Mendelevski's Box

by Roger Swindells

  ‘Jos van Loon? I’m Theo Visser, lately a deckhand on the motor vessel Brastagi. The office said I might be able to help you.’ He extended a large workworn hand to Jos.

  ‘Thank you for coming, this is the young man you have come to see; this is Simon Mendelevski.’

  ‘Goedenavond Meneer Visser.’

  ‘Goedenavond Simon and please, call me Theo.’

  ‘As you can see it’s very busy tonight, I can spare you Simon but you’ll have to talk in the cellar, it’s the only place that’s quiet and private.’

  ‘Thank you.’ He indicated the steps down to the cellar. ‘Go ahead please, Theo.’

  ‘And get Theo a beer or two while you’re down there.’

  They sat in the cellar, Simon on two crates and Theo in the old chair in Jos’s ‘hideaway corner’.

  ‘Now first of all I need to be sure I am talking to the right man for reasons which will become clear later. Who are your family members?’

  ‘Were, past tense, I’m afraid. They are all dead, but they were my father Aviel, they called him Avi, my mother Ruth, my little sister Esther and me of course.’

  ‘So just the four of you?’

  ‘Yes, but I discovered today that I’m the only one who survived.’

  ‘And where were you in hiding?’

  ‘As far as I can recognise it we were in the house next to, and above, a stable with two big green doors in Kromme Palmstraat, the house door is numbered 3b and has the name Smit. The sign above the stable is A.F. de Jong & Zonen.’

  ‘And when were you there?’

  ‘From the middle of 1942 for six months, then we were discovered.’

  ‘Betrayed.’

  ‘Were we? That’s what I needed to know. Who was it, Theo? Tell me, please.’

  ‘I don’t know, but I think so. It cost your family their lives and a member of mine his life too.’

  ‘What do you mean? Who? How?’

  ‘Hold on there. First of all, who came to the house to help you while you were there?’

  ‘I don’t know who found us the place or who took us there, it was at night and all very secret, of course. There was a man who used to come regularly. A tall, thin man with fair hair. Dutch, not a Jew, he brought food I think. My sister and I weren’t supposed to see him but we often peeked. Maybe he was the one who betrayed us.’

  ‘No, no. Absolutely not. He was my sister’s husband Gerrit. It’s complicated, it was his job to look after you while you were in hiding. He was working for de Jong as the caretaker of the house and stable so he had the keys. De Jong was a fruit wholesaler who kept their horses and carts in the stables but they closed the business down when the Germans invaded in 1940. The house above was rented out to the Smit family for years but they left in the 1930s. De Jong then furnished it for three employees to live in but they left when the Nazis arrived and the company closed down. That just left my brother-in-law looking after both empty premises. A general dealer hired the stable in 1942, I think to store furniture and things. The house, which was still furnished, was vacant, so the resistance put your family in there with Gerrit in a different sort of caretaker role, looking after you all. They were going to put another family in with you, but you were discovered. Gerrit also acted as caretaker looking after people in hiding at other addresses. He was arrested three days after you were discovered, taken to the prison in Scheveningen and tortured about other safe houses before he was executed somewhere in the sand dunes on the coast.’

  Simon was horrified. ‘Because of us?’

  ‘No, not just because of you, it was because he was in the resistance, but whoever gave your family away told the Germans he was looking after you. There were many, many brave people working against the Nazis. For example, all the ration cards which got food for your family were either stolen, gifted by resistance people working in the ministries, or forged. The number of people in hiding was huge, not just Jewish families but Dutch people too who the Nazis wanted to arrest.’

  ‘It was his job to look after us?’

  ‘You and others at other addresses.’

  ‘But who betrayed us and your sister’s husband then?’

  ‘That I don’t know, but I have my suspicions about the man who was using the stables for storage. Some families were paying the landlords of the houses where they were hiding and when they couldn’t get any more money out of them the landlords betrayed them for a reward. People who betrayed Jews to the Nazis got seven guilders and fifty cents for each person—did you know that? Your family was worth just thirty guilders.’

  ‘Paying the landlords?’

  ‘Of course, the resistance placed Jewish families but often the landlord charged them for it, they thought all Jews were rich. In your case the place was empty anyway and de Jong knew nothing about you being there. Tell me, did anyone else ever come to the house?’

  ‘I think my father had a visitor he said was important on one or two occasions, but it may just have been your brother-in-law, I don’t know, I didn’t see who it was. My father worked in the attic room, it was forbidden for us to go up there.’

  ‘That explains the box.’

  ‘Box? What box?’

  ‘Your father hid it in a false wall in the attic. He put it there every night in case they came for you all. He asked my brother-in-law to look after it if he was arrested and to keep it for him until he returned. It’s now yours by right.’

  ‘What’s in it? Where is it now?’

  ‘The police and Germans took everything you left behind but they didn’t find the box. Gerrit removed it the next day and took it home and hid it again. It stayed with my sister until the war was over. When no one came for it she asked me what to do as she did not want it in the house—it reminded her of her husband. She passed it to me.’

  ‘What’s in it?’

  ‘I don’t know, I haven’t opened it, all I know is that it’s very heavy, how your father got it in and out of its hiding place every day I don’t know. It’s not mine to open. It’s in my house, still padlocked just as your father left it. You can collect it tomorrow afternoon, I have to go to the shipping office to sign off the ship, settle up and look for another berth in the morning. I live at 81 Knollendamstraat in the Spaarndammerbuurt, it’s on the ground floor. Jos will know where it is.’

  ‘How can I ever thank you, Theo?’

  ‘Don’t thank me, thank Gerrit or rather his widow. Tot ziens.’

  Theo drank his beer and left, anxious to get home to his wife while Simon raced into the bar bursting to tell Maaike and Jos.

  He gave them both the full story after closing time as they had simply been too busy to sit together and take it all in earlier. He was so excited everything came out in the wrong order.

  ‘Simon, slow down, slow down, please.’ Jos held up his hands to halt his excited gabble. ‘Your father left a box behind and Theo has kept it safe for you?’

  ‘Yes, yes, and he doesn’t know what’s in it as he has never opened it and he says I can have it tomorrow afternoon.’

  ‘But he doesn’t know who betrayed you?’

  ‘He has an idea but that’s all, he didn’t give any names. Maybe the box will help. I can get it tomorrow, did I say?’

  ‘About five times,’ she smiled. ‘And you’ve got to tell Grietje all this as well when we get home.’

  ‘Tomorrow afternoon, what a shame, you’re working from eleven.’ Jos tried to keep a straight face but collapsed with laughter. ‘Of course you can go. Do you know the way? I’d better come to show you and how big is this box anyway?’

  ‘Thank you, Jos, I’ve no idea, but Theo said it was heavy.’

  For once they rushed home, with no slow romantic stroll with a stop to talk halfway. He wanted to get back before Grietje went to bed to tell her his news for the second time that day. The awful revelation of the morning had turned into excitement about what was to be his father’s legacy to him and a route perhaps to uncovering the truth about their betrayal.

 
; They kissed goodnight out of sight before reaching the house. Maaike was tired and went straight to her room, unable to manage the stairs up to the first floor.

  Simon ran into the room calling Grietje’s name. She emerged from the bedroom in her nightwear, her fingers to her lips, ‘Sssh, you’ll wake Irene, what’s all the excitement about?’

  She sat beside him and he started to tell her all about his meeting with Theo and the box when he became aware of her pulling at her gown to show her thighs. She half turned towards him, slightly parting her knees as she did so and he could see she was naked underneath.

  Suddenly tongue-tied and in a total panic, he stopped midway through the story as she put her hand on his thigh and began slowly moving it up between his legs.

  ‘I’m so pleased for you, Simon, it’s good that you might find out about your time in hiding but you got some heartbreaking news this morning and I thought you might want me to comfort you.’

  She started to unbutton his trousers, pulling the gown open at the top with her other hand, revealing her breasts.

  ‘No, Grietje, please. I can’t. I don’t want... please, no.’

  ‘I want you, Simon. I need you, please.’ She almost pleaded with him as he stood up and hurried from the room.

  In just one day he had experienced anguish, elation and now total shock and confusion. He wished he could talk to Maaike.

  Saturday 13th October 1945

  He slept badly, in fact he barely slept at all, his mind in a total turmoil, excited about getting his father’s box but shocked and unsure about how he could possibly face Grietje after the night before. Hanging over both thoughts was the empty feeling of despair knowing that, despite all his wildest hopes, his mother and sister’s deaths were now confirmed.

  He could hear her in the kitchen. Then he remembered it was one of the Saturdays that she had to work, and that he had to go to the market for her before going to work himself. He dressed and went through to the kitchen with no idea what to expect.

  ‘Good morning, I’ve boiled a kettle so you can wash, you have a clean shirt and the shopping list is on the table.’

  To his relief she smiled at him as if nothing had happened. ‘I’ve left some money with the list, can you put in the same and call it your rent for this week? I’ll drop Irene with Maaike on my way out and tell her to give you a list of the things she wants.’

  ‘Yes, thank you, that’ll be fine.’ He couldn’t leave things unsaid and therefore he began, ‘About last night Grietje, I don’t know if I can stay here anymore after…’

  ‘It didn’t happen, alright? I’m a silly, lonely old woman who thought she just might still be attractive. It won’t happen again, and I don’t want to spoil our friendship, just promise me you won’t tell Maaike, I couldn’t bear it, and please, please, don’t leave.’

  ‘You’re not silly, you are attractive and you’re certainly not old. I value your caring and love but not in that way.’

  She forced a smile, turned, and, taking Irene’s hand, started down the stairs.

  He washed and put on a clean shirt before going down to Maaike’s door. She opened it, wearing the overalls she had told him she was altering. He stared at her.

  ‘Close your mouth before you swallow something and come in,’ she joked. ‘Well, do you like it?’

  ‘I’m sorry, it’s just so, well, different.’

  ‘Haven’t you ever seen a girl in trousers before?’

  ‘No, actually I haven’t, and it’s a bit unusual especially, well, like that.’ He indicated where she had cut off the empty left leg and sewn it up to fit her stump.

  ‘Are you shocked? Do you hate it? I just didn’t want to have the empty part hanging loose or folded up so while I was altering them I cut off the leg. Clothes are hard to come by and these overalls were virtually new, my friend got three pairs when she started work at the tram depot and she only stayed a few weeks.’

  ‘I don’t hate it at all, in fact you look sensational. It’s going to get a lot of attention at work.’

  ‘I couldn’t possibly wear this at work, or could I?’ She giggled. ‘Anyway, how are you feeling today after yesterday’s news?’

  ‘Still a little shocked but I am very excited about father’s mysterious box. But first I’m on my way to the market for Grietje and I wondered if you wanted anything.’

  ‘Oh yes please, Grietje said you would be going, I’ve just got a short list. She’ll be home by two by the way, so tell Jos I’ll come in as soon as she’s collected Irene. I thought it would help him out for me to start early so you two can go off to get the box, if you can wait that long, that is.’

  He was back at the house with all the shopping, including some coffee he had managed to find for her, before ten.

  They spent half an hour together before he had to leave for work. She was in the kitchen putting away her groceries while he entertained Irene.

  ‘You’re getting quite good at the shopping, holding your own with all the ladies. It’s all here and the fruit and vegetables are good quality.’

  ‘Yes, I’m getting used to it now.’ He remembered his first visit to the market. ‘It’s still a bit unnerving though, some of the women are frightening.’

  She laughed. ‘Frightening? In what way? You are funny.’

  ‘I’m just an innocent young lad when it comes to bargaining and getting the best price. Seriously, I’d never had to buy food or provisions before, my mother did it all for us.’

  He fell silent remembering his innocent schoolboy days, cosseted and protected by his parents. It all seemed so long ago.

  ‘I’m able to make you coffee at last, can you come through and get it and take mine too, please?’

  They sat and talked while Irene played happily in the corner. He felt totally at ease in Maaike’s company and somehow being with her eased his pain. He hoped she felt the same.

  ‘I’ve had a reply from my Aunt Nel in Leeuwarden. They want me to go up there.’

  ‘To live or just a visit? Only a visit I hope, sorry, I am being selfish. If they want you to live with them, it might be better for you.’

  ‘Only for a visit to start with. They haven’t seen me for years and father didn’t tell them about my leg, so I suppose they think I need help now I’m on my own. I’d like to see them, but I don’t want to live back in Friesland. We left when I was five, there’s nothing for me there. I belong here now, and you’re here of course.’ She looked at him with laughter in her eyes and a smile on her lips and said, ‘Don’t get big-headed about it.’

  ‘How will you get there?’

  ‘If I go it will have to be by train I suppose, but I think I would have to change trains in Amersfoort or Zwolle or both, which will be difficult and of course I can’t manage a suitcase and these damn crutches. That’s if the lines are even open and running again, they suffered a lot of damage in the war plus the Germans ripped up the track from the north in retaliation for the railway strike last year. That’s one of the reasons we all nearly starved. They say it will take years to get everything repaired and running again.’

  ‘We’ll have to work something out. Grietje might know, she used the trains recently when she went to Utrecht.’

  ‘My aunt will be surprised to see me if I do get there.’

  ‘She certainly will if you arrive in that outfit. A woman in trousers in Friesland, there’d probably be a riot!’

  He was a few minutes early for work, but the bar was already busy with the usual crowd of Saturday morning men seeking sanctuary from work and their wives, and women, many loaded down with goods from the market, seeking their husbands or a drink or both.

  Jos’s wife was behind the bar and Jos was taking drinks to the bench outside.

  ‘The Heineken needs changing and we’re short of Brand, bring a couple of crates up. Come on, jump to it, we’re losing money here.’

  At that moment Jos came in and hearing the exchange murmured, ‘Jawohl mein Führer,’ under his breath as he followed
Simon into the cellar.

  ‘You take the crates and I’ll change the barrel, I don’t know when we’re going to get away to collect your box, it’s very busy up there and the wife is not very happy at having to work.’

  ‘Maaike has already thought of that. Grietje gets back about two and as soon as she has collected her daughter, Maaike is coming in to work so she should be here by half past two instead of six. I’ll go up and help your wife until she gets here, then maybe we can go?’

  ‘Up you go then, you’re a braver man than I am. I’m staying down here, out of her way.’

  He and Mevrouw van Loon worked together over the lunchtime period. He washed glasses while she complained, he took out trays of drinks while she moaned, and he tried to help her with pouring drinks while she criticised. Anyone asking for bitterballen or other snacks got short shrift.

  At about one she disappeared upstairs with the words, ‘You can manage, can’t you? Get my lazy drunken husband up out of his hiding place if you need help.’

  Jos must have heard her as he appeared almost the instant his wife disappeared.

  ‘Has she gone? Thank God for that. Right, so it’s just me and you, young Simon, let’s get these thirsty buggers served.’

  Maaike arrived just before two thirty and took her place behind the bar. It was still very busy. Jos was unsure about leaving her on her own as it was clear his wife was not going to reappear.

  ‘Just go you two, I can manage easily, they’ll just have to come to the bar and collect their drinks, that’s all.’

  ‘If you’re sure. Simon has stocked up on bottled beers and I’ve put a new barrel on.’

  Jos turned to him. ‘I’ve just had a thought, how big is the box going to be? Theo said it was heavy and he didn’t know how your father put it in the hiding place every night.’