We Were the Lucky Ones takes us right into the heart of the Second World War, though across multiple places spanning many years of barbarism. The series begins with a chirpy Halina wearing a bright red lip, a color that will be wiped from her face soon enough. The series is based on Georgia Hunter’s novel of the same name, based on a true story, and tells the story of the Kurcs, a Jewish family devastatingly split up during the Second World War. Though there is no shortage of film and television on this particular subject of the Holocaust, within the first quarter of this year alone, we’ve seen a couple of others. We Were the Lucky Ones is still a poignant show that translates to the screen perfectly. I wouldn’t say the same for some of the other shows I’ve recently seen. In episode 2 of We Were the Lucky Ones, we follow Halina and Bella trying to get to the Soviet side of Poland—Lvov, where their loved ones are.
Spoiler Alert
Do the Kurcs get evicted?
Sol, Halina’s father, uses his connections to help get the girls out of Radom and into Lvov. Her mother gives her a hefty amount of cash, stitched into her clothes, to help her get across the border as safely as possible. Bella is making her way there to see her sister, Anna, and Jakob. On the other hand, Halina wants to do something for her family, and she’s unable to sit quietly in Radom, so she decides to make the difficult journey. The first checkpoint is easy to pass; Bella pretends to be heavily pregnant and implies they’re going to find her husband on the other side. However, the next checkpoint proves to be much different. Halina tries to bribe the officer despite the cart driver’s protest, which leads the guard to point a gun at her head. Halina immediately freezes up. They’re made to turn back, and she struggles internally while Bella tries to reason with the cart driver. When he goes into the forest, Bella feels like he’s going to do something bad with them. However, he runs after them and tells them that he doesn’t mean any harm, but he won’t put them in any danger. He refuses to take them into Lvov, even though it’s only 2 km away, because it’s too dangerous. So, ultimately, Bella makes the decision to walk there. At first, Halina argues with her; however, she can’t let her go alone, so they end up walking it up to the Soviet side.
On the other hand, back home, things are much worse than they started off, and the Kurcs are evicted from their beautiful home. Before the soldiers can arrive, the parents send Mila and Felicia to a friend’s home for safety. Whatever happens, Felicia has to be safe. Before the Germans get to their door, Nechuma attempts to get a neighbor to hold on to some of their important belongings; however, the woman shuts the door in her face. You never know how things will turn out in times of hatred. The old couple packs up as much jewelry and money as they can before the German soldiers arrive. They’re then given 30 minutes to pack their things and get out of their home. Sol is a resourceful man, we learn soon, and he manages to get a wagon for their important things, including fabrics. In the meantime, Mila reaches the friend’s house and is shocked to see that it’s filled with his family from Krakow. He’s shocked to hear that they haven’t found a place to stay yet.
What’s Addy’s plan?
In France, Addy is drafted by the French into a Polish unit to defend their country. He’s been writing to his parents ever since he had to stay back in France, but now the letters have stopped coming through. Still, he continues to write them in hope; I suppose that’s all he can do after hearing the horrendous news about his home country. He then fakes a demobilization using the captain’s typewriter so he’s able to get out of Europe altogether. This is the only way he can dream of reuniting with his family.
Back in Poland, Halina and Bella walk in the cold dead of night. The two girls have been fighting because Halina claims that saying this whole journey was for the sake of “love” is making light of the ordeal, and making it seem silly. On the other hand, Bella, who is traveling for the same reasons as Halina, doesn’t see the problem in wanting to be with the person she loves during such tough times (a tale as old as time). When Bella drops Jakob’s camera and begins to cry, feeling terrible for the decisions she’s made, Halina tries to comfort her. Everyone is discombobulated by the situation. However, they begin to panic when they see soldiers coming towards them and go into hiding. Realizing they’re Russian soldiers, Halina thinks it’s a good idea to say that they’re lost in the forest and are simply trying to get home to their family. The soldiers are kind enough to take them in, and it’s a bizarre sight to watch the women walk amongst the many men watching them like a pack of hyenas.
Do Halina and Bella make it?
Back in Radom, Sol manages to secure a home for the family, and there’s an address for Addy’s letters. On the other hand, a week later, Bella and Halina make it to Jakob’s door in Lvov. He is shocked to hear the Soviets helped them because they’re very unpredictable, even if they’re not the Germans. Finally together, Jakob and Bella can’t keep off of each other. Jakob finally proposes to her in the bath, knowing that they have to seize the moment, even if it is illegal. With Adam’s help, they’re able to make arrangements for a tiny wedding in the house. Bella wears her sister’s old wedding gown and looks absolutely breathtaking. A ray of light in the dark of night. The rabbi remarks that, despite the situation, he can see the love between Bella and Jakob. After the ceremony, a drunk Adam tries to talk to Halina. Now, it is clear that Halina doesn’t really have any feelings for him; maybe she was desperate for companionship, or maybe she felt compelled to be with someone for her family’s sake. Now, she has a “bigger” purpose. She asks him to get her a job—something important—even if it’s small; she’ll do anything to make life easier for her loved ones. They decide to remain friends forever.
At the end of episode 2 of We Were the Lucky Ones, another nine months have passed, and we’re in October 1940. Addy’s trying to get a US visa but to no avail. Now, he manages to meet an ambassador for Brazil. The ambassador is a kind man who understands Addy’s desperation. He tells him to come back for a ship to Rio the next day, one that could be the last one out for a long time. He’s not certain Addy can make it to his family’s side, seeing how far Rio really is, but he’s happy to help. Addy’s an electrical engineer, so he’s an extra helping hand. The episode ends back in Lvov, where Genec is suddenly dragged out of his home in the middle of the night because of some paperwork. He didn’t declare his citizenship, and so now he’s declared an enemy of the Soviet state.
