Family History of Fear

Agata Tuszyńska, celebrated in Poland as both a poet and a cultural historian, was raised with the appearance and beliefs of a typical Catholic girl—blonde and blue-eyed—in the post war era under Communist rule. However, her life took a dramatic turn when, at the age of nineteen, her mother revealed that she was actually Jewish. This revelation left Tuszyńska grappling with feelings of bewilderment, shame, and disgrace, particularly considering the rampant anti-Semitism prevalent in Poland at the time. Her heartfelt and powerful narrative delves deep into her personal journey to piece together her family's history. She uncovers poignant stories, like her mother's harrowing survival in the Warsaw Ghetto as a child and her eventual escape shortly before the uprising, and her father's transition from a captured Polish soldier during the invasion of 1939 to becoming a celebrated radio sports commentator. By exploring her relatives' enigmatic backgrounds and confronting the ingrained prejudice against Jews in Poland, Tuszyńska not only brings her family's history to light but also embraces a new, profound understanding of her identity.