Ludwika: A Polish Woman's Struggle To Survive In Nazi Germany

by Christoph Fischer

It’s World War II and Ludwika Gierz, a young Polish woman, is forced to leave her family and go to Nazi Germany to work for an SS officer. There, she must walk a tightrope, learning to live as a second-class citizen in a world where one wrong word could spell disaster and every day could be her last. Based on real events, this is a story of hope amid despair, of love amid loss . . . ultimately, it’s one woman’s story of survival.

Editorial Review:
"This is the best kind of fiction—it’s based on the real life. Ludwika’s story highlights the magnitude of human suffering caused by WWII, transcending multiple generations and many nations.

WWII left no one unscarred, and Ludwika's life illustrates this tragic fact. But she also reminds us how bright the human spirit can shine when darkness falls in that unrelenting way it does during wartime.

This book was a rollercoaster ride of action and emotion, skilfully told by Mr. Fischer, who brought something fresh and new to a topic about which thousands of stories have already been told."

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

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 14, 2015

About the author

Christoph Fischer was born in Germany, near the Austrian border, as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. Not a full local in the eyes and ears of his peers he developed an ambiguous sense of belonging and home in Bavaria. He moved to Hamburg in pursuit of his studies and to lead a life of literary indulgence. After a few years he moved on to the UK where he now lives in a small town in West Wales. He and his partner have three Labradoodles to complete their family.
Christoph worked for the British Film Institute, in Libraries, Museums and for an airline. ‘The Luck of The Weissensteiners’ was published in November 2012; 'Sebastian' in May 2013 and 'The Black Eagle Inn' in October 2013 - which completes his 'Three Nations Trilogy'. "Time to Let Go", his first contemporary work was published in May 2014, and “Conditions”, another contemporary novel, in October 2014. The sequel “Conditioned” was published in October 2015. His medical thriller "The Healer" was released in January 2015 and his second thriller “The Gamblers” in June 2015. He published two more historical novels “In Search of a Revolution” in March 2015 and “Ludwika” in December 2015.
He has written several other novels which are in the later stages of editing and finalisation.

Reviews

[Bill Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no doubt that the second world war provides a backdrop for an author to tell a great story. This author uses the war to tell the story of Ludwika and her family. Ludwika is Polish and has a very tough experience throughout the war. What I loved about this book was that the author manages to convey the terrible events and tragedy of the war not by describing huge battles or the big political decisions but by focusing on this one woman and her personal experiences. Through Ludwika we understand what war does to the average person such as ourselves rather than the Generals and politicians.
This is a real page turner and I couldn't stop reading, needing to know what would happen to Ludwika and her family. In places it is a tough read and I shed a tear at the end. The characters are well described and the author reveals the full range of human emotions through the different characters. I enjoyed the fact that the author revealed the human side of some of the German characters who were not by default all bad.
They were difficult times, which people today often struggle to understand. This book helps you understand the reality of living through desperate times and the impact on one family, which sadly was mirrored by many others. We have to be grateful we were born in a different time. Highly recommended!

[Grant Leishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read a Christoph Fischer for quite some time now as I was aware of the positive buzz his books had received in Social Media. I was thrilled to have the chance to read his latest offering; Ludwika.

Based on the true life of a Polish woman struggling to survive in Nazi Germany, Ludwika is touching and at times heart-rending. Although there is little doubt that Ludwika had a much easier war than many other refugees or internees of the Nazi war machine, it was certainly not a walk in the park surviving the detention camps and the betrayals by Germans she considered to be her friends or allies.

Luwika's motivation, it seemed, was always about what was best for her family, left behind in Poland and especially her young daughter. What kept her going was that burning desire to be reunited with them once this madness was over. During the course of her journey, it seemed Ludwika's choices would always be dogged by "bad luck". Very beautiful and headstrong, she was prone to rush in; "where Angels fear to tread".

I absolutely adore Fischer's style and was absolutely invested in the outcome of Ludwika's painful journey; always the sign of a good writer. Fischer also did an excellent job at the end of the story, relating his fictionalised tale to the true Ludwika and her family today. The bonus at the end of the book - a good, solid, extract from another of his books The Luck of the Weissentheiners, ensured that I have no doubt which Fischer book will be next on my to read list. I am already invested in this fascinating tale.

Early in 2016, but this book is already at the top of my "awards" list consideration for December. This is a superb piece of fiction/fact. I loved it.

[Erin Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is the first Christoph Fischer book I've read, and it completely blew me away. Ludwika is a young Polish woman living on a farm on the cusp of WWII, doing her best to keep her mother, sister, and daughter safe while awaiting her father's return. Her beauty attracts the attention of a German soldier, leading to a proposal with far-reaching consequences: he wants Ludwika to come with him to Germany in exchange for the continued safety of her family in Poland. She makes the decision she feels is best, willing to sacrifice her own happiness and well-being in order to protect her family, but fate has other plans for her. Ludwika is thrust into a world where her dark complexion and Polish accent immediately make her suspect to the German Reich. The kindness of a stranger on a train leads her into a situation that ultimately spells disaster for poor Ludwika. The story marches along relentlessly, following the young woman as the Nazi regime becomes all encompassing. Even as she is faced with unspeakable sorrow, her inner fortitude and will to survive shine like a beacon through one of the most horrendous times in human history. This book is all the more amazing because it's based on actual events. This is a story that will stick with you for a long time after you've read the last page.

[Mark Tilbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although some parts of this book are fictional, it tells the story of Ludwika, a woman whose life during and after WW2 is used to base the story on. It tells a different perspective of wartime events and people, but ultimately is a excellently written tale of survival and hope.

The decisions made by Ludwika and their consequences are well explained. The author obviously put a lot of time and effort into researching the factual elements of the book. The fictional parts also blended in the facts seamlessly to create an interesting and engaging story.

I liked the authors writing style and how at the end of the book, he explains which parts, and people, were fiction and which were real - and in some cases still alive. If you like WW2 history and high quality writing, then I recommend you read this book.

[Robbie Cheadle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ludwika was a fascinating story of a Polish woman’s journey from her home on a farm in rural Poland to various places in Germany. It is based on a real person and includes many well researched details about her life.

I did not know that much about the plight of the Polish people when Germany invaded Poland in October 1939. It was quite an eye opener for me to discover how difficult it was for the Poles during the war. Previous WWII literature I have read has largely either been factual in its nature or focused on the horrors experienced by Jewish people.

Right from the beginning of the book, Ludwika shows herself to be a woman of innovation and resilience. She is the one whom her father has left in charge of his farm, her mother and her sibling, when he left to help defend Poland against the German army.

It is also quickly apparent that Ludwika is a woman of unusual beauty and who quickly attracts the interest of men. Soon after the arrival of the German soldiers, Ludwika catches the eye of Manfred, an SS officer. His interest results in a measure of protection for Ludwika’s family and in order to maintain this protection, and do what she believes to be in the best interests of her family, Ludwika agrees to move to Hamburg as Manfred’s housekeeper. This moves requires that she leave her young daughter, Irena, behind her. I thought Ludwika’s anguish at leaving her family and emotion turmoil as to what would be best for them all was very well expressed.

Ludwika is very popular with children and they learn to love her quickly. During her journey to Hamburg she meets up with a young and wealthy German woman with four children. Ludwika helps to keep the children occupied during the train journey and befriends the mother, who has strong Nazi ties. This relationship changes the course of her life.

As things deteriorate in Germany as the war progresses and the lives of Poles and other foreigners become much difficult and precarious, Ludwika finds her situation in Germany becoming more and more difficult.

There are a number of love interests and relationships in the book which make the reader all the more aware of Ludwika’s desperate and vulnerable position. Despite its themes, I found Ludwika to be a positive reading experience which emphasized how, despite difficult circumstances outside of her control, Ludwika’s hard working and resilient nature and kind and generous spirit prevail and help to open doors for her that would otherwise have been closed.

I rated Ludwika five out of five stars.

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

General Market
Content: Indiscriminate sex, alcohol use

"Worrying has never done anyone any good. When something awful happens you have to deal with it."

"The world was scary one minute and then exciting and full of possibilities the very next."

"Once you have a certain reputation, it is impossible to get rid of it."

This book was an interesting factual account. I believe it may originally been written in either Polish or German, and this was an English translation as sometimes the wording was a bit awkward. The author does a great job of revealing the sheer terror of what these displaced women went through as well as the suspicion they were constantly under. Because she was not a Jew and due to her extreme beauty, Ludwika had it easier as she was first taken to Germany from Poland to be a German officer's housekeeper. When he was killed, she still managed to find herself in positions that were more comfortable than many of the other displaced Polish women. I liked the fact that Ludwika always tried to stay positive even when things were at their worst. But her indiscriminate sexual relationships, often resulting in pregnancy, bothered me. Also the fact that she left her daughter behind and took off with a German officer was bothersome. She did feel it was her only recourse in keeping her mother, sister, and daughter safe; but it resulted in destroying her relationship with her daughter; and, in the end, her family was all picked up by the Russians and their property taken.

[Carol Kean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of accurate historical detail make this a rich story, educational as well, showing us better than any history book can what it was like to be a woman, a Jew, an unwed mother, a Polish farm girl, an Italian/Dutch prisoner, a Russian soldier -- whoever is caught up in the forces of war and history.
The opening pages show us life before Germany invaded Poland. "Ludwika Gierz should have been looking after the livestock, followed closely around by her five-year-old daughter Irena and maybe some other kids whose parents couldn't look after them during the busy season." Ludwicka, an unwed mother now age 22, is beautiful, bright and vivacious, with the compassion and wisdom of her father.
“Instead of scolding his daughter for falling pregnant out of wedlock, he had been practical and had instructed the entire family to keep totally quiet to all accusations, provocations and name calling. He led by example and Ludwika knew that were it not for him,” the townspeople would be far less accepting of her.
Her father taught her not to worry too much about what other people thought of her. "They think what they want anyway," he said. "It is foolish to hope that you can change their mind with words. Maybe with deeds you can and even that is overly optimistic. Always do the best you can."
Her father is sent to the trenches and is never heard from again. German soldiers take over farms, killing whole families, or exiling them to work camps.
It’s unthinkable for Ludwicka to leave her daughter behind, but when a German soldier promises protection for Ludwicka’s family if she’ll move to Germany with him, she sees no other way to keep everyone safe. Years later, that daughter, married and with children of her own, will never forgive her mother for abandoning her. One can only hope she’ll read this novel and consider her mother’s despair. The real-life Ludwicka has since died, but her grandchildren live on, and her firstborn child might find unexpected blessings and consolations if she were to meet them.
Some readers and reviewers have judged Ludwicka harshly, but in times of war, when your own neighbors are being assassinated, when an invading Army offers you death or a life of compromises and sacrifices, any kind of life might look better than no life at all.
Today it’s easy for enlightened generations to look back and accuse German civilians of enabling Hitler and adopting his evil views as their own, but people do learn, quickly, that to oppose evil is likely to get you killed without sparing the people you try to defend. If German civilians learned to turn a blind eye, consider that many had seen this sort of thing: “a German girl, not older than ten years old, being brutally beaten by a soldier for throwing food over the fence for the Russian prisoners.” Merely to befriend a Jew was grounds for imprisonment or execution. The list goes on. How did German civilians come to live under such evil? Gradually. Nobody elects such tyrants, knowing what they are getting into. They believe promises and only slowly, inch by inch, year by year, do they lose freedom and security.
Even for prisoners and workers in camps, rules were created and enforced with draconian punishments. “A Frenchman who had an affair with a German woman was hanged; the woman was sentenced to prison after having her hair cut off publicly and her name published in the local newspaper. Another man had been hanged for stealing…”
"Poland has been conquered and divided plenty of times over the centuries but this is very different,” Ludwicka is told. We Americans take for granted the security of having been one nation for as long as the United States have existed. We cannot imagine the identity crisis of a people whose country is taken from them, annexed by invaders.
My own ancestors include a grandfather from Alt Damerau, a village on the Baltic Sea; I remember my great-uncle’s indignation at being considered a “Pollack.” Poland was Prussia, it was Pomerania, but it was not *POLAND* when my great-grandfather left the place for America.
Racism and bigotry, you’d think, would end after WWII and all that we’ve learned. “Everything we get comes at the expense of other people … This is a shameful existence," the lucky ones realize. "We're lucky to exist at all," Ludwika replies, and being the plucky survivor that she is, she keeps moving, tragedy after tragedy, loss after loss, because to do otherwise is to die. “I'm sad about that which no longer is, but I don't have to stop being happy over all that was” is a good philosophy. "Worrying has never done anyone any good," her father used to say. "When something awful happens you have to deal with it. Do your best and hope it is enough."
Focusing on the present helped her to feel better about what she could not change. Who could understand it, anyway? “What was happening to the world and why was nobody actually doing anything about it beyond empty declarations?”
At the END, the author reveals that he fabricated about 75% of the details, but the bare bones of the story are true. Hmm. I'm thinking "Just change the names, then." Tell us who inspired the story but don't tell the story using real names, giving readers the impression these things really happened, or that the writer was privy to a young woman's inner thoughts and Point of View during the turbulent, traumatic WWII years she survived (and only just barely).
Even so, and despite numerous typos or syntax errors, I recommend this story for its historical accuracy and the vivid, intimate look we get of life in time of war. I hope Ludwicka’s living relatives find one another, wherever they are, and find some empathy and compassion for this woman who suffered so many unthinkable losses, and endured.

[Brenda Perlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Ludwika” is another suspenseful historical novel written by Christoph Fischer. It’s a unique story about a Polish woman in Germany during World War II. The author has the keen ability to reach you no matter what topic he is writing about. There is a great sense of urgency to tell the tales. This one is no exception. This might be what he does best though his other novels are all filled with a unique passion.

This is an emotional narrative that pulls on your heartstrings. Realistic and entirely gripping throughout. Not at all what I expected but once started I was hooked. Lured in by the comfortable writing style and the ease in which Lidwika’s story is told. Mr. Fischer manages to share a different angle of world war II and this specific period in time which makes for a deeply compelling read.

To know that this is based on Ludwika Gierz’s true-life events made it that much more enthralling. Her adventures, her choices and the choices that many people have lived through was told with grace and finesse. A real life force.

As sad as this tale is, there is also hope, inspiration and a spirit that sores high in the sky.

Quote ~

Ludwika hated the rollercoaster of emotions that followed. Her hopes for complete security and stability were raised again but it also brought with it the fear that they would be smashed. In the past, the moments when she dared to dream of a better life for her and her family at home had always been followed by disappointment and disillusionment. She didn’t want that to happen once again…”

[Merredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel follows Ludwika, a young Polish woman during WW2. She is loosely based off of a real everyday woman, whom you can see on the cover art. Living on her farm with her young child, mom, & sister, she catches the eye of a German Nazi soldier and goes to live with him in Germany, hoping it will help her family keep safe. This leads her to many random situations. I liked reading about a regular, everyday person, and seeing the war from the point of view of a person who was living through it. It's not just black and white, she, and others, weren't sure. 'Maybe the Nazis aren't so bad...if they were, why isn't anyone doing anything about all the things they're doing. Maybe the Jewish people are to blame, even though I see nothing wrong with them. He seems like a nice person so I'm sure he's not doing the bad things they say.' The rationalization that can happen when all you really want is for you and your loved ones to be safe. I did not particularly like Ludwika as a person, although I admire her survival and what she went through. I also did not enjoy the author's writing style, something about it seemed kiddish, despite the content. It bothered me the entire book, but not enough to keep me from reading the whole thing and liking it.

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

In keeping with historical fiction of World War II, Fischer takes us on a journey of one woman's life in Poland, living on a farm in a small town, where the Germans are beginning to occupy. She is faced with a decision to go to Germany with a German officer who has taken a shining to her in exchange for safety, and the safety of her family who are to remain on their farm. Her biggest fear is having to leave her daughter behind, a heart tugging decision, which reminds me a lot about the book Sophie's choice.
Once in Germany, and the beginning of the third Reich occupying much of Europe, Ludwicka finds herself in the midst of several occurring circumstances while trying to find work as a Pole to survive and hide from the Nazis after unfortunate circumstances happen with her German suitor.
This book takes us through the trials and sufferings of one courageous woman, her sacrifices and sufferings to survive, and her undying desire to find her family.
A deep look into humanity, humility and determination, Ludwicka will capture your empathies as she takes us with her on her perilous journey to survival.
Though parts of this story are true, the author notes about his research and his choices to use fiction to help create this incredible story.

[Max Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

To begin with I am a self-confessed Christoph Fischer fan. In the last year I have read several of his books and they are without question some of my favourite all time reads. So to get the negative out of the way, Ludwika suffers perhaps by comparison to his other work that I have read and I will stop the negativity right there. This is a harrowing tale set in a tragic time and the central Character Ludwika has to endure would be hard to believe or imagine as possible where it not for what we know happened to the people of Poland during World War II. Always in touch with his readers, Christoph Fischer again gives a master class in touching the right chords. I am a bit of a history buff but not everyone is and I think perhaps it will be an eye opener for some. The detail clearly comes from a deep knowledge through research or I sense a great sense of history that Mr. Fischer exhibits, but it adds to the layers of this tragic story beautifully. Definitely a book I am pleased to have added to my growing Christoph Fischer collection. Pick it up you won’t be disappointed, then go find the rest of his wonderful books.

[Ronesa Aveela · Rating 5 out of 5]

WWII novels evoke a lot of emotions, regardless of what perspective the author is writing from. This book is no exception. It's about a young woman (non-Jewish) named Ludwika who makes a difficult decision to leave Poland and go to Germany with a Nazi officer. She leaves her daughter behind, but hopes her leaving means her family will continue to be safe and taken care of.

Ludwika seems to be symbolic of how the rest of the world viewed the Nazi invasions and atrocities. She is naive and doesn't want to think about what is going on, concerned only with herself and how her family is faring. She listens to the news headlines, but doesn't want to read the papers to find out the rest of the story. That is, until it's too obvious to ignore any more, and she's thrust into the terror.

What makes the story tug on your heartstrings even more is that it's based off the life of a real person. You feel her pain. But she preservers. A good book about choices people make--good or bad--that affect the rest of their lives.

[Murielle Cyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this World War II novel, Ludwika Gierz, a young beautiful Polish woman, suffers the loss of all the men in her life. She is still in mourning of her brother, Franz, who has drowned two years earlier when her father goes missing in action in the beginning of the war. Her mother, her sister Stacia and her young daughter Irena are left to fend for themselves on the farm while the German invaders force their neighbours off their land. Manfred, a handsome SS German officer, falls in love with Ludwika and the family is allowed the special privilege of remaining in their own home on condition that she accompany him to Germany. She is forced to leave her family behind but she believes her sacrifice will guarantee their safety. Her decision begins her horrific journey of pain and suffering as she lives first hand the humiliation of being a young innocent woman at the mercy of cruel oppressors.

[Michael Zumwalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, not because of its thrilling nature, but because of an almost everyday character of it. It was merely the story of a woman who moved through the drama of Hitler's evil and how that evil touched her stories.

[Chris Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written fiction about a serious topic

This is a well written, well researched fiction based on actual events. I'm a little ambivalent about this type of writing. The subject of Nazi treatment of Jews is perhaps too weighty a topic to address in a fiction. I hope these types of fictions don't detract from the reality that these horrors actually occurred.

Ludwiga is a young Polish Jew who struggle to survive and even consorted with a Nazi in order to make it through the next day, week, and month. The story is based upon a real character, perhaps an amalgam of several young ladies. I can recommend this reading, but I would further recommend that future such writings be treated in a more serious manner.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ludwika is beautiful Polish girl. When the Germans invade she is favored by one German officer and is given the opportunity to go be his maid, (with the hope she will prove her German ancestry and marry him) in exchange for keeping her family safe- which includes her young daughter she leaves behind.

While I liked the premise and the overall story of a woman who is just trying to figure out where she fits in a turbulent world where war is prevalent, it felt a little forced to me. Ludwika acted more like a confused teenager at times, rather than a mother who is doing all she can to keep her family safe. I guess it was too simplistic for what was really going on during WWII. I finished it, but never felt drawn to do so.

[Lucinda Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A POLISH POINT OF VIEW - FASCINATING
I’ve read several other books by this author, and this is my second favourite after Time To Let Go. This book moved more quickly and Ludwika was an engaging heroine. It added extra interest that the story was based on real life. It also opened a window on the Second World War from the Polish point of view which I found fascinating. I learned a lot from this book, as well as enjoying the read. I shall be reading more by Christoph Fischer in the future.

[Janice Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written partially fictionalized account of Ludwika's journey through WWII and beyond. The reality of the war and it's horror is hard to read about. A historical account of the past is something we should all read once in a while.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a young woman called Ludwika and her WW2 experience from her home on a farm in rural Poland to various places in Germany and ultimately to the UK. Ludwika was a real woman, but as she rarely spoke of her past much of this story is based on other people’s stories, known events and a sprinkling of fiction! The notes at the end are particularly touching the author explains which parts, and people, were fiction and which were real and that Ludwika’s descendants are keen to find out more about her real story.
In summary, this book tells the story of WW2 from one perspective – a young woman who uses her initiative, shows resilience and always makes decisions based on what is best for the family she left in Poland. She considered that she was almost “sacrificed” for the greater good – always hoping that by moving to Germany at the request of a young, handsome, high-ranking German officer, that her mother, sister & young daughter left behind in Poland would somehow be spared the worst.
We follow Ludwika as she arrives in Hamburg to become the housekeeper of the young officer who had taken a fancy to her, then when he is killed we follow Ludwika to Berlin where she is employed as a Nanny/governess to a group of children that she had befriended on the train. As things deteriorate in Germany, Ludwika becomes ever more conscious of her “P” badge, the constant suspicion and her vulnerable position, coupled with not knowing who to trust soon causes her life to become more and more difficult. Ludwika was hard-working, yet always kind and generous. She had a positive attitude learned from her father who often reminded her not to worry about what people thought of her "they think what they want anyway" and also that “worrying has never done anyone any good". These qualities, as well as her unusual beauty, meant that she had an easier time than others but her life was far from easy.
Initially she has a desire to be reunited & wanting the best for her family, but as time goes on she realises that things might not be the same & that she will struggle to return. The decisions that Ludwika made are well explained, along with their consequences. We are constantly reminded that things are never just black or white, good or bad. I did like the fact that the author showed that not all “Germans are bad” and there are moments of real humanity.
Many books have been written about the Jewish experiences during WW2, but far less has been written about the reality of the Polish people when Germany invaded in October 1939. This is definitely a book that will fill a gap, though the writer’s style seemed quite amateurish (I had been expecting to discover that it had been written by one of Ludwika’s descendants)

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly the author did his research. And I admire the imagination that went into filling the gaps in the facts he had about the real Ludwika (we learn the facts in his epilogue). Unfortunately, the fictional Ludwika is not well developed. She comes across as shallow and lacking in common sense. For example, she puts her life in jeopardy for sexual gratification (resulting in several pregnancies at a time when adequate nourishment is far from assured) and for the dubious goal of getting her hair dyed, to look more Aryan, an effort that would have been rendered useless in any event by the "P" she must wear on her clothing. None of this makes Ludwika a sympathetic character. The narrator and some other characters repeatedly tell us how self-sacrificing she is on behalf of her family back in Poland, but we don't see any real evidence of those claims. The losses and upheaval in her life (in any life) do not automatically confer sainthood, especially since the fictional Ludwika had more lucky breaks than I would expect of someone in her difficult circumstances -- many of those breaks thanks to helpful Germans. Really? Perhaps the author factored in those bright spots to prevent the story from being too grim. But they strain credulity.

[Patt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an historical fiction book based on the true story of Ludwika Gierz and her struggle to survive the Nazi occupation of her Polish homeland. While the book is fiction, Ludwika was a real person and only a few things were added to the story that really did not occur. Her struggle includes leaving her family, including her daughter to become the housekeeper of a Nazi officer. When he is killed she is taken in by another official to take care of his children. Circumstances lead her to be sent to a camp for non-Jewish foreigners. Her struggles to stay alive and have a good life are enormous and the people she encounters along the way are both caring and horrible to her. There is a section at the end that explains the differences between the story and reality. This was one of the most interesting books set in World War II Europe that I have ever read. I highly recommend it.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give it a high 3 stars. It is a true story, so that makes it much more valuable as a historic fiction novel. Also, the author told us the facts and the liberties the author took in the not knowing. He tells us the fictional components. I really like how the author is helping the family through his book search for other family members etc. that were displaced during this time. I truly hope that they find one another. There are so many books out there about the Nazis and how the Jews were displaced, which is a horrible thing. I personally, have not read as much about the Polish or other nationalities that were displaced and treated horribly just due to the aggression of the Soviets and the Germans. I learned somethings and that is always a good day in reading a book.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good story, probably because it’s based on a real person that the author apparently knew. It’s also interesting because it gives you a feel for how difficult it was under the German occupation, even for non-Jews. Poland was caught between the Germans and the Russians, and even after the war, many Polish people felt that they had no place to go back to. The Eastern part of the country was incorporated into the Soviet Union, while the Western part became a Soviet satellite. Since many people were driven from their homes during the war, it took years for the families that had been torn apart to find each other. Not a happy story but one worth reading, especially if you want to learn about the non-Jewish experiences of World War II.

[Annabelle Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Ludwika' is a well-written fictionalized account of a Polish woman's real-life experiences of WW2 and its aftereffects. 'She felt like a beggar... small and unimportant, exactly as she sometimes felt here in the camp, too: waiting for politicians and countries to make up their minds and allow her an existence.' This sums up the helplessness and paranoia felt by Ludwika and others living in Nazi Germany who didn't fit in with the ideals of the Reich. She survived by following her father's advice to focus on the present and not indulge in futile worries about the future. A powerful read - I felt like I'd been on Ludwika's journey with her, and I'll be reading more books by this author.

[Janet Gogerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was attracted by the themes of the story and as other reviewers have said, we are able to look inside World War Two without dwelling on the fighting and the war crimes. I've lived in Australia and we knew that many Displaced Persons were taken in after the war, without really understanding what being displaced means. People lost their families and even their homelands. Through Ludwika we have a glimpse into the sheer scale of the war machine; moving and categorising people. We also see the people she meets as complex characters, neither friends nor enemies. As this is based on real people I wonder if anyone will come forward to meet her descendants?

[Neil Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book walked a fine line between fact and fiction as it dramatized a real women's life based on limited information. I think that was done quite well and found the book to be very engaging. I listened to the Audible version of the book and thought the narrator and performance was fine. The story itself is compelling. The author presented the drama and yet resisted the temptation to go overboard and sensationalize an already dramatic story. There were so many stories from WW-II. Many will be lost as "the greatest generation" passes away. This story was almost lost but through the author's hard work and the help of the family, was rescued for posterity.

[Debbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this was an interesting perspective of WWII as it wasn't from a Jew surviving the concentration camps. Ludwika was a polish woman who left her farm and family to serve a SS officer in Germany. She did so to keep her family, including her 5-year-old daughter on their farm. So began her journey through Germany throughout the war. She wasn't jewish but she was still a second class citizen at best. Very interesting and historically informative.

[Et Noctem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always loved watching programs about WWII on Yesterday Channel so it came to no surprise that I loved reading this book too. Christoph did a good job telling Ludwika's story, it is well written for someone whose English is the second language. I am amazed how the author is able to capture the inner voice of a woman who lived in a different time under much different situation, therefore, give this book five stars!

[Becky Hanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enduring heartbreak and overcoming the wartime disappointments

I like that this book was based on a real person even though some of the story was made up. She had so many struggles throughout her life. I can’t even imagine what it was like to have to depend on people you didn’t know and just hope and pray that they would do what they said they would do. I know it was very scary times for so many people.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking. One tragedy after another. I don't understand how strong this woman must have been to go through all of that. A sobering story, although only four stars given because it was poorly-written in places, with many spelling errors and grammar wrongs. I'm not sure if it was proof-read, which saddens me a bit because the story itself, and Ludwika, deserve justice to be done.