People of the Book

This chapter goes back in time, to the life of a 15-year-old Jewish girl from a poor family living in Sarajevo just before Nazi occupation of Bosnia. Lola lives with her mother who is a laundress and her father who is a financial minister, as well as her younger sister Dora. Lola helps her mother with laundry and frequently sneaks out at night to join a group of young Jews in conversation about politics, culture, and religion. Lola is intrigued by the leader of the group, who is a “pioneer” in Palestine, where he says he is starting a new Jewish state. The political situation in Sarajevo soon becomes more volatile and the Nazis move closer—the leader leaves, and a new leader comes in. Lola stops attending as many meetings. During this period, Lola does laundry for a kind woman named Stela, who is Albanian Muslim and married to Serif, the director of the National Museum.

Suddenly, and without much warning, Germans raid the city and take Bosnia and the surrounding countries. Lola’s father is taken to a labor camp; he eventually has his hamstrings slashed by Nazis and is dumped in a deep pit with other Jewish men.