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The zookeeper's wife : a war story  Cover Image E-book E-book

The zookeeper's wife : a war story / Diane Ackerman.

Summary:

The true story of how the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands. When Germany invaded Poland, Stuka bombers devastated Warsaw--and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Żabiński began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen "guests" hid inside the Żabińskis' villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and its animal inhabitants--otters, a badger, hyena pups, lynxes--and keeping alive an atmosphere of play and innocence even as Europe crumbled around her.--From publisher description.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780393069358
  • ISBN: 0393069354
  • Physical Description: 1 online resource (368 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates) : illustrations
  • Edition: First paperback edition.
  • Publisher: New York : W.W. Norton, [2008]

Content descriptions

General Note:
Book includes Reading Group guide [5 p.] following the text.
Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 343-349) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:
Author's note -- Zookeeper's wife -- Details -- Bibliography -- Index.
Source of Description Note:
Print version record.
Subject: Żabiński, Jan, 1897-1974.
Żabińska, Antonina.
Jews > Poland > Warsaw.
Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust > Poland > Warsaw > Case studies.
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) > Poland > Warsaw.
World War, 1939-1945 > Jews > Rescue > Poland > Warsaw.
Zoo keepers > Poland > Warsaw > Case studies.
Warsaw (Poland) > Ethnic relations.
Żabińska, Antonina.
Żabiński, Jan, 1897-1974.
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
Jews rescue (1939-1945 : World War)
World War (1939-1945)
Ethnic relations.
Jews.
Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust.
Zoo keepers.
Poland > Warsaw.
HISTORY/Holocaust/
HISTORY/Military/World War II/
Genre: Electronic books.
Case studies.
Electronic books.


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