Thank You Thomas
In a stunning and luxurious house, (despite the long years served as a home of the wealthy,) located at the very end of one of the elite streets in Warsaw, Poland; there lived the respected Jewish family named Johanson. The greatest pride in Mr. and Mrs. Johanson’s lives was their eighteen-year-old daughter Hanna and her dreams of one day becoming a doctor. Although the family lived a luxurious life filled with love and harmony, a single thought haunted Joseph Johanson and his wife: the possibility that as one of the most influential Jewish families, they, along with their three lovely daughters, shall be among the first taken to the horrible ghetto.
The Johansons’ worst fear came to life one day in the summer of 1942. While the Sun sent its morning rays to greet the citizens of Warsaw, German officers, with merciless cruelty in their hearts, stormed through their door and took the Johanson family to the train station.
While entering the wagon, among the large mass of men, women and children, Hanna noticed a handsome young lad, who was approximately her age. He glanced at her with the same curiosity, possessed only by the heart of a boy that had recently become a man… This reaction of a feeling stronger than common sense itself, so inconvenient for a place under the reign of terror and violence, lasted only an instant, until the young man percieved the yellow Star of David sewed on Hanna’s coat, and she became aware of the swastikas on his uniform.
Once the night had fallen and the ghastly silence of people who feared their own future overtook the train, that same boy who Hanna saw in the morning sneaked inside her wagon and woke her.
“Don’t you know that you can get punished, or even killed if you’re caught visiting us?” - asked Hanna with the muffled voice of someone that had finally found peace in the world of dreams after a long day spent in horrifying uncertainity about the future..
“I’m aware of the risk I’m taking, but I saw the food which they give you and trust me, they treat dogs better! So I couldn’t help myself and I brought you some of mine…”
“But why did you choose to help me, among so many people?”
“Because you managed to enchant me with only one look in your eyes… I couldn’t resist seeing you again, even if the price I’d have to pay is getting caught and being murdered!”- he answered without the slightest trace of doubt or embarrassment.
“What is your name?”- was the only question she could think of, stunned by this young man’s honesty and bravery
“It’s Thomas, and how about yours?”
“I’m Hanna…”- she said quietly before seeing him disappear in the dark.
The following morning, Hanna and her family, along with hundreds of other Jews were taken to the ghetto—a kingdom ruled by tyrants that wounded bodies with brutality and left scars on hearts with their unkindness.
One stormy night, gloomy enough to veil hidden intentions and secret plans, Hanna heard a knock on the window of the cabin in which she and her family were sleeping. She got out in a coldness so rare and unusual for the month of May, and recognized Thomas’ face in the dark—the only thing that made her wish to wake up in the morning, and dream at night time.
“Thomas, what are you doing here at this time of the night?”
“Quick Hanna, no time for questions, put this on!” – he said in a rush.
Although Hanna was astounded by Thomas’s urge and fear, she listened to what he said and in a matter of seconds was wearing the German uniform that he gave her. Once the two escaped the ghetto , they found themselves deep inside the nearby forest. Hidden from the eyes of the guards,Thomas explained:
“Here is your train ticket, new documents and some money. Get on the first train to Switzerland and make sure that you don’t talk to strangers. The German uniform will be a perfect camouflage- no one will suspect you. The train leaves in half an hour, you have to hurry up…”
“But Thomas, what about my parents, my sisters!?”- Hanna was shouting frantically.
“Don’t you understand Hanna? They are all going to be taken to the horrible gas chambers! Please; emigrating in Switzerland is the only way for you to survive this war. I promise you that once the chaos comes to an end, I will come and look for you! Run Hanna, run! Save yourself!’
And before she had the chance to respond, her hero, once again disappeared in the dark.
Hanna was running without looking back…
Sixty years passed from this night. Hanna had become a successful doctor in Switzerland. One day, while buying some groceries in her favourite market, she heard the door opening behind her and someone politely asked:
“Excuse me, where can I find German books?”
She wasn’t able to see that someone’s face, but this voice aroused memories precious and vivid even after sixty years time; memories that brought her back to the night in which a twenty-year-old risked his own life to save hers.
Without a moment of hesitation the exhausted Hanna slowly walked to the old man and embraced him saying:
The Johansons’ worst fear came to life one day in the summer of 1942. While the Sun sent its morning rays to greet the citizens of Warsaw, German officers, with merciless cruelty in their hearts, stormed through their door and took the Johanson family to the train station.
While entering the wagon, among the large mass of men, women and children, Hanna noticed a handsome young lad, who was approximately her age. He glanced at her with the same curiosity, possessed only by the heart of a boy that had recently become a man… This reaction of a feeling stronger than common sense itself, so inconvenient for a place under the reign of terror and violence, lasted only an instant, until the young man percieved the yellow Star of David sewed on Hanna’s coat, and she became aware of the swastikas on his uniform.
Once the night had fallen and the ghastly silence of people who feared their own future overtook the train, that same boy who Hanna saw in the morning sneaked inside her wagon and woke her.
“Don’t you know that you can get punished, or even killed if you’re caught visiting us?” - asked Hanna with the muffled voice of someone that had finally found peace in the world of dreams after a long day spent in horrifying uncertainity about the future..
“I’m aware of the risk I’m taking, but I saw the food which they give you and trust me, they treat dogs better! So I couldn’t help myself and I brought you some of mine…”
“But why did you choose to help me, among so many people?”
“Because you managed to enchant me with only one look in your eyes… I couldn’t resist seeing you again, even if the price I’d have to pay is getting caught and being murdered!”- he answered without the slightest trace of doubt or embarrassment.
“What is your name?”- was the only question she could think of, stunned by this young man’s honesty and bravery
“It’s Thomas, and how about yours?”
“I’m Hanna…”- she said quietly before seeing him disappear in the dark.
The following morning, Hanna and her family, along with hundreds of other Jews were taken to the ghetto—a kingdom ruled by tyrants that wounded bodies with brutality and left scars on hearts with their unkindness.
One stormy night, gloomy enough to veil hidden intentions and secret plans, Hanna heard a knock on the window of the cabin in which she and her family were sleeping. She got out in a coldness so rare and unusual for the month of May, and recognized Thomas’ face in the dark—the only thing that made her wish to wake up in the morning, and dream at night time.
“Thomas, what are you doing here at this time of the night?”
“Quick Hanna, no time for questions, put this on!” – he said in a rush.
Although Hanna was astounded by Thomas’s urge and fear, she listened to what he said and in a matter of seconds was wearing the German uniform that he gave her. Once the two escaped the ghetto , they found themselves deep inside the nearby forest. Hidden from the eyes of the guards,Thomas explained:
“Here is your train ticket, new documents and some money. Get on the first train to Switzerland and make sure that you don’t talk to strangers. The German uniform will be a perfect camouflage- no one will suspect you. The train leaves in half an hour, you have to hurry up…”
“But Thomas, what about my parents, my sisters!?”- Hanna was shouting frantically.
“Don’t you understand Hanna? They are all going to be taken to the horrible gas chambers! Please; emigrating in Switzerland is the only way for you to survive this war. I promise you that once the chaos comes to an end, I will come and look for you! Run Hanna, run! Save yourself!’
And before she had the chance to respond, her hero, once again disappeared in the dark.
Hanna was running without looking back…
Sixty years passed from this night. Hanna had become a successful doctor in Switzerland. One day, while buying some groceries in her favourite market, she heard the door opening behind her and someone politely asked:
“Excuse me, where can I find German books?”
She wasn’t able to see that someone’s face, but this voice aroused memories precious and vivid even after sixty years time; memories that brought her back to the night in which a twenty-year-old risked his own life to save hers.
Without a moment of hesitation the exhausted Hanna slowly walked to the old man and embraced him saying:
"Thank you Thomas!"
The End
Sofija Paneva