The Upstairs Room

A Life in HidingWhen the German army occupied Holland Annie de Leeuw was eight years old.Because she was Jewish the occupation put her in grave dangershe knew t... » 

A Life in HidingWhen the German army occupied Holland Annie de Leeuw was eight years old.Because she was Jewish the occupation put her in grave dangershe knew that tostay alive she would have to hide. Fortunately a Gentile family theOostervelds offered to help. For two years they hid Annie and her sisterSini in the cramped upstairs room of their farmhouse.Most people thought the war wouldnt last long. But for Annie and Sini separated from their family and confined to one tiny room the war seemedto go on forever.In the part of the marketplace where flowers had been sold twice a weektulipsin the spring roses in the summerstood German tanks and German soldiers.Annie de Leeuw was eight years old in 1940 when the Germans attacked Hollandand marched into the town of Winterswijk where she lived. Annie was ten whenbecause she was Jewish and in great danger of being captured by the invadersshe and her sister Sini had to leave their father mother and older sisterRachel to go into hiding in the upstairs room of a remote farmhouse.Johanna de Leeuw Reiss has written a remarkably fresh and moving account of herown experiences as a young girl during World War II. Like many adults she wasinnocent of the German plans for Jews and she might have gone to a labor campas scores of families did. It wont be for long and the Germans have told uswell be treated well those families said. What can happen? They did notknow and they could not imagine.... But millions of Jews found out.Mrs. Reisss picture of the Oosterveld family with whom she lived and of Annieand Sini reflects a deep spirit of optimism a faith in the ingenuitybackbone andeven humor with which ordinary human beings meet extraordinarychallenges. In the steady matteroffact daybyday courage they all showedlies a profound strength that transcends the horrors of the long andfrightening war. Here is a memorable book one that will be read a «