You were born in a hospital? Hilde says as she lays down her black bread and cheese sandwich. She sits opposite me at my kitchen table.
Looking up from my salad, I nod. Yes, I thought everyone by the 1940s was born in a hospital.
Hell no. Hilde stares at me. In Germany I was born at home, on the couch, delivered by a midwife.
Thus began the noontime conversations of an American housewife and a German cleaning lady about their contrasting lives during and after WWII.
My mother taught me that an important word in any language is while. While one thing is happening, so is another. While I wash dishes, Peggy, you
dry. While we are in nighttime, someone is in daylight. While one person dies, another is born.
While WWII began, two little girls were born and grew up in opposing countries and living in its aftermath.
With this word while, we started this book of extreme contrasts, startling discoveries and sometimes striking similarities.
Over de auteur
Margaret Leis Hanna (Peg), born and raised in America, and Brunhilde Barron (Hilde), born and raised in Germany, met when Hilde cleaned house for the
Hannas Ohio family. The two women, the same age, discussed their lives at lunchtimes and agreed that they didnt know how each other lived during
WWII.
Brunhilde, a survivor, worked in a German china factory, came to the States as the wife of an American soldier, worked various jobs, and presently is
an independent housekeeper. She is divorced, has four daughters and five grandchildren.
Peg, a former teacher, is married with six children and six grandchildren. She is a published author with childrens fiction for Sprite Press and
leveled readers for Zaner-Bloser Publications. For the past ten years, Peg has edited, researched and combined Hildes and her contrasting memoirs.
Together they wrote their stories as children of the WWII generation.
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