Page 126 of The German Mother

The café was bustling with passengers when Minki arrived. She squeezed into a corner table and waited. A dark-haired woman wearing a grey suit strode into the café and walked straight towards her.

‘Minki?’

‘Yes…hello, Ruth – how good to see you again.’

They ordered coffee.

‘So who gave you my name?’

‘Julius Zerfass – he’s a friend of Leila Labowksi – Leila Hoffman was her maiden name.’

‘Ah yes, Leila. I recall a few of her articles. She was good – and very brave. But I’ve not read anything by her for a while.’

‘No, she left Germany after her husband died, and went to London.’

‘So many good people have left.’

‘Not you, though.’

Ruth smiled. ‘No. My partner Leo and I…we cannot abandon our country. So, you mentioned you need some help?’

‘Yes, for Leila’s parents. They’re in Munich at the moment. I want to help them get out of Germany, but first we need…certain things.’

‘Don’t say any more,’ said Ruth, throwing a few coins into a saucer to pay the bill. ‘Come with me.’

They took the tram to the south-west of the city. Ruth led the way to a tall apartment building overlooking the Botanical Gardens. Inside they walked up to the first floor.

‘It’s all right,’ Ruth called out, as she unlocked the apartment door. ‘It’s only me. I’m with a friend.’

Minki was led into a large sitting room crammed with people. Men and women of all ages sat at the dining table playing cards, or were squeezed together on the sofa and any available chair. It had the feel of a sociable get-together, but without the usual merriment.

‘Goodness – do they all live with you?’

‘They do now,’ said Ruth, smiling. ‘We take in anyone who needs our help.’

‘But how do you feed them all?’

‘We receive many gifts from friends – people are generous. And we have a wonderful forger who creates fake ration books. We manage. Come with me.’

She led Minki to her bedroom, and closed the door. ‘We can talk alone here. It’s the one room I won’t give up to others. There have to be limits.’ She smiled.

‘What will happen to all those people?’ asked Minki.

‘Some we’ll get out – if they’re young and fit. The older ones…it’s not so easy. The journeys are hard and dangerous. Leila’s parents…I presume they are old, yes?’

‘Yes. And her father is rather confused.’

Ruth nodded. ‘Then don’t bring them here. I have no room – and besides the route out of Berlin is too difficult. They are in Munich, you say?’

‘Yes. They’re hiding in a Catholic friend’s apartment.’

‘So many brave people are helping out,’ Ruth murmured. ‘Now to business. From Munich, the best route is through Switzerland. But the trains are difficult to negotiate – escapees need to avoid the guards and have their wits about them. Could someone drive the couple to the Swiss border instead?’

‘Drive them? I suppose I could.’

‘They’ll need papers – false exit visas in case you’re stopped. Do you have their photographs?’

‘Yes, I brought their old identity cards with me,’ said Minki, reaching into her handbag. ‘I hope the photographs are all right?’