Beyond the Shield

by Nachman Kataczinsky

  Esther was overwhelmed. For a year she had been living with only a female friend from her town and no news. Only rumors of what was happening in occupied Europe penetrated the Soviet propaganda barrier. She thought that they were all under German occupation and in grave danger. The Hirshson part of the family was new and difficult to accept. The rescue of all the Jews from Nazi Europe was a surprise, even though the Palestinian emissary had brought her a letter from her parents.

  Ze’ev’s wife Linda invited everyone to the table. Jacob, sitting across the table, assumed that the general introductions were too overwhelming for Esther to absorb and so introduced himself again: “I’m Jacob Hirshson. He smiled. Supposedly I’m Ze’ev’s father but we just call each other by first names.”

  Esther looked at him closely for the first time. She liked the slim young man with a dark complexion. He looked good in uniform. “I find this whole thing very confusing. How did you manage to accept having a son forty years your senior?”

  “Who said I accepted it? It is what it is and I’m just glad to be out of Europe and the clutches of the Nazis. That Ze’ev is my son is a claim I can live with but I’ll always have difficulty accepting emotionally, though I don’t doubt that in some other history it was true. He’s not really my son - or yours. He’s the son we might have had if things had been different.”

  Esther considered his words. “I think I will suspend my disbelief and emotional judgment for a while.

  “So, what are you doing in uniform? And what is your rank?”

  Jacob explained about his compulsory service and how he had been promoted to corporal only a short time ago. He liked this girl. She seemed serious and mature beyond her years, probably because of living in the Soviet Union by herself for quite a long time.

  “I’m keeping you from enjoying the food. You look like you need feeding,” Jacob said.

  “They fed us well on the ship from Russia, but you’re right. I was hungry most of the time since I left home in June of ’41.”

  After dinner Jacob invited Esther for a walk on the beach. She refused. Jacob didn’t press but had to comment. “I can see that you’re uncomfortable with me. Forget about that other reality. Just enjoy this life.”

  Esther nodded. “I agree. How about tomorrow? Are you still going to be here?”

  ***

  Three men entered Emir Abdullah’s public office, or throne room, at his palace in Amman. The meeting has been arranged through a sheikh of one of the Bedouin tribes in the Jordan River valley. The visitor was Ambassador Yaron Weizmann. The other two were his body-guards.

  “Please be seated,” Emir Abdullah invited them politely. “I understand that you are the Ambassador from Israel. I wasn’t aware that the Jews of Palestine declared independence, though rumors fly around.”

  The Ambassador introduced himself: “Your highness, my name is Yaron Weizmann - no connection to Professor Weizmann, and I do indeed represent the State of Israel. We are not only independent but also allied with Britain and the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany. We are also allies with the United States.”

  Abdullah nodded. “This implies a strong state, unless you are just a symbolical ally not really doing much. Like Syria is now a Free French ally.”

  “I assure you that we are indeed a very strong state. If we establish diplomatic relations you will have an opportunity to see it for yourself. We offer you friendship and support and, if need be, protection against your enemies.”

  “And what will you want in return?” asked the Emir.

  “Reciprocity. We want the neighborhood we live in to be friendly to us.”

  The Emir nodded. “A noble desire. Good relations would be beneficial to both parties. But to be clear, if we establish diplomatic relations it doesn’t mean an alliance. This is probably a good issue for the future.”

  The Israeli Ambassador nodded agreement. “My government completely agrees with this sentiment. May I suggest that our two states exchange ambassadors within the week?”

  “That fast? As you know, Transjordan is a British protectorate and I can’t exchange ambassadors without their agreement.”

  “My government knows about this potential obstacle. We requested the British Foreign Office issue a letter of agreement. It will be presented to you by Sir Alec Kirkbride, who is on his way as we speak.”

  “I am not sure whether to be offended or gratified,” Abdullah said. “Your government seems to know a lot about my affairs and isn’t shy about interfering.”

  “Your highness, it is our intention to set up relations as fast as possible. I can explain as soon as I have presented my credentials, which I have with me.”

  There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Abdullah said.

  The door opened and the majordomo announced, “Sir Alec Kirkbride.”

  “Let him in,” Abdullah said.

  When the British Ambassador appeared Abdullah greeted him. “Come in, old friend. Join us and explain to me what is going on.”

  Sir Alec shook hands with Ambassador Weizmann and settled on a comfortably overstuffed chair next to him.

  “I see you know each other,” Emir Abdullah said. “How did that happen?”

  “We haven’t known each other for very long,” Sir Alec responded. “I was ordered to meet the Ambassador at the RAF Marka base and make sure he got a proper reception there. I was also asked to inform your highness that Israel is a very powerful and valued ally of Great Britain.”

  “The Ambassador told me that you would have a letter for me from your Foreign Office.”

  The British representative opened his slim briefcase and handed an envelope to the emir. “Yes, your Highness. This is a letter signed by Secretary Eden. It removes British authority over your ability to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.”

  ***

  The Prime Minister asked the Foreign Minister to present a general update to the Israeli cabinet.

  The minister shuffled the papers in front of him and said, “A number of things have happened in the last week. Our ambassador to Britain met with John Winant, the U.S. ambassador. They discussed establishing mutual relations and trade. We expect to send a representative to Washington within a couple of weeks. Regarding trade: We expect to start trading directly with the U.S. instead of through British companies. This will take a couple of months, although I must admit that as it is we are making tons of money selling medicines. Teva is complaining about excessive taxation but in truth they’re prospering and happy.

  “On a related issue, in cooperation with the Absorption and Immigration Ministry and the Jewish Agency, we have dispatched a group of emissaries to the U.S. There are more than four million Jews living there now and we are trying to bring as many of them home as we can. We have sent individual emissaries to prominent people. Albert Einstein, Chaim Weitzman, who at the invitation of FDR is working in the U.S. on synthetic rubber, Jonas Salk, and others.

  “Two weeks ago we signed a mutual defense pact with Italy. Britain joined it the next day. We also have a trading agreement with Italy and have already started limited imports.

  “The most interesting news comes from our new representative in Moscow. Since we didn’t want to have a Soviet ambassador in Israel we only asked for a representative to take care of our nationals and to transfer military intelligence to them directly. By the way, the people we sent to collect the Jews of Russia are doing well. We are receiving two ships a week from Sochi. Very soon we will need to lease more passenger ships. The old Theodore Herzl can make only two trips every week and that won’t be enough. The head of the Security Service may update you on the spies the Soviets tried to slip in with the legitimate immigrants.

  “The Germans haven’t missed all this immigration traffic. Our base in Brindisi got a call from Alois Brunner, Eichmann’s replacement, asking what our ships are doing in Sochi. The Germans have a good spy network in Turkey and were informed about our ships going through the Bosporus. The new base commander told them the tru
th: that we are collecting Jews from there. I think that they are getting suspicious and will soon realize that they have been the victims of a gigantic hoax. They will probably decide to attack then but the Defense Minister tells me we’re ready for them.

  “Last week we established diplomatic relations with the Emirate of Transjordan. As we agreed, in a couple of days our ambassador will present the Palestinian question to Abdullah.

  “I also need the Defense Minister to elaborate on his activities in Moscow, of which I’m somewhat wary.

  “This is all the news for now. Questions?”

  The Finance Minister had a question: “How many people do you expect to get out of Russia?”

  “The Jewish population of the Soviet Union is more than four million. We expect that at first under a million will move. Another million, or maybe two, can be expected to arrive in a couple of years, after establishment of full relations.”

  Amos asked the Defense minister, “Nitzan, what are you up to in Moscow that the Foreign Minister doesn’t like?”

  Nitzan Liebler smiled a crooked smile. “Nothing out of the ordinary, except I’m not as trusting in diplomatic relations and promises as my colleague. It seemed reasonable to be ready for some underhanded action by the Soviets, so I directed the Air Force to have a long-range drone over Moscow at all times and a jet on call if necessary. Just in case.”

  The Minister for Internal Security was next. “Last week we expelled the Arab leadership and their thugs who survived the fight on the Jordanian border. Since then the Arabs of Judea and Samaria plus some of the Israeli Arabs are rioting. We had stones and firebombs thrown at traffic in Jerusalem, riots and tire burning in the Galilee, and attacks and shootings in Judea and Samaria. I invited their local leadership for a conversation and got an earful of threats.

  “My recommendation is to send them all to some place where they won’t be able to harm us.”

  The Justice Minister said, “Surely not all the Arabs participate. We can’t punish everyone for the crimes of a few.”

  “I don’t know how many don’t participate,” the Internal Security Minister responded. “We had about thirty thousand Arabs from several villages trying to force the Qalandia checkpoint into Jerusalem. They came from villages with a total population of about thirty-five thousand. Draw your own conclusions how many, including women and children, are peaceful.”

  The Prime Minister said, “I agree that we need to send them away. We agreed the population of Judea and Samaria would be transported to a different universe, now that we have the means to do so. I think that we should notify the others that they will also be sent away if calm isn’t restored immediately. We need a couple of months to finish the system anyway. So let’s give them one last chance.”

  ***

  “Himmler, what’s going on with your investigation?” Hitler was pacing again, sharply turning when he reached a wall.

  “Mein Fuehrer, von Kleist admitted to some dissatisfaction among the generals but refused to admit any knowledge of the assassinations. Personally, I don’t believe him. We have a demonstration of his lies: His chief of staff, General Kurt Zeitzler, was also summoned and was supposed to present himself here two days ago. He didn’t arrive and hasn’t contacted us.

  “I dispatched a contingent of SS and a senior Gestapo agent to detain him. He had his troops waiting and arrested my people. We have an open rebellion on our hands. It has to be suppressed.”

  Hitler stopped pacing. “We need to act swiftly and decisively. I want you to dispatch the Waffen SS to take care of this traitor. Use the most loyal and experienced troops: Wiking, Prinz Eugen, Hohenstaufen and Totenkopf divisions. Appoint Paul Hausser as group commander.

  “You will exterminate the rebel generals and any troops that support them. I also want you to put all Waffen SS units on high alert. They have to be ready for action at any moment. Report to me by the end of today. I will be at the OKW – The stupid generals there need guidance about France.”

  When Hitler arrived at the High Command of the Wehrmacht he found a bunch of agitated generals.

  Jodl, the chief of staff, explained. “The French fleet left Algiers and arrived in Marseille yesterday. They unloaded an army - French forces withdrawn from North Africa as well as De Gaul’s Free French. In all they now have 12 divisions, including three to four hundred tanks. The French are moving northwest. In addition, more than twenty British divisions with at least five hundred tanks are moving from northern Italy and are forming a front with the French based on Grenoble-Lyon and west.

  “We have enough forces in France to stop and defeat them, but it will take time. Most of our forces are on the Atlantic coast.”

  “Why didn’t you know about their movements before now?” Hitler asked.

  “We lost a number of reconnaissance aircraft patrolling the Mediterranean. When we received reports of the fleet within visual range of the coast the Luftwaffe tried attacking. We lost a whole wing of Stuka dive bombers and several Messerschmitt fighters. We’re still investigating what happened.”

  Hitler started pacing, but stopped immediately. “I assume you have recommendations?”

  “We recommend defense on a line in central France. Since the British obviously have an agreement with Italy we recommend an attack on Italy through Austria. This will allow us to cut off the British and take control of Italy, denying the British and French supplies through that route. It will also allow us a two-pronged attack on the combined British-French front.”

  “What forces do you recommend we send into Italy?”

  “We have two SS Panzer divisions in southern Austria. Two Wehrmacht mechanized divisions are in Slovenia and Croatia. There’s also a Wehrmacht division stationed in Serbia on the Croatian border. These can be ready to go within five days.

  “We recommend utilizing the major roads from Austria and Slovenia. This will allow faster advance in the mountains. I hope that the Luftwaffe can help. We will need close support and forward observation.”

  Hitler nodded. “Good. Go ahead.”

  ***

  Jacob Hirshson was ready to go. He called his mother and sister and told them not to worry. The Combat Engineers unit was in the port of Haifa waiting for their heavy equipment to be loaded for transport to Italy. Jacob’s compulsory service was supposed to end in a couple of weeks. If the IDF still needed him after that, they would call him up for special reserve duty and extend his service.

  The IDF General Staff had decided to beef up the Engineers in northern Italy. Since Jacob’s unit was composed mostly of new soldiers, they were being sent on what was considered a safe mission to gain some experience.

  “Hi, Jacob,” said a familiar voice.

  Jacob looked up. Benjamin Hirshson, Ze’ev’s youngest son and, theoretically, Jacob’s grandson, stood in front of him. “Hi to yourself. What are you doing here? I thought you were a menswear designer.”

  Benjamin laughed. “And I thought you were a surveyor. We all wear several hats in this country. I’m also a navy Staff Sergeant.” He pointed to the chevrons on his sleeve. “We will be escorting your transport to Italy. You will be landing in Venice. We’ll stay in the neighborhood to keep an eye on the sea and air.”

  Jacob nodded. “True, we all have at least two jobs. But I see that I’m the lowest ranking military person in this family.” He smiled. “How depressing.”

  Benjamin became serious. “If this war goes on long enough, they will likely try to persuade you to go to officer school. The way you run your business shows you have leadership skills and you are a surveyor, which puts you on a fast track with the Combat Engineers. But I have to run, we’re preparing to sail.”

  The heavy engineering equipment was secured on the ship and Jacob’s unit started boarding. Mechanized infantry and artillery joined them, filling the ship to capacity. They had to wait for another two hours before the vessel was ready to leave port.

  The journey lasted four days and, as far as Jacob could tell, went wi
thout a hitch. He did see a few missiles launched by their escorts but never saw their targets.

  Venice was pleasant at the end of August, much cooler than Haifa. The transport unloaded at a military pier. All the troops were headed for their various destinations by early afternoon. Jacob’s Combat Engineers regiment was on its way to the Brenner Pass, or rather to a village just south of it on the Italian side of the border. They travelled in trucks with their heavy armored D9 bulldozers. The roads were narrow and started climbing soon after Venice, which made for slow-going. The unit got to its destination three days later.

  As soon as they arrived the quartermaster company started erecting tents, setting up space heaters, kitchens and dining tents. The rest of the regiment helped enthusiastically. While the soldiers were working, the officers went with the regiment commander to explore the terrain and get their assignments. They drove from their encampment just south of the village of Vipiteno to north of the village, where the valley was wider.

  “B Company, liaison with the armor units and determine where they want positions prepared for their tanks and IFVs. C Company, prepare mine fields where the armor commander tells you. Don’t forget to make detailed maps of the mines you lay.”

  They kept driving the few miles to just south of the pass and the Austrian border.

  “D and E Companies, you see the steep cliffs on both sides of the valley? I want you to prepare them to be dropped to close the valley about a thousand feet south of the Brenner Pass. We also have a requirement from the local commander that a narrow path in the middle remain passable to vehicles. Use radio-controlled detonators and be careful to leave no evidence of your work here.”

  The commander of D Company had a question: “Should we set the explosives off as soon as the Germans attack?”

  The regiment commander smiled. “That would be way too simple. The idea is to let them in and start a battle in front of the village. When they decide they don’t like our welcome and start retreating, we drop the cliffs to slow them down. We do want some troops to escape and spread the word.”