I think it was about a week after the first news when the Ukase of the
Czar was published--that all spirits were to be destroyed, and the use
of alcohol forbidden. What excitement prevailed over this announcement
in a country where at dinner one must reckon at least one bottle of
wodka for each guest! Such strong stuff was it that the only time I
ever tried it I thought my last moment had come! The day before the
official destruction was to take place we went to get alcohol for the
hospital--both the pure, and the colored for burning in lamps, etc.
There were tremendous crowds about, all struggling to get a last bottle
to drink, already drunken--without shame, and horrid! I thought then
what a wonderful thing the Czar had done for humanity. How brave it
was deliberately to destroy a tremendous source of income in order to
help his people! We were forced to have police protection to bring the
bottles home. Such bottles! Each one holding twelve quarts!
The next day we saw the destruction of the "Monopol." The chief
of police ordered all spirits carried to the top of a hill in the
outskirts of Suwalki--then with much ceremony the bottles were smashed,
letting the fiery stuff flow in streams! What cries there were from
the people--the peasants threw themselves down on the ground, lapped
the wodka with their tongues, and when they could swallow no more they
rolled over and over in it! After a while my husband thought it better
to leave; even in an automobile there was little safety among such mad
creatures. We were very glad when "King Alcohol" had been vanquished,
and we shuddered to think what would have been if such an orgy had
taken place without police to quell it!
* * * * *
About nine o'clock a peasant came to tell me the Germans were coming!
Some one had seen them. I made the four soldiers eat, and gave them
food and cigarettes to carry with them. They were ill men. After a
mutual blessing they went back to await their fate.
Suddenly hearing an uproar, I saw some of the bad elements of the town
looting, searching for food, knocking each other down, screaming--a
horrid sight! The Jews who were always so meek, had now more
self-assertion, strutting about, stretching up until they looked inches
taller. It was hard work to tear myself away from the balcony. I, too,
seemed unable to control myself, running from the balcony to the child
and from the child to the balcony.
At eleven the streets again grew quiet, the time was near, and I saw
the first _pikel-haube_ come around the corner, rifle cocked--on the
lookout for snipers!