Poland.
In a secluded cave in the southern mountainous region, a group of young people, ragged and emaciated, were gathered around a fire for warmth. They wore Polish military uniforms, but these uniforms were so tattered that they resembled beggars.
These "beggars" were Polish guerrillas. After Poland fell, these former soldiers did not surrender to the Germans but retreated to forests and other places, forming guerrilla units to prove through their actions that not all Poles were willing to be slaves of a conquered nation.
However, guerrilla warfare was incredibly tough. After several attacks on German supply convoys, they paid a heavy price. Initially, they had over 200 people, but now only about fifty remained. Even the German logistics convoys were equipped with armored vehicles and mortars, far superior to the guerrillas who only had rifles and grenades.
The arrival of the cold winter made the activities of these nearly ammunition and food-depleted guerrillas even more difficult. After all, humans need to eat, and guerrillas are not immortals who can survive without food or water.
The leader of this guerrilla squad, Katzper, decided to take a risk to collect some food from a nearby village. He took out a map and carefully studied the surrounding environment. "There's a village called Dika 4 kilometers to the southeast, and another village called Bewata 6 kilometers due south."
A guerrilla next to him spat in disgust. "I know that Dika; it's full of Jews!"
There's a film and television drama called "Our Fathers" in later years, which focuses on World War II.
In the drama, Polish guerrillas harbored a deep hatred for Jews, to the extent that they would accept a traitorous German as a comrade but not a Jew.
After World War I, Poland, having just regained its independence, urgently needed to construct a national identity, one of the primary tasks being the promotion of the Polish language. However, within the Jewish community in Poland, 79% chose Yiddish as their first language, with only 12% opting for Polish, leading Polish nationalists to question the loyalty of Jews to the new nation. Prejudice and even persecution against minority groups were common in newly independent states, Poland being no exception.
Moreover, after the October Revolution, many Jews fled Soviet Russia. Due to the Riga Peace Treaty signed between Soviet Russia and Poland, Jews in disputed areas were granted the right to choose their nationality, leading hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees to move into Poland. Before World War II, about 3.5 million Jews lived in Poland, making up 10% of the population, which had a certain impact on Poland's economy and social stability, even squeezing the living space of Poles.
Due to religious beliefs, Europeans discriminated against and excluded Jews, considering them "Gypsies of Europe." Western Europe expelled them to Eastern Europe, and Poland, being a Catholic country, also held discriminatory views against Jews. Thus, in the TV series, Polish guerrillas would say, "Killing a Jew is like drowning a cat." This shows they had little sympathy for Jews, even harboring resentment.
During the war, there were rumors that Jews were Soviet spies, betraying Polish interests. Subsequently, when the Soviets and Germans divided Polish territory, these rumors were essentially confirmed. This turned Polish disdain into hatred, leading to some unfriendly actions against Jews.
When Jews in Warsaw were driven from their homes into ghettos by the Germans, their neighbors, local Poles, moved into these luxurious residences.
After World War II ended, some surviving Jews returned to their hometowns wanting their homes back, but these Poles found reasons to attack them, even resorting to murder.
From 1945 to 1946, there were at least 50 cases of Jews being murdered in places like Krakow, the victims being survivors of Nazi massacres, with the perpetrators aiming to prevent Jews from returning home. The properties of Jews who died in the Holocaust were then freely taken by the impoverished neighbors.
These events triggered two waves of Jewish emigration from Poland (forced or voluntary). In the new century, anti-Semitism became a significant obstacle to Poland's EU accession.
"Then let's go to Bewata." Although they would enjoy plundering Jews, causing too much noise might attract the Germans, so Katzper decided on Bewata.
They dared not move during the day, only setting out when it was dark, quietly descending the mountain towards Bewata village.
After half a day of cautious travel, they spotted Bewata village from afar. Approaching the outskirts, Katzper had the team hide while he, with two others, snuck into the village, gently knocking on the door of the first house.
"Who is it?" came a weak voice from inside.
Katzper whispered, "We are from the guerrillas."
"What?!" The person inside was startled, something fell with a clang. Soon, an old man in his fifties opened the door. "I am the village head. Are you really from the guerrillas?"
Katzper patted his gun. "Hello, village head, we are truly guerrillas, no doubt about it."
The village head, stunned for a few seconds with his expression changing several times, didn't notice Katzper's scrutiny due to the candlelight behind him.
Coming to his senses, the village head quickly ushered them inside. "Come in, come in. Just the three of you? Have you eaten? Come, warm yourselves by the fire first."
Katzper was almost moved to tears by the village head's warm hospitality. "We have a whole team; the others are outside the village."
The village head sighed. "In such cold weather, how can you let them freeze outside? Call them all in, I'll rally the villagers to prepare some hot food. Don't worry, no Germans will come here."
"Thank you, village head." Katzper exhaled in relief and instructed one of his men to bring everyone into the village.
After everyone was inside, the village head gathered some villagers to host the guerrillas in their homes.
Katzper and three of his men were warmly invited to stay at the village head's house. While helping to wash potatoes, Katzper chatted, "Village head, do the Germans often come to harass the villagers?"
"We're such a small place, the Germans don't bother much with us; life is manageable. But, are there other guerrilla groups around here?"
As far as Katzper knew, they were the only guerrilla unit within dozens of miles, but to encourage the village head, he confidently said, "Of course, our guerrillas are spread all across the country; we'll drive out the German devils sooner or later!"
As they waited hungrily for the potatoes to cook, suddenly there was an urgent shout from outside. "The German patrol is coming!"