Summary

April 30, 1945 – Rose learns that Aunt Edie is coming to visit her that weekend, and she does not know how she will address the situation and look her elegant aunt in the face. She remembers Christmas Day at Ravensbrück. The women had made little gifts for each other and had a Christmas tree, and Rose wrote poems for her friends. Rose created, “Holiday Grace (for Lisette),” as a documentation of how the women had tried to make do with what they had, but Róża cruelly mocked their efforts. Eventually, Róża apologized to Lisette and Lisette accepted her with love. That night, she reminisced about Christmas at home. Rose began to cry because she could not tell her mother that she was alive. Róża attempted to comfort her, though it did not work.

On New Year’s Day, at roll...