BETRAYAL
1943 – The Pyrenees Ridge – South of France
The motorcycle roared from afar. It got closer and from where he stood, Monnie could spot a shadow of the rider. Actually, he didn’t need to look, the sound was distinct – a military German motorcycle.
He signalled his friends, and each knew their job. One kneeled next to a wheel taken out of the front of the car, the other stood as if assisting, the third took an observation point high above the road and Monnie stepped and stood in the middle of the road, close to the “broken” car.
The motorcyclist approached and stopped by the car, curious. He asked something in German and Monnie came closer as if trying to better understand what the man is asking while signaling to the German he can’t hear a thing. The motorcyclist turned off the engine and suddenly everything became very quiet. He asked what the road to the nearest town is, wanting to make sure he was heading in the right direction.
Only a few minutes passed between the time the motorcyclist stopped and the time he found himself driving fast and “naturally” down the cliff.
If anyone was to try and understand what happened, they will come to the conclusion the man misjudged the road and drove down the cliff. Accidents happened every day, Monnie and his gang were experts.
Summer of 1935
Monnie stood in front of his shady house in a small town in Bulgaria, on the bench of the Danube. He had a few pennies in his pocket and a small bundle of clothes in his hand. He bid his family goodbye and headed to Paris. A few of his friends were already there, waiting for him.
Equipped with basic French he learned at the “Alliance” elementary school, he made his first moves in Paris, and when he was out of words, he used his hands as a mime, which oftentimes was amusing.
His friends found him a job with a Jew, a jewelry merchant. Monnie learned how to flirt with the customers, especially women, flatter them and make them feel good. His sales grow bigger and bigger, and the merchant was pleased and compensated him generously, astonished by the success of the young man.
In the evening, when Monnie counted the money, he would rub his eyes in disbelief. He had never seen such huge amounts before. He would hide the money well, behind a brick of the external wall of the yard; nobody knew about it or saw the place.
Summer of 1935 – Paris
Silvi arrived at the store by coincidence. She was walking the streets with her friends, looking for earrings. Monnie flirted with her as he did with all his customers, but with her, something was different. She fascinated him.
Loyal to his job and completely focused, he managed to sell her two pairs of earrings “as a deal” and her friends also purchased a few additional pairs. Monnie didn’t let her leave before she gave him her address and he promised he’ll come by once the store closes.
Everything happened fast. Within a few days, they became inseparable. A few weeks later she moved in with him and at the end of that year, they announced they are to be married.
His friends felt uncomfortable with her, maybe because she was not a Jew and maybe for other reasons, but Monnie didn’t pay attention to them. He was head over heels in love.
Silvi worked as a waitress in a nearby restaurant and they hid their savings together, preparing the ground for the house they wanted to build once married.
Mid-July 1942 – Paris
When the police broke into his place in the middle of the night, he was not there, thanks to Silvi. That night was the beginning of the hunt for Jews. The police went from one place to another, equipped with lists, gathered the Jews, and moved them to a concentration point. Monnie saw everything from a tiny crack in the attic where he was hiding.
The night before, Silvi overheard one of the police officers at the restaurant. She warned him and arranged a hiding place with some clothes and food. A few days later, Silvi was wise enough to steal the documents from one of the clients at the restaurant, a very brave act. The documents were extremely valuable, as the man resembled Monnie.
He bid Silvi goodbye the day she brought him the stolen documents. It was extremely dangerous for him to stay in Paris, and he escaped to the mountains, hoping to meet with his friends. Before saying goodbye, the couple swore they will reunite once the war is over and get married.
Before leaving, Silvi gave him a small photo of hers and kissed him on his lips.
1943-1944 – The Pyrenees Ridge – South of France
They managed to hang in for quite some time. a group of Jews with fake documents, assisted here and there by farmers while trying to avoid being snitched about and betrayed. Their method of concealing their sabotage acts and accidents helped people around them avoid German acts of revenge. They took extreme precautions in order to survive, one was to sleep at a different place every night.
Occasionally, they would travel far to hit a railroad or an important bridge, knock down phone poles and disconnect communication lines.
The operations have become increasingly frequent as the Allies' invasion of France grew closer. They didn’t have much information, but the frequency of orders for action signalled something was about to happen.
Monnie carried Silvi’s photo with him wherever he went. Every night, before falling asleep, he would look at the photo, waiting for the day they will marry and build a home together.
End of 1944 – Paris
The long-awaited day has arrived, Monnie walked the streets of liberated Paris towards his home, anticipation, and desire to see his love grew bigger and bigger as he approached. The concierge opened the door with a weird look in her eyes he couldn’t understand; maybe something troubled her.
He opened the door, but Silvi was not there. He went from one room to another, not realizing what happened. There was no trace of her clothes or belongings. The house was empty and abandoned.
His neighbors came to congratulate him, following with his friends from the underground, and then the picture started to become clear.
A few months following Monnie’s escape, Silvi embarked upon a hot affair with a German Gestapo. She did not only have an affair with him, but she also cooperated with the Germans and snitched on a few underground members that were arrested, some were his childhood friends. A few days before Paris was liberated, Silvi and the Gestapo escaped. To his dismay, Monnie discovered the couple took his life savings.
Winter of 1949 – near Heidelberg, Germany
The night was dark, and snow started to fall. The sound of the approaching car was loud and clear, he saw the short signal and gave orders accordingly. The car approached and he could spot figures in it.
The “broken” car was at the side of the road, blocking the path. Its front wheel was laying on the road.
The two men fixing the car waved their hands to the approaching car and it stopped. The driver offered help.
A few minutes later, the car drove fast and “naturally” down the hill all the way to the bottom. Just another car accident due to a driver losing control over his vehicle.
Minutes later, a nearby farmer will report to the police a car on fire.
1949 – Three Days Following the Accident, Heidelberg, Germany
The VIP guest at the motel had his habits and as he was always generous, the waiters circled him enthusiastically. He set by his regular breakfast table, waiting for the newspaper, knowing exactly what to expect. Meanwhile, he sipped from his coffee and put some jam on a toast, immersed in thoughts.
A smiling waiter approached and gave him a fresh copy of the local newspaper, which he read every morning.
The headline talked about the horrible accident that took place three days before. It was an unusually large headline, and below it appeared the pictures of the victims, together with the burnt car.
The diligent reporter provided many details about the couple that got killed. The man, Herman Schmidt, who moved to the area in 1945, used to be a Gestapo officer, suspected of carrying out war crimes, including the massacre of underground prisoners, while he was stationed in Paris. The French government's request to extradite him was being heard in court. His wife, Mrs. Silvi Schmidt, a French woman from Paris, was known as a snitch who delivered many underground members to the hand of the Nazis. She hid for the past few years and was hardly seen outside, fearing for her life.
***
Monnie lit a fine cigar, pretending to read the newspaper. He took a few sips from his coffee and took a few extra bites from his toast.
The author - Aviad Ben Izhak (Lieutenant-Colonel), former commander of the Military Computer Science School (Mamram).
Specialist in creating genealogies and locating family members and roots. Seasoned in creating genealogies that include thousands of people.
Aviad is the founder of Yedaat – Genealogy and Family Trees.
All rights reserved to the author – names of products and companies are independent registered trademarks!
