People fell asleep in spite of being wet and weighted down by mud.

On that day most of its 1,500 inhabitants, including Pesia’s family, were shot on the outskirts of town.

The three Russians were glad to meet the five fugitives. They were particularly interested in

Joske. A gun owner, he identified himself as an independent partisan and a fighter. Dangling casually from his shoulder, his gun looked menacing. In the forest and countryside all armed men and women called themselves partisans.

With his calm, Tuvia Bielski tried to influence those around him. At times of great danger he remained patient and quiet, and because of it we did not have many victims.

In part, because the three most powerful men in the otriad, Tuvia, Asael, and Malbin, wanted to save as many Jews as possible and regardless of who they otherwise were, this policy prevailed.

Sonia insists that for a long time Zus continued to court her and she refused to become his mistress. When she did consent, they became an official couple. This was the start of a marriage that has lasted until the present.

While Tuvia was agonizing about what to do, two of his partisans, Michal Mechlis and Akiva Szymonowicz, came up with an answer.

When Sulia stuck to her initial story she was beaten.