Behind the Bedroom Wall by Laura E. Williams

Korinna shifted her bulky book bag from one frozen hand to the other. “Why are they beating poor Herr Haase? What’s he done wrong?” “I think it’s just awful,” Eva whispered, her voice quivering slightly. “Isn’t Hans handsome?” Rita asked proudly, as her tall, blond brother viciously kicked Herr Haase again. Three girls stood on the opposite side of the road, watching, their blue and white Jungmädel uniforms hidden under their heavy woolen coats. He nudged Herr Haase with his boot so that the prisoner faltered again before he finally struggled to his feet. On the icy snow where his head had rested, a patch of red stained the whiteness. Herr Haase slowly rose to his knees, one arm clamped to his side where he had been kicked. “Get up or I’ll shoot you now just to get it over with,” he threatened. “Get up, Jew-lover!” said a second officer, his dark leather boots glinting in the fading evening light. Her two children clutched her skirt, watching their father with wide, tear-filled eyes. Herr Haase, wearing no jacket or shoes against the February cold, slipped on a patch of ice and fell.įrau Haase stood in the open doorway of her house. “Jew-lover!” spat the tall, blond Gestapo officer, pushing Herr Haase toward the car. Her praise and honest with her criticism. Thanks also to my agent, Edy Selman, who is lavish with Special thanks go to the people at Milkweed Editionsįor all they’ve done, and to Leopold and Maria Sans

Thanks go to the many people who gave their time, advice,Īnd knowledge in the shaping of this book. And to children everywhere, who know how hard

Behind the Bedroom Wall by Laura E. Williams