Page 12 - LEIBY

12 Leiby – Border Smuggler

finally managed to blurt.

“We have to take him to headquarters,” Yank, the second
partisan, turned to Stefan, who snorted in frustration at having
his prey snatched from his claws, but knew he had no choice.

The two tied a blindfold over Leiby’s eyes and led him to their
headquarters. There, the blindfold was removed, and he was
almost blinded in in the sudden sunlight that filled the forest.

Punktcha, the commander-in-chief of the partisan troop, sat
behind his desk, a huge Red Army flag waving behind him.

“We’ve found a spy,” Stefan announced.

“He’s just a boy that we discovered wandering about in the
forest,” Yank explained.

“I’m a Jew, and I want to fight the Germans,” Leiby said in the
most mature, responsible voice that he could muster. “I know
my way around the forest, I came here by myself. I want to be a
partisan and fight the German murderers.”

“You can go to the Bielski camp, they have women and children
there,” Yank suggested.

“But I want to fight, I want you to teach me to use a gun,” Leiby
begged.

Leiby’s audacity appealed to Punktcha, and after some
deliberation he decided to let him prove himself.

He taught him to use a gun, then sent him on his first mission.
His task was to blow up a stretch of railroad tracks that the
Germans used. He went there, a small box containing 9kg of
explosives strapped to his back, with a length of wire attached.
He was to place the box on the tracks, pull the wire and run for
his life.

The operation was an outstanding success and Leiby’s place in
the partisan troop was assured. However, after a short time, he
decided that he preferred to join the Bielski group after all.

“We’re smuggling Jews from the ghetto to the forest, and we