I Am Gottlieb’s Daughter is a love letter between a Great-Grandmother and the Great-Grandchildren she will never meet. The author fills in the gaps of the family history, wiped away in the Holocaust and reminds readers that the survivors are the seeds of today; our children, ourselves, parents, grandparents and great- grandparents.
The Holocaust survivor , Pnina Talmi writes:
Dear Great-Grandchildren,
Good Evening!
If you are reading this, it means you have reached the age of twelve and you are busy working on your family trees for school. I don’t know you because you haven’t yet been born and when you are already here, I will no longer be alive. So, this is a virtual meeting – but even so, I want you to know that I love you all, the fruit and roots of the future and I want to share the story of my life with you. My children – your grandparents, and my grandchildren – your parents, my name is Nini, a name similar to what you are called in Hebrew Ninim (Great-Grandchildren). This is the game of words of a grandmother-girl. Without even realizing it, I won the World War. I am a victorious girl, who continues to miss what should be a “given” in any one’s life; a happy childhood. I am telling you this story through my eyes so that you can learn about the family taken from both of us too early; the family I miss so much. We could have been together but that opportunity was taken from us… and I want to remember and to remind you with this book. I feel so much love and excitement thinking of you reading this story about a little girl with nothing, not even baby teeth, from whom an entire generation of beautiful, strong, good and smart people was born and created wonderful people like you!
See how a seed can even survive war and turn into a miraculous tree!
I love you all forever and ever, the fruits of this tree.
With respect and pride,
Your Great-Grandmother
