* * *
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 wait. 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.”