2015, First published
1956
This is the story of what happened to
a Polish family during World War II. Note that this wasn’t written until 1956, so some
time has elapsed before the end to the war and people have had time to
rationalise what happened to them. Right at the beginning the reader is warned
that this may be a grim tale: “the Balickis had a grim time of it. But worse
was in store for them” (Loc 42).
We are given a quite graphic description of the
concentration camp where father Joseph is interned (loc 52). Joseph, does
manage to escape and has to make some tough decisions. He threatens some of his
compatriots. He finds his home-town changed when he gets back(loc 212). Worst
of all he discovers that his children have probably died (loc 239).
The children
escape the Nazis but only by taking a great risk - escaping via the roof tops
(loc 357). Then they live in a cellar. In the summer they camp out in a field.
They become very resourceful. However, Edek, the oldest, gets captured (loc
448).
There are some
gleams of hope: not only do they find the silver sword in street-urchin Jan’s box but they are helped by
some of the Russian soldiers after the war has ended. There are helpful
coincidences: Jan found the silver sword in the rubble of what was Joseph’s
home. It was a present he gave to his wife. He tells Jan to keep it and if it
is recognised Jan can tell his children that he has gone to Switzerland. The
children meet Jan. But there are also near misses: they find out what had
happened to Edek. They arrive at the camp where he had been held - now
liberated by the Russians - only to find that they have just missed him. He ran
away the day before. Yet their meeting is also a great coincidence: a fight
breaks out in the displaced persons camp. Ruth comes to holding a hand; it is Edek’s.
The story is
fast-paced. Good fortune and problems alternate for the children.
As they make their
way to Switzerland they stay for a while with a German farmer and his wife.
They learn about their two sons who were killed in the war. They realise that
the young men were actually really just like them (Loc 1275).
Throughout the
story the children take risks - not least of all when they escape by canoe
along white water (loc 1399) and in Chapter 23 ‘Dangerous Waters’. At this point too, the
Americans become the enemy even though the family was originally persecuted by
the Germans. Edek’s coughing is also a constant worry.
They arrive in a
camp just outside Switzerland. They have been helped by an American of Polish descent.
They are so near and yet so far. The Swiss will take no more refugees.
This is a story
about displaced persons and it looks just before the end as if it is going to
have a happy ending. But Serrailier warns us: “They did not know that what was in some ways their
most dangerous ordeal still lay ahead” (loc 1691). He uses here the
story-telling skills that produce Hollywood blockbusters; the children are
almost completely scuppered by the famous freak storm of 1945 on Lake
Constance.
The story ends happily.
The whole Balicki family is reunited and they adopt Jan. But Serralier warns
his young readers: “The war produced countless tragic stories, few of which ended as
happily as that of the Balicki family” (loc 1846). Jan anyway remains damaged.
The story is fictional but based on some real people
who did not form part of the same family. The final chapter tells us what
happened after the war to the fictional characters.
This edition of the book contains many useful
activities for the young reader.
The text is
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