大象传媒

The following story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Marushka (Maria) and Zygmunt Skarbek-Kruszewski and George (Jurek) Zygmunt Skarbek.

Near us lived a Mr. Toofil Pietrzak. A little man, by profession a boilermaker. He loved his drink and preferred to drink in company, as drinking alone made him very sad. Now he discovered a new hobby - black marketeering. He was dealing with everything but his passion was musical instruments although the profits were not as good as with other goods. He could play a few instruments - not well, but very lovingly.
To his dark room came one day a young Russian boy from Lublin - Rysiek Glowacki, who loved to write poetry.
"Mr. Pietrzak, I would like to buy a violin. I can't play it - it is to be a present to my sister who is engaged. I heard you have many."
Pietrzak, taking a good swig straight from the bottle, pointed to three violins lying on his trunk.
Rysiek fondled one, which was shining and looked new.
"You will not buy that one."
"Why not?"
"It will be to dear. Look how she looks, straight from the factory. It would cost you a thousand."
"And this one?" asked Rysiek, pointing to an old box, partly broken and patched up by an old piece of plywood.
"That is also a violin. A bit old maybe but one can still play on her quite well."
In the box lay a violin, shining on the clean green lining. Taking it out, Rysiek came close to the window to see if, in addition to the two broken string, it was not cracked. Something was inside it. He tried to read.
"What are you doing?" asked Pietrzak.
"I am looking to see that it is not bent."
Holding it in the light he could just maze out the writing: 'Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis. Paciebat anno 1727.'
He did not know about violins but, being a bright lad, he thought it might be an old Italian instrument. Nothing seemed to be broken. He remembered that, as a child, one of the neighbours told him that a violin had to be old, like old wine. He decided to buy it.
"How much, Mr. Pietrzak?"
"I am not selling for money, only goods in exchange."
"What goods would you like?"
"I would need three kilos of sugar, one kilo of butter and a cigarette lighter."
"I can give you the butter and the lighter but I have no sugar."
"No business Mr. Glowacki, I need the sugar."
"Mr. Pietrzak, you just look at this old box, two strings missing. Look how worn down the wood is and the box is broken. You are asking too much for this old thing."
"Just for you I will let you off with one kilo of sugar."
"Agreed."
"Shake hands". They shook hands.
"础耻蝉?鈥�
"Aus!"
He took the violin and left. Next morning Miss Isa was astonished when Rysiek stopped her, asking if she knew the name of a good violin.
"I know,鈥� she told him proudly - "Stradivarius!'
Rysiek grabbed his head in both hands: "My God, as true as I live, I have one!"
"You? Here in Isny? You must be joking."
"No, I am serious. I have it here at my room in Isny." They hurried to his room, grabbed the violin and came to me.
"We have a Stradivarius!!" Isa shouted as she came rushing to me. Behind her came Rysiek with an old box under his arm. I took the violin in my hands. It was not very big, extremely light, of noble lines, a light hazelnut colour shining in a peculiar soft light. The narrow neck was worn down by many loving hands. On a card, yellow with age, were the words - Antonius Stradivarius Cremonen Faciebat anno 1727. Beside it, in a circle, were the letters A S and above them a small cross. The letters were printed; only the last two - 27 - were written by hand. When I touched a chord, there came a full beautiful sound, hanging long in the air. I looked a long time at his violin, full of respect and admiration, still not quite believing. What could I, who did not know violins say about it?
I turned to the happy owner - "Ryszard, if this is a forgery I think it is a good forgery. If it is the original, you are a millionaire. I would advise that you keep it and look after it carefully until you return to Poland. There go to a specialist, to proper Authorities."
They left. I remained for a long time under the spell of the violin and its sound. What became of it? If somebody reads this or hears about it, try to find Ryszard Glowacki, a baker from Lodz, and learn the fate of this violin.
It was already two years since we had left our home. We never received any news about our family. The Front did not exist any more. It was over three months since the war had ended for us but an impenetrable wall divided us from our homeland. Letters to Poland were not accepted.
Lying on our bed, we would return in our mind's eye back home, back to our children and parents. To the last moments of departure. I was dreaming about little Jurek standing on the highway and, behind him, the policeman. Jurek's form became smaller and smaller the distance was growing, becoming unending ... and I would wake up looking at the ceiling in our room in Isny. Where are they now? Are they still alive? Do Jurek and Roman still remember us? Are they in Poland or Lithuania? Or were they deported?
Sometimes during the silence of the night we would spread out on the table our most valued possessions - photographs. In one Roman was just trying to walk, holding a finger of Grandmother Julia, in the other Jurek was playing with little pups in the kennel of old Ralph. We went to sleep with their faces close to us. At night Marushka would whisper:
"Are they alive? Will we find them? I am so-frightened." She used to cry during the dark nights.
On the 6th of August, 1945, the world was informed about the first atomic bomb over tire city of Hiroshima, The white people produced an until now unknown energy, harnessing it behind armoured plates and dropped it quickly on the yellow people.
The military news announced proudly the power of this new weapon. One small bomb killed 50,000 people and wounded an additional 30,000. The city ceased being, going up in flames and ruins.
The resulting turmoil caused destruction for ten kilometres. The unbelievable heat near the explosion charred buildings, trees and human beings and, further down, the radioactive dust condemned thousands to a lasting agony.
One of the American papers wrote: "The genius of the human brain gave the world a method to release the unknown, until now, nature's energies for the benefit of mankind. It marks a new phase in human history."
If it is true that the human mind is able not only to discover this energy but also able to harness this natural energy, we are standing at the threshold either of total annihilation or before fantastic blossoming. Now it would depend not so much on the genius of this human brain but on his humane conscience.
Emotions were running high. In the Far Fast the last epilogue of total war and immense human tragedy took place.
The loudspeakers from the world were announcing in short clipped sentences:
鈥淭he Japanese received their knock-out"
"Reached by the penetrating atomic bomb, the bleeding and frightened Japanese consider further fighting senseless."
"The new weapon is causing them to face unaccountable losses."
"The Japanese Government agreed to accept the unconditional surrender if the sovereignty of the King will be acknowledged."
On the arena of the Far East appeared the young Caesar. The news hurried on:
"The Caesar of Japan, Hirochita, called the Son of the Sun, is of small posture. He has two daughters and four sons and wears glasses. No-one is allowed to touch his body with naked hands. If a doctor has to examine him, he has to do so while wearing silk gloves."
New developments continued. The Japanese Government was still sitting. The Russian armies continued to advance hurriedly to Mandzuria, Sachalia and Korea. Great concentration of the Anglo-American bombers with their deadly loads were ready and waiting.
At one and the same time the radio stations from Washington, London, Moscow and Chanking were announcing the news:
"The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tojo, is herewith announcing in the name of his Caesar to the United States of America, Great Britain, Russia and China - the acceptance of the last conditions of capitulation.
The Son of the Sun issued orders to all the armed forces on land, sea and air to lay down their arms,
[][][][][]
On the 14th of September, 1945 at 23 hours, after 2175 long days and nights ended the second and last great war鈥�.. the last one as, during this war, were released the two most horrible powers in human history: atomic energy and the energy of evil.
If people realise and acknowledge these powers, then peace on earth will come for all, times, and, if they do not fight these powers, then it will be no longer war but suicide of humanity.
During these long, bloody years, through great pain a dazzling truth was born ,..., war is absurd.
Let those who come after us understand this truth born in the blood of our generation, let them on the anniversary of this day ring the bells of happiness, as it should be the holiest day for mankind 鈥� the day when Peace was resurrected!!!
PAX VOBISCUM
Isny, 14th September 1945

'This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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