Page 97 - LEIBY-2
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              “Wghievnenwebygetthtehearnet,i-yFouas’lclisteeJ.e”wish agency. Leiby examined the
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              silence between them. ey passed the train station, swamped
              with refugees who were waiting for days for a train that would
              take them further into Poland.

              Leiby and Alexander found a comparatively quiet corner, some
              distance away from the platform, but with a clear view of the
              station. ey could hear from there if any train happened to
              arrive.

              Alexander spread out a large map on his knees.

              “Maybe you can tell me already where we’re headed,” Leiby
              remarked sarcastically. “I need to know if I should pack my
              Shabbos clothing, and perhaps my pistol.”

              Alexander smiled, but immediately turned serious again.“Leiby,
              we have to get the Jews out of Poland,” he stated rmly. “ e
              war is over in the whole world, and here Jews are still being
              killed. Up until now, I was stationed in Steiten, as an activist in
              the smuggling organization, and I always assisted small groups
              in crossing over the border to Czechoslovakia. It was just by
              chance that I got to Praga and baruch Hashem helped to save
              people there too. But now, I must get back to my post. We’re
              about to have a veritable ood of refugees. Everyone wants to
              get out. Up until now, I worked by myself, but now, with the
              inundation of refugees, I see that I desperately need help.” He
              looked at Leiby intently. “I’ve chosen you, Leiby.”

              “But what about the border police?” Leiby remembered all too
              clearly the authoritarian policemen that he had encountered at
              the Russian border. “ ey’ll arrest us all!”

              “We’ve thought about that, and we’ve reached the decision that
              we just have to increase the number of people crossing over.

                 e forces can deal with small groups of 20 to 30 people, but
              not with 300! ey don’t even have space in the jails for that
              number, on any side of the border. Our guess is that they’ll just
              tell all the immigrants to continue on, especially because they’re
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