"The people behind my characters really existed. They must never be forgotten." Ulrike Renk. August 1940. America is supposed to become the land of freedom for Ruth Meyer and her family. They have finally managed to escape from Europe. But will they be welcomed as German Jews in a foreign land? The signs are not promising at first. Barely arriving at the harbor, Ruth's father falls victim to a scam. In Chicago, the last stop on their odyssey for now, Ruth tries to settle in and find work. Her thoughts are always with her relatives who had to stay behind in Germany. Soon, however, she has other worries. A young man is courting her - unfortunately, he is a soldier and must go to the hell of the war from which she has just escaped. A dramatic family story that takes you from Germany to England and then to the USA. From the author of the bestsellers "The Time of the Cranes" and "Days of Light.".