April 1939. Warsaw, Poland. To the casual observer, the houses on Podwale Street look very much alike. Yet at 16 Podwale, nothing is as it seems. Within, the walls hold many secrets that could destroy the lives of its inhabitants as they witness the city’s ever-mounting tide of Nazism. Wealthy recluse Elwira Malinowska is more an observer than participant in life. In her seclusion at 16 Podwale, she watches the world pass her by. Then Raz Zielinsky comes to work as a housemaid for her father, and Elwira’s life is suddenly divisible by two -- the time before Raz and the time after. Years pass, and the women become lovers. They depend on each other. Elwira is Raz’s protector, and Raz is Elwira’s conduit to the outside world, where people speak of nothing but the continual threat of war with Germany. Elwira, a steadfast Catholic, believes Pope Pius XII will intervene to save Poland from the rumblings of a maniac and an imminent invasion. But when the Pope fails to mediate peace and the political situation worsens, Elwira and Raz plan their escape to freedom.

The View from 16 Podwale Street

“I thought you never listened to the wireless in the morning,” Raz said, and then turned back to her task of washing and draining vegetables for the midday meal. Elwira shrugged and returned to the chair by the wireless. She knew her friend could be moody on cold days like this, and Raz wasn’t usually receptive to any information transmitted over Vatican Radio. Elwira was thinking this when a German chorus suddenly began singing, “Wir fahren gegenEngland.” Elwira switched off the contraption with such force, she sent the tuning knob flying and had to call Raz to help her find it.


It was after dinner. They were in the kitchen finishing up the dishes. Raz reached for a dry dishtowel. “Leave it,” Elwira said. “Time to relax,” and she led the way into the sitting room, flicking on the wireless as she went. “Hurry. It’s Chopin’s Nocturne,” she said as she pulled Raz along. 


Chapter 7