Eli sadly shook his head. “Chava made it clear she wanted no part of that. As she said to Louis, ‘That day has passed.’”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
LUBLIN, POLAND
NOVEMBER 1941
MONTH 26 OF THE NAZI OCCUPATION
The home visit flew by too quickly, and before Eli knew it Maximilian was informing him that it was time to return to Lodz. He insisted they return early the next day, but Eli objected. “I can’t leave just yet,” he said. “I need to stay a few more days. I have to get things in order.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I need a few more days.”
“Impossible. I was at the brigadeführer’s office yesterday, and Globočnik made it clear that he has urgent plans for shipments of construction materials to his camps. The work at the Lodz yard is going to quadruple. He’s drafted new workers, and there are dozens of new orders. You know I can’t fill those orders without you.”
Eli shook his head. “Everything is too unsettled here. I can’t leave my family. The ax could fall tomorrow, and the Lipowa camp could close. I have to protect Esther and Izaak.”
“Lipowa won’t close tomorrow. Look, I appreciate what you’re saying, believe me, but nothing is going to happen tomorrow. I need you at the brickyard. If you don’t come back with me, Globočnik will have my ass. He knows that I am barely competent and that I rely on you. He’s not stupid. A drunk maybe, but not stupid. He knows that it’s Eli Rosen operating the Litzmannstadt brickyard. He brags that he has the finest construction company in the Reich. You can’t run out on me. Just give me a few months, and I will use every method at my disposal to get you, Esther and Izzie out of harm’s way. Maybe out of Europe altogether.”
“To Sweden?”
“Sure, why not? To Sweden. I’ll get you there; you just have to help me for a few months while Globočnik is breathing down my throat.”
* * *
“You believe him?” Esther said.
“I believe he needs me. Globočnik knows that I am the one who’s running the brickyard,” Eli said.
“I thought they hired a foreman?”
“They did. Avram Horwitz. He was taken from his home in Wrocław and sent to Lodz. He comes from a religious family and he’s a very nice guy. We talk at length. But he doesn’t have my experience, and Globočnik doesn’t trust him to run the yard.”
Esther scoffed. “How in the world is Maximilian going to get us all to Sweden?”
“Maybe there is a way. Sweden is neutral in the war, but it does business with Germany. Sweden supplies ball bearings, iron ore and other materials essential to Germany’s war effort. We could justify going there on business, maybe to solidify an order or to arrange for shipments. Maximilian could arrange for that order. Once we’re there, we’re safe. Essie, it might be a lot safer than taking the brickyard truck and driving off into the night. If he can actually arrange for us to go to Sweden, that would solve all our problems.”
Esther put her hands on her hips and stood defiantly. “You want to know what I believe? I believe that Maximilian will never help you to escape, let alone me or Izzie. If Globočnik needs you to run the brickyard, then they will never let you go. As you said, the Lodz brickyard is getting busier every day. They’ll want to keep you there indefinitely.”
“I’ve considered that and here’s my promise to you: if Maximilian doesn’t arrange for us to leave in a few months, then we’ll go without him. I’ll draft orders for materials, forge transit authentications and drive us out of Lublin. We’ll get as far as we can.”
Esther leaned over and planted a kiss. “I defer to you, my love. I always have.”
* * *
Maximilian’s car horn sounded, and it was time for Eli to say his goodbyes. “Essie, I’ll try to arrange another visit in a few weeks. Take care of yourself, Izzie and Papa. I have asked Louis to help out at the brickyard. I’m afraid he’s of little business use there, but at least he’ll keep an eye on Papa and Izzie during the day. Maximilian says that Lublin is stable for the moment. There are no transports or actions in process. Still, I hate to leave you.”
“Don’t worry about us. We’ll be okay. Come back to me when you can.”
“Write to me, Essie. Give the letters to Papa, and he will send them to me with the weekly truckload of materials. Keep your eyes open and let me know what is happening back here.”
A tear rolled down Esther’s cheek. “I will. Just take care of yourself. Be safe. Maybe in a few months, we’ll be together forever.”
Eli gently put his hands on Esther’s shoulders and spoke quietly but seriously. “Essie, I believe that and I’ll do everything to make it happen. But no matter what Maximilian says, no matter what plans we make, things can quickly change for the worse in this chaotic war. Keep your eyes open. If that moment comes, if you sense that Lipowa is going to close, if you witness people being rounded up and transported out of Lublin, if there is a risk that you might not be able to care for Izzie or that you and Izzie are in any danger…”
“I know,” Esther interrupted. “I’ll write to you.”
“No, you have to do something more immediate. Listen to me. If things are falling apart and you can no longer be sure of Izzie’s safety, I want you to take him to the Church of Saint Peter the Apostle in the Catholic quarter. Do you know where it is?”
Esther nodded.
“Ask for Lucya Sikorska. She will know what to do.”
Tears were flowing. Her jaw was quivering. “Eli…”
“Say her name to me, Essie.”
“Lucya Sikorska.”
“That’s right. You take Izzie to her. Give him to her. She will take care of him. We can trust her, Esther. She’s a good person.”
Esther nodded and folded into Eli’s arms. “Oh, my sunny day, please come back to me.”
“You know I will. I promise.”
* * *
The car slowly pulled away from the house. “For no good reason that I can think of, I am depending on you, Maximilian. If you don’t keep your word, if you don’t arrange a plan for us to get out in a couple of months, then I will leave you flat and do it on my own.”
“I always keep my word, Eli. I said I would protect your family and I will.”
“No, you said more than that. I want us in Sweden by springtime.”
“That’s a tall order, and I’m not sure I can fill it. We never agreed to springtime. That’s just a few months away. It will take more time to make such complex arrangements.”
“Don’t backtrack on me, Maximilian, or you can turn this car right around and head back to Lublin. I want to see progress. I want to see firm plans in place.”
“When the time is right, I will arrange to get you out of Poland, out of Central Europe, perhaps even into Sweden, but you have to be patient. You can depend on me. We have a lot of work to do first at the brickyard. Once you get it running like clockwork, I can cover for you; you won’t be missed as much. Then I’ll make some excuse for your absence.”