Escape into Danger

Book excerpt: This WWII memoir tells the remarkable story of a Ukrainian girl’s perilous adventures and coming of age amid the chaos of war. Born in Kiev to a Catholic mother and a Jewish father, Sophia Williams chose to be identified as Jewish when she became eligible for a Soviet passport at age sixteen. She had no way of realizing the life-changing consequences of her decision. When Germany invaded Russia the following year, Sophia left Kiev and embarked on daring journey into Russia—surviving floods, dodging fires and bombs, and falling in love. After reaching Stalingrad, Sophia found herself stranded in a Nazi-occupied town. She was safely employed by a sympathetic German officer until a local girl recognized her as a Jew. Within days, Sophia’s boss spirited her to safety with his family in Poland. Soon, though, Sophia was on the run again, this time to Nazi Germany, where she somehow escaped detection through the rest of the war. Her story of survival continues into the postwar years, through starting a family and business with a German soldier. But when her marriage deteriorated, even divorce was not enough to keep her vindictive and violent husband away. Throughout this difficult life, Sophia maintained the grit, charm, and optimism that saved her time and again as she made her “escape into danger.”