of jam.
On my honeymoon night, I lie beside him. He lays his hands above my head on the pillow. He kisses my temples, my heart, my belly, and then below.
I close my eyes and pass through a world where there is only love.
CHAPTER 15
LENKA
In January of 1939, it seemed as though it would only be a matter of time before the Germans finally invaded Czech soil.
“We must get married,” Josef implored me. “I’ve told my parents that I’m in love with you.”
I blew puffs of steam in his face as I stood next to him in the cold. “How can we get married now? The whole world’s turned upside down.”
He pulled me closer. “If we don’t get married, there will be nothing good left in this life for me.”
He kissed me again, his arms enveloping me in their warm woolen sleeves. I felt like my heart was flooding with emotion whenever I was near him. But our situation was becoming more and more desperate.
“How can I tell my parents for the first time I am dating you, and in the next sentence, tell them I am to be wed?”
“These are strange days . . . things are not as they once were. Listen,” he said, shaking me a little by the arms. “My parents are in the middle of negotiating exit visas for us. I need to marry you so they can secure one for you, too.”
“What?” I asked incredulously.
“Father is buying them on the black market. We have a cousin in New York who is sponsoring us.” He was now looking at me with such a ferocious intensity, I was frightened. “Lenka, you need to understand . . . we need to get out of here. The Czechs will sell every Jew out if it means maintaining their sovereignty.”
I shook my head. “I can’t marry you unless you also secure visas for my parents . . . and for Marta.”
“That’s impossible, Lenka, you know that.” His voice was now full of force and it surprised me. “You will go first with my family, and then when we are settled you can send for them.”
“No,” I said. “Promise me you will also get my whole family passports, or otherwise, the answer is no.”
CHAPTER 16
LENKA
We told my parents the next evening. I brought Josef home and my parents, though shocked by the sudden announcement, did not protest. Perhaps delirious and worn down from their own desperation, they would have married me off to even a lesser man if he had promised us safety outside of Czechoslovakia.
Josef appeared remarkably calm as he told Papa of his plans to take care of me, and to take us all out of Prague.
“And your parents? They support this decision?” Papa asked.
“They love Lenka, as do I. My sister adores her. We will all take care of her.”
“But you will come with us. You, Mama, and Marta,” I interjected. “Dr. Kohn is arranging papers for all of us.”
Josef looked at my father and nodded.
“We’ve either sent away or sold off her dowry,” Papa told him sadly.
“I am marrying her for love not for money. Not for crystal.”
Papa smiled and let out a deep sigh.
“This is not how I imagined your betrothal, Lenka,” he said, turning to me. His eyes lifted toward my mother, who was standing at the threshold of the parlor, Marta’s thin arms around her. My sister was thirteen now, but still seemed childlike to me.
“Eliška, do you think you can make a wedding in three days?”
She nodded.
“So be it,” Papa said as he stood up to embrace Josef. “Mazel tov.”
My father’s arms lifted to wrap around Josef. I saw Papa’s head rest on Josef’s shoulder, his eyes squinting shut, and the faint trickle of a father’s tears.
We registered in the city hall and arranged with the rabbi to be wed in the Old Town Synagogue.
For the three days leading up to the ceremony, my mother was a woman possessed. She first unwrapped her own wedding dress, an elaborate white silk gown with long lace sleeves and a high-collared bodice.
I was at least three inches shorter than Mama, but for the alterations, she did not call the
On my honeymoon night, I lie beside him. He lays his hands above my head on the pillow. He kisses my temples, my heart, my belly, and then below.
I close my eyes and pass through a world where there is only love.
CHAPTER 15
LENKA
In January of 1939, it seemed as though it would only be a matter of time before the Germans finally invaded Czech soil.
“We must get married,” Josef implored me. “I’ve told my parents that I’m in love with you.”
I blew puffs of steam in his face as I stood next to him in the cold. “How can we get married now? The whole world’s turned upside down.”
He pulled me closer. “If we don’t get married, there will be nothing good left in this life for me.”
He kissed me again, his arms enveloping me in their warm woolen sleeves. I felt like my heart was flooding with emotion whenever I was near him. But our situation was becoming more and more desperate.
“How can I tell my parents for the first time I am dating you, and in the next sentence, tell them I am to be wed?”
“These are strange days . . . things are not as they once were. Listen,” he said, shaking me a little by the arms. “My parents are in the middle of negotiating exit visas for us. I need to marry you so they can secure one for you, too.”
“What?” I asked incredulously.
“Father is buying them on the black market. We have a cousin in New York who is sponsoring us.” He was now looking at me with such a ferocious intensity, I was frightened. “Lenka, you need to understand . . . we need to get out of here. The Czechs will sell every Jew out if it means maintaining their sovereignty.”
I shook my head. “I can’t marry you unless you also secure visas for my parents . . . and for Marta.”
“That’s impossible, Lenka, you know that.” His voice was now full of force and it surprised me. “You will go first with my family, and then when we are settled you can send for them.”
“No,” I said. “Promise me you will also get my whole family passports, or otherwise, the answer is no.”
CHAPTER 16
LENKA
We told my parents the next evening. I brought Josef home and my parents, though shocked by the sudden announcement, did not protest. Perhaps delirious and worn down from their own desperation, they would have married me off to even a lesser man if he had promised us safety outside of Czechoslovakia.
Josef appeared remarkably calm as he told Papa of his plans to take care of me, and to take us all out of Prague.
“And your parents? They support this decision?” Papa asked.
“They love Lenka, as do I. My sister adores her. We will all take care of her.”
“But you will come with us. You, Mama, and Marta,” I interjected. “Dr. Kohn is arranging papers for all of us.”
Josef looked at my father and nodded.
“We’ve either sent away or sold off her dowry,” Papa told him sadly.
“I am marrying her for love not for money. Not for crystal.”
Papa smiled and let out a deep sigh.
“This is not how I imagined your betrothal, Lenka,” he said, turning to me. His eyes lifted toward my mother, who was standing at the threshold of the parlor, Marta’s thin arms around her. My sister was thirteen now, but still seemed childlike to me.
“Eliška, do you think you can make a wedding in three days?”
She nodded.
“So be it,” Papa said as he stood up to embrace Josef. “Mazel tov.”
My father’s arms lifted to wrap around Josef. I saw Papa’s head rest on Josef’s shoulder, his eyes squinting shut, and the faint trickle of a father’s tears.
We registered in the city hall and arranged with the rabbi to be wed in the Old Town Synagogue.
For the three days leading up to the ceremony, my mother was a woman possessed. She first unwrapped her own wedding dress, an elaborate white silk gown with long lace sleeves and a high-collared bodice.
I was at least three inches shorter than Mama, but for the alterations, she did not call the
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