Picking Tomatoes When the Sky Was in Flames Growing Up in Germany During World War II

by Ursula Anna Fischer Smith

A Compelling Story of Survival, Love and Resilience. The spellbinding true story of a young girl in a close-knit coal miner's family unfolds in Germany during six years of World War II and the years that follow. Ursula and her brothers experience normal childhood adventures while the world around them is caught up in the flames of war. The struggle for survival comes alive in Essen, a city in the Ruhr Valley known for its steel industry, coal mines and manufacturing plants. This sensitive account shows war's effect on the civilian population in a war zone and their determination to rebuild their lives in peace.

Genres: Germany

342 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2010

Reviews

[Kathy]

I read this book right after returning from a trip to Germany and traveling with the author, Ursula Smith for two weeks on a river cruise. It meant a lot to me to read her story.

[Maureen Griswold]

It's always intriguing to see a perspective of war through the eyes and experiences of a child. A common theme of young children directly subjected to war is that of resilience and resilience especially resounds thorough this tale. In some ways, young Ursula's experiences and how she and her family experienced and coped with WWII reminds me of the 1987 British film, "Hope & Glory".

This was also an informative read about what life was like in Germany in the immediate aftermath of WWII -- a perspective not often portrayed/available in popular books or films.

[Mary Christensen]

I gave this book 5 stars out of love and appreciation for the author... for being able to remember details from her early childhood, and giving us the sense of what being a child was like in this chaos. There is no attempt to talk about Nazism, politics, or moral issues...it was simply her childhood story, full of incredible images, and packed with her childhood disappointments and affections. I loved it.

[Becky]

It was interesting to read this true story of a young German girl growing up in Germany during and after World War II. When I was taught about World War II in school, I don't remember being told anything about life in Germany after the fall of Hitler or the effect of the war on the regular German citizens. Now I am much more aware.