the Soviet Union, perhaps in Western Siberia; he wasn’t sure.”
“What is the other possibility?”
Maximilian shrugged.
Eli’s voice hardened. “What is the other possibility, Maximilian?”
“At this stage the brigadeführer was starting to mumble. Part of what he said made no sense.”
“What did he say?”
“Well, one of the solutions was something about natural attrition—disease, starvation, old age.”
“And?”
“Something he referred to as ‘bloodless illumination.’ I’m sure he meant to say elimination.”
“What did he mean by bloodless elimination?”
“He wasn’t full of details, but I’m sure we can use our imaginations. Have you seen the ghetto in Lodz? There are over 150,000 Jews crowded behind those barbed wires with more arriving every day.”
“Yes, of course I’ve seen it.”
“But have you also seen the Jews being taken out of the ghetto in convoys of trucks? More are leaving than are arriving.”
“Are you telling me that those Jews are being eliminated?”
Maximilian shrugged. “The ghetto itself is certainly being depopulated, but what is to become of the deported Jews, I can’t say. I’m only speculating. I know that Jews are being taken out of Lodz to the Chelmno camp, thirty miles north. The Germans call it Kulmhof.”
“We’ve been shipping concrete and other materials to Kulmhof.”
“Correct. It’s a prison camp. The Germans call it a concentration camp. Konzentrationslager. They abbreviate it KZ. Similar camps are going up at Belzec, Sobibor and Treblinka, all in the Lublin District. According to Globočnik, Lublin will soon be clear of all Jews. To bring us back to the beginning of this conversation, that is why you cannot stay in Lublin and wait out the war. I think it’s time for you and all Jews to come to a realization.”
“Oh really? And what would that be, Maximilian?”
“Simply that Germany is winning the war. Soon all of Europe will become Germany, one way or another. Half of Poland has already been subsumed and annexed into Germany. Policies will be dictated from Berlin. The edicts we observe, the measures taken against Jews, will not be interim or temporary; they will become permanent. We have to open our eyes to that eventuality and plan accordingly. They have made it clear they do not want Jews in their territory.”
“So what are we supposed to do? If they want us out, why don’t they just let us go? I think all of us would be more than happy to cooperate. Give us our walking papers.”
“I don’t believe there is a convenient way of doing that. Millions of Jews free to move about Europe runs contrary to the führer’s vision. He has preached that Jews are enemies of the state. You have eyes and ears; you see what’s happening. In every city, Jews are being forced into enclosed ghettos. They are being encapsulated. Soon the ghettos will be empty. To the Germans, expulsion from Poland doesn’t mean freedom. At its most liberal interpretation, it means deportation to some other locations—at the moment, to concentration camps.”
“And all of the Jews will be transported out of Lublin to a concentration camp?”
“Lublin, like all of Poland, will become Judenfrei.”
“What of those who are taken to concentration camps? How long are they expected to live there?”
“The honorable brigadeführer did not get that far before he started snoring. Maybe it hasn’t been decided. Maybe Siberia is indeed the answer. Maybe the whole thing is some Gothic fantasy, but I expect there were elements of truth in his drunken blubbery.”
“When will all of this come to pass?”
“I can’t say. He did tell me that all their plans are still in the discussion stage. Odilo has just returned from Berlin. After tipping a second bottle of the finest Napoleon Brandy my money could buy, Odilo blurted to me that Heydrich is calling for a conference on December ninth, most likely at Wannssee, outside of Berlin. Then he whispered, ‘Don’t tell anyone. It’s top secret.’ Odilo is lobbying strongly to have a seat at the Wannssee table and an inside track on resolving the Jewish Question.”
“Is he that highly placed?”
“I think so. He has a leg up. He boasts that Chelmno, Sobibor, Belzec, Majdanek and Treblinka are all in his Lublin District. Rail lines are in place. If the conference selects the Lublin District as the center of the solution to the Jewish Question, that would put enormous power in the hands of our dear brigadeführer.”
“What the hell is the Jewish Question?”
“
Why, simply stated, it’s Hitler’s dilemma—what to do with all of Europe’s Jews?”
“All of them? That’s insanity; it’s beyond comprehension. There are millions and millions of Jews in Europe.”
“Oh, nothing is beyond the comprehension of the SS command. They are quite imaginative. It would be an undertaking, that’s for certain, but as Odilo says, no definite plans have been made. So I hope you understand that waiting out the war is a foolish notion.”
“What about my family? If we can’t wait out the war in Poland, what can you do for us?”
“Ultimately, you will have to flee, but the time is not right. At the moment, Esther is assigned to the workshop, and there is nothing I can do about it. She comes home every night just like Louis’s wife does. But I believe that in the near future the Lipowa site is destined to be closed and the workers will be sent somewhere else.”
“Then I have to take my family and leave Lublin now. I can’t leave the fate of my wife and son to some council’s determination on what to do with the Jewish Question.”
“Ah, but where would you go, Eli? Where in Europe is there a safe landing for the Rosen family? Austria? Russia? Belgium? France? They are all occupied.”
“The Swiss are neutral.”
“And every entrance is manned by German guards. Otherwise, there would be ten million Jews in Switzerland.”
“Then I will find a place to hide. From what you tell me, they could close Lipowa tomorrow, and I will never see her again. I will take Esther and Izaak and go.”
“Listen to me, Eli. Do not take foolish measures. If Esther fails to show up at Lipowa, they will send the ORPO to search for her. Besides, I don’t know how far you can get with a wife and a six-year-old boy, but no matter where you go or where you hide, every village or hamlet will have a prefect who is beholden to the Nazis. They would turn in their grandmothers. Take my advice. Wait for a while. There is no urgency to act today. Right now, the air is calm. Everything is still in the discussion stage. And when the time is right, you can trust me. I can and will protect you and your family.”
“Is this about the welfare of my family, or is it about maintaining a brickyard for the benefit of Maximilian Poleski and his social status?”
“Well, in this case, one hand washes the other. Don’t abandon me. I need you and you need me. In the interim, I will make sure Esther is safe. You have my word.”
* * *
Despite Maximilian’s calamitous revelations, homecoming was sweet. Reunited and in Esther’s arms, the frightful images in Eli’s mind disappeared. “It’s so good to hold you again,” he said. “I missed you so badly. How are Izzie and Papa?”
She smiled. “Sleeping. I swear Izzie is growing an inch a day. He’s doing well in his studies. He reads almost as well as I do.”
“And Papa?”
Esther hesitated. “He’s tired. He goes to the brickyard every day with Izzie in tow, but it’s hard on him. His arthritis is bothering him. Business is slowing down. There’s very little money. We are budgeting as frugally as we can, but we’re barely subsisting. You should talk to your father and calm his fears. He’s troubled. Also, you should talk to Louis. I see Sylvia every day at Lipowa. We talk at the break and she tells me that Louis is very distressed, but he won’t talk to her about it. Maybe he’ll talk to you.”
“I’ll talk to Papa and Louis tomorrow. I’ll see what’s on my brother’s mind. As for money, the Lodz brickyard is doing well, and they pay me a small salary. I brought money with me. And I also brought a bottle of wine. Give me a minute. I’m going to tuck Izzie in and give him a kiss. I’ll be right back.”
* * *
After a few rounds of small talk, Esther said, “When are you going to get around to telling me what’s really on your mind?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve known you too long, my sweet. You’re holding back. Your thoughts are somewhere else.”
Eli nodded. “You do know me too well. I’m worried, Essie. You were right all along. I remember when you said, ‘First, they plan to identify us, then collect and concentrate us and then…’”
“Eliminate. That’s what I said.”
Eli nodded. “It’s all true. On our way back to Lublin, Maximilian talked about what he heard during his alcohol-laden soirees with the Nazi elite. They are wild stories, believe me, probably ninety percent nonsense, but still…”
“What did he say?”
“He tells me that there are discussions under way about resolving the ‘Jewish Question.’ I asked him what the hell that means, and he told me they’re making plans to evacuate all the Jews from Polish cities and transport them to Siberia or into concentration camps.”
“That doesn’t sound like a wild story to me. It sounds like exactly what they’re doing. What else did he say?”
“That the Nazis plan to depopulate Poland to make room for an influx of German settlers. They call it Lebensraum. Living space for Germans. Maximilian said there are even plans to raze some towns—burn them to the ground—to allow reforestation and farmland for German settlers.”
“That’s truly madness. Depopulate Poland? There are thirty million people in Poland.”
“I know; I said that, too, and he answered, ‘There are thirty million sheep.’ He said all Jews and nonessential Poles are to be physically removed from Poland and sent east to Russia or to concentration camps being built throughout the Lublin District. And I’ve seen evidence of that. We’ve been shipping supplies to Chelmno, Belzec and Sobibor. They are busy building and expanding those concentration camps.”
Esther was horrified. She covered her mouth. “This is the work of a madman. We have to get out. I can’t let Izzie live in a concentration camp.”
“I said the same, but Maximilian correctly pointed out that there are no safe destinations anywhere in Europe. And he warns that if we escape and you don’t show up for work at Lipowa, they will send out search teams for us.”
“They’d have to find us first.”
“Essie, it could all be drunken talk. Blustery nonsense. Maximilian has pleaded with me not to act precipitously. He needs me to help him run the Lodz brickyard. He says he can’t do it on his own, and that is the truth. He doesn’t have an inkling. He struts around Lodz in fancy clothes, buying drinks for his Nazi buddies, and doesn’t pay any mind to the brickyard business. Perhaps all his dire warnings are for selfish purposes, but he promises to protect us from any harm or Nazi reprisals.”
“How? Does he have an army? He’s just a spineless sycophant. He cuddles up to the Nazi command and believes they care a spit about him. I don’t believe a word he says. He’s using you to set up a business, and once it’s profitable, he’ll have no more use for you. Why would he bother to stick his neck out for us?”
“I don’t know why, but I do believe him. Why would he confide in me and tell me all about the Nazis’ plans if he didn’t intend to help us?”
“Quite obviously to scare the hell out of you and persuade you to stay with him and run his business. The more prominent his business, the more prestige points he gets with his Nazi revelers. That sounds like the reasonable explanation to me.”
“It’s not just prestige points or his reputation. He made production promises to Globočnik, and he can’t afford to fail. Globočnik is intolerant. Reprisals would be brutal. Maximilian begs me not to abandon him, and in return he promises to keep us safe and ultimately get us out of Europe. Desperate times are coming, Essie, and he might be the difference between life or death. Maybe he can’t or maybe he won’t, but so far he’s kept us clear of harsh conditions.”
“Don’t discount yourself, Eli. You’re the one who keeps us safe by operating successful brickyards and by being necessary to the Germans.”
“And how long will that last? At the moment, Maximilian is keeping me informed about their plans. He says that Reinhard Heydrich called for a top-secret conference on December ninth, which will set policies for Jews. Maximilian says to w
ait. It will take time to implement; nothing will happen overnight.”
“He has been saying that for two years while Germany has trampled through Europe. I’ll tell you what can happen overnight, my love. We can be whisked away, thrown on a train and sent to who knows where. Many others have. I have also heard rumors about Lipowa, that it is going to be closed. What happens then?”
Eli leaned over and embraced his wife. “Enough talk of this rotten war. I don’t want to think about it anymore tonight. I just came home; I brought a bottle of wine, and I don’t want to think of anything other than my sweet Essie.” He kissed her warmly. “Let’s tell the world to stop, just for the night. Nothing will matter; nothing will happen. There’s only you; there’s only me. I want your total and adoring attention. I give you mine.” He rose, turned off the lights, took her hand and led her into the bedroom.
* * *
Dawn had yet to break and the room was dark when Esther rolled over and noticed that Eli was lying on his back, hands clasped behind his head, eyes wide open. “Can’t sleep?” she said. “I guess I must be losing my touch.”
Eli smiled. “Never. Not in the slightest. That’s the one constant in my life.”
“What’s keeping you awake, my love?”
“I keep thinking about what you said tonight. You’re right; you’ve been right all along. We shouldn’t wait for Maximilian; we should get out. I’ve watched, like a spectator, as the Nazis pecked away at our liberties bit by bit, all the while believing that things would straighten out and return to normal. I guess I’ve been naïve, lulled to inaction by Maximilian’s assurances. He always preaches that he’s protecting us, that we have our homes and businesses, that no one has been sent away, but I have watched as my wife was forced into slave labor, as my business was taken from me, as my community was split into two ghettos and as my friends and colleagues have suffered dehumanizing abuses. It’s not returning to normal, is it? It’s only getting worse by the hour. I’ve been so blind.”
Eli's Promise Page 24