Page 4 - LEIBY

4 Leiby – Border Smuggler

senses alert, ready to face any adversary lying in ambush in his
room. This was a habit he had adopted during his days in the
forest out of necessity for survival, and although he may have
seemed paranoid, he was unwilling – or unable – to give it up.

Just as he had feared, the room was not empty. Someone was
waiting for him behind the door.

“Zalman?”

“Leiby?”

His fourteen-year-old friend Zalman stood there, smiling
broadly, exuding energy and self-confidence. Just the sight of
him was enough to raise Leiby’s spirits.

“I’ve come to say goodbye. I’ve been enlisted in the Red Army.”

“But you’re only fourteen!” Leiby protested.

“Yes, I know, but during the war I learned a lot about navigating
and leading troops, and the military command has drafted me
to Asael Bielski’s2 troops,” Zalman explained. “I’m joining the
rescue forces heading to Berlin.”

“But Zalman, no one can coerce you to join the army! You’re
a Polish citizen!” Leiby exclaimed. “Take off your uniform
and join the crowds on the streets. With all the disorder and
confusion out there, no one will dream of even looking for you!”

But Zalman was adamant. “The anti-Semites in the Russian
squadron always sneered at us. They called us Jewish cowards,
scared of our own shadows, only daring to serve in Tashkent3. If
I don’t join the military, they’ll call me a deserter… They’ll use

2 ƐĂĞů ŝĞůƐŬŝ ʹ Ă :ĞǁŝƐŚ ƉĂƌƟƐĂŶ͘ KŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚƌĞĞ ďƌŽƚŚĞƌƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ
ŝĞůƐŬŝ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ǁŚŽ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŚĞĂĚƐ ŽĨ Ă ƉĂƌƟƐĂŶ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ĐĂŵƉ ŶƵŵďĞƌŝŶŐ
ĂƉƉƌŽdžŝŵĂƚĞůLJ Ă ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚ :ĞǁƐ͘ dŚĞ ŝĞůƐŬŝ ďƌŽƚŚĞƌƐ ƚŽŽŬ ĐĂƌĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ
ƐĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƌǀŝǀĂů ŶĞĞĚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ :ĞǁƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐĂŵƉ͘ ŌĞƌ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƌ ƐĂĞů
ǁĂƐ ĞŶůŝƐƚĞĚ ŝŶƚŽ Ă ĐŽŵďĂƚ ƵŶŝƚ͕ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ƐŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐĂŵƉ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͕
ĂŶĚ ǁĂƐ ŬŝůůĞĚ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ďĂƩůĞ ŝŶ <ŽĞŶŝŐƐďĞƌŐ͘

3 dĂƐŚŬĞŶƚ Ͳ ĐĂƉŝƚĂů ŽĨ hnjďĞŬŝƐƚĂŶ͕ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ZƵƐƐŝĂŶ ŚŽŵĞ ĨƌŽŶƚ͘ dĞŶƐ
ŽĨ ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ :ĞǁƐ ŇĞĚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐŽŶĚ ǁŽƌůĚ ǁĂƌ͕ ƚŚƵƐ ĞƐĐĂƉŝŶŐ
death.