Silent letter
"Silent Letter is a remarkable literary work for many reasons. The narrative unveils the survival story of Rosie, recounted by her eldest son Erwin (who is in fact the author, Yitzchak Mayer). It begins in January 1943 when Moritz, Rosie's hus- band and a member of the French Resistance is arrested by the Gestapo in Marseilles. She never sees him again. He will die in Auschwitz. She is now alone, pregnant with two sons - Erwin, age 8 and Jacky, age 6. She decides to escape to Switzerland. She carries false French documents and diamonds embedded in a bar of laundry soap. She does not speak any French as she is Hungarian. She pretends that she is mute and her son, Erwin speaks for her. They reach Switzerland but Rosie is taken to an internment camp and is separated from her children. Through the eyes of the remarkable narrator, Erwin is able to find Rosie's true voice, recognize her acute perceptions, explicate her inner turmoil and recount the entire saga. Silent Letter was originally published in Israel and Switzerland."--