Page 128 - LEIBY

128 Leiby – Border Smuggler 4

“Pogrom… there was a pogrom” Shneur stated the obvious.

“There was, and it’s over, baruch Hashem. Why all the long
faces?”

“Not everywhere were the Jews as lucky as we were here,”Shneur
explained. “An almost identical attack took place in Kieltze, but
there, it did not end so well at all. Just like here, the Christian
residents first received notices warning them to take good care
of their children so that the Jews would not kidnap them, and
then a Polish child disappeared. After that an inflamed group
of rioters attacked the Jewish committee building. Everything
began in just the same way as it did here.”

“And the police? What did they do?”

“A short time beforehand, the police came to the building and
confiscated the meager weapons that the poor Jews had. A few
days later, the attack began. Forty-two pure and innocent Jews,
who had survived the Nazi hell, and believed that they were
finally safe, were murdered in the Polish hell, and many more
were injured.” Shneur’s eyes filled with tears.

Groups of Jews were huddled together all over, talking to each
other and trying to decide on a plan of action. The atmosphere
was gloomy. The secretary of the Jewish committee had
obtained some ammunition and was looking for Jews who had
some combat experience. They thought that the time had come
to arrange for armed guards in the place; ill winds were blowing
throughout Poland, bringing with them dark black memories
of pogroms that the Jews had undergone.

Leiby was pensive. Everyone who he spoke to had come to the
same unanimous conclusion: we have to leave Poland as soon as
possible. The ground here is still thirsty for our blood.

Suddenly, Alexander appeared and called him aside. He was
dressed in a thick coat and was holding a bulky knapsack. He
looked nervous and tense.

“Leiby, are you coming with me?”

“To where?”