Page 9 of The Righteous
“I agree, but Congress was motivated by extremely conservative advisors. As assistant secretary of state, Long advised Congress to delay and effectively stop the number of immigrants coming into the United States. He said we could do this by simply advising our consuls to put every obstacle in their way and to require additional evidence to be produced that would ‘postpone and postpone and postpone the granting of the visas.’ Those were his words.”
Now tears were in Julia’s eyes. “Those poor people stood in line outside the Amsterdam consulate for days and days. They were so needy. They were trying to escape before being sent away to die. We tried so hard, but our hands were tied because of people like Long? All the strict quotas, all the documents they required of those poor refugees, the horrible delays, it was always a struggle we couldn’t overcome. What a callous man.”
“Just two months ago, in November, the House was considering establishing a separate agency to assist with the rescue of Jewish refugees, and guess who gave top secret testimony to that very House committee?”
“It was Long, wasn’t it?”
“That’s right, and we have a copy of his testimony. To this very day, the House hasn’t formed that agency.” Teddy held up his index finger. “But a change is coming, Julie, and it’s top secret. Do we all agree to keep this confidential?”
Both Julia and Theresa nodded.
“Right now, as we speak, there is a report being prepared. It will reveal that certain individuals in the State Department are purposefully standing in the way of aid to refugees. I’m sure you can guess the name of one of them. This report will blow the whistle.”
“Wow,” said Julia. “Who is writing this report, and when will it be released?”
Teddy held his index finger to his lips. “Soon,” he said. “Very soon, but you should know the report will come from Treasury. I’ve seen portions. If you want my opinion, it’s earthshaking.”
“Can you tell us what the report will recommend?” Theresa said.
“I can’t. I haven’t read the final copy, and I’ve already said more than I should.
Keep it under your bonnet. With any luck, John Pehle will be coming here this afternoon.
I want you to meet him. He’s a remarkable man.
So damn smart. Maybe he will open up to you, but don’t pressure him.
Please don’t volunteer that you know anything about this upcoming report. Deal?”
Julia and Theresa nodded enthusiastically. “Deal!”
“All right, then,” Teddy said. “Let’s catch a ride back to the house. Sara’s making something special for lunch.”
“Where are you staying?” Julia asked.
“We’re staying at my dad’s in Silver Spring. It’s a big house, the one I grew up in. Imagine his surprise when I showed up last November with Sara, Katy, and Danny in tow. He and my mom wouldn’t hear about our moving to an apartment. Especially now. He’s crazy about the kids.”
The moment Julia walked in the Hartigans’ front door, little Katy ran into her arms, yelling, “Julie, Julie!” It had been months since Katy had last seen her.
The six-year-old had witnessed the Nazi cruelties and inhumanities visited upon the Jewish community in Amsterdam.
Sara first met Katy when an older woman brought her to the front lawn of the crèche nursery school.
The woman, believed to be the child’s relative, didn’t say a word, but kissed Katy, turned, and walked away.
One might think it was a thoughtless abandonment, but it saved little Katy’s life.
Sara’s sister, who was working at the crèche that day, took Katy into the school.
When it became obvious that no one was coming for her, they had a decision to make.
Either find an orphanage or find an angel.
Sara was the angel. She took little Katy under her wing and then adopted her.
It wasn’t long after that, during the Nazis’ campaign to take all the Jews out of the Netherlands and send them away to a concentration camp, that Julia and Teddy joined others trying to find hiding places for the children.
During the ensuing months, when Teddy and Julia were working as intelligence agents for the State Department, all five of them lived together in the OSS safe house.
“How are your children doing in Washington?” Julia asked.
“They’re doing very well,” Sara said. “The Hartigans are such a loving family. We found a Jewish nursery school, and the kids are fitting right in. We’ve all been very lucky.”
“My dad considers himself the luckiest one of all,” Teddy said.
“It’s funny how long-held attitudes can change overnight with the addition of grandchildren.
When I left home, my father was a very conservative, right-wing gentleman.
He belonged to a wealthy country club, and his friends were all just like him.
They were good people, but they were America Firsters.
They wanted no part of Europe or its constant wars.
Despite what the Statue of Liberty says, they were not pro-immigration. ”
Teddy turned to Theresa. “It was my dad who got me my first job with the State Department. I worked in the basement doing research. Then a golden opportunity arose. They needed an officer at the US consulate in the Netherlands. My dad recommended me, and I was appointed. Supposedly, it was a temporary stepping stone designed to further my government career. I met Julie on my very first day in Amsterdam.”
Julia smiled and nodded. “I showed him to his apartment above the Heineken sign.”
Teddy continued, “When the Nazis took over the Netherlands in 1940, the consulate remained open for business, but my dad saw the writing on the wall. He begged me to come home, but by then, it was too late. I told him that I couldn’t, and I told him why.
Still, he told me that I would always be welcome.
When we showed up at his door last November, he opened his arms to Sara and the kids as wide as he could, like he had known them all their lives.
The fact that they are Jewish didn’t matter to him at all. I’ve never seen him happier.”
“That’s lovely,” Theresa said. Turning to Sara, she said, “I understand that your family is still back in the Netherlands. In Utrecht. Do you hear from them at all?”
Sara shook her head. “Either the shortwave is broken, or… I hate to consider the alternatives. But I have faith in my dad. I know he’ll survive.” Sara placed her hand gently on Theresa’s arm. “And so will yours. They’ll all be okay.”
Just then, the door opened, and Broderick Hartigan walked into the house. “Grandpa, Grandpa!” yelled Katy and Danny and they ran to him. He picked up one in each arm. A smile broke out from ear to ear, and it was contagious. Everyone in the room mirrored his smile.