Chasing the King of Hearts is a historical novel written by Hanna Krall. The novel was originally published in Polish as Król kier znów na wylocie in 2006 and was translated into English by Phillip Boehm as Chasing the King of Hearts in 2013. It follows the life story of Izolda Regensberg during the Holocaust in vignettes, short chapters often less than a page long.
Living in Warsaw, Poland around 1940, Izolda and her family witness the city transform into a ghetto created to contain Jewish citizens. After she marries a Jewish man named Shayek, they escape the Warsaw Ghetto and obtain fake Polish identities as the Pawlicki’s. While Izolda stays in the Hotel Polski while visiting her friend Jurek, Germans surround the hotel and arrest everyone, Poles and Jews alike. She is sent to Pawiak as a Pole, where she witnesses many Jews murdered, including Shayek’s mother. Eventually, she is released from Pawiak as a non-Jew, and is reunited with her husband. However, Shayek is found to be a Jew while working in Krakow and is sent to Auschwitz. When Izolda finds out where her husband is, she begins working as a smuggler to send Shayek packages of food and supplies until he is transferred to Ebensee, a subcamp of Mauthausen. She travels to Vienna in attempts to gain information about how to rescue her husband from Mauthausen, but she ends up being arrested by the Viennese Gestapo and tortured until she reveals that she is a Jew. She is then sent to Auschwitz but is transferred to Guben by persuading Dr. Mengele that she has nursing experience. She escapes Guben and returns to Vienna where she begins working at a military hospital for the German army. When the Soviet army captures the city, they realize that Izolda is a Jew, so they help her to get across the American front to rescue her husband from Mauthausen. She finally reaches her King of Hearts, but a few years later, after having a few children together, Shayek ends up leaving Izolda, consumed by guilt that his entire family died except for him. The story ends in the 21st century in Israel with Izolda telling her family stories of her struggles in the Holocaust.
Characters
Izolda Regensberg (Polish Alias - Maria Pawlicka) is the main character of the story. Her determination and strength are emphasized in her struggle to reunite with her husband.
Yeshayahu Wolf, known as Shayek by his wife Izolda, is the King of Hearts. He is taken captive early in the story and is the focus of the protagonist’s journey. Throughout the story Shayek is presented as a man overwhelmed by guilt who believes he does not deserve to live.
Lilusia Szubert is a Polish friend of Izolda who gives her the fake identity of Maria Pawlicka, dyes her hair blonde, and teaches her how to act as a Pole.
Terenia is the sister of Lilusia and a fortuneteller. She gives Izolda a tarot card reading with Shayek representing the King of Hearts, giving Izolda a goal to chase after.
Jurek Szwarcwald is introduced as Izolda’s first love before she meets Shayek. He introduces her to Bolek before he and his wife flee Poland.
Bolek is a Polish construction manager working in the Warsaw Ghetto by day and smuggling out Jews by night. He helps Izolda get Shayek out of the ghetto.
Historical context
The majority of this novel takes place in Poland during the 1940s. During this time, anyone found out to be Jewish was taken away to concentration camps in the horror known as the Holocaust. Many of these camps and German prisons are present throughout Chasing the King of Hearts.
The first German camp introduced in the novel is the Pawiak Prison in Warsaw, Poland. Over 37 thousand Jews were executed here,[1] including Shayek’s mother. Following Izolda’s stay in this prison as a Pole, her husband is abducted out of Krakow, presumably during the liquidation of Krakow in 1943. Thousands of Jews who were taken during the liquidation were taken to Auschwitz. Mauthausen and Auschwitz were two of the biggest concentration camps created for the Jews and are both present in Chasing the King of Hearts. Shayek and Izolda both spend time in Auschwitz and Shayek is sent to a sub-camp of Mauthausen, Ebensee. Ebensee was a labor camp to construct tunnels for Germany, so survival here was much more likely since there were not exterminations as in many others. Izolda and Shayek are reunited after Ebensee’s liberation in 1945.[2]
Other historical sites are referenced during the book including Izolda’s brief stay at the Viennese Gestapo, The Hotel Metropole. It is here that she learns of the Warsaw Ghetto and is taken away to Auschwitz as a Jew, most likely taking place around early 1944, between the time of the Warsaw Uprising[3] and the hotel’s destruction.[4]
Critical acclaim and awards
Original Polish version shortlisted for the 2007 Angelus Central European Literary Award[5]
^"April–May 1943, Warsaw Ghetto Uprising — United States Holocaust Memorial Museum". www.ushmm.org. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
^"Fifty-Two 'Accidental' Allied Bombing Raids on Vienna; the State Opera House and St Stephen's Cathedral". www.revisionist.net. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
^staff, English PEN (2013-09-06). "Books: Chasing the King of Hearts". English PEN. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
^ abcdteam, Code8. "Chasing the King of Hearts". Peirene Press. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
^"Home - Polish Cultural Institute". www.polishculture-nyc.org. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
^ ab"Chasing the King of Hearts". Feminist Press. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
February 12, 2023
chasing, king, hearts, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2019. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Chasing the King of Hearts news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Chasing the King of Hearts is a historical novel written by Hanna Krall The novel was originally published in Polish as Krol kier znow na wylocie in 2006 and was translated into English by Phillip Boehm as Chasing the King of Hearts in 2013 It follows the life story of Izolda Regensberg during the Holocaust in vignettes short chapters often less than a page long Chasing the King of HeartsFirst edition Polish coverAuthorHanna KrallOriginal titleKrol kier znow na wylocieTranslatorPhilip BoehmCountryPolandLanguagePolishPublisherSwiat KsiazkiPublication date2006Published in English2013Media typePrint ebookPages160 pagesISBN8324702822 2006 Polish editionContents 1 Plot 2 Characters 3 Historical context 4 Critical acclaim and awards 5 ReferencesPlot EditLiving in Warsaw Poland around 1940 Izolda and her family witness the city transform into a ghetto created to contain Jewish citizens After she marries a Jewish man named Shayek they escape the Warsaw Ghetto and obtain fake Polish identities as the Pawlicki s While Izolda stays in the Hotel Polski while visiting her friend Jurek Germans surround the hotel and arrest everyone Poles and Jews alike She is sent to Pawiak as a Pole where she witnesses many Jews murdered including Shayek s mother Eventually she is released from Pawiak as a non Jew and is reunited with her husband However Shayek is found to be a Jew while working in Krakow and is sent to Auschwitz When Izolda finds out where her husband is she begins working as a smuggler to send Shayek packages of food and supplies until he is transferred to Ebensee a subcamp of Mauthausen She travels to Vienna in attempts to gain information about how to rescue her husband from Mauthausen but she ends up being arrested by the Viennese Gestapo and tortured until she reveals that she is a Jew She is then sent to Auschwitz but is transferred to Guben by persuading Dr Mengele that she has nursing experience She escapes Guben and returns to Vienna where she begins working at a military hospital for the German army When the Soviet army captures the city they realize that Izolda is a Jew so they help her to get across the American front to rescue her husband from Mauthausen She finally reaches her King of Hearts but a few years later after having a few children together Shayek ends up leaving Izolda consumed by guilt that his entire family died except for him The story ends in the 21st century in Israel with Izolda telling her family stories of her struggles in the Holocaust Characters EditIzolda Regensberg Polish Alias Maria Pawlicka is the main character of the story Her determination and strength are emphasized in her struggle to reunite with her husband Yeshayahu Wolf known as Shayek by his wife Izolda is the King of Hearts He is taken captive early in the story and is the focus of the protagonist s journey Throughout the story Shayek is presented as a man overwhelmed by guilt who believes he does not deserve to live Lilusia Szubert is a Polish friend of Izolda who gives her the fake identity of Maria Pawlicka dyes her hair blonde and teaches her how to act as a Pole Terenia is the sister of Lilusia and a fortuneteller She gives Izolda a tarot card reading with Shayek representing the King of Hearts giving Izolda a goal to chase after Jurek Szwarcwald is introduced as Izolda s first love before she meets Shayek He introduces her to Bolek before he and his wife flee Poland Bolek is a Polish construction manager working in the Warsaw Ghetto by day and smuggling out Jews by night He helps Izolda get Shayek out of the ghetto Historical context EditThe majority of this novel takes place in Poland during the 1940s During this time anyone found out to be Jewish was taken away to concentration camps in the horror known as the Holocaust Many of these camps and German prisons are present throughout Chasing the King of Hearts The first German camp introduced in the novel is the Pawiak Prison in Warsaw Poland Over 37 thousand Jews were executed here 1 including Shayek s mother Following Izolda s stay in this prison as a Pole her husband is abducted out of Krakow presumably during the liquidation of Krakow in 1943 Thousands of Jews who were taken during the liquidation were taken to Auschwitz Mauthausen and Auschwitz were two of the biggest concentration camps created for the Jews and are both present in Chasing the King of Hearts Shayek and Izolda both spend time in Auschwitz and Shayek is sent to a sub camp of Mauthausen Ebensee Ebensee was a labor camp to construct tunnels for Germany so survival here was much more likely since there were not exterminations as in many others Izolda and Shayek are reunited after Ebensee s liberation in 1945 2 Other historical sites are referenced during the book including Izolda s brief stay at the Viennese Gestapo The Hotel Metropole It is here that she learns of the Warsaw Ghetto and is taken away to Auschwitz as a Jew most likely taking place around early 1944 between the time of the Warsaw Uprising 3 and the hotel s destruction 4 Critical acclaim and awards EditOriginal Polish version shortlisted for the 2007 Angelus Central European Literary Award 5 Guardian s Best Fiction 2013 6 Guardian Readers Book of the Year 2013 6 English PEN Best Yule Read 2013 6 English PEN Award 2013 6 2014 Found in Translation Award 7 One of Publishers Weekly s Best Books of 2017 8 2018 English PEN Translation Prize 8 References Edit Pawiak www holocaustresearchproject org Retrieved 2019 04 15 Ebensee Concentration Camp Austria www jewishgen org Retrieved 2019 04 15 April May 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising United States Holocaust Memorial Museum www ushmm org Retrieved 2019 04 15 Fifty Two Accidental Allied Bombing Raids on Vienna the State Opera House and St Stephen s Cathedral www revisionist net Retrieved 2019 04 15 staff English PEN 2013 09 06 Books Chasing the King of Hearts English PEN Retrieved 2019 04 15 a b c d team Code8 Chasing the King of Hearts Peirene Press Retrieved 2019 04 15 Home Polish Cultural Institute www polishculture nyc org Retrieved 2019 04 15 a b Chasing the King of Hearts Feminist Press Retrieved 2019 04 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chasing the King of Hearts amp oldid 1054378781, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
