City of Thieves: Chapter 23 Summary & Analysis

The Germans lock their prisoners in a sheep barn for the night and while the others sleep, Lev, Kolya, and Vika sit up and discuss their plans for if Abendroth sends for them. Vika insists that they'll be searched for weapons. She removes her knife and digs a hole in the ground. She puts her pistol in the hole and insists on burying Kolya's too. When she's finished, she straps her knife to her bare chest using her belt. Vika takes Lev's hand, places it against her chest, and asks if he feels anything. He nervously shakes his head no.

Lev asks what should happen with his own knife. Vika unstraps it from Lev's ankle, tells Kolya he can't have it because he looks like a soldier and will be searched carefully, and finally hides it in Lev's boot, making sure he can walk normally. Vika touches the spot below Lev's ear and draws her finger across his throat, telling him that if he cuts that open, it can't be closed.

Several hours later, two soldiers escort Lev, Kolya, and Vika to the Party building the Nazis are using. Abendroth sits at an end of a long table, drinking clear alcohol, with a traveling chessboard already arranged. He's not the professorial type that Lev expected. Rather, he's a very large and strong-looking man. Lev realizes that Abendroth is a little drunk, sharing with the reader that he learned to recognize the different faces of drunkenness at a young age since all his father's literary friends were big drinkers.

Abendroth, in perfect Russian, tells Lev, Vika, and Kolya that he's drinking plum schnapps, and asks who speaks German. Kolya answers, offering that his grandmother was from Vienna. Abendroth asks how Kolya learned that he plays chess, and Kolya mentions the soldier he spoke to earlier in the day, saying he was especially friendly. Abendroth snorts with amusement and disgust, and asks about Kolya's "Jewish friend." Kolya replies that Lev had the nose and no money.

Abendroth addresses his soldiers in German and asks Kolya to translate what he said for Lev and Vika: Abendroth knows a Jew when he sees one. Abendroth adds that he can also spot a girl, and asks Vika to remove her hat. She pauses but then complies. Abendroth turns back to Kolya and asks how it is that he can speak German but not read, and then asks Lev how he can play chess but also be illiterate. He doesn't give Lev or Kolya time to answer before declaring that all three of them are certainly literate, smart since they passed the Nazis' tests, and wanted Abendroth to notice them, knowing full well he won't set them free even if they win the chess match. Abendroth asks Kolya to explain the eggs, and Kolya says he hasn't had one since August.

Abendroth considers the situation and asks if Lev, Kolya, and Vika have information to trade, but Kolya says he simply saw an opportunity. Abendroth savors his last glass of schnapps and instructs the soldiers to search Lev, Kolya, and Vika. The man who searches them is only a year or two older than Lev, and he searches Lev and Kolya carelessly. When he moves to Vika, another soldier teases the boy, who is unnerved by Vika's stare and doesn't search her thoroughly. When he's finished, Abendroth says he can't release Kolya or Lev, but can let "the girl" go home.

Lev asks for Abendroth's word that he'll let Vika go, and Abendroth agrees, after wondering if Vika likes "the Jew." He then invites Lev, Kolya, and Vika to sit, but Kolya insists on the eggs. Abendroth's patience is wearing thin, and he tells Kolya that he has the power to kill Kolya and rape Vika later. Kolya, rather than staying silent, agrees that Abendroth can do all these things, but insists that Lev will play terrible chess if Kolya's dead, and asks for eggs one more time. Abendroth mutters a command to the boy soldier and motions for the three to sit.

Abendroth pulls out a coin to toss and begin the chess game with Lev, telling him he can keep his queen. The opening moves are classic and no indicator of skill. Lev addresses the reader, saying that he can still write out every move of this game with Abendroth. As the game continues, Abendroth remarks that he hasn't had a good game in a long time, and tells Lev that he'll keep him around to play chess with. The young soldier returns with a box of eggs.

Two soldiers now stand behind Kolya and Vika, and Abendroth and Lev begin exchanging pieces. Abendroth remarks that Jews make great violinists and chess players. Lev ignores him and keeps playing, but soon realizes that his plan with Kolya and Vika, while not spelled out initially, is obvious, and it will be up to Lev to slit Abendroth's throat. He thinks of Abendroth's strength and feels that he can't possibly murder him, but continues playing.

After another sequence of moves, Abendroth has unknowingly committed a fatal error. Lev looks at Vika, proud of his victory, but Vika is reaching for her knife and Kolya is ready to push himself up and tackle the soldiers. Lev pretends to scratch his calf as Abendroth studies the chessboard, finally realizing his defeat. Abendroth smiles and declares it beautiful.

Abendroth then realizes what Lev is trying to do and tackles him to the floor. Abendroth reaches for his pistol but becomes distracted as Kolya and Vika attack the two soldiers. Lev reaches for Abendroth's gun just as Abendroth pulls the trigger, managing to push it enough that Abendroth doesn’t hit Vika or Kolya. Abendroth punches Lev in the face and Lev sits up and stabs Abendroth in the chest. Abendroth falls and doesn't try to go after Lev.

Kolya struggles with one of the troopers, and Lev runs to help and stabs his knife into the man's back. Vika finally pulls Lev off the dead man and asks for his hand. He realizes he's missing half of a finger on his left hand. Vika wraps his finger with a strip of wool from one of the German's pants.

Kolya grabs the guns from the dead soldiers, as well as the crate of eggs. He opens a window and he, Lev, and Vika jump out into the snow and run from the Party building. When they reach the edge of town they head for the woods. Lev thinks that he's never been much of a patriot, thanks to his father, but that night he felt a surge of love for Russia.