THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Jan and Antonia Zabinski were the directors and keepers of the zoo in Warsaw, Poland, during the 1930’s. The Germans invaded Poland in 1939.  This biography of the Zabinski’s is also based on the memoirs of Antonia, including her interviews with newspapers.  The Zabinski’s decided to use the zoo to hide Jewish refugees from the Nazis.  Working together with the underground, they were able to rescue Jews escaping from the Warsaw Ghetto.  In spite of Nazi visits and Nazi threats, the Zabinski’s were not deterred from helping as many Jews as they could.

 

In 1929, Jan Zabinsky, a zoologist, and Antonia, who worked in Warsaw’s College of Agriculture, became the directors of the Warsaw zoo.    The love Antonia and Jan shared for their animals ventured far beyond the usual.  Their animals were part of their family, and they happily devoted their lives to their care.  Antonia writes how she fed a month old wolf cub special food, walked a baby badger, and bottled fed lynx kittens she raised in her house. 

War was not on the Zabinski radar until 1939.  Antonia describes the fear she felt for the animals when the zoo was bombed by the Germans and wondered how they would be able to manage the zoo in a war, and what would become of their animals.  In September, Jan, forty-two years old, was drafted to the Polish Army; Antonia was ordered to evacuate the zoo.

After Poland’s quick defeat, Jan returned home.  The German race laws came to Poland.  Jan and Antonia began their work in the Polish Underground.

 

The beautifully written memoir invokes powerful imagery, and offers great detail in acts of bravery and insight to cruelty.  Excellent.  Recommended.

 

Israel awarded the Zabinski’s with the title Righteous Among Nations in 1965 for their devotion in helping Jews escape and survive the Nazis.