Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen

AR Level: Not Currently AR

Miss Library Lady Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

Germany, after World War II, was divided into 4 zones, each controlled by 1 of the 4 Allied powers (US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union).  Berlin, the capital of Germany, was split into 4 sectors as well even though it was located fully in the Soviet zone.  The Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 to separate East Germany from West Germany; the wall ran right through the middle of Berlin.  People were not allowed to cross from East to West or West to East.  There were watchtowers along the wall as soldiers who patrolled the wall to ensure no one tried to defect to West Germany.  Not only was there a concrete wall, but chain fences, minefields, a large sandy area known as the “death strip” to make any attempt to escape impossible.  The Berlin wall opened in 1989 and demolition was completed in 1992.  During the 28 years the Berlin Wall stood roughly 200 people died in or near Berlin attempting to escape.

 

“A Night Divided” is a work of historical fiction.  It tells the story of Gerta and her family when the Berlin Wall was constructed.  The night the Berlin Wall went up, Gerta’s father and younger brother were in West Berlin while she, her mother and other brother were in East Berlin.  They find themselves separated with no way of contacting one another or being with one another again.  One day Gerta spies her younger brother on a platform on the West Berlin side, then a few days later, she sees her father on the same platform.  He acts out someone digging, could he be sending a message to Gerta to dig her way to West Berlin?  Would he ask that of his daughter, put her in that kind of danger (she could be killed if caught)?

Will Gerta be reunited with her father and younger brother?