Page 62 - LEIBY

62 Leiby – Border Smuggler

soldier’s bullet in Zalman’s back that had killed him. Whatever
the case, whether he had been killed by a Russian soldier or a
German one, it was clear to Leiby that the rest of the squadron
had not felt the death of another Jew to be any great loss. Leiby
looked at both letters and firmly promised himself that come
what may, he would never serve in the Red Army. He would
run away and hide rather than let the European ground drink
his blood.

Mirushka sat in the next room playing with a large, blue-eyed
doll that Yosef had obtained for her after much effort. But
despite Yosef ’s determination to win her over, Mirushka still
considered him a stranger and insisted on referring to him as
“that boy.” She also still held on to the Christian practices that
she had been accustomed to in the village, crossing herself at
any opportunity and praying devoutly several times a day. Lida
was about to be annexed to Belorussia, where the law was that
a child belongs to his adoptive parents. A child living among
Jews but acting like a Christian was bound to attract unwanted
attention and it would not be long before she was discovered
and returned to the farmer. She was another reason why Leiby
thought it would be a good idea to flee.

“…fell in the battle of Warsaw…” The words of the letter
screamed in Leiby’s face and filled him with bitter frustration.
Was Warsaw so important, more than Zalman’s life? The very
last remnant of his splendid family – why did he have to end his
life fighting for a strange and hostile country?

Warsaw – Leiby tried to recall everything he knew about the
city. The Russian forces had been encamped for a long time by
the Vistula River, and had refrained from advancing into the
city. The media had reported about the Warsaw uprising; the
Polish resistance movement had finally emerged to fight the
Germans and tried to liberate the city before the Red Army
arrived. They had hoped to receive military assistance from the
Red Army, and for British and American assault that would
help them to overcome the German enemy, but had been given
the cold shoulder on all sides.