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

The front doorbell rang, and Elwira heard Raz greet an old friend. She bookmarked her place and went out into the hall. Pietrek had arrived. 


Elwira surprised herself how quickly she had acted after Borys’ visit. They had agreed to call Pietrek, and Elwira did so, almost immediately. Though she said little over the phone other than, “It would be good to see you, Pietrek, please come tomorrow if you can,” she could tell by the immediacy in his voice, he’d understood her intention. Now, less than twenty-four hours later, he was here in the kitchen with them, drinking a hearty cup of black tea, while they made arrangements for the most important journey of their lives. 


Chapter 16