The Girls of the Glimmer Factory
In 1941, Hannah Kaufman and her optimistic grandfather leave for the promising Jewish settlement at Theresienstadt. When they arrive, however, they find it is a ghetto that they are forbidden to leave. Despite the imprisonment, the ever-present misery and hunger, and the constant threat of being selected for deportation to labor camps further east, the residents of Theresienstadt find ways to build a rich cultural life, with musical performances, children’s education, and clandestine religious services. Hannah will do what she can to protect that culture and her people.
Working in the Ministry of Propaganda, Hilde Kramer-Bischoff dreams of being a filmmaker like her idol Leni Riefenstahl and furthering the Nazi cause. When she is chosen to assist with a documentary of the model ghetto Theresienstadt, she’s determined to help create a film that will catch the attention of those who could help her advance in the Reich. When Hilde encounters her old childhood friend, Hannah, in Theresienstadt, she sees a potential liaison for the film crew, not thinking that Hannah’s suggestions might be deliberate attempts to undermine the film and its messages of propaganda.
The Girls of the Glimmer Factory is a loose sequel to Coburn’s excellent Cradles of the Reich, with familiar characters making reappearances. Taking place almost entirely in the ghetto of Theresienstadt, it is, unsurprisingly, a difficult and despondent story, with the reader as unsure and afraid as the characters of what comes next. The clueless Hilde, focusing only on herself and her advancement in the Nazi Party, adds another layer to the book, as she thoughtlessly exploits her privilege while mouthing propaganda-fueled platitudes. Her chapters are a contrast to Hannah’s chapters of pinching hunger, sadness, and fear. Also appreciated is Coburn’s compassionate and interesting author’s note. Worthwhile and thoughtful, Coburn has written another superb book.
