Upfall

"I will explain later" said Shapira. "Now help your people!" Jezek politely returned Shapira's canteen, and ran back to Tovi and the others. He told them about the stream and begged them to attempt to organize the people as they came off the train. Those that had found their way out first, said Jezek, must lead for now. As for the future who could say? Then fueled with excitement a few ounces of water, Jezek sprinted back to his wife and daughter.

Shapira returned to Yatom. The sayeret commander radioed Mofaz and told him to take his team back to the capsule and bring forward the extra supplies, then secure capsule, cover it with camouflage netting and rejoin the rest of the sayeret at the train.

Mofaz paused. He didn't like the idea of abandoning the capsule, or hauling the extra supplies, but he bit his tongue. Mofaz asked about Perchansky. Yatom told him let her do as she pleased. In the meantime Feldhandler had fetched the two Polish engineers from the locomotive, bound them, and dumped them off near Sergeant Mueller, who lay groggily on the ground nearby.

While the commandos waited for orders they stood about watching the strange scene unfolding before them. The freed Jews flung open the doors to the boxcars, and a miserable but relieved flood of humanity poured out. Jezek and a few of the others attempted to bring some order to the chaos. Scores of people milled about, and some just ran off, but most heeded Jezek‘s shouted instructions and roughly organized themselves about the train.

Nir and Bolander strolled back to the cars to get a better look.

After the able-bodied left the trains, young men and women assisted the elderly and the children. The people looked at the soldiers curiously as they approached and kept their distance. Finally, Bolander peaked into one of the emptied boxcars and recoiled in horror. Not only was the stench overpowering, but inside the car were nearly a dozen bodies, mainly elderly people who died along the way, but including at least one, apparently orphaned child. In other cars the scene was the same. Of nearly 2000 people who had been loaded onto the train the day before, close to 300 had died en route to Sobibor—a number neither particularly large nor small for a Jewish transport.

Jezek, rising to the moment, strode back and forth along the railcars, insisting that volunteers remove the dead, and that all the luggage and packages also be recovered. Many contained stashes of food, tools, or money. The Czech was now assisted by large bluff blond rrrarr, who spoke German with a pronounced Dutch accent.

Bolander and Nir returned to the area near the passenger car anxious to tell the officers about the condition of the refugees. Shapira was on the radio to Mofaz, urging him to move quickly. The two soldiers told the lieutenant about the mounds of dead within the boxcars and Shapira nodded knowingly. Yatom walked over and Nir repeated the story. Yatom pulled Shapira by the sleeve and the two officers walked over to where Feldhandler stood over Mueller and the engineers. Just as they reached him Perchansky emerged from around the front of the train, carrying her Uzi at the ready.

"What now?" said Yatom without preamble. "We can't care for all these people and we can‘t stay here."

"I'm sure Benny has considered this problem already" said Perchansky sarcastically.

Feldhandler looked at Perchansky with a mixture of hurt and desire then turned away. "I have considered the situation, and I've already explained to Colonel Yatom that we have to destroy the death camp, called Sobibor, without delay."

"Why?" demanded Perchansky. "Because we should" said Feldhandler. "What do you think Ron?" asked Yatom. "I think we should do it" answered Shapira. "We are here. The situation is what it is. You heard what Nir said about the condition of the train—at Sobibor the horrors are worse. We should do it regardless of what Dr. Feldhandler wants. It's the right thing to do."

"Mofaz does not agree" said Yatom. "What about the men?"

"The men will do as you say, commander. But if you have doubts, put it to them. Those that don‘t want to help can sit by the capsule if they like—I think they will all come in the end—even Mofaz."

"Where is Mofaz?“

"Still hauling the extra supplies" said Shapira. "It's a hig joh."

”Beseder. Let's talk about Sobibor then. How do we take the place? We have no maps, intelligence, or transport."

"Not so" said Feldhandler. He handed each officer a Xeroxed plan of Sobibor camp, annotated with an estimate of German strength and dispositions.

Yatom looked at the scientist. "History book, again?"

"The history of Sobibor is relatively well-known" said Feldhandler. "I can show you some of the books if you want— I've got them in my pack."

"Not now" said Yatom. "Ron, what do you know about this?"