In this harrowing second episode, we witness the devastating turning point as World War II arrives directly at the doorstep of young Anna Friedrich. The peaceful town of Setschan is invaded by Axis forces, leading to the draft of the town's men to the front lines and the renaming of their home to Petersheim. The situation spirals into complete chaos as the Russian Red Army advances, bringing terrifying combat straight to Anna's street. Huddled under a kitchen table, Anna's family survives the immediate battle only to face the harsh reality of military occupation, the seizure of their personal liberties, and the beginning of systematic deportations. Listeners will experience the terrifying onset of ethnic cleansing in post-WWII Yugoslavia through the eyes of an eleven-year-old girl.

00:00 — The invasion of Yugoslavia and the quick surrender of the Royal Yugoslav Army

03:15 — The first town casualty and the renaming of Setschan to Petersheim

06:40 — Mischi's architectural studies in Berlin and the loss of the family sewing machine

10:10 — The departure of the Friedrich men to the front lines and the tragic death of Stefan Latzkowitsch

13:30 — Djurin, the Serbian bridge builder, and ethnic relations in occupied Setschan

17:15 — The execution of seventeen Serbian men by Nazi SS and the threat of retaliation

21:00 — The Red Army arrives: street fighting and hiding under the kitchen table

25:40 — Immediate loss of liberties: confiscation of radios, guns, and the freezing of bank accounts

30:15 — Looting, nighttime abductions of elderly men, and the horrors of the Old Mill prison

34:50 — The December 26 deportation of 115 local Germans to Russian labor camps

39:10 — The death of Opa Jacob Friedrich and the eviction of the German population to the ghetto

44:00 — Outro, book recommendation, and preview of the next episode