The Possession of Moses K. - ebook

Chapter Minus Two: Author’s Foreword

Make no mistake: this book, and those to follow it, are works of fiction. I have attempted to make the depiction of history as accurate as possible, but where the facts were scant or non-existent at the time of writing, I invented them. Please do not go away thinking that because you read something in my book it must be true. I hope that you will check everything I say. Much of my historic data comes from sites that I visited on the Internet, so the data is as accurate as that.

It would add to your enjoyment to follow trips from one place to another. You can find the places mentioned on an Internet map of Poland, and on Google Earth.Chapter Minus One: The Angel Zuriel’s Forward

I am Zuriel, the guardian angel of Valentine Karnowski, whose life is the unifying thread of this and subsequent books. This one is about how he was born. As an angel in the presence of the triune God, Who is Truth, I know a lot more than you on earth: I know the truth, rather than commonly-held beliefs about human events. I am a precise kind of being, and that is why I often give times of sunrise, sunset, high- and low- temperatures, wind speeds and other facts of weather, because I know the influence these can have on human events.

Well, why am I writing these books? Valentine Karnowski has led a most unusual life, having lived through many events of historical significance. I want to show the hardships forced on him and the Polish nation, of which he was a part. I want to show the faithfulness of the Poles to Jesus’s Catholic faith. I want to show that — relative to wealth — the “upper class” is actually the lower class, and — relative to morality — the “lower class” is more often the upper class.

This book is in the form of a journal, because the life of Man happens day by day. While something is happening in one place, something else is happening in another. The problem with many novels written by chapter is that e.g., in chapter 1 they will deal with the weather over a period of time, then in chapter 2 they will go back to day 1 and deal with geography. Chapter 3 will go back to day one and deal with Mr. X, etc. I tell you about things that are happening simultaneously. I am fascinated with the inter-connectedness of events.

How am I writing them? I give inspiration to Mr. Schmidt, and he types it all out.Chapter Two: Marta, Illegitimate Mother

MON. MAY 30, 1842. The sun rose today at 3:51. Slightly after this Marta began to feel her pains. Rosa sent Marta’s baby sister Bronia for Mrs. Krajecka, the area midwife. She, at least, was completely indifferent about Marta: she made a modest income from delivering babies, whether legitimate or not. Marta took to bed. Rosa sent Eva to round up some good-hearted Słup women to help out. Their men were sent outside; the girl children were allowed to remain, so as to indoctrinate them to the ways of being a woman. Besides her scissors the midwife brought along a flask of Holy Water, and occasionally sprinkled Marta, being particular to sprinkle the abdomen and vagina. Finally, about six pm, Marta made one long last cry, and a male child exited from her womb. The midwife slapped his slippery little behind, and lay him in his mother’s now bowl-shaped abdomen. She took her scissors and cut the cord. Marta embraced him lovingly; then the midwife took him, washed him, sprinkled him with more Holy Water, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. The women went outside to announce to the men that the baby was a healthy male, whereupon they came back in. Bronia was sent to Szczepanki to inform Fr. Berent that they would be bringing a baby in for Baptism next Sunday, and to ask him to find two godparents.

Adalbert and Julian returned from compulsory labor after sunset — 8:17- to find a new life in the house. Adalbert scoffed, and went for his _vodka_, muttering to himself. Julian took the little boy into his arms and hugged him. Then he held his sister’s hand and said, “You must rest now. I’m sure that was very tiring for you”.

SUN. JUNE 5, 1842. The Nerings borrowed a horse and wagon and drove Marta and her new child to Szczepanki for 9:00 am Mass. Fabian Kwasigroch (15) of Szczepanki, who had had an interest in Marta, made his First Communion at this Mass. He looked over to Marta and her child. She could tell that his interest had departed.

After Mass and after everyone not involved went home, Fr. Berent led the baptismal party over to the font in which generations of Nerings had been baptized, and where two parishioners, known to the Nerings, were waiting. Custom gave to them the right to name the child, and they decided on Valentine, with a namesday on February 14. After the minor exorcism, Fr. Berent scooped up some water from the font and repeated thrice, “Valentine, I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost”.

Afterwards Marta’s mother asked, “Fr. Berent, would you be so kind as to join us at the baptismal party?” to which he replied, “Why, I would be most delighted to come”. When there he spent much time listening to Marta, and talking with her. Adalbert used the occasion to indulge in _vodka_, as he did on all such occasions when they had guests in their home.

Everyone knew who the father was, so Marta began to call her son Valentine Karnowski.

WED. JUNE 8, 1842. Today was the first day of the Jewish month of _Tammuz_, not that it made a bit of difference to Moses Karnowski. While making his rounds with his wagon, Moe raped the emotionally-disturbed Julianna Przypyszna of the village of Szonowo Szlacheckie and got her pregnant. At the time she did not know where babies came from. He threatened her that he would send a _mora_ — a female evil spirit — to torment her for the rest of her days should she tell. This drove her deeper into withdrawal. She stuffed her keyhole — the supposed point of entry for _mora_s — with a bit of red rag, the bane against _mora_s.

THURS. JUNE 16, 1842. Mrs. Euphrosina Schreder (35), a recent German colonist with whom Moe had had sex nine months earlier, gave birth to their illegitimate child Gottfried in the hamlet of Kłódka. Her husband had promised to keep her if she produced a male child. He had hopes that this child would be of help in farming.

SAT. JUNE 18 UNTIL THURS. JUNE 23, 1842. These were the longest days of the year: each contained sixteen hours, fifty-one minutes of daylight.

SUN. JUNE 26, 1842. The entire Karnowski household arose before 3:44 (sunrise) for the purpose of eating breakfast. This was _Tzom Tammuz_, a minor fast on the Jewish calendar, commemorating the date when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by King Nebuchadnezzar. It would last from dawn to sundown, 8:34. Sunday was just another day for Jews, but since the Christians did no work on that day, they were forced into not operating any businesses. They confined themselves to household tasks. When his mother tried to wake him before dawn so that he could still eat, Moe slapped her hand away. He then slept very late; got up and ate what he pleased.

*

Abiding by the law that forced Catholic priests to baptize Lutheran babies when no Lutheran church was as yet built, Mrs. Euphrosina Schreder and family brought Gottfried in to St. Catherine’s church, Łasin, where Fr. Konieczny baptized him after the 9:00 am Mass.Chapter Three: Valentine Karnowski, One Month Old

THURS. JUNE 30, 1842. Valentine had to be fed five times a day with his mother’s milk. This caused Adalbert much grumbling, as it took Marta away from productive work. The baby needed to sleep about twenty hours per day. This caused Adalbert additional grumbling, as he needed to keep quiet so as not to awaken the child.

Once, when she was nursing him and her father was absent, Marta said to her mother, “I think that Val can distinguish certain people. When I hover over ‘im, he waves his arms and legs excitedly expectin’ somethin’ good. When daddy comes into his field of vision he cries or reacts negatively”.

TUES. JULY 26, 1842. In the middle of the village of Słup in the cemetery stood a little chapel to St. Ann. Mass was held in this chapel once a year, on this, her day, instead of in St. Laurence, Szczepanki. Marta knew that St. Ann was the saint to whom unmarried girls prayed to find a husband. She knew that she was unworthy now that she had “lost her wreath”, but she decided to come to this Mass anyway. Of course she didn’t want just any husband; she wanted St. Ann to fix it so that she could have Moe. When she got to the chapel she joined a much agitated group of women, standing in the strong wind and rain, who were staring in horror at a pornographic drawing sprawled across the double doors. There was much clucking and tsk-tsking and wagging of heads. When Fr. Berent arrived he quickly ordered a peasant to get some whitewash and to cover the obscene drawing.

FRI. JULY 29, 1842. When Adalbert encountered Marta upon arising he said loudly, “DON’T THINK WE’RE GONNA CELEBRATE THE NAMESDY OF A WHORE! NONONO! YOU’RE LUCKY THAT YOU STILL HAVE A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD!” This caused Valentine to cry, and Marta left the breakfast table to nurse him, using this as an excuse to get away from her father. She hated the sloshing sound he made in masticating solid food; she hated the way he slurped up liquids; it seemed to her he exaggerated it to annoy everyone. In fact, Marta’s mother Rosa used to take the bait and reprimand him, which led to a prolonged argument. Many times when Adalbert was not present one of the children would advise Rosa, “Mama, he wants to start an argument. Just ignore it”, but she would not listen.

When Adalbert had finished eating he stormed off to compulsory labor, slamming the door behind him. Before his own leaving thereto Julian said, “Take courage, Marta; you still have me”.

Supper that evening was no different than it had been the day before.

SUN. JULY 31, 1842. At Łasin Marianna, the daughter of Franz Nehring, the Germanized mayor of Łasin, and his German wife Maria Kerner, was baptized by Fr. Konieczny. Marta Nering had to find a place to stay, as her father wanted her gone. Luckily, he was not turning her out with no place to go. She had many relatives in Łasin, so she left little Valentine with her mother and sisters, and came to the christening party in hopes of talking Franz or one of them into taking her on as a servant. Franz refused. Because he had a German-derived name, the Prussian authorities were allowing him the opportunity to _eindeutschen_ — to re-graft himself into the German community, and he saw that as economic progress, while remaining Polish was the way to continued poverty. He wanted no association with Poles if he could avoid it, relatives or not.

*

Back in Słup Valentine lay in a cradle suspended by ropes from a roof rafter. Grandma Nering lifted him under the armpits and held him in the air above her and shook him affectionately. Then she sat down in a rocker, still holding him the same way, and sat him on her lap, and talked to him: “Little cutie, little _Valuś_! Zhoo! Zhoo! Zhoo!” She gave him a wide smile, and he looked her in the eyes and smiled right back. She held a piece of red cloth over him, and moved it to the left and to the right, and his eyes followed attentively, and he cooed with delight. “Don’t get attached to ‘im; he’s leavin’”, ordered Adalbert.

SAT. AUGUST 13, 1842. In preparation for the observance of the feast day for the church in Szczepanki dedicated to St. Laurence, this evening Richard Skibiński, the organist, led a solemn Vespers, in which singers divided into two groups, one on each side of the sanctuary, and sang alternately the Psalms for the day. Marta brought Valentine. She scanned the singers and her eyes connected for a brief moment with those of a youth who was six feet tall. In spite of his lankiness he had broad shoulders and a developed chest. He had light hair and eyebrows which sat low above his eyes. His pleasant face presented a rather lean look, with cheeks somewhat hollowed out, and a very thin well-formed nose. It was Justin Flis.

When the service was over and the people were congregating in the courtyard, Marta and Justin met briefly. “Hello”, he said.

“Hello”, she said back. They had only looked into each other’s eyes for a moment when his parents Zephyrin and Casimira whisked him off for home.

SUN. AUGUST 14, 1842. St. Laurence parish’s festival day. In the morning there was the usual 9:00 am Mass with a procession following. The remainder of the day was given over to elements that were part carnival, part picnic, flea market, horse fair and all around good time. Once again Marta Nering attended, figuring that it might lead to finding employment.

The general Catholic rule about no commerce was relaxed on such a day, and local Jews took advantage of this. She came upon a stall set up by Moe selling holy pictures, of all things. Furtively she looked around for the disapproving glance of her father, and when she saw that the coast was clear, said, “Here is your son. He was born May 30th.” Moe seemed unnerved, at least momentarily. He had never been a father before, at least not that he knew of. He looked at the boy nervously, even taking him into his hands. Valentine began to wail. “Rock ‘im; that quiets ‘im down”, she advised, and he did so.

“His eyes are crossed — like my father’s”, he returned, weakly. Then, “But you must go. I have business to transact. We‘ll get together somehow”. He quickly handed him back to his mother.

MON. AUGUST 15, 1842. This would have been Adalbert & Julian Nering’s compulsory labor day, but it was canceled due to Harvest Home. (They would simply have to forego some future day off to compensate.)

Harvest Home was traditionally celebrated on the Feast of the Assumption in Szczepanki parish. As an aside, the Polish word for August — _Sierpień _— comes from the word _sierp_ — scythe or sickle. This popular and colorful celebration was held by the nobility and those owning large enough tracts of land that required hiring day-laborers (_Einliegers_) from all around the countryside. It was viewed as a way to reward them for their hard labor. By now many of the Polish nobles and landowners had been forced out and replaced by government-imported and subsidized Germans, but there were still plenty of Poles left to make for some fun.

The symbol of Harvest Home was a _Vieniec_, which was traditionally presented to the local landowner, Lord Rogoziński (47). This large wreath/crown was made of a mixture of barley and oats, the most important local grains. This year the honor of making the wreath, which came by drawing straws, fell to the Nering children Daria, Eva and Bronia. There were one or two women in the village of Słup who disapproved that such an honor be bestowed on a family with an illegitimate mother among its members. Still, the drawing of straws had been conducted honestly. At any rate Marta’s sisters crafted a dome-shaped crown from the most beautiful stalks of grain. After they decorated the wreath with flowers, ribbons, hazelnuts, and the fruit of the mountain ash — traditions so old that no one knew why any more -, they took it to the Kwasigroch farm, in the village of Szczepanki.

Wearing the wreath was an honor, to be worn by a young girl involved in the harvesting who was considered a very good worker. The chosen girl, Danuta Kwasigroch (16), was driven to church in great pomp and ceremony, wearing a folk costume and the wreath on her head while sitting in a wagon pulled by four horses decorated in greenery and surrounded by other young maidens wearing folk costumes and flowers in their hair. The group was followed by all those involved in the harvest, most walking, some lucky enough to own farm wagons. Fr. Berent blessed the wreath before Mass. Afterwards the entire procession made for the manor house at Rogóźno Zamek, singing songs that were known only in the Szczepanki area.

The procession stopped at the gate leading to the Rogoziński palace, its members continuing to sing until Lord Rogoziński emerged. Danuta approached wearing the wreath, and Lord R. removed it himself and placed it aside. She was given a handsome reward. Marta Nering had dreamed of someday being the Harvest celebration queen. Continually she had to dismiss such musings as she watched all this from a distance.

After rewarding those that offered the wreath, Lord Rogoziński signaled to the musicians to start playing. Taking Danuta in his arms, he started the dancing with a lively krakowiak. The village band played with abandon in a scratchy, error-filled style that people expected. Now the part of the festivities that everyone had been waiting for, the dancing and refreshments, began in earnest. Marta hung around for a while, holding little Valentine. A few people came by and made courteous small talk with her, and coochy-cooed the baby.

When Marta got home she cried herself to sleep.

When the Harvest Home queen got home she hung the wreath above the door of her family’s living room as a symbol of prosperity, knelt down to say her prayers, and plopped into her rye-straw mattress a very contented girl.

SUN. AUGUST 21, 1842. There was a long-standing custom in Poland. Groups of people all over Poland would form and walk to the shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa, praying along the way, maybe carrying a large cross, hoping to arrive there for her feast day, August 26th. If their starting point were far-enough off as to entail an overnight stay, people in villages on the route who were not on pilgrimage would offer them a place to sleep and food. Today after his sermon Fr. Berent made the announcement that the Prussian authorities were not going to let people leave the country (Częstochowa was now in the Russian partition).Chapter Four: Valentine, Three Months Old

TUES. AUGUST 30, 1842. St. Rose of Lima. Rosa Nering took her children to 6:00 am Mass on this, her namesday. There was much mention of virginity in the Mass, and Rosa found herself wallowing in self-pity. _“I should have become a nun”,_ she thought; _“then I wouldn’t have all this grief with an alcoholic husband”._

Marta prayed, _“Lord, I have lost my virginity. Please don’t punish me by my never havin’ a husband”._

TUES. SEPTEMBER 13, 1842. The Eve of _Yom Kippur_. In Łasin’s town square Rabbi Shmuel Karnowski closed his _Kashruth_ chicken store at noon, went home and cleaned up for the Afternoon Service. Upon entering the synagog he prayed aloud,

„How goodly are Thy tents, O Jacob, thy tabernacles, O Israel! God, I love the shelter of Thy house, the place where Thy glory dwells. Trusting in the abundance of Thy grace, I enter Thy house, and bow down to Thee, at the shrine of Thy holiness. I bow down, bend my knee, prostrate myself before Thee, my Maker. To Thee, O God, I address my prayer in an acceptable time; respond, O Lord, to me, with the truth of Thy salvation.”

He felt himself unburdening the problem he was having with his wayward son, Moses. He always found comfort in resorting to the synagog, whether it was full, as at present, or empty. He felt like a child seeking comfort in the strong arms of a loving daddy.

After the people’s response Shmuel recited Psalm 145. When he reached the lines,

“The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down,”

his voice caught in his throat, and his eyes filled with tears. _“Calm yourself!”_ he ordered; _“You have a lot of work ahead of you.”_ It happened again when he reached,

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, who call on Him in truth.”

_“I am calling out to You, I, I, I!”,_ he shouted out desperately in his mind. He used the time during the hymn that the choir sang after the Eighteen Benedictions to pray for strength to go on.

His final prayer contained the phrases,

“Grant me fortitude to be silent… and to be humble with all men. Enlighten my heart by Thy instruction… Save me with Thy power and respond to me so that Thy beloved ones may rejoice… May He who makes peace in high Heaven also grant peace to us and to all Israel. Amen.”

After the congregation went home, he stayed behind in the empty synagog and meditated on this last prayer.

_“When I married Moses’s mother, I had not really wanted children. I had selfishly wanted exclusive access to Rivka. What was I thinking? I was so crazily in love with her. Then Moses had come along and ruined that. I had nursed a grudge against Moses for a long time after the birth. I had accommodated myself to being a father more and more, as each succeeding child had come along. But I had treated Moses, my firstborn, as different. ‘Evil speech’ says the prayer! Yes, I have uttered evil speech against my son. I see now that I have done so to justify my bad attitude toward him.”_

He ended his ruminations with the realization that he had to get home, eat, and get ready for the Evening Service.

Sundown was at 6:27. Shmuel began the Divine Service this Tuesday evening as he would on a Sabbath, with a Prayer of Silent Devotion. He had in mind himself in general, and his relations with Moe in particular, as he silently read the following:

_“O God… I approach humbly Thy holy throne in this solemn moment of self-inquiry, to seek encouragement and confidence, enabling me to review the past year’s joys and afflictions. Weary from life’s endless struggles, its thousand changes and disappointments, I seek refuge and consolation in Thy temple, to utter before Thee my innermost feelings, to find again my own self, to delve into the secrets of my soul, to behold my conduct in the mirror of truth, and present myself at the throne of Your eternal justice.”_

_“When I review my life anguish seizes me. I have so often forgotten Thee in the allurements of life; and so seldom sought eternal and imperishable treasures. I have so often forgotten suffering fellow-beings, and neglected to thank Thee for Thy bountiful gifts, by either pious words, or charitable deeds. Have I grown in goodness; am I today wiser or better as I approach my grave? I have neglected Thy words, disregarded Thy precepts. Therefore my heart trembles. If You judge me according to my deeds, I deserve not Thy blessings nor thy grace. Father, show mercy to me, to the sinful child of dust, and be not a stern Judge and King to Thy trembling creature.”_

He prayed on at some length in this vein of self-accusation. He ended this section of the service with,

_“Open my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may utter Thy praise for ever and ever. Amen.”_

After an introductory hymn was sung by the choir, the Evening Service proper was begun. In it Shmuel and his cantor alternated in praising God.

After some prayers of atonement the Ark was opened. Other prayers were uttered and the Ark was closed. Then Shmuel led the congregation in praying to their deceased fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters, friends, and those of the congregation who had died during the year, and brought the service to a close. Afterwards he returned home, exhausted. Knowing that he had work to do tomorrow, _Yom Kippur_, he went to bed about nine pm. The family didn’t have to do so, but out of consideration for him, followed suit.

*

Moe knew that this was the Eve of _Yom Kippur_; he decided to work anyway to spite his father. At sundown (6:27), the end of his day’s work, Moe had a throbbing headache. He drove back to Łasin and hung around Nudelman’s dive for a while, hoping to kill the pain with drink.

Then he drove over to Szczepanki and parked his horse and wagon in some woods, where no one would see. He waited until all the lights in the village were extinguished, then he waited some more. After he was sure that everyone was asleep Moe quietly crept over to St. Laurence church. With a log he battered in the doors, went up to the altar, threw the crucifix down on the floor and stomped on it. He then turned his attention to the tabernacle and smashed it open. He took the ciborium and sprayed the consecrated Hosts on the floor; then he ground them to bits with his boots. He found an open space in the woods and let out a wolf-like howl. Returning home to Łasin about 10:00 pm he slipped into his bed unobserved, with only a dim memory of what he had done. His head throbbed all the more.

WED. SEPTEMBER 14, 1842. _Yom Kippur_. Some time before dawn (5:38) Moe woke up with the same terrible headache. In the darkness he quietly re-dressed and went outside. Going to the Karnowski stable he pulled bales of straw and hay over to the synagog and spread them along the foundation on the back and sides. He struck match after match and threw them into the dry bales, and quickly returned home and slid into bed. His heart was pounding with excitement, hoping that the fire would not be discovered until it was too late. This same pounding was adding to the agony he was experiencing in his head. He wanted desperately to fall asleep, but the pain would not permit that.

*

Theo Welsch, the Łasin policeman, was born and raised in Württemburg, Germany. He could read and write, but had had difficulty keeping himself employed and his family fed there. Then he read a poster advertising a police job in Łasin and informing that the government was subsidizing the move thereto: free housing for a year, a stipend for food and clothing, furniture, kitchenware — all this so as to “strengthen the German element there”. It was an offer too good to pass up.

So here he was, living in Łasin, in what had been a part of Poland until 1772. All that had been promised him had been given. In fact, though he had begun as an ordinary policeman, he had developed skill as a detective. He was proud of his status, and expected people to use his title.