30

Petra

Poland, March 1921
Salving a conscience

‘Marcelina, look at them! Our darling girls. How happy they are!’

Elka and Ania, just two days away from their fourth birthdays, ran around the table containing the celebration meal. At last peace had come to Poland and she was once more a recognized country. The Soviets had been defeated, and today – 17th March 1921 – the Second Polish Republic had adopted a constitution based on the French one. The constitution expressly ruled out discrimination on racial or religious grounds. An end to anti-Semitism was in sight.

So many of their friends had been murdered. Often accused of being in league with the Soviets, and on their return to Poland in 1917, Petra and Aleksi had feared for their lives and had regretted their decision to leave London. England had now enjoyed peace for two years, although the Spanish flu pandemic had wreaked havoc on an already weakened nation.

Squeezing Marcelina’s hand, Petra tried to gain comfort and to impart it. They had both been widowed by the pandemic, just under three years ago. Neither they nor the twins had succumbed, although darling Aleksi and Feodor had been nursed, and had died, at home.

Soon afterwards the Russians had become troublesome. Beating the White Russians, the Soviets had wanted to conquer Poland, and so another war had raged.

Feodor’s father had been adamant that he would not leave Poland again, and now they all lived in Warsaw. This decision had left Petra and Marcelina helpless, stranded with two babies and living in fear. But today was a good day. A day to celebrate. A day to remember the past too, and to look back with sadness. But, more importantly, a day to look forward with hope. At last the Jews in Poland were going to be able to live, work and worship without anxiety.

Petra watched as Marcelina played with the children. She could see the light inside Marcelina brightening and her sadness melting away. I did the right thing, thought Petra.

What did it matter that Gos and Miriam, Feodor’s parents, wouldn’t accept the girls, or believe the story that Petra had told them about how they came to be with her. The girls were safe, and her beloved Marcelina had some happiness in her life.

Her thoughts went to Edith as she watched the little red-headed Elka and Ania running away from their mama and their cousins, Jhona and Isaac – Feodor’s brother’s children – who had joined in the game.

What had become of Edith? Had she found new love and forgotten the girls? Petra doubted she’d forgotten them, but did think that, when she remembered, it would be with relief. Her problem had been sorted. She’d probably gone back to her society life a heroine, without a smear on her character. Yes. All in all, I did a good job and brought peace to two women: my beloved daughter, and Edith, whom I have to admit I became very fond of.

She thought about her secret box. Hidden away, it held the true facts and papers pertaining to the children’s real identities. This gave her an inner peace. It secured in her a knowledge that if ever it became necessary to do so, she could reveal the truth about their dual nationality, as their registration here in Poland would perhaps be the saving of them one day – who knew? With this thought, she packed her sometimes troubled conscience into the deep recesses of her mind and went to join in the fun.