“Liesl Sarah Beck, you mean.” The Nazi watched Trudi’s face for her reaction, his delight in his power evident. One of the many Nazi decrees was that all Jewish people were to add Israel or Sarah to their names, depending on their sex. Heinz didn’t glance at his stepmother. He kept his eye on the Nazi, not liking the way he was looking at Liesl. She was an innocent baby, but he’d heard of what some soldiers did to Jewish babies.
“Yes sir, pardon me.”
Heinz listened scornfully, as his stepmother acted the part of the down-trodden Jew. Her acting abilities were so good, she should volunteer to be Goebbels’ next film star. She looked as if she was prepared to do anything to get her child on the train. He glanced around at the row of tables lined up, Nazis with lists, children waiting in lines. She wasn’t the only one.
He saw more than one bribe flow across the table, discretely pocketed by the Nazi who would blame the Jew if it was discovered. He knew, from neighborhood gossip, what lengths the women of his community were prepared to go to, to get their children on a train out of Germany. His mother would never have done something like that. She would have remained dignified to the end. Mother would have spat in this animal’s face, not played up to him, as if he was God’s gift to creation.
Heinz yanked Tom’s arm forward.
“Ouch, that hurt. What did you do that for?” Tomas complained but in a whisper. The five-year-old was totally intimidated and who’d blame him. He held on tight to Brown-Bear. Nothing would separate him from the stuffed animal and if he was too old for bears, so what? He knew nothing of a time when the streets were safe for Jews.
“Tomas Beck. He’s five.” Heinz pushed his brother forward, deliberately using his real name. He wasn’t leaving him behind. Tom was all he had of his mother and the one person Heinz admitted he loved. Everyone else had died. Mother, from cancer. Oma and Opa, distraught at the loss of their only child and the nightmare engulfing their country had taken their own lives only two weeks previously. He could see Opa’s Iron Cross lying on his unmoving chest. Papa… he didn’t want to think about Papa. There was only him and Tomas left.
“You can go.” The man indicated he take Tomas onto the train. Heinz pushed his brother forward but Tomas wouldn’t move.
“Liesl has to come too. We have to look after her. She can’t stay here without us. She needs her brothers to protect her. Papa told me it was my job when she was born.”
“Tomas, leave Liesl with her mother. Come on, the train will go without us.”
But it was no use. Tom refused. Heinz was pushed forward losing his grip on his brother, leaving the child to run back toward the rows of desks to where Trudi stood. “Tomas, come back. Get back here now.”
“Get on the train, boy, or face the consequences.”
The Nazi guard pointed to a crumpled body on the other side of the tracks. Heinz hadn’t noticed it. He didn’t move until the truncheon came down across his shoulders. Rachel Bernstein pushed him forward.
“For goodness sake get on the train. Now is not the time. Our time will come but for now, we must do what they say. Move. If you don’t, you will upset the little ones. They look up to us. Stop being such a selfish sod and move your backside, Heinz Beck, or I shall move it for you.”
Astonished that Rachel even knew street language, he moved forward onto the train, almost in shock. He took a seat in the carriage, craning his neck to see what had happened to Tom. Where was his brother?
He scanned the crowd. Then he saw her. Standing at the door to the waiting room, back with the other parents not allowed on the station platform. Trudi. Yet she didn’t look like his stepmother now. Her face was ravaged with pain, her expression tore at his heart, not that she saw him. Her gaze was focused on a bundle being carried onto the train. It was Tomas carrying the small baby. Rachel moved forward to help his brother onto the train.
Next thing he knew the bundle was thrust into his hands. “Your sister, I believe.” Rachel stood in front of him. “Take her. I don’t want to hear it. She’s a baby and she needs you. Now man up and take responsibility. I have enough to do with the others.” Rachel turned her attention to Tomas. In a much warmer tone, he heard her say, “You, Tomas Beck, are a real man. Your sister is a lucky little girl to have such a hero for a brother.”
Despite the circumstances, Tomas beamed at the praise and immediately straightened his shoulders, wiping his sleeve across his nose. The bundle in Heinz’s arms squirmed, as Liesl protested being held on his lap. She wanted to climb out the window back to her mother. Heinz held her tighter, causing her to squeal in protest.
“Shut that Jewish brat up, or I will,” another Nazi guard spat in their direction.
“Heinz, give her to me. I know how to keep her quiet,” Tomas insisted, putting Brown-Bear on the seat beside him before he held his hands out for Liesl. Despite his misgivings, Heinz let his brother hold the baby and watched as she immediately gurgled and smiled. It was almost as if she knew Tomas adored her whereas he… he didn’t even like her.
No, that wasn’t true. He’d been all set to attack the Nazi guard when it looked like he might hurt the baby. Papa had treated Liesl like a princess. At first, Heinz thought it was because of Trudi but it was more than that. Liesl was such a joyful child, always laughing or smiling at people. She brightened up any room. Papa
