Inspired by a true story, My Mother’s Secret is a captivating and ultimately uplifting tale intertwining the lives of two Jewish families in hiding from the Nazis, a fleeing German soldier, and the mother and daughter who save them all. Franciszka and her daughter, Helena, are simple, ordinary people…until 1939, when the Nazis invade their homeland. Providing shelter to Jews in Nazi-occupied … to Jews in Nazi-occupied Poland is a death sentence, but Franciszka and Helena do exactly that. In their tiny home in Sokal, they hide a Jewish family in a loft above their pigsty, a Jewish doctor with his wife and son in a makeshift cellar under the kitchen, and a defecting German soldier in the attic—each party completely unknown to the others. For everyone to survive, Franciszka will have to outsmart her neighbors and the German commander.
Told simply and succinctly from four different perspectives—all under one roof—My Mother’s Secret is a testament to the kindness, courage, and generosity of ordinary people who chose to be extraordinary.
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Good representation of what war was like in Europe during the war. Shows the goodness of people who put their lives in danger to help others.
Based on a true story, this is a great introduction to WWII for younger readers.
A nice story, well told albeit a bit on the juvenile style. Quick read and the story is nice. The real story, as told in the afterward, is nicer.
A lesson in human kindness that boggles the mind.
Good story but told in a different way. Way too short. Not worth the price!
Fantastic account of a courageous woman. Read on one sitting
The courage of one woman saved so many life’s
This story, based on truth, is about courage, morality, humanity. I liked all the characters, the ones who hid and the ones who hid them.
Short but very engaging.
Am informative World War II book
Very well written. Shows the good in people in the worst of times.
Good book!
I enjoyed reading about the heroism
Moves fast! Based on true story. Powerful.
Continuity lacking
Good read
J.L. Witterick’s My Mother’s Secret is an absolute gem of a book. Based on a true story, it tells how the illiterate and poor Franciszka, along with her daughter Helena, saved the lives of two entire Jewish families and a defecting German soldier by hiding them in the most unlikely places in their tiny home and pigsty. None knows of the others’ presence. Then, for her pièce de résistance, Franciszka befriends the German commander, throwing (modest) dinner parties for him literally right on top of the hidden Jews.
Among the results, is much needed food supplies and a greater distance from their fellow villagers. As daughter Helena describes, with the appearance of the German commander, any they would have wished to befriend no longer wanted to associate, while any of those who might have wished to be friends were not the type mother and daughter sought.
Witterick tells this story in four parts, using four different perspectives, beginning with Helena. At fewer than 200 pages, it’s an incredibly quick read, the more so for being so engrossing. In all, this is one inspiring piece of work – and how might history have been different if there were more Franciszkas and Helenas?
(This review was originally published at: https://www.thisyearinbooks.com/2018/06/my-mothers-secret-novel-based-on-true.html)
It was amazing learning about this part of World War II. It was very upsetting and thrilling all at once!
One of the best books I have read in a long time, I fell in love with all the character’s. It’s a wonderful teaching aid I highly recommend it.
What people of principle who stood up for what they believed was right!
Short historical fiction book based on real facts: mother and daughter (Polish) save Jewish folks and a German soldier who deserted during WWII.