To Hope and Back

Lisa and Sol board the luxury ship St Louis in Hamburg, Germany on 13 May 1939.

They are Jewish, as are almost all of the passengers on board; although war has not been officially declared in Europe, the Nazis have been persecuting Jews for years.

The St Louis’s German captain, Gustav Schroeder, is determined to see his passengers to safety.

They set sail for Cuba, and the atmosphere on the ship is optimistic, but as they learn that Hitler’s propaganda has turned the country against them, the mood changes to despair.

A powerful true story from the bestselling author of The Diary of Laura’s Twin and Hiding Edith.