Parallel journeys

Helen Waterford is one of the main character of the story, and was born around the year 1900 in Germany. Growing up as a Jewish girl, she lived a relatively normal life until Hitler came to power. In 1933, she married a man named Siegfried, and the two decided to move away to the Netherlands. There, they had a daughter named Doris. Helen and her husband were eventually captured by the Nazis and brought to a concentration camp. Helen never sees her husband again, even after she is liberated from the camp. She finds her daughter Doris, and moves to the United States.

Alfons is a German boy that became a member of Hitler Youth early in life. He quickly rose through the ranks, and became a glider pilot for Germany in the war. However, once the war ended, he was arrested, but then let free. He still feels guilt for what Germany had done, and moves to Canada, then the United States. Later, he writes a newspaper story about his time in the war. He rediscovers Helen, and the two recollect on how, even though they grew up in the same area, they lived completely different lives.