“It’s going to be a big brickyard,” Maximilian said, with his arms wide open, “much larger than this one, but then Litzmannstadt is three times the size of Lublin. It’s the largest industrial city in Poland now. There are a hundred new factories. You can’t imagine how important the new brickyard will be to the Reich. I’m going to call it “M. Poleski’s Litzmannstadt Brickyard and Building Supply Company.”
“How very nice for you,” Eli said. “But, if you don’t mind, right now we’re busy trying to fill orders for your buddy, Commandant Zörner. Since he’s evicting Jewish families from their homes and forcing them into ghettos A and B, the Nazis want the streets repaved and the confiscated homes remodeled. Orders come in every day. So unless you want to help us fill orders, why don’t you just get in your fancy Nazi car, drive to Lodz, set up your Maximilian Company and leave us alone?”
“Have you forgotten Commandant’s orders? You are to accompany me, Eli, and your father is to stay. Sadly, Ernst doesn’t seem to trust my business acumen. He requires your expertise. And he wants us to leave as quickly as possible. Tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, it’s Ernst now, is it? I seem to recall that you previously described Zörner as a ‘fat slob and ill-mannered—nothing like us.’”
“That was then; this is now. Never underestimate my ability to impress the Nazi command. Three nights ago, Ernst and I enjoyed a lovely evening with wine, women and song. My treat, of course. And a lucky thing it is for you, since you’re all under my protection.”
Jakob stormed into the room and raised his voice. “Protected, am I? Protected? How did you protect me when the ORPO gave me twelve hours to vacate my home? Thankfully, my son has room for me at his home, but I had to pack up everything I could and move into his spare bedroom. I’ve lived on my own for fifty years, but now I’m my son’s permanent houseguest, thanks to Herr Zörner. You did a fine job of protecting me.”
“I hope you know that all of that was out of my control,” Maximilian said. “I did not design the ghettos. Be thankful that Eli lives in ghetto B and that you have a nice house to move into. Most do not.”
“I had a nice house. I raised my children there. It belonged to me and it was worth a lot of money. Your filthy Nazis stole it from me.”
“They aren’t my Nazis and it wasn’t my idea, Jakob. I’m only trying…” But Jakob walked out of the room before Maximilian could finish his sentence. Turning back to Eli, he said, “You Rosens make it so hard to help you. I came over today to tell you that I am going to drive to Litzmannstadt tomorrow and you will go with me.”
“No. I changed my mind.”
“Eli, you know I can’t set up a brickyard by myself. I don’t know the first thing about organizing a building supply business. Besides, it’s Zörner’s orders.”
“And if I refuse?”
Maximilian shook his head. “Why would you even pose such a stupid question? You’re not about to disobey Commandant Zörner. Besides, you’re leading a privileged life in an occupied city. Just go with me. We’ll be gone two or three weeks at the most. We’ll stay in a nice house.”
“A nice house that was confiscated from some Jewish family? You can’t get a construction business up and running in three weeks, Maximilian. It’ll take much longer, and I really don’t want to leave my wife and son. If I have to leave them, I’ll be very unhappy, and in my depression I’m bound to do a poor job of running the brickyard. Orders will get mixed up. Deliveries will fail. Deadlines will be missed. Zörner will be extremely unhappy, and you and your royal blood will fall into disfavor.”
“You wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Let me take Esther and Izaak with me.”
“You know I can’t get Esther released from Lipowa. No one gets released from that camp. We’ve been going around and around that subject for weeks. Izaak will be fine; he comes here to the office every day with your father, and now your father even lives in your house. Eli, if you foul this up, you’re going to put us both in jeopardy. Zörner is an impatient man, and he will take it out on you and everyone else. Besides, my reputation depends on it. You heard him; he thinks I am a foolish dandy strutting around Lublin. You can’t let me down.”
Eli shut his eyes and shook his head. “Isn’t it strange how the world turns? I want something in return.”
“What?”
“Esther.”
Maximilian sighed. Then an idea came to him. “Is Esther good at paperwork? Can she do office clerical work at the new brickyard?”
“Absolutely. She’s brilliant.”
“Well, when the brickyard is up and running, I will try to get her reassigned to Litzmannstadt. As long as the brickyard is doing well, Zörner will work with me. What’s one less seamstress? Do we have a deal? Will you go with me and not cause trouble?”
Eli nodded.
* * *
Eli’s solution did not sit well with Esther. “Litzmannstadt?” she said. “My husband, I love you, but I don’t want to move to Lodz. That’s like jumping from the kettle into the fire. Two hundred thousand of our people are packed into a squalid little ghetto. The Nazis cage them up like dogs in a kennel. I hear that most of them don’t have running water or indoor toilets. It’s a sealed ghetto, like Warsaw, behind barbed wire with armed guards. They only let people leave to work in the factories and then return at night. They march them out, they march them in. You don’t want us to live in that prison. We have a nice house here in Lublin.”
“True, but Maximilian says he might be able to get you released from the Lipowa camp. You won’t have to work like a slave in the sewing shop anymore. You can work with me at the brickyard. Maybe I can build a home for the three of us on-site at the new brickyard and not in the sealed ghetto. I’ve discussed it all with Maximilian.”
“I don’t trust Maximilian.”
“I don’t either, but in this case he needs me. He can’t organize or operate a construction company by himself. He was practically begging me to help him.”
“He’s begging you today, and tomorrow he will throw his hands up in the air and say it’s out of his control. We’ve seen that act before. Our situation is more secure here in Lublin. I’m able to endure the routine at Lipowa, and your father is now living with us. He’ll be happy to help with Izzie. You can go alone.”
“But, Essie, I might be away for long periods—weeks, maybe months. Who knows? It’s going to take time to get a new brickyard up and running. I don’t feel comfortable leaving the two of you. Things are unsettled here, and they get worse every day. Tomorrow some new edict will come down, and I won’t be here to protect you.”
Esther set her arms on Eli’s shoulders. “We’ll get through this, honey. You’ve said so yourself many times. Every time I wanted to give up, you counseled me to be patient, and I’ve come to believe that you are right. Sooner or later even the roughest seas calm. Floodwaters reach a level and then recede. This madness will pass. The Nazis are going to realize that imposing harsh conditions on the Jewish community is not in their interest, economically or otherwise. At some point, life in Poland will stabilize, the ship will right and things will return to normal. Who knows, maybe Germany’s incursions throughout Europe will falter. They failed in the first Great War. There are many reasons for us to adjust, accommodate and wait it out.”