I've just read The Officers Daughter. As a Polish I have to admit that the book doesn't seem to be written by a foreigner, becouse it shows real emotions and thoughts of our grandparents lost in the great world, the brutal war and the dirty policy. The story is very sad - I suppose that in some places not perfectly true - but it shows difficult times in which ordinary people had to live...

Thank You Mrs Rohan for the very powerful book.

I have a question. Did the real person - called in the book Marta - found her place in the new world?

Are you asking if she ended more happily? The answer, I'm afraid, is no.
What was it you thought was not true? (Some is and some isn't.I would be interested to know which bits you think were not.)
And thanks for your comment, Mateusz.

Mrs Rohan, Thank You for the answer. It is very sad, but unfortunetely most victims of the war had difficult after-life, as my grandmother also.

I must congratulate You creating great emotional connection between reader and the main character. The effect is an interest in the real person story. That is why I write :)

I suppose that the conditions in the camp were much worse in the fact. According to the book by Gustaw Herling Grudziński (ex-prisoner) - Inny świat (I think that the title would be "The Other World"), I'm not personaly sure if anyone would be ready to help the other person...

The other thing is coincidence, like meeting NKWD officer after comming to Poland, Mrs Benka at the same camp, friends in England. I know that life writes the most unpredictable stories, but it seems to be too much of them in one place.

I think that the most important aspect of Your book is showing the spirit of that heavy times. In my opinion we should be grateful that we live nowadays were the world is much better place. I will recommend the book to the others interested in that topic becouse it is one of the best I've read.

P.S. Sorry for my english :)

In fact I think the conditions in the forest were not the same as those in camps further north. Lack of food, malaria and of course overwork were the problems. In the north there were guards and things were indeed much worse. 'Marta' said to me that the Russians who were supposedly guarding her and the others had living conditions as bad as theirs.
Yes, Mrs Benka showing up was a 'coincidence'. Friends being in Lodnon I think not as a great many Poles DID come to London then, which is why we have had a large Polish community here since the war, and not only since 2004. The secret policeman is true, although of course I have invented their conversations. I hope your friends like the book. Best wishes.

Dear Zina

I have just read "Córka oficera" and I feel so sad...I feel strong empathy for 'Marta' and one or maybe two questions are still in my head. I hope you will be able to answer them? My first question is did 'Marta' happen to find another man that she loved after she had to leave Poland and 'Antoni'? And has she ever met with Antoni again?

I feel a connection between 'Marta' and myself. I have no doubt that if I met her in real life I could talk to her for ages :)

Dear Olga,
I wish I could say she did meet another man that she loved, but no. And in fact, many years later (her Antoni had another name and they were separated for different reasons than the ones I wrote) once "Antoni's" wife had died, he found Marta by letter and invited her come to him. But the day she left to meet him he died of a heart attack. That was actually sadder than I could bear to write.

Oh dear...it's really hard to believe life can write so sad and tragic scenarios. I feel so sorry for their uncompleted love.

I hoped to get more optimistic answers from you but I do believe that Marta managed to find happiness in her life anyway. I cannot stand the idea she suffered from a bad luck so often.

Thank you Zina for sharing this uncredible story with us.

Thank you for reading it, Olga. Best of luck to you - and a more fortunate life than Marta's.

I actually talked about the book with my Polish friends and we all agreed we should be thankful for being able to live in a free country. We can have impact on our lives - it's something obvious nowadays but wasn't possible for Marta's generation unfortunately. If you have a chance to speak to Marta please let her know that her story will stay in my mind and heart :)

I will tell her. She is nearly 90, and not very well - and still quite a difficult person. But she will be pleased that her story has affected younger people. And it is true, so many people don't know how hard things used to be. But we always take for granted the way our lives are now.