Chapter Six - The Discovery
The next morning Anna was awake when Katka opened her eyes. She was getting ready for work, moving about the flat, already dressed, coffee warming on the stove, pale morning sunlight shining through the kitchen window.
‘You must stay inside today.’ Anna said when she saw Katka had woken.
'Alright.' Katka nodded.
‘Here.’ Anna said, holding out a mug filled with coffee. A thick steam rose into the cold air of the apartment. It was cold enough for Katka to see your own breath and condensation clung to the window glass.
‘I’m sorry.’ Anna said as she hurriedly pulled on her coat and took her keys from the table by the front door, ‘I will not have any food until this evening when I return from the factory. I will bring bread and we will make soup. Maybe I will get some meat too.’ She paused, ‘If I can.’
‘Thank you.’ Katka replied, ‘But there’s no need -’
‘And do not answer the door.’ Anna went on. ‘Stay quiet if anyone comes. And do not use water, not even in the toilet. The sound of the flush will alert the neighbours that someone is here.’
Katka nodded. She smiled and wondered what she would do all day - alone in an apartment where she could make no noise. But any concern that her time here might be boring, was dispelled by a sudden knock at the door.
Anna froze - eyes wide like a startled rabbit caught in a flashlight - she signalled for Katka to remain quiet, then putting her face close to the wood of the door and straightening herself in a visible attempt to control her fear, she asked, ‘Who’s there?’
‘Open the door!’ Replied a loud voice from outside.
Anna seemed to know at once who it was, but the knowledge did not calm her. ‘It is one of the supervisors from the factory.’ She whispered across the apartment to Katka, ‘What ever could she be doing here? I must go outside and speak to her in the corridor. She cannot come in here and see you.’
But it was no use. The moment Anna had unlatched the door she was pushed aside and a woman in uniform entered. She was taller than Anna and thick in stature. On the lapel of her dark jacket a small swastika badge.
Katka at once stood up and the woman stared at her for a long moment before turning to Anna. ‘Your neighbour said she heard noises in the night. She said she saw you coming home with another person too.’ Her tone was measured, as stern and serious as the expression on her face. Then, looking again at Katka she said, ‘There are also reports of a girl wandering the town yesterday in the afternoon and the police inform me that they have received a communication from Prague that a teenage girl has absconded and is wanted for questioning.’
‘I am sorry, Herr Schneider.’ Anna said, looking up at the woman and speaking with more control of her voice than Katka thought she could ever manage, ‘But we know nothing of these things.’
‘Well who is this?’ Frau Schneider demanded with a jab of her finger towards Katka.
‘My niece. Her name is Olga’ Anna replied at once.
‘And why is she here?’
‘She has come to begin work. She has turned fifteen now and she has been sent to work with us in our factory.’
It seemed almost impossible for Frau Schneider to conceal the disbelief from her face, but Anna had spoken with such certainty, such conviction, it was hard not to believe her. Frau Schneider thought for a moment, then said, ‘Well, I have received no word of this.’
‘No word?’ Anna feigned surprise, ‘But that's not possible.’
‘There have been no telegrams, I did not know that new workers would arrive today.’ Frau Schneider said, but by the tone of her voice and the way she shook her head as she spoke she seemed unsure, visibly confused and losing confidence by the second.
'But there must have been communication, Frau Schneider.' Anna said, 'We filled all the relevant paperwork, the telegram must have arrived at the same time as Olga did, we even have her papers too -' and as she spoke she looked over to Katka, who was just observant enough to see the look on Anna’s face, the subtle change in her expression that hinted that she should play along.
‘I came from Ostrava on the night train.’ Katka said, thinking quickly.
‘Ostrava?’ Frau Schneider asked, ‘In the East, you mean?’.
‘Yes. I have finished school now and I requested that I start work immediately. I want to do what I can to help. I want to help with the war effort.’
Anna smiled, clearly impressed with Katka’s quick thinking. She looked to Frau Schneider then, ‘Do you want to see her papers?’
Katka could not believe Anna had said this. She was terrified that the answer would be yes - and if it was there would be nothing Katka could do. She had nothing on her but a role of stolen banknotes.
But Frau Schneider shook her head. She even seemed a little flustered, ‘N-No.’ She stammered, ‘No, it is alright. The papers will be sent to the factory. It does not matter, I have more important things to be doing with my time.’ And without another word she shuffled out through the door, muttering something about not being late for work and with a brisk ‘Heil Hitler’ she was gone.
Katka’s relief was immense. As soon as she was sure Frau Schneider was out of earshot she turned to Anna and exclaimed, ‘What were you thinking? What would I have done if she had actually wanted to see my papers?’
‘It’s alright.’ Anna smiled at her ‘She is mean but she is stupid. She cannot read. You could have shown her any papers and she would have believed you. She was probably more terrified of being found out that we were. Now,’ she went on, taking a second coat from a peg by the door and putting it across Katka’s shoulders, ‘We need to get to the factory. It looks like you’re working today.’
They hurried out of the apartment and down the stairs. Outside it was bitterly cold, far colder than it had been yesterday and Katka pulled the coat Anna had given her tight around herself. It must have been another of Kristof’s clothes, far too big for Katka but it incredibly warm.
‘It is better to be working than staying alone in the flat.’ Anna said as they walked towards the factory. ‘You will be fed there, there is soup and hot coffee at lunch-time. It is one of the benefits of the job, the only benefit in fact.’ She added with a bitter laugh.
‘But why are you doing so much for me?’ Katka asked.
‘Doing so much?’ Anna exclaimed, ‘Because you are my friend’s daughter, of course!’ Her surprise at Katka’s question sounding in her voice. ‘And besides,’ she added, ‘You will keep me comfort. This evening we will talk.’
When they arrived at the factory - a solid, square shaped building with high chimneys and iron gates that were guarded by soldiers with machine guns - Anna put her face to Katka’s ear and whispered, ‘Just remember to keep up the lie. You are Olga from Ostrava. And be careful, you are new here and people will want to ask questions.’
Katka nodded.
Once through the gates they reported to an office where Katka was assigned to a different part of the factory to Anna. The supervisor in charge summoned an old woman with white hair in a headscarf to look after Katka, to show her how the work should be done.
‘But why can’t Anna show me?’ Katka asked.
She was told to be quiet.
‘We aren’t trusted here, I’m afraid.’ The old woman told Katka, once she had led Katka to her workstation. Katka sat down and looked at her new surroundings - a huge room with a high ceiling, as wide and long as a football pitch and sitting almost shoulder to shoulder were over a hundred women - more perhaps - and each of them dressed in blue overalls. They worked in silence, with the only noise the rhythmic thud of machinery.
Their job was to fill bullet casings with gunpowder. A narrow machine with a long lever was fitted to the workbench in front of each of the women and the acrid smell of chemicals stung Katka’s nose. Immediately her sinuses blocked and her eyes began to water.
‘You’ll get used to it.’ The old woman said sympathetically.
After the old woman had shown Katka what to do, she let Katka operate the machine by herself. She watched as Katka worked - slowly at first - dropping completed bullet after completed bullet into a wooden case by her feet.
‘What nimble hands you have.’ The old woman joked. She held out her own and showed Katka how stiff they had become, her nails yellow and glassy in appearance from constant contact with chemicals. ‘You had better leave here before you get too much older.’ She said, then to Katka’s horror she added, ‘I don’t think your mother would have approved of you working here.’
Katka immediately tried to tell the old woman that she did not understand, that her mother was in Ostrava, that -
But the old woman only laughed, ‘I know who you are.’ then after a pause, and with a wicked glint in her eye, she added, 'But don't worry, I think we’ll get along.'
‘You must stay inside today.’ Anna said when she saw Katka had woken.
'Alright.' Katka nodded.
‘Here.’ Anna said, holding out a mug filled with coffee. A thick steam rose into the cold air of the apartment. It was cold enough for Katka to see your own breath and condensation clung to the window glass.
‘I’m sorry.’ Anna said as she hurriedly pulled on her coat and took her keys from the table by the front door, ‘I will not have any food until this evening when I return from the factory. I will bring bread and we will make soup. Maybe I will get some meat too.’ She paused, ‘If I can.’
‘Thank you.’ Katka replied, ‘But there’s no need -’
‘And do not answer the door.’ Anna went on. ‘Stay quiet if anyone comes. And do not use water, not even in the toilet. The sound of the flush will alert the neighbours that someone is here.’
Katka nodded. She smiled and wondered what she would do all day - alone in an apartment where she could make no noise. But any concern that her time here might be boring, was dispelled by a sudden knock at the door.
Anna froze - eyes wide like a startled rabbit caught in a flashlight - she signalled for Katka to remain quiet, then putting her face close to the wood of the door and straightening herself in a visible attempt to control her fear, she asked, ‘Who’s there?’
‘Open the door!’ Replied a loud voice from outside.
Anna seemed to know at once who it was, but the knowledge did not calm her. ‘It is one of the supervisors from the factory.’ She whispered across the apartment to Katka, ‘What ever could she be doing here? I must go outside and speak to her in the corridor. She cannot come in here and see you.’
But it was no use. The moment Anna had unlatched the door she was pushed aside and a woman in uniform entered. She was taller than Anna and thick in stature. On the lapel of her dark jacket a small swastika badge.
Katka at once stood up and the woman stared at her for a long moment before turning to Anna. ‘Your neighbour said she heard noises in the night. She said she saw you coming home with another person too.’ Her tone was measured, as stern and serious as the expression on her face. Then, looking again at Katka she said, ‘There are also reports of a girl wandering the town yesterday in the afternoon and the police inform me that they have received a communication from Prague that a teenage girl has absconded and is wanted for questioning.’
‘I am sorry, Herr Schneider.’ Anna said, looking up at the woman and speaking with more control of her voice than Katka thought she could ever manage, ‘But we know nothing of these things.’
‘Well who is this?’ Frau Schneider demanded with a jab of her finger towards Katka.
‘My niece. Her name is Olga’ Anna replied at once.
‘And why is she here?’
‘She has come to begin work. She has turned fifteen now and she has been sent to work with us in our factory.’
It seemed almost impossible for Frau Schneider to conceal the disbelief from her face, but Anna had spoken with such certainty, such conviction, it was hard not to believe her. Frau Schneider thought for a moment, then said, ‘Well, I have received no word of this.’
‘No word?’ Anna feigned surprise, ‘But that's not possible.’
‘There have been no telegrams, I did not know that new workers would arrive today.’ Frau Schneider said, but by the tone of her voice and the way she shook her head as she spoke she seemed unsure, visibly confused and losing confidence by the second.
'But there must have been communication, Frau Schneider.' Anna said, 'We filled all the relevant paperwork, the telegram must have arrived at the same time as Olga did, we even have her papers too -' and as she spoke she looked over to Katka, who was just observant enough to see the look on Anna’s face, the subtle change in her expression that hinted that she should play along.
‘I came from Ostrava on the night train.’ Katka said, thinking quickly.
‘Ostrava?’ Frau Schneider asked, ‘In the East, you mean?’.
‘Yes. I have finished school now and I requested that I start work immediately. I want to do what I can to help. I want to help with the war effort.’
Anna smiled, clearly impressed with Katka’s quick thinking. She looked to Frau Schneider then, ‘Do you want to see her papers?’
Katka could not believe Anna had said this. She was terrified that the answer would be yes - and if it was there would be nothing Katka could do. She had nothing on her but a role of stolen banknotes.
But Frau Schneider shook her head. She even seemed a little flustered, ‘N-No.’ She stammered, ‘No, it is alright. The papers will be sent to the factory. It does not matter, I have more important things to be doing with my time.’ And without another word she shuffled out through the door, muttering something about not being late for work and with a brisk ‘Heil Hitler’ she was gone.
Katka’s relief was immense. As soon as she was sure Frau Schneider was out of earshot she turned to Anna and exclaimed, ‘What were you thinking? What would I have done if she had actually wanted to see my papers?’
‘It’s alright.’ Anna smiled at her ‘She is mean but she is stupid. She cannot read. You could have shown her any papers and she would have believed you. She was probably more terrified of being found out that we were. Now,’ she went on, taking a second coat from a peg by the door and putting it across Katka’s shoulders, ‘We need to get to the factory. It looks like you’re working today.’
They hurried out of the apartment and down the stairs. Outside it was bitterly cold, far colder than it had been yesterday and Katka pulled the coat Anna had given her tight around herself. It must have been another of Kristof’s clothes, far too big for Katka but it incredibly warm.
‘It is better to be working than staying alone in the flat.’ Anna said as they walked towards the factory. ‘You will be fed there, there is soup and hot coffee at lunch-time. It is one of the benefits of the job, the only benefit in fact.’ She added with a bitter laugh.
‘But why are you doing so much for me?’ Katka asked.
‘Doing so much?’ Anna exclaimed, ‘Because you are my friend’s daughter, of course!’ Her surprise at Katka’s question sounding in her voice. ‘And besides,’ she added, ‘You will keep me comfort. This evening we will talk.’
When they arrived at the factory - a solid, square shaped building with high chimneys and iron gates that were guarded by soldiers with machine guns - Anna put her face to Katka’s ear and whispered, ‘Just remember to keep up the lie. You are Olga from Ostrava. And be careful, you are new here and people will want to ask questions.’
Katka nodded.
Once through the gates they reported to an office where Katka was assigned to a different part of the factory to Anna. The supervisor in charge summoned an old woman with white hair in a headscarf to look after Katka, to show her how the work should be done.
‘But why can’t Anna show me?’ Katka asked.
She was told to be quiet.
‘We aren’t trusted here, I’m afraid.’ The old woman told Katka, once she had led Katka to her workstation. Katka sat down and looked at her new surroundings - a huge room with a high ceiling, as wide and long as a football pitch and sitting almost shoulder to shoulder were over a hundred women - more perhaps - and each of them dressed in blue overalls. They worked in silence, with the only noise the rhythmic thud of machinery.
Their job was to fill bullet casings with gunpowder. A narrow machine with a long lever was fitted to the workbench in front of each of the women and the acrid smell of chemicals stung Katka’s nose. Immediately her sinuses blocked and her eyes began to water.
‘You’ll get used to it.’ The old woman said sympathetically.
After the old woman had shown Katka what to do, she let Katka operate the machine by herself. She watched as Katka worked - slowly at first - dropping completed bullet after completed bullet into a wooden case by her feet.
‘What nimble hands you have.’ The old woman joked. She held out her own and showed Katka how stiff they had become, her nails yellow and glassy in appearance from constant contact with chemicals. ‘You had better leave here before you get too much older.’ She said, then to Katka’s horror she added, ‘I don’t think your mother would have approved of you working here.’
Katka immediately tried to tell the old woman that she did not understand, that her mother was in Ostrava, that -
But the old woman only laughed, ‘I know who you are.’ then after a pause, and with a wicked glint in her eye, she added, 'But don't worry, I think we’ll get along.'