Page 265 - LEIBY-2

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from us and to nationalize all the farms. ey want all our
property to belong to the government and they’ll force us to be
in the kolkhoz.” He clenched his sts in anger.

“ e best days we ever had were the days of the German
occupation; even before the war we didn’t have it as good as we
had then. e corrupt trio, Moscicki, Rydz-Smigly, and Jozef
Beck38 were like vampires, squeezing us dry with exorbitant
taxes before the war. I had to sell all my furniture and take
out loans with interest from the Jewish merchant, Yitzchak. No
matter how hard I worked, I was barely left with enough money
at the end of the month for my debt payments. When the
Germans arrived, they canceled all debts to Jews and allowed
us to take what we wanted from their homes. For the rst time
in years my home was fully furnished. I had a couch, wardrobes,
fancy chairs, and well-stocked kitchen cabinets. My closets
were lled with clothing that I found in the Jews’ houses, and I
got some beautiful china dishes as well.”

Leiby nodded as if he was deeply impressed, though the farmer’s
words infuriated him no end. Not a muscle in his face moved
to disclose the fact that he himself was one of those persecuted
Jews.

“I read in the newspaper that when the Soviets come they’ll
bring troops of Jews with them to punish anyone who tormented
Jews,” the farmer observed.

“Yes, I read that too,” Leiby nodded. He had been charged

the Soviet partisan groups, and the other armed gangs that roamed the
forests.

38 This trio dominated Poland before the war and engaged in a
power struggle with Poland’s neighboring countries. They also placed
heavy sanctions on Jewish trade.