The Polish Nurse: A WW2 Historical Fiction Novel

The Berlin Girl #1

by Leah Moyes

She has a secret. Keeping it will mean the difference between life and death.

1941, Poland. Though war rages around her and occupying German forces march steadily onward, 16-year-old Aleksandra has lived her life sheltered from danger.

Until one day, she goes to school – never to return.

Pushed roughly into a truck with other schoolgirls like her, a single ominous word tells her all she needs to know about her Lebensborn.

Lebensborn, the infamous German “voluntary reproduction” program – rumored to involve the abduction of blond-haired, blue-eyed girls and forcing them to bear the children of Nazi soldiers.

But when their convoy is bombed en route to Berlin, Aleksandra and the girls see their chance to escape. In a foreign land, far from home, they know their survival depends on keeping their identities a secret.

Resourceful and determined not to be discovered, Aleksandra takes a job as a nurse in the German city of Dresden. Just as she starts to think she might live to see the end of the war, her carefully crafted secret begins to unravel. Aleksandra knows that if she ever wants to see her home and family again, she will have to risk it all – on her own.

Previously published as Before Berlin.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Historical, Fiction

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2023

About the author

Leah Moyes is a wife and a mother, a former teacher and coach with a background in Anthropology and History. Between writing and archaeological digs, the world is her playground.
She loves popcorn and seafood (though not together) and is slowly checking off her very long bucket list.

Reviews

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different viewpoint

What I liked about this story was it was told from a completely different perspective. Typically these stories lean heavily towards anti Nazi and pro Allied forces. This was not the case with all the characters and the author did a very good job of handling the delicacy, although surely truthful feelings for some, on the subject. It certainly makes for interesting reading to try to see things from another's viewpoint.

[Marian A · Rating 5 out of 5]

shocking ending

I adored the book and I loved the irony of war. Evil is wrong and hurtful on both sides. That truly came through in this story. What shocked me was the ending. I did not see that coming. Character development was good. I would recommend this book if you like historical fiction.

[Debi Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 +++

If I could give more than a 5 I would! Loved the book and it flowed so nicely; I was never bored with the story.

[Anita Rohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polish nurse

A very insightful tale that describes the horrors of war and trying to stay alive and find a purpose in life. The characters are well developed and tell their adventures in words that keep you enthralled and holding your breath at times. Minute details help to make you feel the whole situation. An informative read.

[David L Doiron · Rating 5 out of 5]

captivating story

A very good read. It especially felt like the attitudes of the nurses and doctors after the Dresden bombing were authentic.

[Megan Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really conflicted about my rating/review for this one. I’d say maybe 3.5. I rounded up because I liked it better than a lot of books I’ve given 3’s to, but I can’t necessarily say I’d be jumping to recommend this book either. At the beginning, there was something about the writing style (can’t quite put my finger on it) that was not my favorite, and I found myself rereading sentences often. Could have been my focus was just elsewhere, but it may have also been something about the author’s syntax and way of describing. Anyway, once I got into, I really did get into it. I liked how it covered the Lebensborn topic without being too graphic. I really didn’t know what was going to happen in the end…it was not a predictable story. That being said, the ending was kind of terrible. Aleksandra did end up with the person I wanted her to, but I didn’t like at all how she got there. This was a pretty short book, and it really would have been better if it was longer. The end felt rushed. It covered multiple years in a very short amount of pages. One of the things I did especially find intriguing was how Aleksandra grappled with who the enemy was and who was “evil.” She had to come to terms with the fact that total war meant both sides were involved in causing innocent lives to be lost. I just assumed the Poles would see the Allies as the “good guys,” but this story gave a picture of how it would have been more complicated than that for many.

[Sherri Witkowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was fairly good. Although the main character had attended school, there seemed to be so many things she didn't know and didn't understand about the world. I found her ignorance frustrating but then she was from a sheltered family and somewhat small town. The story moved along, however, there were some things that didn't make sense such as the amount of time they spent in the forest at their wrecked truck site, with dead, unburied bodies nearby. I understand they were injured and couldn't leave very quickly. Also, the part where she captured some unnamed animal, had 2 of the other girls skin it and cooked it for some food for the starving girls was a bit hard to believe when none of them had any experience in living in the wild. I liked her character and courage enough that I finished the book, but the ending was totally disappointing. I ended up feeling really bad and wished I hadn't read the book. I disagreed with her actions wholeheartedly. If you bring a baby, even a bi-racial one into the world, it is your responsibility to take care of it. You don't just leave the baby on a church doorstep and run away.

[Roshel Aghassi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to read a WWII story from the perspective of a Polish individual. Most of the time you read it from an American soldier or a Jewish persons perspective and this one was different. Just a reminder of all the different people who were affected in the war.

I loved Aleksandra’s strength and unwillingness to give us even though most people, especially at her age, would have. She was a born leader and helped so many people survive in the 4 years she was displaced.

I enjoyed reading her story.

[JOYCE DURHAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story with many horrors of war

This story touches on many of the horrors of war, young girls taken to be entered into the German program to repopulate Germany, trying to avoid soldiers on the prowl to rape and being bombed. Also has great friendship, being helped by people and love. This has it all. Give it a try.

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book!

I could not put it down! This book is packed with historical events. There’s so much emotion packed. As you read, you experience all the different types of love, perseverance and hope.

I absolutely recommend reading this book!

[Emily Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's set in WWII so expect some difficult scenes and tears but it was a pretty good read.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although interestingly told from a different perspective than the usual WWII historical fiction, the writing was somewhat odd. Just ok.

[Kelsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

almost there

This is one of those books that feels like it’s full potential but doesn’t quite deliver. I liked the main character and was rooting for her, and the premise was great. However, one of my biggest pet peeves is introducing drama that is left hanging with no resolution or no point of including it except to just have drama. Unfortunately, that happened frequently in this book. A new conflict would be introduced, but that’s all we got – – an intro to a problem without anything beyond that. Something tragic would happen and then it would just be left dangling. It wouldn’t even be character-building sometimes, so much of it was just drama for drama sake. I don’t want to give anything away, so I won’t add details to explain what I mean, but if you read it and you’re an intelligent reader, you’ll see what I’m trying to say. Needless to say, this story left me a very frustrated reader, and I was very unsatisfied by the time it ended because I felt like so much of the plot was just left unresolved. Ugh!

[Molly Zolla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kicking, laughing, screaming, crying, giggling

I thought this book was really good. The ENDING was not. Bad book endings should be a crime because im so angry. I would give the book a 2 stars but i really enjoyed all the other parts except the last 10 pages. Literally the actual worst. I’m still fuming.

[Rose Todryk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but thought the ending was kind of weak

[Julianne Munich · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Polish Nurse' is a heartwrenching historical fiction novel about Aleksandra, a teenage girl from Poland during WWII who is chosen to be taken to the Lebensborn program to be 'bred' by the Nazi regime along with other young girls.

During travel, their convoy is bombed and their bus crashes--killing all of their captors--so the girls are free. Yet still they must survive all alone in the wilderness for weeks. They have no food, water, or shelter. Tragically, many of the girls die. Aleksandra and her new friends do what they can to survive on their trek. Their will to live is commendable, and Aleksandra is strong and tenacious. She develops her skills in treating wounds and caring for her friends to help keep them alive. She also befriends a runaway German soldier who is good and helps them, but she loses touch with him.

Eventually, Aleksandra and her friends find hope when they reach a city and civilization. They are rescued by a kind German woman, Frida, who arranges for them all to be taken in as wards by the community.

Aleksandra's blossoming medical skills, which had helped her and her friends survive their ordeal, leads to her becoming a nurse in training. She thrives, caring for patients during the horrors of war. I enjoyed this part of the book the most. It was so realistic and gritty, a fascinating picture of what it must have been like to try to save lives and care for others without prejudice in the middle of WWII.

Sadly, the city where Aleksandra lives and works with her adopted family is none other than... Dresden, Germany. And if you are a WWII buff, you know what happens to Dresden in late 1944.

There are some dark and heartbreaking scenes. Aleksandra, a pregnant Frida, and Frida's little boy escape Dresden by a near-miracle and survive along with a few of the original refugee girls. Frida's husband, a brave doctor, sadly does not make it because he chose to stay in the city to help.

As the war draws to an end and the Nazis are defeated, Aleksandra has matured over the years as a war nurse. American soldiers come to stabilize the shattered communities. Soon, Aleksandra befriends and falls in love with an American soldier, Jack.

I won't give any more detailed plot events. I want to say I loved this book, but I felt like the ending was a letdown. I expected more of an HEA. Aleksandra made some choices in the ending that I wish she hadn't made, though it was constantly being emphasized that she HAD to choose this for survival. Still, I found myself wishing that this fictional WWII story could have had a happier conclusion.
There was a bit of a 'hopeful' ending, but it's a forced choice by the author to reunite Aleksandra with the other man she liked before. That didn't make up for the part I was disappointed with, so that is why it's 4 stars and not 5.
Still- I was engaged with this book and defintely want to read the whole series by this author.

[John Kiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey folks! 🌟 Just had the most epic journey with "The Polish Nurse: A WW2 Historical Fiction Novel" by Leah Moyes, and let me spill the tea – it's an absolute gem! 📖💎 As a 38-year-old dude from Israel and a massive historical fiction buff, this book hit me right in the feels.

So, picture this: I'm casually flipping through the pages, not even giving it a deep dive, and bam! Moyes had me hooked like a catfish on a hot summer day. 🎣 I know, I know, not the most sophisticated metaphor, but bear with me – this book is worth it!

First off, major props to Moyes for bringing the badassery of women during WWII to the forefront. 💪 The Brave Women series? Genius move! 🙌 The narrative unfolds like a movie in my mind, and trust me, I didn't even need a bucket of popcorn to stay glued.

And can we talk about emotions? 😭😂 I went from tearing up to cheering like I'm at a rock concert. Moyes, you played my heartstrings like a pro! 🎸💔

Now, let's dive into the reviews on Goodreads. One peep said it was an "amazing read" – preach, sister! 🙏 Another spilled the tea on the emotional rollercoaster, and I'm like, "Yep, been there, felt that." 🎢

But what really got me was the attention to detail. Moyes, you're a magician! 🎩✨ It felt like I was time-traveling with characters so real they could've been my neighbors (minus the whole wartime chaos, of course).

As an aspiring historical fiction author from the land of hummus and history (Israel, in case you missed it), this book hit me in the creative gut. 📚💥 Moyes, you've set the bar high, and I'm here for it, trying to absorb your storytelling magic.

And oh, the unexpected twists! 🔄 My jaw dropped a couple of times, but hey, who doesn't love a good plot curveball? Keeps life interesting, right?

To sum it up, "The Polish Nurse" is like a literary rollercoaster with a front-row seat to history. Moyes, you've earned a permanent spot on my bookshelf – right next to my collection of quirky bookmarks. 📚🌈 Can't wait to see what historical magic you conjure up next! Keep 'em coming! 🚀🔥 #HistoricalFictionMagic #BookNerdAdventures

[Małgorzata Habicht · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Polska pielęgniarka” Leah Moyes, wydawnictwo Replika.

Wojna nikt tak naprawdę nie wiedział co go czeka, czy jak wyjdzie  z domu wróci do niego. I tak też się stało w przypadku Aleksandry, pewnego dnia poszła do szkoły, a już do domu nie wróciła. Została w raz z innymi dziewczętami, dużymi ciężarówkami wywieziona w nieznanym jej kierunku. Po odrodzę konwój zostaje zbombardowany, a dziewczyny zostają na łasce losu i muszą sobie same poradzić w tych trudnych warunkach. Gdy Aleksandra po trudnej drodze dostaje się do Drezna, spotyka wielu ludzi, którzy bezinteresownie jej pomagają, a ona zostaje niemiecką pielęgniarką. Czy zostanie odkryta jej tożsamość? Jak potoczą się losy Aleksandry? 

Otrzymałam piękną historię, młodej kobiety której życie wybrało drogę trudną, pełną wybojów oraz wyrzeczeń. Bardzo polubiłam Aleksandrę pomimo młodego wieku jest bardzo zaradna, a jednocześnie odważną osobą. Momentami z podziwem czytałam jej historię, zastanawiałam się czy ją bym dała radę. Ale czasem do wielu rzeczy zmusza nas życie. Otrzymałam historię pełną emocji, która czyta się bardzo szybko i nie da się od tej historii oderwać. Powiem Wam, że Aleksandra miała sporo szczęścia gdyż na jej drodze stanęło sporo ludzi dobrego serca. Bezinteresowna pomoc w  tamtych czasach była na wagę złota, gdyż za nią groziła śmierć, albo zesłanie. Więc nie wszyscy chcieli się narażać i pomagać ludziom w potrzebie. 

W książce poruszony został temat programu Lebensborn, szkoda że w książkach jest o tym temacie bardzo mało, tak naprawdę są tylko wzmianki, a nie spotkałam się z szerzej opisanym tym tematem w literaturze. 

Autorka w swojej powieści przemyca sporo ważnych tematów jak przyjaźń, szacunek, trudne życiowe wybory, narodowość, która nie wskazuje tak naprawdę kto jest dobry, a kto zły. Pokazanie, że wojna jest zła, powoduje wiele krzywd, a jednocześnie jest sprawdzianem dla wielu osób. 

Ta książka pokazuje, że wojna nie była dobra ani dla okupowanych, ani dla okupanta, ale najważniejsze, że po obu stronach byli ludzie, którzy potrafili wyciągnąć pomocną dłoń.

Książę Wam polecam. 

[Jenny Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Germany in 1941. Aleksandra, a Pole by birth, is taken by force to join the Lebensborn programme. Crammed into the back of a truck with seventeen other girls they are driven far from home. When their convoy is bombed, they take the chance to escape but they are stranded in a wood and not everybody survived the subsequent crash. They need water, food, shelter and medical help.

Aleksandra take the lead in guiding the group to safety but, again, multiple challenges need to be faced and navigated, including interacting with a German soldier who has gone AWOL.

The writer packs a lot into her novel and the backdrop is fascinating. When the remaining girls reach Dresden, they think everything is going to be fine but for readers who know about the dreadful carpet bombing od that city, it's only a matter of time until chaos reigns again.

Aleksandra manages to train as a nurse using her nurturing instincts that served her so well on the long trek from the crash. She meets an American soldier who offers her solace and hope for a longterm future, but nothing is straightforward in this story.

I mostly enjoyed this book though some of the words jarred to an English ear. The nearer we gort to the end, the more rushed the plot line seemed to be. I have since found this is a prequel to a series of stories by Leah Moyes.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Polish Nurse is a very moving story about a young Polish girl who is taken from her home and family by the Nazis in order to make her participate in their "reproductive program." The girl, Aleksandra, along with other captive girls, find their convoy bombed and she and the girls begin their fight to survive. This is a story of endurance, of moving forward when there is no other choice, of taking a leadership role in order to help all the girls to survive in the wilderness. They are helped on their journey by a German soldier who escaped from his unit and who was being hunted by the Nazis.
This is a heartfelt story, with a lot of pain and suffering endured by Aleksandra and the girls. It is a story of hiding in plain sight, of others willing to help, kindness extended, of living a new life in a new town. I highly recommend this novel - it is an amazing story of Aleksandra and her life during and shortly after the war, how she coped, her losses, her close friends, and all that was to become part of her life.
I read this story under the title of The Polish Nurse, thinking it was a new book to me, but I realized as I was reading it that it was the same as Before Berlin. I read it again and am glad I did.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting prespective

Aleksandra Vogel is 16 years old when she along with 17 other girls is kidnapped by the German conquerors from Lodz, Poland. They are being transported to Germany because they all have blond hair and blue eyes and unbeknownst to any of them, to take part in the Third Reich’s programme of having children for the so called pure race. What transpires is a story that makes the point that there are no winners in any war and through Aleksandra’s eyes, we see determination and strength of character can overcome all obstacles.

[Navya Tripathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I said that I didn't like the book, then I would be lying, that being said, many things felt horribly out of character. although the character development in this book was good, and the story was well crafted (mostly), the main character did a lot of things that, given her character, she wouldn't have realistically done. The ending is one of the best examples. when she leaves her daughter and that church step, the author flimsily tries to justify her reasoning and fails MISERABLY. if you don't mind random discrepancies and unrealistic details, then go for this book.

[Monica Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent story

I loved this book. Although it was fiction, much written in it was familiar to me from stories my parents had told me all my life. Both of my parents were born in a Poland and had gone through the war. Alexsandra could have been my mother as a young girl, separated from her family. It was both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. I’d highly recommend this book

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a neat story about a group of polish female students taken form their classsrom by German soldiers and driven a cross county where their experience got even worse wheren their truck was bombed. They finally with the helped by a German deserter to get to safety in near by Dresden. It has pain and suffering that a group of young ladies overcame. To me a 5 starr story has tragedy, perrseverance and at the end happiness as this story does for the main character. Its story that you don't want to put down as it draws you in the difficulties the young ladies have and their will to live.

[Carolyn O’Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love WWII novels. This one was a bit different. It starts in Poland where this young girl, sister and classmates are kidnapped by Germans at their school. It is a story of bravery, courage and tenacity of this young girl to become the leader of the other girls after a bombing of their truck while being taken away. How she survives and eventually becomes a nurse in Germany where she finds herself with the others who did survive. It is a good read with a few twists you didn’t see coming.

[Jesslyn Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this I thought it would be mid, or that I probably wouldn't like... I'm eating my words. I loved it so much. Some parts made me so happy, or sad, or scared, and that's what I loved about it. I also loved that Aleksandra's actions would be actions she would make, and I loved that I got to know her so well to be like, "Aleksandra would do this." The ending was so bittersweet, but I understand why things ended the way they did.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book in the historical fiction realm from a different setting than normally told WWII books. The story and the character development is good, except the first quarter of the book needed some editing in regard to time. The last quarter also had some issues that were handled “conveniently” to tie up loose ends. It is worth reading, but could have used more content editing.

[Melissa Looney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving story of love and loss. 💔🥲
Fifteen blonde haired blue-eyed girls are taken from Łódź, Poland and loaded onto a truck bound for Lebensborn, the German reproduction camp. On the way there, the truck is bombed by the Allied powers and nine escape, the rest dying from the bombing.
Eight harrowing and perilous days later, seven of the girls finally arrive in Dresden, where they are given new identity papers and taken in by sympathetic German families. All is well until…

[Natalie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing. You never knew what was going to happen next. It was truly interesting getting to hear multiple perspectives of characters who had different roles in the war. The only thing I would change is the ending (not the epilogue) Other than that I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction!

[Marjorie Dahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was surprised this book received such a high rating. I thought it was a bit unrealistic and not believable. I did not like her decisions at the end of the book. For building up the main character so much for three fourths of the book she became quite a disappointment. I would not recommend this book.