The Underground Reporters Read Online Free PDF

At the railway station she held onto Beda. “Promise me you’ll write,” she said.
    Beda nodded. He didn’t trust himself to speak without crying.
    “And promise you’ll keep reading,” Frances continued.
    With that, she boarded the train. She had no plans for when she might come back, and no idea how long she would be gone.

CHAPTER 6
W AR IN THE W ORLD
S EPTEMBER 1939
    The Jewish families in Budejovice continued to feel the restrictions tightening around them, as the Nazi soldiers lived in their town and ruled it. One day in September 1939, John walked into the living room to find his parents huddled around the radio, their faces gloomy. John moved closer to hear the radio, and recognized the voice at once. It was Adolf Hitler, shouting out a proclamation to what sounded like a mass of cheering supporters. “What is he saying?” asked John.
    “Hitler’s armies have invaded Poland,” his mother replied. “Britain and France will have to stop them now. There’s going to be a war, a very big war.” Her voice trembled as she glanced over at her husband.
    Hitler’s speech continued from the radio. “The Jews are our misfortune,” he shrieked. “Workers of all classes and of all nations, recognize your common enemy.”
    John looked at his parents and he felt afraid. It was one thing to worry about the occupation of Czechoslovakia; that was scary enough. But they had hoped that Hitler would settle for the territory he now held – thatthings would not get worse, and would eventually get better. Now, the reports on the radio confirmed their worst fears. Hitler was trying to take over all of Europe, country by country.
    Day after day, John and his family listened to the radio. Within one month of Germany invading Poland, the Polish army was defeated. The Nazis continued their push, moving against Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. And still Hitler pressed forward. As frightening as it was to hear about his victories, the Jewish families of Budejovice were hungry to know the truth about what was happening around them.
    All across Europe, anti-Jewish activities were on the rise. As in Czechoslovakia, education was restricted for Jewish children, and adults were no longer permitted to own businesses or even work for their old employers. Like John’s father, Jewish doctors, nurses, dentists, and lawyers could no longer practice their professions. All Jews over the age often were ordered to wear yellow stars to mark them as outcasts. Jewish men were being taken away and forced to work for the Nazis, constructing buildings and railway tracks.
    Still, John’s parents tried to keep up a brave face. They didn’t want to worry their children. But John was not fooled. Late one night, he left his bed and tiptoed into the living room. Once again his parents were huddled around the radio. Karel sat sullen and withdrawn in a chair. John bent closer so he could listen in on his parents’ conversation.
    “Jews are trying to escape from countries all across Europe. But it’sbecoming more and more difficult,” John’s mother said, to the radio boomed in the background.

    “I can’t imagine leaving our home,” replied his father.
    John’s mother continued, “In Germany, all Jewish passports have been stamped with the letter ‘J’ to prevent Jews from leaving for Switzerland. Those who can afford it have tried to obtain illegal passports and smuggle themselves to safer countries. Some lucky families have managed to escape to freedom this way. But many have been caught and sent back to their homes, or immediately put in prison and punished.”
    “Well, we’ll be safe as long as we all stay here,” her husband assured her.
    “These days, I’m not so sure. Perhaps we should think of escaping while we still have the chance. Many countries are not too eager to open up their borders to fleeing Jews. Just this past May, a ship called the S.S. St. Louis, with almost one thousand Jewish refugees on