Daughter of Poland

Bialoboznica was located in a region of Poland called the Ukraine. Broad river valleys fortified the black soil, distinguishing the territory as one of the most sought after lands in Europe.  Across the region people referred to the Ukraine as the breadbasket of Europe. In Bialoboznica and across the area, tensions grew because some Ukrainians felt loyalty to Russia while others wanted it to be an independent country.  Soon, these political tensions seeped into the daily life at our school.

“Anna! You better check your class-- two of your students are arguing! They could fight!”  I dashed down the hall into the classroom.

“Hey, stop that yelling! What are you doing?” 

Sergio spun around to face me. “Urie says there’s no God.  I told him there is so a God.” 

“Will you take your seats, now?  Thank you. Gentlemen, the Communist Manifesto determines that religious practices and beliefs are fantasy. Our Russian government clearly states that there is no God.”  I turned away from the students to write math notes on the chalkboard.
“Anna Larentowna, do you believe in God?”  It was the deep voice of Urie, a student who always earned A’s.

“Sit down!  Who are you to ask me such a question?” Urie sat down in his seat. He stared at me continually throughout the lesson, but the rest of the day was uneventful.  I felt smug about the way I’d handled the matter.

After school, I received a message to attend a teacher’s meeting.

We often met after the students left and I had no reason to think this meeting was significant.

When I arrived in the gym, the Communist Party leader and Urie sat side by side on the polished gym stage. As I entered the room, the Communist Party leader pointed at me with a bony finger. “This is the teacher who should be setting an example for our children, but when asked, ‘Do you believe in God?’ she replied, ‘Sit down!’” 

My weak legs carried me across the large room to a chair where I shrunk smaller and smaller.  I longed to see the protective look from my colleagues but none were there.

“By this, she defies the mandates of Stalin! She poisons the students of this institution with her example. She does not deserve the opportunity to influence the leaders and military men of future Russia!”

This is it! I’ll be arrested.

The Communist Party leader passed to me a letter of condemnation.

“Anna Larentowna fails her responsibilities as a teacher. She has ignored her minimal duties of teaching according to the Communist Party rules.” 

For a full page, the letter ranted. Every teacher in our school was required to sign it. While the dark ink of their signatures dried upon the page, I sensed political propaganda would deliver its consequence with a broader stroke in weeks to come.