Fleeing the Swastika
by Faye Cukier
Category: Family & Relationships

Chapter 1: Four luxury weeks in Antwerp, Belgium. Though affidavits in hand far from quota, endless lines to leave for U.S. or stay. Vati arrived before Kristallnacht. Life downhill! Chapter 2: First apartment without registration. Living illegally and clandestinely in perpetual fear of deportation by Belgian police back to Germany. Chapter 3: Constantly changing domiciles. Money getting tight. Teach English with own devised method. Mounting anti-Semitism in Antwerp. Begging Belgian authorities for 4-6 weeks extension. Arrest at dawn by Belgian police. Chapter 4: This forced us to leave Antwerp's first comfy apartment. Bittersweet romantic interludes. Unrelenting futile emigration attempts. Chapter 5: Poland invaded! Join first dancing class for the stage. Learn to speak French well. Chapter 6: Continued giving English lessons. Seriously study dancing. Nazis occupied Denmark. Met black prophet. Chapter 7: Overnight Germans attack Belgium. Flucht from Antwerp to the French Coast. Three adventurous, exciting, terrifying weeks. First glimpse of Atlantic Ocean in Ostende. Failed desperate attempt at crossing Channel to England. Chapter 8: Vati's hair-raising experience with a Stuka dive-bomber. Mutti's impulsive decision to leave coastal villa on foot. Chapter 9: On the road again, strafed by Nazi planes. I temporarily lost my parents. Agonizing journey. Chapter 10: Mutti becomes mean due to constant terror and starvation. Walking, walking, we reached deserted Dunkirk. Chapter 11: Sudden appearance of British "Tommies." Back to Belgium. Stumbling into coastal tavern. German military aristocrat, not guessing I'm Jewish. Begging for one farewell kiss to life before fighting. Not granted, self-triumphant. Chapter 12: Reached Bruges, lace capital. Developed nasty blister. Foot sore, weary. Reached Ghent. Returned to Antwerp apartment after three weeks of lost endeavors. Chapter 13: Met handsome, charming Simon London, Antwerp diamond dealer, close to Vati's age. Felt first flame of real love. Became his protegee and courtier. Chapter 14: German military shopping in Jewish stores, Antwerp. Could converse easily. My life great! Made money in diamond business. Learned quickly. Romance with Simon, much to Mutti's disgust. Chapter 15: Dawn arrest by German military. Finding my forbidden list of jewelry. Vati and I dragged downtown. Interrogation by Herr Hauptmann. Through charm and ingenious lie both exonerated. Summons for deportation. Torn between hiding at Simon's or giving ourselves up (at Mutti's urging). I chose my parents. Chapter 16: Deportation transport by train. Fear of the unknown until Belgian Limburg arrival. Mayor of village Hoeselt arranged for housing. Simon visits from Antwerp-brings my bike. Chapter 17: Village nuns teach me sewing. Second nasty encounter with Feldkommandant in Hasselt. Limburg to reach Antwerp where Simon ended our relationship-Heartbreaking! Chapter 18: Uncle Manny dies of pneumonia at home. Cousin Maurice makes me feel better. Predicts my eventual demise if captured again. Chapter 19: From Antwerp to Hoeselt. Erika (an acquaintance) threw herself in front of train before my eyes. Vati had to disappear for safety. Religion discussion with landlord's schoolgirl daughter about unfairness of cruelty to Jews. Chapter 20: Release from Limburg to Brussels. Profitable gold jewelry manufacturing business. U.S. enters war. Forced to call on Gestapo Headquarters. The Buts couple, righteous Gentiles, helped in many ways. Compelled to wear yellow star. Chapter 21: My hair dyed blonde. After blackmail, fled to live with Mrs. Schwartz and her family. Endured the sight of her son-in-law's murder by SS. Her daughter and grandson taken away by them while we were there, shivering. The Buts saved us, but we had to move again. At last, found new apartment on Chaussee de Louvain with lovely verandah for writing and hiding. Thanks to the Buts for protecting our entire being, we survived thus far."