To Earth and Back

by William Boardman

  “So, how in the world did they get out?” Merrick asked, fascinated.

  “I’m going to get to that,” Ari promised, “but first why don’t we look at something a little more cheery?”

  CHAPTER 12

  > > >

  The dining room scene was warm and inviting, with family and servants chanting “Happy Birthday.” Adie’s eyes were aglow as baby brother Gil pounded gleefully on his highchair tray, and two-year-old Davy laughed, trying to keep up with the words. Meanwhile, the cook entered through the swinging door carrying a pink three-layer cake. Ten flickering candles formed a luminous halo around the center. When the song drew to a close, Adie took a deep breath and handily extinguished all of the candles. After an enthusiastic round of applause, everyone enjoyed a piece of cake and adjourned to the living room.

  “Now, Adie, sweetheart,” Mr. Behr began, “I have some happy news. The other day we received a parcel from your Uncle Leonard and Aunt Joyce, and you’ll never guess what was inside.” A smile formed on Adie’s face. “That’s right; presents!” One of the maids retrieved the beautifully wrapped gifts from the window seat and set them on the coffee table before Adie. “Why don’t you open these first?”

  Among the gifts from America were a variety of shiny American coins, including three silver dollars and all of the latest postage stamps. Her uncle also sent a copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and two very curious-looking cartoon books—Action Comics, numbers one and two, printed in June and July of that same year.

  Then the house staff came forward one at a time. The cook proudly presented a dozen of Adie’s favorite frosted cookies, after which the maids added a multicolored scarf and a pair of hand-embroidered socks. The chauffeur, a frustrated woodworker, surprised everyone by presenting Adie with a beautifully crafted musical jewelry box made of maple burl with a figured walnut bezel. He included three Swiss-made cylinders—one waltz and two popular melodies. For Adie, the gift was an overwhelming surprise, and she responded with a hug and kiss.

  Finally, Mr. Behr rose and beckoned Adie to stand facing the large mirror behind the couch. Then, reaching into his pocket, he removed a small dove-shaped diamond pendant, suspended at the wingtips on a delicate gold chain. With a loving smile, he gently lifted the pendant over Adie’s head and lowered it until it came to rest below her neck. As he fastened the clasp, she seemed hypnotized by the glistening diamonds, which caught and reflected the many points of light coming from the chandeliers.

  Adie turned and buried her head in her father’s side. “Oh Papa...Papa...it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” When she had recovered enough to face the others, her father slowly opened his hand to reveal a pair of matching diamond studs. Adie could hold her tears no longer and dropped face down in her mother’s lap, lightly convulsing as she wept. Applause and happy words hastened her recovery, and the party adjourned to the piano room, where to everyone’s delight, mother and daughter filled the air with music and melody.

  # # #

  “A big night, I’d say,” Merrick observed, “—the diamonds and all.”

  “Uh-huh,” Ari agreed. “And the only person more shocked than Adie, was her mother, though she concealed it until later. I could see from the look she gave her husband that the evening wasn’t going to be over until they had words. And sure enough, when Adie headed off to bed, they went into the sitting room. What you are about to see sets the stage for the family’s future.”

  > > >

  Mrs. Behr started the exchange. “Honestly, Michael, what on earth were you thinking...giving a ten-year-old such an expensive gift. Isn’t she a little young for diamonds?”

  “Yes—yes, my love,” Mr. Behr responded. “I know what you’re saying. And under normal circumstances I would wholeheartedly agree.” A grave expression formed on his face. “But we are living in uncertain times. People we know are losing their businesses, their freedoms, and from what I’m hearing, quite possibly their lives. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, or how long we will be able to enjoy such nice things. Indeed, our little girl may never be able to enjoy them. So I thought—”

  “I know, I know,” Mrs. Behr conceded.

  A brief silence followed, neither one wishing to raise the inevitable subject.

  Again, Mrs. Behr initiated. “Then Michael, is it now your feeling that we will be caught up in all this persecution?”

  Mr. Behr took a deep breath, exhaled, and slowly nodded. “I’m afraid it’s just a matter of time, now. I’ve heard enough to believe that no Jew is immune to what is coming...what is already here.”

  “Then is it too late? Can we still get out?”

  “Only if you’re willing to leave everything behind; the house, your things, your friends, your—”

  “Material things; they’re only material things. And what good are they if we’re not alive to enjoy them?”

  Surprise registered on Mr. Behr’s face. “Then you’re actually willing to leave all of this and just go...with the clothes on your back and a few bags?”

  “If you feel we need to leave, then we will leave. Where you go, I go. But where...and how?”

  “I must confess, my love...these past few weeks I have been doing some checking with my colleagues here in Berlin and in the South—Austria and Hungary. I’m afraid the door has already closed for returning to America. And finding another place in Germany will provide little protection. We might as well stay here. Austria is no different. But I contacted Karl Weisz in Budapest. It seems that in Hungary the climate for Jews is not so harsh.”

  Mrs. Behr nodded, remembering Mr. Weisz, one of many visitors.

  “He has a summer home, a small farm, ten miles from Kopasvar. It’s in the middle of a forest—a secluded area. He says he rarely goes there since his wife died, and we are welcome to rent it. Sweetheart, I know this would be—”

  “But how would we get there?” Mrs. Behr interrupted. “Can we go in the car?”

  “Yes, however, you should know, people have had problems at checkpoints in Germany and at the border crossings. Yet, I believe Mr. Speer’s signature should carry us through.”

  “Then make the arrangements with Mr. Weisz, and let’s go.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  “Then I’ll send the cable tomorrow. It will take a few weeks to get our business affairs in order…. Why don’t we plan on the first week in August?”

  Mrs. Behr nodded. “That will give me a chance to decide what to take and inform the servants.”

  Mr. Behr hesitated. “I’m sorry, my love. If we’re to remain safe, we mustn’t inform anyone. We may even have to tell some lies to cover our trail. You must be prepared for that and guard your words.”

  Mrs. Behr thought for a moment and agreed.

  # # #

  CHAPTER 13

  “The message went out to Budapest the next morning,” Ari explained, “and Adie’s father began to consolidate his assets. He transferred money from his Swiss account to the local bank, bought a small waterproof strongbox, and cleaned out his safety deposit box. Then he dropped the car off at a friend’s machine shop, where the mechanic welded a long metal container to the vehicle’s undercarriage. Later, Mr. Behr stuffed it full of cash and jewels.

  “Meanwhile, Mrs. Behr made a detailed packing list. She thought it might be best to appear as if they were taking a short trip for a musical engagement, so she included formal clothing, some sheet music, even tools to tune the piano.”

  Merrick listened attentively.

  “Aren’t you getting tired?” Ari asked. “We’ve been at this for a while now.”

  “Are you kidding? I find this intriguing.”

  “Very well, then,” Ari said, sensing Merrick’s sincerity. “Toward the end of that same week, Mr. Behr called everyone in to work. It was the Friday before the family’s final week in Berlin. He told the employees that he was expecting a very busy holiday season, and that he had decided to give them the nex
t week off to take advantage of the warm weather. He had done that sort of thing before, so no one was the wiser.

  “The following week, he settled all outstanding debts, then closed his bank account and cleared the store safe of loose gems and high value jewelry. After setting his affairs in order, he took the business records home and burned them. He had two meetings scheduled toward the end of that week. He attended both.”

  “To keep from raising suspicion?” Merrick interjected.

  “Yes, however the second meeting offered some particularly disturbing news. Two colleagues had received visits from government officials demanding a complete inventory of business assets.

  “On the last day of that week, Mr. Behr sent letters to his employees, including six months’ wages and a letter of recommendation to help them find a new job. In another letter, he directed the store manager to divide all remaining gold and jewelry among the workers.

  “Earlier that week, Mrs. Behr gave the house servants vacations as well, following up at the end of the week with letters of recommendation. That day, the day of their final departure, the Behr’s locked the house and drove to their summer cottage, about thirty miles south of Berlin. They cleared through two military checkpoints along the way. With Mrs. Behr driving, the soldiers checked her identification first. And though she looked every bit the glamorous American, it was the Albert Speer signature that impressed the guards. They waved them through unchallenged.”

  “Do you think they would have made it without the signature?” Merrick asked.

  “Unlikely,” Ari said as he cued the next sequence. “Anyway, not long after they arrived at the cottage, Mr. Behr took the strongbox I mentioned earlier and a shovel and asked the family to go with him for a walk.”

  > > >

  The path wound through a wooded area ending at a brook near the border of their property. Mrs. Behr carried the baby, and Adie held Davy’s hand as they approached their favorite spot, a small waterfall surrounded by large boulders.

  Mr. Behr set the strongbox down and dug a hole at the base of the boulders. The box was over a foot long, ten inches tall and wide. “Now listen to me, Adie,” he said. “Your mother and I have made a decision. You see..., bad things are happening in this country for people like us, and I’m afraid we must leave.”

  Adie frowned in confusion. “Where are we going, Papa?”

  “Well, I have a friend in Hungary, Karl Weisz. He’s the gentleman who visited from Budapest last year. He has a nice little farm where no one is living right now. How does that sound?”

  “And, when will we go?”

  “Tomorrow...we’ll drive down to Munich and stay the first night with the Stoff family. Then, the next day, it’s off to Hungary. Of course we pass through Austria on the way. Mr. Weisz will be waiting for us.”

  Anxiety formed on Adie’s face. “Then when will we come back?”

  Mr. Behr softened his voice to quell her fears. “Sweetheart, we may never be back…. I’m afraid we must start a new life.”

  Growing agitated, Adie said, “But what about our friends—our things—the store?”

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart, we just have to let them go.”

  “Are we going to be okay?” she asked, now fighting tears.

  “Of course, we will. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “Can we have a piano?”

  Mr. Behr smiled. “I already sent Mr. Weisz some money. We’re having one delivered. I’m afraid the rooms are small, though, so you will have to be happy with an upright for now.”

  Adie nodded, smiling through tears.

  Mr. Behr dropped the subject and moved on. “Now, sweetheart, I brought you out here for something very important.” He picked up the strongbox, released the latch, and opened it. Inside were numerous packets of loose diamonds, a variety of stunning jewelry, cash, and official-looking papers. “Adie, you must listen carefully. I have a fortune in jewels here—the best of the best. These things are too valuable to take to Hungary, so I’m going to bury them here. Now, you must remember where they are, in case Mama and I somehow forget. Can you do that?”

  “Yes, Papa, I’ll remember.”

  “We’ll be taking some money and gems with us, but these must stay behind.”

  Mr. Behr began to close the box when Adie stopped him. “Not yet, Papa.” She carefully removed her necklace and diamond studs and placed them in the box. “I don’t want to lose these either.”

  Mr. Behr smiled his approval, sealed and buried the box, shoveling the excess dirt into the stream. He then walked some distance away and returned a few minutes later grunting under the weight of a large flat stone. Placing it squarely on the freshly dug soil and stomping it down, he said, “X marks the spot...Adie, don’t ever forget.” They walked slowly back toward the cottage.

  # # #

  “Munich was 350 miles away,” Ari explained, “so they started before dawn. It was Sunday, and the roads were reasonably clear. Even so, it still took over twelve hours to reach Munich. They had to clear more than a dozen checkpoints and saw several vehicles searched, but once Mrs. Behr produced those papers, they passed right through.”

  “What about the borders, with all the high ranking officials,” Merrick asked, “and what about customs?”

  “Yes, the borders were a little more complicated. And it was a good thing their friends sent them off early. It was only thirty miles to the border, but it took them nearly three hours to clear through: first the Germans, then the Austrians. Both sides scrutinized their identification and asked a number of questions. The Germans went so far as to match the Speer signature to a reference sheet. But, aside from a few scowls directed at Mr. Behr, they didn’t have much trouble on either side of the border.”

  “How did they explain their reason for traveling? They must have been asked.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think you can cross any border without answering that one…. Mr. Behr just told the officials that his wife had a three-day engagement to play in Budapest. Still, their arrival at the southern Hungarian crossing drew suspicion. The officials wondered why they hadn’t used the northern crossing, as it was much closer to Budapest. So Mr. Behr added to their story, saying they would be staying the night with some friends near Kopasvar before driving up the next day. Anyway, Mr. Weisz met them in a small town not far from the border and led them on to the farm.”

  Ari stood to stretch his legs. “I think this is probably a good stopping point. What do you say to a swim? We can pick this up same time day after tomorrow if you’d like.”

  “You know, that sounds great,” Merrick said, getting up from the couch. “I know you feel you’re boring me, but I assure you that is not the case. Adie has an amazing story…. Two days from now sounds good. I have an eighteen-hour mission tomorrow. I’ll call you when I get back.” Merrick headed for the door. “Give me a few minutes to change, and I’ll meet you at the pool.”

  CHAPTER 14

  —— Two Days Later ——

  > > >

  Twenty square miles of dense forest surrounded the farm. Mr. Weisz had built the house on a hillside facing east overlooking two acres of cultivated land. It was a modest, two-story structure with eat-in kitchen, living room, and three small upstairs bedrooms. The front porch extended the full width of the home, offering a splendid view of the farmland below. A year-round spring cut a jagged path down the hill, conveniently passing within yards of the house. A red barn, in good repair, stood just south of the house. It was largely empty, apart from farm tools and cut firewood. Access to the farm was via a primitive forest trail, in many places barely wide enough for the Behr’s car to pass. For the unfamiliar visitor, the trail entrance was difficult to see from the main road, requiring them to drive over a broad, pebbly area for some distance before angling off into the woods.

  ———————

  “Security-wise, that place seems ideal,” Merrick observed, “particularly the hidden entrance. But the lower standard of living must have be
en an adjustment. How did Mrs. Behr deal with that?”

  “Surprisingly well,” Ari said. “She was a little shaken, to be sure, but didn’t complain. Mr. Behr had been frank about the changes from the beginning: no electricity, no indoor plumbing, and so on. I think it was the prospect of only bathing twice each week that repulsed her. She wasn’t very enthused with the method either. Mr. Behr would bring in a clean metal feeding trough from the barn, place it next to the fireplace, and fill it with stream water. For a warm bath, they had to heat water over the fire. Honestly, you should have seen her face when Mr. Behr removed a floorboard before putting in the tub.”

  “What in the world for?”

  “Well, the opening was right under the tub’s drain plug.”

  “So the water just drained out under the house?”

  “Precisely.”

  “What a remarkable invention,” Merrick said, drawing a smile from Ari.

  “Anyway, the family had to get used to doing everything themselves; no more house maids...And there were more pressing needs, such as a tutor for Adie and a ‘farmhand’...or should I say, bodyguard. Of course, Adie adapted very well, bless her heart. She had quite the servant’s spirit. And the boys just saw everything as a big adventure. At any rate, things smoothed out once the piano arrived, despite the fact that it was badly out of tune. I think the ride on the horse-drawn wagon had something to do with that. Even so, Mrs. Behr found it easy to tune, though in terms of quality, it was a step down. But she seemed pleased, and it made Adie happy.”

  “How did Mr. Behr go about hiring the help?” Merrick asked. “I assume he didn’t want the family’s presence widely known.”