The prison overlords, however, were furious. The guards were imprisoned. Discipline was tightened, cases reopened. Suddenly one morning, Renia was told she was not going to work. Instead, she was hit and locked in a dark cell, allegedly as punishment for her lie that she’d simply stolen across the border. Now they suspected her of espionage. The beating left a permanent scar etched on her forehead.
Renia was moved to a cell for female political prisoners. No one here went out to work. Every few days, a Gestapo committee arrived to examine them, like cattle in the market. There was no hope of getting out.
By chance, Renia learned from a woman from Katowice that Ilza had confessed to being Jewish and was hanged. Her heart broke into a million pieces, but she didn’t twitch a muscle. “Even if I was stabbed with a knife, I could not break.”
Day and night, Renia contemplated the fate of her comrades. She felt like her memory was fading, as if she were going mad. She couldn’t concentrate. She couldn’t remember her testimony. She wasn’t sure she could trust herself if they decided to interrogate her again. She had a constant headache. She was very weak, could barely stand. It was forbidden for the prisoners to lie on their beds during the day, but the key keeper pitied her and allowed her to perch on her cot. She jumped up whenever she heard the supervisor’s jangle, so no one could see her, sitting idle, haunted by Ilza’s young face.
She had been so close to freedom.
Chapter 28
The Great Escape
Renia and Gusta
NOVEMBER 1943
“This is for you,” a woman whispered, handing Renia a note. “It was given to me while working in the field.” Renia, on her way to the toilet, was startled. “The woman is coming tomorrow to get an answer and deliver a food package.”
Renia’s hands shook as she took the paper. Could it be? She clutched it the entire day.
Finally, at night, when everyone around her was asleep, Renia opened her treasure, devouring each word. Was it for real? The handwriting did look like Sarah’s.
Her sister wrote that everyone was still alive. The comrades had found places to hide in Poles’ homes. She had learned of Renia’s fate from the letter that Zivia received in Warsaw. The gendarme had really sent it! Now Sarah wanted to know how they could help. The comrades would do anything to get her out. “Don’t be discouraged,” she counseled.
Renia reread the note dozens of times.
Thinking, planning, scheming.
Renia checked that everyone was still asleep. It was past midnight.
She snuck out of bed and padded over to the monitor’s desk. As quietly as possible, she fumbled in the dark for a pencil. And found one!
Sarah, always prepared, had included a piece of paper for her reply.
Renia tiptoed back to her bed and wrote:
“First, you must pay the woman who carried the note generously, since she risked her life. Second, would it be possible to pay her to trade places with me, so I could go out to the field? Then we can meet and decide what to do.”
In the morning, in the bathroom, Renia slipped the page to the woman, Belitkova, and arranged to meet her there again that night.
All day, whenever she could, Renia kept rereading Sarah’s letter: “We will do anything to get you out of there. Zivia sent a person with money.” Her friends were safe.
That very evening, another note arrived:
“Everything will be ok. After much persuasion, Belitkova agreed to let you go to the field in her place. She’ll be paid with valuables and plenty of money. I’ll send the goods to her house today. She’s poor and happy for cash.”
The next day, Renia quickly changed into Belitkova’s dress and moved to her cell; Belitkova would attend roll call in Renia’s place. It was a cold November morning, and Renia wrapped her face in all the rags she could find. Luckily, none of the guards knew her.