We Were the Lucky Ones

Halina, Nechuma, and Sol are driving away from Radom, in a car borrowed from their old neighbors. Adam discovered that the arms factory where Nechuma and Sol were working was slated for liquidation, so Halina devised a plan to get her parents out safely. Halina took all the cash they had left, plus Nechuma’s amethyst necklace, and bribed a guard at the factory to let her parents out discreetly.

As they drive, Nechuma asks about the other family members. Halina does not have the heart to tell her about Bella’s parents, so she tells the story of Adam and the landlady. Halina talks about her job working as a cook for a German businessman and how Mila is working for a German family, also posing as an Aryan. Since Felicia cannot pass for an Aryan, Mila had to send her to live with a friend: “Halina tries to keep her tone light, even though she knows how much Mila’s decision to leave her daughter in the care of someone else had tormented her” (241). This update saddens her parents.

Nechuma asks about Jakob, and Halina says that she heard he was still at the AVL factory. She says that Jakob asked her to help get Bella’s parents out of the ghetto, but it was liquidated. Sol and Nechuma are stunned at this news.

Halina instructs Sol to slow down as they near their turn. They pull up to a small house. The owners are named Górski, and they have agreed to keep Sol and Nechuma hidden: “Adam had found the Górskis through the Underground on a list of Poles with space to spare who would accept money in exchange for hiding Jews” (242). There are no other houses in sight.

They knock on the door and are let in. The Górskis are a poor, undernourished, elderly couple. Albert Górski is kind and welcoming and was the one Halina previously spoke to when she was in the home to arrange for her parents to hide there. Marta Górski is very nervous to have the Kurcs in her home. Sol offers his hand to Marta and says she is very brave and generous to take them in.

The hiding place is behind a bookcase: “Sol and Nechuma watch as Albert wraps his torso around the small case and slides it gently along the cedar-planked wall” (244). Inside, there is a crawlspace with blankets laid down. After showing the hidden compartment, Albert invites the Kurcs to see the bedroom in the house where they will stay, when it is safe. He says that they will let Sol and Nechuma know when they expect visitors. If someone comes to the door unexpectedly, Albert and Marta will delay them until Sol and Nechuma can get into the crawl space.

Nechuma notices boxing gloves in the corner and asks if the Górskis have a son. Albert says they do, a son named Zachariasz, who is in the Home Army. Marta quietly says that they have not heard from him in several months. Nechuma touches Marta’s shoulder and says that they have three sons. Marta asks where they are, and Nechuma replies that their whereabouts are unknown. Marta shakes her head and says, “It’s awful, not knowing where they are, whether they’re okay” (246). Halina says she must go and says goodbye to her parents. Sol tells Halina that she takes good care of them.

Genek, Herta, and Józef are riding in a pickup truck, along with other Poles who are going to fight with the Allies; many are seriously ill. It has been a year since the Kurcs were released from their work camp in Siberia. They had to spend the winter in Uzbekistan, with almost no food, and many died during that time. The Polish General Anders had pressed Stalin to allow him to evacuate his people to Persia, where they would be under the care of British troops and given proper rations and medical care. Like the others, Genek and Herta had to give up all their identification papers and few possessions:

 Without a single coin or form of identification in their pockets, they were true nomads. But it didn’t matter—whatever the requirements to get them out of the grip of the Iron Fist and into the caring hands of the British and General Anders, they were more than willing to oblige (250).

They boarded a freight ship and endured a hellish last part of the journey crammed together with thousands of passengers. Dozens more died, their bodies passed hand to hand until they could be tossed overboard.

They finally reach port in Persia and wait on the beach for trucks to come that will take them to Tehran. Some locals throw objects at their group, and Genek catches an orange, the first piece of fruit he has touched in over two years. He sees the woman who threw it and waves in gratitude. Genek gives some of the orange to his family and relishes the taste himself.

In the camp in Tehran, the Kurcs are allowed to clean themselves and are given fresh clothing. Genek receives supplies and learns that breakfast is at seven o’clock in the morning. This elates Genek, who has become accustomed to only having one meager meal a day. He goes to find Herta and Józef, also in clean clothes, on the beautiful Caspian Sea beach, and he says they have come to the right place.

Felicia is waiting for her mother, looking at the clock on the wall. Felicia is living with a friend of her aunt’s, for reasons she still does not understand. Her mother lives in a different apartment down the street. They are together on the weekends, and once a week her mother comes to deliver money to the landlord. Felicia spends her days alone. An old man named Karl also lives there, but he spends all his time in his room.

Felicia hears the door rattle and is afraid because it is too early for her mother to arrive. She thinks about hiding, but then recognizes the voice of her mother’s cousin Franka. Franka says that her mother has to work late, so she could not come. Franka says that Mila will try to come tomorrow and asks if Felicia is all right.

Franka seems nervous and says she must go, that she should not be seen in the apartment. Suddenly, there is a knock at the door, and Franka tells Felicia to hide quickly. Franka conceals Felicia under the table and goes to answer the door.

Felicia hears yelling in German, and Franka explaining that she is there making a delivery. Felicia hears more commotion, then hears Karl’s voice pleading, “Please don’t, please! I have papers!” (257). There is a gunshot, and Franka screams. The floor shakes with a thud, and Felicia puts a hand over her mouth to stop her own cry.

A man laughs and another tells Franka in broken Polish to tell the owner of the apartment that they will be back and that this is what happens when “they try to hide” (257). As Felicia sees a trail of blood seep under the tablecloth, she pulls herself in a ball and closes her eyes tightly. When the men finally leave, Franka wraps her in a hug.