One day, a new decree appeared in Budejovice. All Jewish citizens were ordered to wear a badge on their clothing with a yellow six-pointed Star of David. That way, they would easily be identified as Jews. Jews in other cities and countries had been forced to wear stars for some time. Some of them believed they should wear this symbol of their religion with pride.
But John did not feel proud to wear the star. He felt marked and branded by it. “We must do as we’ve been ordered,” said his parents. “As long as we follow these rules, we will stay safe.”
In Budejovice, Jews were now restricted to one small area. Though this was not a formal ghetto like those in Poland and Germany, the families knew that most streets and stores were forbidden to them. If they ventured too far they risked punishment or arrest. Much of the time, they stayed in their apartments, surrounded by their friends and family. Contact between Jews and Christians was prohibited. Zdenek Svec, John’s good friend from childhood, was the only Christian who refused to turn his back on John. Every now and then, John would sneak out to meet Zdenek. It was good to talk to his old friend. It reminded him of the days when everything had been normal.
Not long after that, John entered his kitchen to find his parents reading a sheet of paper. “What is it?” he asked. These days, orders arrived at the homes of Jewish families on a regular basis.
The Star of David that all Jews were forced to wear.
His father cleared his throat before speaking. “The Nazis have closed the swimming hole,” he finally blurted. “I’m sorry, John,” he added, seeing the shocked look on his son’s face. “I’m afraid you and the other children will no longer be able to go there.”
John could not believe what he was hearing. How could his playground, the place where he and his friends had enjoyed their best times, be off-limits to him? There would be no more chess tournaments and no more soccer games. He turned away from his parents. He began to understand, in a way he never had before, how the Nazis were closing in on them all.
One month later, even Mr. Frisch’s classes were suspended.
The days felt endless for John. He wanted to be with his friends. From time to time, he was still able to get together with Beda and play chess or other indoor games. But there were no more tournaments by the swimming hole, and no more outings.