A Childhood Memoir

The stomping of black-booted automatons; the drums beating in tune to murderous chants of hatred a retentive memory of a little girl has captured it all. Her early, serene Munich childhood wiped out: a school in flame, a journey alone to England ahead.

Gone is the school she loved. Parted from her adored father with whom she endured prison and worse. Stored away safely is her memory of GRAF ZEPPELIN, the hideous faces of the Nazi leaders and her love of Munich. KINDERTRANSPORT to England aged nine without friend or language leaves her traumatised unused as she is to cope with caring for herself. Stays at holiday camps; with a kind, generous Jewish family in London, then it is off once more with Jewish schoolchildren to Bedfordshire weeks before WW2.

A love affair begins with the English country-side and its animal inhabitants. Evacuated to an ancient farm house with no amenities whatever, where she is joined by her pious old grandmother, she settles down to school-life in this strictly orthodox school, new friends all refugees.

Through her father, a well-known poet, she discovers what is happening to Jews in Europe early on and her faith is shattered.

A contrasting tale of two childhoods, one recalling a deceptively idyllic beginning; the other an awakening in a strange but charitable land and the forever haunting realisation of what has been done to her people. This is a unique portrait of childhood.

Dettagli