Wittlich, Germany

Wittlich, Germany, is the town where Alfons Heck grew up. Alfons' family had originally come from France and settled in Wittlich which is near the French border. Alfons returned to Wittlich toward the end of the war and the town had been destroyed by the liberating American forces.

Pogrom

A pogrom is a violent attack or movement aimed at destroying a group of people; in this case the pogroms were directed at Jews, gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses and other "undesirables".

Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt is the largest city in Germany and also Helen's childhood home.

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg means "lightning war" and was used by the Germans to conduct surprise attacks on their enemies during the war.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the capital of Holland and the city where Helen and Siegfried fled during the war to hide from the Nazis.

Auschwitz

Auschwitz was a group of concentration camps in...