When the first orders for workers to Germany came in, some of the villagers willingly signed up. How bad could it be, they thought? Germans are civilized. But those first workers sent word back home. The villagers soon realized that to be shipped as an Ostarbeiter to Germany was nothing short of becoming a slave.
Danylo remembered all too well when the next orders — oblava — came in. On his rounds of the village that day, Danylo whispered to all he met," Oblava— go underground until sunset."
When the Germans swept through the village to make their quota, they were sorely disappointed. The only people they managed to catch were an old chicken thief and a wife beater.
Danylo's attention was drawn back to the witness's testimony.
"Professor Kozenchuk," said Mr. Vincent. "The court heard expert testimony yesterday from Professor Chris Gillin regarding killings allegedly done by auxiliary police in Volhyn. From the documents you have studied, would you be able to shed more light on this question?"
"I certainly can," replied Professor Kozenchuk. "There is evidence that some Ukrainian auxiliary police were involved in killings. Thugs and common criminals were often glad to take these jobs. These auxiliary police killed not only Jews, but OUN members."
"So you are agreeing with Professor Gillin that some auxiliary police were involved in the killing of civilians?"
"I am. But certainly not all, or even most. The documents point to the fact that these jobs were infiltrated heavily by the OUN, and it is not credible that members of the OUN would commit murder on behalf of their German enslavers."
That was the understatement of the year, thought Danylo. In fact, it was difficult to restrain the OUN infiltrators from killing the Nazis too soon. Everything had to be orchestrated precisely, or the Einsatzgruppen— the elite Nazi killing units — would arrive and butcher the whole of Orelets.
"If the Ukrainians were so unreliable, why did the Germans continue to use them at all?" asked Mr. Vincent.
"By sheer necessity. They didn't have enough manpower," said the Professor. "But the documents reveal that the Germans didn't trust Ukrainians with important jobs. For example, let me read you this report from the Chief of the Security Police and the SD. It is from Berlin, and is dated December 8, 1941."
After he finished reading the report, the professor said, "This document shows clearly that even as early as 1941, the Germans were quite aware that Ukrainians could not be trusted to support them. It is not reasonable that the Germans would trust all auxiliary police with such an important role as mass killing. There was the risk that the Ukrainians would turn on the Germans and kill them instead."
"Professor Kozenchuk, another Soviet accusation is that the OUN was an anti-Semitic organization. Do any of the documents you've examined illuminate that issue?"
"In fact," replied the professor, "the Nazis were alarmed by what they saw as Jewish influence in the OUN. For example, in this report from Berlin, dated March 30, 1942, the Chief of the Security Police and the Security Service "Report on events in the USSR no. 187" states: "Today, it has been clearly established that the Bandera movement provided forged passports not only for its own members, but also for Jews."
"Thank you, Professor Kozenchuk," said Mr. Vincent. "I have no more questions."
The judge looked up from his notes and regarded the plaintiff's lawyer, Mrs. Caine, who was still sitting. "Do you have any questions for the professor?" asked the judge.
Mrs. Caine stood up from her chair and walked over to the witness. "Professor Kozenchuk, in all of your testimony, you have not once produced a document vindicating Mr. Feschuk from atrocities. Do you have any specific proof that Mr. Danylo Feschuk was not involved in crimes against civilians?"
"No, I do not," said the professor.
"No more questions," said Mrs. Caine.
The professor wearily stepped down from the witness stand. It had been a gruelling day for him and everyone else.
Kat stood up from her seat and stretched. As she turned and joined the others who were milling out of the courtroom and into the hallway, she noticed in the back row a head that had to be Ian's. His hair was stark platinum white. He was wearing one of his father's suits and his face was scrubbed clean of make-up. He caught her eye and smiled. As she passed his spot, he stepped in beside her and walked out of the courtroom at her side.
"Hey there," he said. "I just caught the tail end of that testimony, but it sounded like pretty powerful stuff."
"It was," said Kat. Then she looked at him quizzically. "Why aren't you in school?"
"I skipped out of my last period, hoping to catch you here."
"Why?"
"Thursday night is the winter concert," he said. "I haven't talked to you forever, and I was hoping that you hadn't forgotten."
Kat had forgotten. With all that had been going on with her grandfather, the school concert had been the last thing on her mind.
"You'll still be able to help with the backdrop, won't you?" asked Ian with a pleading look in his eyes. "Lisa can't do it on her own. We tried."
Kat considered for a moment. It would actually be nice to be doing something entirely different for a change. She hadn't been back to the school since before the hearing started. "Sure," she said. "But Lisa and I need to do a dry run before the concert."
"Can you meet us at school on Thursday right after you leave the hearing?" asked Ian.
"I'll try," said Kat.
CHAPTER 34
WHEN THE FIRST witness was announced on Tuesday morning, there was a ripple of whispers in the courtroom. Doctor Samuel Sterzer walked over to the witness stand with methodical determination.
Orysia hadn't told Danylo that Dr. Sterzer had agreed to testify at his hearing. He hadn't seen him for more than four decades, but Danylo thought that if he had encountered him on the street, he would have recognized him immediately.
Dr. Sterzer was very short and slim, and his leathery skin was tanned but surprisingly unwrinkled. He wore no jewellery — not even a wedding ring. And his blue suit was crisp and conservative. Once he sat down in the witness stand, he looked around until his eyes met Danylo's, and then he nodded slightly in acknowledgement.
"Doctor Sterzer," began Mr. Vincent. "Can you tell me your background?"
"I am a medical doctor with a family practice in Tel-Aviv, Israel."
"Can you tell me your relationship to the defendant, Mr. Danylo Feschuk?"
"Certainly," replied Dr. Sterzer. "We were both in the UPA — Ukrainian Insurgent Army — from 1943 to 1945."
"Can you tell me what you know about the defendant, Mr. Danylo Feschuk?" asked Mr. Vincent.
Dr. Sterzer regarded the lawyer for a moment and then he looked over at Danylo. "He was one of the many UPA soldiers in the Volhyn region. I met him when he brought me a patient. A girl who had been tortured by the Gestapo. He carried her in his arms for more than a mile to get to my underground hospital. I will never forget his face."
"Dr. Sterzer, was Danylo Feschuk a Nazi collaborator?"
"No, he was not," replied the doctor.
"No more questions."
Mrs. Caine got up from her chair and approached the witness stand. "Did you know Mr. Feschuk between 1941 and 1943?"
"I met him in 1943."
"So you have no way of knowing what sort of man he was before he joined the UPA?"
"Madame," said the doctor. "The UPA was a disciplined fighting unit and they were people of the highest principals. Even seemingly minor infractions like swearing or drinking were not allowed. To hurt a villager was punishable by death. If Mr. Feschuk had been a collaborator, the UPA would have sentenced him to death."