Today marks 80 years since Nazi Germany bombed Poland, starting World War II. On this day, September 1, 1939, my grandfather had just arrived at his university, eager to begin his second year of college. His life would never be the same. I can’t help but think of how I just dropped off my daughter to begin her second year at her university, so full of excitement. At the top of the Gallery page of my website (https://stefanienaumann.com/gallery/) you can watch a short video of my grandfather describing how he spent this day in an air shelter, which led to his first arrest.
I enjoyed discussing this story from How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival with readers at my first book talk at the Barnes & Noble in Boston a couple of weeks ago. Getting to practice my Polish in the Polish Triangle neighborhood, sampling ciasteczka (Polish cookies), and meeting the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland in Boston were some of my favorite parts of the trip!
