Summary

On October 30, 1942, the Gestapo commander in Estonia received a message that the Finnish government intended to hand over nine Jewish refugees to Germany.
A week later, on November 6, 1942, only eight Jewish refugees were handed over to the Nazis.

Where did the ninth Jew go?

Nadav, a young Israeli photographer, loses his way in the frozen wilderness of Lapland and is saved from death thanks to a survival cabin. A mysterious cipher engraved in a hidden corner of the cabin arouses his curiosity and together with Heidi, a young Finnish woman he met, they crack the cipher and reveal the secret behind it. During the investigation, the two discover the connection between a Jewish-Finnish sniper unit that exterminated Nazis in World War II, a stolen treasure of diamonds and the mysterious disappearance of the ninth Jew.

In the settlement of Yad Hamona, established near Jerusalem by a group of Finnish immigrants in memory of those eight Jewish refugees, the mystery is finally solved. The message conveyed by the ninth Jew in the cipher takes on a chilling meaning in the horrific massacre that took place in Israel on October 7, 2023, and brings together the fate of Nadav and Heidi with human evil. It is an imaginary historical suspense novel written inspired by real events, while being based on places, people and historical facts, and takes place in Finland, Austria, Germany and Israel.

In the coming weeks, selected chapters from the soon-to-be-published book will be published here.

Episode 1 - A winning picture

Wednesday January 13, 2022 - Lapland, Finland.

It was late afternoon. The sun was fast approaching the horizon, about to disappear beyond the green forest immersed in deep snow.

The sky was blue and the frozen air crystal clear. The layers of thermal clothing, the thick fur hat and an inverted coat, fulfilled their purpose well. Only the tip of my nose and the index finger of my right hand, which was sticking out through the opening in the glove, felt the intense cold.

Although the bright snow in our heart dazzled, the sight before my eyes made my heart beat faster. I knew that in this business timing is the key to success. I positioned the target in the center of the cross, lightly clamped my bare finger and pressed gently.

A tiny dot started flashing a yellowish light, froze, made a short 'beep' and turned green. I held my breath and pressed to the end. A sharp click echoed through the air. 

there is!

I pressed again. What's sure is sure, I thought to myself and hurried to look at the display of my sophisticated Nikon camera. The image of the reindeer caught in the lens, stood out to me sharply and clearly.

I looked straight at the animal standing there at the top of the snowy hill, enveloped in a golden halo created by the rays of the setting sun behind. The reindeer looked at me with his big, innocent eyes, as if asking: "Are you done taking pictures friend? Can I move?"

"Thanks honey," I whispered and shook my head.

The northerner took one last look at me and as if he understood my words, turned back and disappeared down the hill.

"Nadav, everyone is waiting only for you." cried Jonas, the photography guide, "The sun will set soon. We have to move!"

He was standing at the foot of the hill, wearing his ski suit, surrounded by the other photographers and looking a little stressed.

I waved my hand, took one last look at the camera monitor and glided lightly down the hill.

"Amazing!" Adriana, a young photographer from Argentina, exclaimed, "Make this calf model pose for you." You were joking.

The other five photographers glanced at the monitor and nodded in agreement.

"A prize in 'IGNANT' is tailor-made for this picture," said Andreas, a renowned German photographer who has traveled a lot in northern Finland in recent years.

"I understand that Nadav's photography interests you more than the sauna in the hotel," grumbled Jonas. "You'll have plenty of time to exchange impressions on the way back," he said.

We hurried to load the backpacks, harness the skis and put on snow goggles.

"Come on guys." Jonas said when he realized that everyone was ready to move. "It will take us half an hour to surf this wilderness until we reach the minibus that has been waiting for a long time at the meeting place by the road. We will celebrate the successful end of the tour at the hotel with dinner."

I took one last look at the top of the hill, to the place from where 'my' reindeer disappeared a short time ago. I was sure that he had been traveling somewhere in the snowy expanses for a long time.

To my surprise, the amiable and well-behaved buck was standing there, exactly where he parted from me a few minutes ago, with one difference - now a mature female and two other young stags were standing next to him.

He actually brought his family to take pictures! I was excited.

"Yonas, I need another picture!" I called out as Hal walked away, "Go ahead, I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."

Jonas braked and turned around.

"Nadav, you're really exaggerating! You can't stay here alone," he was angry.

I took another look at the elk family that was "waiting" patiently against the background of the setting sun. There is no way I will miss such a spectacular picture. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I can't afford to pass it up.

"I can't let my boyfriend down," I joked, shaking my head at the reindeer, "he brought the whole family for a picture. Go ahead, I'll join in five minutes. I promise I won't do anything stupid."

I knew it was unfair of me to put Jonas in this situation, but the desire to immortalize this special image was stronger than me.

The weather is clear, it will only be dark in about an hour and the snow is soft, I thought to myself, the skis will leave clear tracks and I will be able to follow my friends easily. The risk in these conditions is small.

"Okay, Nadav," Jonas hesitated, "you have no more than five minutes. If something happens, call immediately."

I gave my thumbs up. Jonas leaned forward, pushed himself up and sprinted down the hill. The group chased after him and with a sprinkling of snow flakes followed him, moving further and further away, leaving deep and clear tracks in the soft snow.

I was left alone in the frozen Shimon, in front of the family of reindeer that stood motionless, patiently waiting to receive the picture I promised. I climbed up the hill, and when I was close enough, I stopped. Three clicks and a look at the monitor brought a smile of satisfaction to my lips.
It was worth insisting, I thought. The reindeer raised its antlered head, sniffed the air, turned back and started walking away with its family following.

"There is no doubt that these are Finnish reindeer," I smiled to myself, "quiet, efficient and generous."

The setting sun colored the moving elk family golden and created a magnificent aura around them. I didn't hold back and managed to take a few more photos before they disappeared. I skied back downhill to where deep ski tracks leading north were clearly visible. I glanced in the direction the tracks led but I didn't see my friends.

I scanned the white plain in front of me and the hills beyond. They stretched in the northwest direction, the direction my friends were heading. They must be on a back slope and hidden by the snow-covered hill opposite, I thought, when I reached its summit, I would see them.

I glanced at the clock. I kept my promise not to delay more than five minutes. I stuck the ski poles deep in the snow, leaned forward, accelerated and quickly skied the tracks that were clearly visible. They led towards the snowy and exposed hill opposite.

I stopped at the top of that hill and looked around. A snowy hilly landscape appeared before my eyes, studded with solitary trees.
No figure was seen in space.
Strange, I thought, it doesn't make sense that in five minutes they were so far apart.

I looked back and examined the footprints again. They clearly stretched from the hill I came from and continued and climbed the one I'm standing on now. A slight apprehension began to creep into my heart. Why don't I see them? Why isn't Jonas waiting for me on top of one of the hills?

I had no choice but to continue towards the next hill. I skied while making sure to move on the tracks as the cold air burned my face and froze the tip of my nose. When I reached the next peak, my heart was filled with anxiety. I looked into the white expanses that surrounded me and did not see a single living soul.

A wind began to blow. Clouds of frozen dust rose into the air and formed white mists that moved in waves across the snow. The surface is lined with a halo as soft as cotton wool. The rays of the setting sun illuminated the woolly space and gave me the feeling that I was floating among clouds. The wonderful sight took my breath away and made me forget for a moment the trouble I was in.

Another 'winning photo' I smiled to myself. The amazing sight took my heart back. I picked up the camera, clicked several times in different directions and looked at the monitor with satisfaction.

The sun kissed the horizon, the shadows lengthened and the snow became less blinding. I quickly glanced at the clock and realized that time was running out and that I had to find my friends before it got dark.

I put the snow goggles back on my eyes, stuck the ski poles in the snow with force, leaned forward, looked up, ready to leap forward, but what was revealed to my eyes made me miss a beat.

The footprints that marked my path have completely disappeared!

In front of me lay a white and pristine surface, surrounded by a dust of snow floating in the air, completely smooth. For the footprints on which my life depended, there is not a single trace left in the light.
Suddenly a terrifying thought entered my mind - I was left alone on the frozen ice without having the slightest idea where I was and where to move forward.