Chapters 11-15

Jump to Chapter: 11 12 13 14 15

Chapter 11(Dachau)

The scenes of Paul’s experience in Dachau were based on documents written by him throughout his life, as well as my own research.

Chapter 12

• The scene of Doris asking about her father and that of Sigmund’s conversation with Rose was imagined. No one in the family ever spoke of that time.

Chapter 13

• The conversation between Valerie and Rose was inspired by a letter written by Helene Rubinstein on behalf of Sol. (Real name Paul.)
• The conversation between Rose and Sigmund was inspired by information shared by my mother.
• The scene in the Café Central was imagined as a vehicle to share the family’s plans.
• See images below of Sophie’s passport. Click on image to enlarge.

Chapter 14

• The scene of Sigmund seeing the signs on the windows of LITAL was imagined but highly likely based on events at the time.
• The scene where Friedrich Kuen-Vechet appears, as well all other interactions with him was based on memorandums written by Sigmund as well as the fourteen-day diary written by Kuen-Vechet in which he described, in detail, exactly what he did each day regarding the liquidation of LITAL. The diary was included in a large packet of information sent to me by the Austrian archives.

• The conversation between Sigmund and Robert Janowitz was based on information in letters between the two men. Letters written between 1941 and 1957 and provided much detail for this story.
• Click on the images below to view tax clearance certificates allowing Valerie to travel to the United States with her husband.

Chapter 15

• Scenes in Dachau were based on accounts written by Paul, as well as my own research.