Page 42 of The Righteous

IT WAS MIDMORNING when the BMW parked in front of the Weissbach home. Everyone was overjoyed at the reunion, and no one more so than Althea, who ran up to Pearl, tail wagging.

“I’m glad to see you back safe and sound,” Benjamin said.

“All these rumors are going around that the Nazis are everywhere and stopping cars at random. They aren’t doing anything in Budapest, but reports come in from outside the city.

People out there are being arrested and taken into holding centers in the towns.

We were worried about you. To hear some people tell it, it’s a full-scale German invasion. ”

Julia and Theresa looked at each other with an expression that said, “If he only knew.”

“It’s not just rumors, Apa,” Theresa said.

“They have invaded, there is no doubt about it, and they are everywhere. If it hadn’t been for Julia’s Swiss ID, we would now be in custody, probably awaiting transit to some prison camp.

Mine was ripped up by a Nazi guard. I need a new one.

We saw groups being gathered and held in small towns.

The SS are searching for Jews in country homes, on farms, in the lake houses, and, as we know, on the road.

We were stopped at a Nazi roadblock. There is no telling when they will move into Budapest, but you can be assured they’re coming.

Their interest isn’t limited to country Jews.

They’ll arrest us all if they can. Hitler considers Jews to be the enemy, and his officers will follow his lead. ”

“Aunt Pearl, do you know a man named Thom Ansgrat?” Julia said. “He sure knows you.”

“I do,” said Pearl. “He’s an eccentric old fellow, lives down the road. He mostly keeps to himself, but he’s harmless. Once in a while, he comes by for a cup of coffee, and we chat.”

Julia nodded. “We met him. He came by while we were packing up your things. He had his carbine ready to protect you.”

Pearl smiled. “Sounds like old Thom.”

Theresa told the family all about their road trip, including the occasion when they were confronted by the SS guards.

“Apa, there is absolutely no question that the Nazi operation is progressing. Hungary has been overrun by the Germans, and they are moving ahead with their Operation Reinhard. You need to accept that fact. Stop denying it and plan for your defense.”

Benjamin nodded. “I do accept it. The question is, what do we do about it? How do we plan for a defense? We have no military. Help will have to come from outside our community. Speaking of which, Carl Lutz called this morning. He wanted to talk to either of you. When I told him where you had gone, he sighed and said, ‘Oh no. When they get back, God willing, please tell them to come see me at the embassy.’”

“I will talk to him, and then I need to call John Pehle,” Julia said.

“They both need an update on the situation as we observed it. This is essential information for the WRB. There are now over nine hundred thousand refugees needing help, whether they know it or not. We will go back to the embassy now.”

“Have you heard from Sammy?” Theresa asked. “He was going to set up a meeting with Joel Brand and the Aid and Rescue Committee.”

“He hasn’t called,” Benjamin said, “but maybe Sammy doesn’t know the urgency or the desperate situations you observed. I will reach out to Sammy again. Don’t worry, I will see to it that he arranges a meeting.”

Back at the embassy, Julia fired up the cablegram.

After being informed, John Pehle said, “In addition to your report, we are receiving a smattering of other reports on Hungary. I’m glad you contacted me, because your report is reliable and firsthand.

It will carry a lot of weight with the committee.

We heard that Jews are being picked up all over the country and held all in compressed areas. Is that true?”

Julia confirmed. “That’s accurate, I’m sorry to say.

Jewish families in the countryside are being moved into designated cities and held in close quarters they call ghettos .

I’m sure you know what I think about that, given my experience in Holland.

It is step one, and step two is transfer to a prison camp. ”

“As far as we know, governmental letters of immunity are still being honored,” John asked. “Is that not so?”

“The SS honored our Swiss IDs, thank God,” Julia responded. “Theresa and I were stopped at a Nazi barricade and were able to avoid arrest only by showing those IDs.”

“That’s good to know. Here at the WRB, we have been contacting governments considered by Germany to be neutral, and we have asked for their cooperation.

We sent requests to Central and South American governments, asking if they would agree to give protection.

If a person were to possess a document claiming citizenship of their country, would they confirm it was genuine and be willing to confer immunity?

For example, if a person in Hungary had identification from one of those South American countries, would they agree to inform Germany through diplomatic channels that the holder was in fact a citizen?

Those IDs are being prepared by some of the countries and should be forwarded to Carl in Bern. ”

“Perfect,” said Julia. “We get dispatches from Bern in diplomatic pouches almost every day.”

“We are also putting in requests to Treasury for funds to be transferred to Switzerland to be used in rescue operations,” John said. “Please keep me advised of any changes as they occur, especially if, or when, Jews are being deported out of Hungary.”

“I definitely will. Thankfully, we haven’t seen that yet, but you know I feel that deportation is step two. We have to do everything in our power or hundreds of thousands of innocents will be murdered.”

“I know, and we’re doing everything we can.”

Julia concluded by saying, “I will be meeting with Carl later today. If there is anything you should know, I will pass it on.”

AT THE MEETING with Carl, Julia and Theresa related the details of their trip to Aunt Pearl’s.

They expressed their opinion that Operation Reinhard was occurring at lightning speed.

“There are SS squads all over the country,” Julia said.

“They are in the little towns, they are on the road, and now we see them in large groups on the streets of Budapest. There are armed Germans everywhere you look, but as of the present time, we haven’t seen mass arrests take place in Budapest. They are only happening in the countryside. ”

“If their orders are to move people from the countryside into the cities, there would be no reason to arrest Jews in Budapest; they’re already in the city,” Carl said.

“I would be concerned if they started moving Jews from their homes in Budapest to central holding areas, especially near train stations, because that would be a sure sign that deportations are next. It hasn’t happened yet, but I have seen an influx of people from the countryside coming into Budapest and looking for shelter. ”

“Where are they going to stay?” asked Theresa. “Do you have any ideas?”

“I’m afraid not. They should stay with friends, relatives, or wherever they can find housing.

My wife, Gertrud, has real estate experience, and she may have a better idea of the real estate market in Budapest. If WRB has the funds, it may be possible to acquire temporary housing, even if it is only on a short-term-rental basis. You might mention that to John.”

“We will,” Theresa said. “It is a real shame. People who have lived peacefully in their houses for years, for generations, are now forced to look for an emergency place to stay so they won’t be arrested. How is that just?”

“It’s not,” Carl said, “but there is one more thing. I heard this on the grapevine. Apparently, Eichmann has created a council and appointed Jews to fill it. It is supposedly a Jewish leadership council that is formed to communicate between the Nazi rulers and the Jewish community. The council will convey instructions to the Jews by posters, flyers, meetings at the synagogues, and the like. That way, Eichmann can speak directly to the Jewish people and it will have authority because it comes from a Jewish council. It is called a Judenrat .”

“Oh no!” Julia cried. “That is the tool that the Nazis use. They make up a committee and appoint respected Jews to fill it. The Jews have no choice. While people won’t listen to instructions coming directly from the Nazis, they would more likely comply if they came from a Jewish council.”

“That’s the idea,” Carl said. “The Judenrat will encourage compliance. People respect the Judenrat leaders.”

“That’s right,” said Julia. “I’ve seen it operate.

They did the same thing in Amsterdam three years ago, in 1941.

Seyss-Inquart appointed two respected Jewish men, David Cohen and Abraham Asscher, as leaders of the Judenrat, although in Dutch it was called the Joodse Raad .

The Joodse Raad was supposed to protect people from the evil Nazis and their antisemitism by opening a channel of communication.

It was just the opposite. The Joodse Raad urged the people to comply with the Nazi orders, as explained to them by Cohen and Asscher, no matter how horrible, so that they would be obedient to the Nazis’ unjust laws and ultimately in their orders for mass deportation.

The Joodse Raad would publish that week’s orders and advise the people to comply or there would be trouble for everyone.

‘Don’t let your fellow man down,’ they said.

The orders eventually told Jews to report at certain locations.

I’m sure you know what happened next. When the Jews obeyed and followed those orders, they were arrested, taken to the train station, and deported.

Cohen and Asscher, following Eichmann’s orders, talked politely while leading the Jews to slaughter.

They did that until September 1943, when there weren’t any more Jews left in Amsterdam at all. ”

Carl nodded. “The word on the street is that a man named Samu Stern was appointed to head up the Budapest Judenrat and that he will be speaking to Jewish groups. Your father may know of him, Theresa.”

“I’ve heard the name, but I don’t know him,” she said. “I’ll follow up with my father.”

“I do know Samu Stern,” Benjamin said when presented with the information.

“He has been active in the community and at the synagogue for many years. He is a scholar, and many people look up to him. He’s at least five years older than I am.

Maybe he’s seventy? Although he still spends quite a bit of time at the Great Synagogue, I believe he is Orthodox.

I can’t imagine him playing ball with Eichmann and going against his people, but you never know.

He’s either deceived into believing Eichmann, or he has made a deal for his own safety.

I do believe that he is scheduled to speak at the Great Synagogue tomorrow following morning prayer service. Do you want to attend?”

“You bet I do,” Julia said. “I’d like to debate him on the stage. He accepted a position to deceive his countrymen. I want to tell the people the truth, expose the Judenrat for the fraud that it is.”

Benjamin smiled. “People can be told the truth in more courteous ways. We will attend and be polite, okay?”