Mottele: A Partisan Odyssey

Plot

"Mottele" is the story of Mordechai Shlayan, a Ukranian Jew called Mottele. At age 12, he was orphaned when the Germans killed the rest of his family. He escaped because he was taking a violin lesson when the Germans raided his village. Blond haired & speaking perfect Ukrainian, he passed for a Gentile for several months, supporting himself by playing his violin at weddings & other functions. After several months, he reached the camp of a partisan unit commanded by Moshe Gildenman, called "Diadia Misha" (Uncle Misha).

Wanting to avenge his parents & sister, Mottele wanted to become a fighter, but he was considered too young to carry a gun. His chance came when he was sent into the Ukranian town of Ovruch to spy on the German Garrison. His youth, blond "Aryan" appearance, fluent Ukranian, & skill with his violin allowed him to blend in with a group of beggars outside the church on a religious holiday. He was only supposed to be in town a few hours, but an amazing thing happened. A German officer heard him playing, & hired him to play in the mess hall of the German officers' quarters. Mottele spent some weeks there, noting rank & insignia of officers passing through, & passing this information on to the partisans, who in turn passed the information on to Moscow by radio. How Mottele & his violin ultimately got revenge on the Germans is a pivotal point in the story.

But the amazing part of the story is that it is based on real people & real facts. Mottele's violin still exists. Moshe Gildenman took it to Israel in 1950. Some years after his death, his grandson had it restored & donated it to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. On special occasions it is taken from its display case & wartime partisan songs are played on it- usually by a 12 or 13 year old boy.