Gertruda's Oath: A Child, a Promise, and a Heroic Escape During World War II by Ram Oren Read Free Book Online Page B

Tashkent in Uzbekistan. Lydia suggested that, to honor the event, she would hold a reception and invite a famous violinist. Michael fluently and proudly recited a comic poem from a new children’s book and everyone applauded him.
    As they were finishing the soup and the maid was putting a pair of stuffed pheasants on the table, a knock was heard at the door. Everyone looked surprised, since family meals were a strict ceremony and the servants knew that they were not to be disturbed.
    The door opened and Emil stood there. He bowed and apologized for the disturbance.
    “Come back later,” grumbled Jacob.
    “This is urgent!” the chauffeur insisted.
    “What’s so urgent, Emil?”
    “A woman gave me a letter for you and said it’s a matter of life and death.”
    Jacob Stolowitzky put down his fork and opened the envelope. Urgent letters about business were an everyday affair. Messengers came and went from his house even on the Sabbath, but never had they dared disturb him at lunch.
    His eyes ran over the note and his face turned pale. He gave the letter to his wife and Lydia gasped.
    “What is this supposed to be?” She was amazed.
    “I have no idea,” said her husband. “I’ve never gotten a letter like this.”
    “I knew it,” groaned Lydia. “I knew our good life couldn’t last.”
    The unsigned letter said:
    Mr. Stolowitzky
,
    If you don’t want something bad to happen to you and your family, prepare a million zlotys in cash by tomorrow. Send your chauffeur to the entrance of Kraszinski Park. That will be the signal that you’re willing to deliver the money to us. Afterward, we shall tell you what to do. We warn you not to go to the police
.
     
    He read the letter again and again, finding it hard to digest the words.
    His wealthy businessmen friends were often targets of blackmailers. One of them was shot as he came out of his house after herefused to agree to their demands. For a long time, Jacob Stolowitzky had repressed the fear that such a thing could happen to him, too, someday. Now it was his turn.
    He turned to Emil.
    “Who gave you the letter?” he asked.
    “A woman I don’t know gave it to me at the house and disappeared.”
    “Describe her.”
    “Not young, thin, in a black coat. Her head was wrapped in a brown kerchief. She wore sunglasses.”
    “Were there other people with her?”
    “I didn’t see any.”
    “How did she know you work for us?”
    “She waited at our gate. When she saw me she approached and waited until the gate opened for me, came to me, and asked if I worked for Mr. Stolowitzky. I said I did and then she gave me the letter for you and ran off.”
    Jacob dismissed Emil. Michael looked at his father inquisitively and Gertruda refrained from asking what had happened. Jacob quickly finished eating and withdrew to his room. From there he phoned the police.
    An officer and two policemen soon came to the mansion on Ujazdowska Avenue. They collected testimony from the chauffeur and the servants, took the letter, and warned the family members not to go out alone. Jacob took his gun out of his desk drawer and put it in his pocket. Lydia canceled visits to her friends and closed herself in the house. Gertruda was ordered not to take the daily walk with Michael until the police caught the blackmailers.
    For a few days nothing happened, and then Emil came with another letter. He said he was driving slowly at a busy intersection in Warsaw when the letter was suddenly thrown through the windowof the Cadillac. “It was the same woman who gave me the first letter,” he said.
    This letter was also addressed to Jacob Stolowitzky.
    Like its predecessor, it, too, wasn’t signed:
    We have learned that, against our demands, you did go to the police. We warn you for the last time: if your health and the health of your family are important to you, cut off all contact with the police immediately and pay the money. Send your chauffeur to park the car at the gate of Chopin Park tomorrow at