Lonek's Journey: The True Story of a Boy's Escape to Freedom

Lonek's Journey: The True Story of a Boy's Escape to Freedom — page 7
possible Lonek's father quickly hugged him picked up his bag and walked off toward the center of the town All that summer frightening rumors had been spreading through Jaroslaw At first the rumors had only been whispers but by August they were no longer just rumors but frightening frightening possibilities Lonek was aware that the adults around him were troubled and preoccupied They spoke in low voices among themselves so that the children wouldn't hear what they were saying Lonek overheard words like Hitler Germans Nazis invasion and war Lonek who was Jewish knew that Adolf Hitler the dictator of Germany had contempt for the Poles but Hitler had a particular hatred for Jews He had heard that thousands of Jews in Germany had been arrested and imprisoned imprisoned The danger of Hitler ruling a country right next to his own worried Lonek at times But most of the time he managed not to think about it For the most part Lonek's life was happy He liked his hometown In contrast to many very poor towns Lonek had seen in Poland Jaroslaw was pretty and had pleasant parks where he could play He lived in a nice house with his father mother and three year old brother Heimek Lonek was eight years old when his father first brought Heimek home from the hospital Back then he wasn't sure if he wanted a little brother Well Lonek shall we keep him his father had asked Lonek had taken a long look at the tiny baby Then he had placed his finger in Heimek's hand just as he had seen his father do The baby had curled his fingers around Lonek's Well as long as he's here let him stay he had replied Now Lonek loved 14