Chapter 48

48

Jana spent the next few days camping out in the cellar of a derelict restaurant. The room was cold and smelt of damp. Men arrived with weapons obtained from policeman sympathetic to the cause, or stolen from the Wehrmacht. They spoke with charged emotion of the imminent uprising.

Egon studied the accumulated weapons. ‘It's not much,' he said, ‘but it will have to do.'

Jana tried not to think of the well-equipped Wehrmacht but she had the feeling that she and Nela would be nursing many injured in the coming days. The course was set now; there was no turning back.

Mattresses had been laid out for the men, Nela and herself, and at night, Jana lay awake listening to the sounds around her: a grunt, a snore, a sigh. Her chattering mind allowed her no peace. Where were Papa and Babi? Had they been hurt, interrogated? Please God, let them still be alive.

During the days that followed, Egon sent Jana and Nela to collect scant food rations from contacts around the city. After a night below ground, Jana welcomed the fresh air. Her hair smelt of the mouldy cellar and she wondered idly when she'd last washed it.

‘I don't know how the men will be able to fight with hollow stomachs,' said Jana as they walked down an avenue of pink magnolia trees, their petals a carpet on the ground.

‘Oh, determination is their fuel,' said Nela.

Jana had become fond of Nela, the fierce, pretty girl who openly declared she would die if necessary to rid Prague of the Germans. She admired the resilience and fire in a girl younger than herself.

‘Do you have family?' said Jana, asking Nela for the first time a personal question.

‘I had four brothers working for another resistance group. Only one is still alive.' She jutted out her chin. ‘They will not have died in vain.'

Jana's mouth went dry at her words.

They left the warm sunshine and entered the restaurant through a back door. Egon stood guard with one of the few semi-automatic machine guns he'd managed to acquire.

He smiled. ‘Ah, angels bearing gifts.'

‘Don't get too excited,' laughed Jana. ‘It's hardly a feast. Do you want to eat here?' She rummaged in the shopping bag but Egon waved his hand.

‘I'll wait till my watch is finished. Send up one of the boys to relieve me when they've eaten.'

The men fell on the pieces of bread and bits of cured sausage. Some devoured it in seconds and others savoured every morsel, taking their time as if it was their last meal.

The tension amongst the group in the cellar was palpable. The men paced, argued and smoked the last of the cigarettes, while Jana jittered with nervous energy, the strain of waiting unbearable. She stayed close to Nela, helping roll bandages and checking what little medical equipment they had. Egon cursed in frustration that he was unable to get a signal on the radio he'd built from parts brought by resistance members.

‘We need to know the position of the allies,' he growled, thumping the equipment.

Then finally, on the evening of 4 May, Egon gathered everyone together. He gave a triumphant smile. ‘Berlin has fallen to the allies. The Soviet forces have taken the Reichstag.'

Jana screamed in delight at the incredible news. They all cheered.

Once everyone quietened down, he continued solemnly. ‘Tomorrow is the day we've all been waiting for. An announcer on Czech radio will give the signal at six o'clock in the morning.'

Jana held her breath as Egon continued.

‘The word will go out for Czechs to rise up and take whatever weapons they have, be it a stick, brick or iron bar. Simultaneously, we will meet up with other fighters and storm the radio station. Once we have control over the broadcasts, we'll be able to instruct and inform our citizens. The Germans may have occupied our land for over six years trying to Germanise us, but spiritually, we have remained and will always remain Czechs.'

Egon pumped his fist in the air and cheers rose up. Then in a spontaneous moment of comradeship, everyone sang the national anthem. Jana released the tightness in her chest and in glorious elation, sang with more power than she'd ever sung before.

Whilst everyone prepared to settle down for the night, Jana approached Egon, who had managed to tune in to the local radio station.

‘Egon, you haven't said what part I should play tomorrow. I may not be able to shoot a gun, but I can certainly wield a stick.'

He gave her a tender smile. ‘I don't want you going down in the first ten seconds. You and Nela stay here and listen to the broadcasts. Once we've secured the radio building, we'll give the order for civilians to build barricades.'

Egon's gaze flitted from Jana to Nela, who had sidled up to listen to the conversation. ‘The two of you are non-combatants and should go out on the streets to help build the barricades. They will hinder fresh German troops and tanks from entering the city. Then return here to tend any wounded.'

He fell silent whilst they both considered his words.

‘Try and get some sleep now,' he said and flicked off the radio.

Jana went to the restaurant's cloakroom, gave herself a quick cat wash and lay down on her mattress. She knew there would be no sleep for her tonight and the wakeful hours stretched ahead, waiting to torment her restless mind. Her thoughts sprung from Papa to Babi, from the children to Lenka, but eventually fell on Andrej. How she wished he was with her to share these moments of rising up against the Nazis. How proud and united they could've been. Together. As a pair. No longer having to hide their love. She'd prayed so long for the end of this terrible war, and now with the news that the allies were close, the possibility was within sight. Did she regret her decision to distance herself from him? With hindsight, yes. Perhaps, after the war had ended, his broken body would be found in the cellar of the Gestapo house.

Horrified at her own morbid thoughts, she pressed her fingers to her temples. She must focus, stay resolute and strong for tomorrow. She had a job to do.