WOLVES AT THE DOOR

In an effort to survive, two sisters in East Prussia navigate the war zone between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Having fled the bombing in Königsberg, 11-year-old Asta and 9-year-old Pieta are living with their mother on their grandparents’ farm during the final months of World War II when the Red Army attacks. They’re forced to flee to the ships carrying refugees to safety in mainland Germany; the family hopes to reach a cousin in Hamburg. But after a Soviet submarine torpedoes their ship, the girls make it into a lifeboat, but they tragically lose Mama and are left to fend for themselves. Gathered in a gymnasium with other orphans, Asta and Pieta bond with 10-year-old Gerhard. The trio set off on a dangerous journey by foot through bitter winter weather, hoping to reach Königsberg and then go on to Gerhard’s aunt and uncle’s farm in the Memel Forest. The vivid descriptions of the hardships faced by the East Prussian refugees, especially the tragic plight of the desperately scavenging Wolfskinder, or wolf children, shed light on this largely unknown chapter in World War II history. Watkins alternates between Asta’s and Pieta’s first-person viewpoints, offering glimpses into each sibling’s psyche during times of hardship. This work, full of heart-wrenching details of hunger, sickness, and wartime violence, doesn’t avoid the gruesome reality of the time.

A haunting testament to the strength of the human spirit.