Born and educated in America, Radzia accompanied her parents upon their return to Poland. There she marries a Polish Army officer and has two daughters, Irene and Dana. When the Germans invaded Poland in September, 1939, Radzia fled to the countryside. She has returned to Torun, finding her villa intact, but food is becoming scarce. Her husband, Edmund, is a prisoner of war and she has heard nothing from him.

Chapter 5

Early next morning Mother left our villa to see how her dwelling fared during the bombing of the town.

My mother, a tall, energetic woman of 65, a widow, found her eight- room apartment intact. The maid was present at all times, so no pilfering occurred.

She was happy to return to her quarters after the five-week ordeal with us. But as she questioned the maid, Kate, about food problems, she learned about more important affairs.

She found by the stack of official papers heaped on her desk that she now was dispossessed of all her real estate. Notices of confiscation for each of her thirteen five-story apartment buildings informed her that hence all revenues from the buildings would be collected by the Germans ... a revenue of $1,500 a month; that they would assume the administration of all the buildings.

Mother also found a list of rules and regulations regarding her stay in the apartment ... that she was considered a tenant and as such would pay rent for the apartment she occupied. All this occurred when the Germans entered the town, when she was in the countryside with us.

Realizing now that she possessed no property, she reasoned the bank accounts in the various banks would be a sure source of income to draw upon. At the bank, the news was unpleasant. All her accounts had been cancelled by the Nazis.

She consoled herself. She still had her money belt and the silver coins, which the enemy had not yet taken. "No time to worry and brood about my lost wealth. I need a roof over my head. I'll pay the rent and maybe the Germans will leave me alone."

She was mistaken. It was not long before she became a victim of constant harassment ... anonymous letters written to her, accusing her of having a concealed radio, guns, blankets and Polish money, the latter to have been exchanged for German money. She was absent at the time, out there in the farm house for the many weeks with us.

Now, back home, she endeavored to do her best to obey the rules, but her heart was not in it.