Making Bombs for Hitler

“‘Be useful or they will kill you,’ the woman whispered to us urgently in Ukrainian, lifting one pail and pushing it in against our legs.”

At first, Lida does not understand the ragged woman’s warning until Luka explains. Then, Lida realizes she must show a skill and prove valuable to the Nazis to save her sister. The ideal of usefulness reflects the Nazis’ prejudiced ideology. Germans viewed the OST workers as inferiors to be utilized and discarded.

“I may have temporarily lost Larissa, but in Luka and the others here, I had found sisters and brothers of the heart.”

Early on, Lida recognizes the importance of connection and camaraderie amongst the enslaved laborers. Their mutual trust and friendship build relationships as deep and lasting as family relationships.

“Mama was right. Beauty could be made anywhere.”

Even in the most horrific conditions, Lida strives to create beauty: through song, sewing, and her altruistic spirit. Lida helps the enslaved laborers maintain their individuality and compassion—their humanity—in the face of inhumane cruelties of war.

“Do you see a sign here that says Ukrainian? You’re from the East. You’re Russian.”

The German warden of Barracks 7 voices the dominant Nazi belief that there is no such culture as Ukrainian: Lida and the other OST workers are under Soviet rule and therefore Russian. According to the Author’s Note, Lida’s horrific experience was shared by “between 3 and 5.5 million” other Eastern Workers, most of whom were Ukrainians captured by the Nazis. The novel portrays a dark time in Ukraine’s history as it struggled for independence.

“They don’t consider you a valuable human…”

Juli articulates the Nazi prejudice against Russians. Not only are Russians enemies, but Nazis label them with other biased stereotypes, like thieves and “useless” people. Lida’s belief that each human is “equal” shows her humanity in contrast to the Nazis’ prejudice.

“There is always hope.”

Lida comforts Zenia, who feels desolate because of the loss of her family. Lida’s reassurance reveals her compassion for others, her faith, and her own inner strength. Lida bravely maintains her hopes and dreams of finding Larissa despite the odds being overwhelmingly against her.

“There was only one difference between the Nazis and the Soviets: The Soviets killed under the cover of night, but the Nazis killed in the full daylight.”

As Ukrainians, Lida and her family suffer under both the oppressive Nazi and Soviet regimes. Although many Ukrainians initially thought the Nazis would be an improvement on the Soviets, they proved just as deadly and repressive. Lida’s comment reflects the tragic history of the Ukrainian people.

“If you don’t live, who will tell your story when the war is over?”

This argument convinces Zenia to wear Lida’s crucifix, although it means repressing core pieces of her identity. While the Nazis work to eliminate the individual identities of their captives by labeling and demeaning them, Lida understands the importance of the individual and the value of each person’s story. Her gift helps to keep Zenia alive and eventually join a community in the newly created country of Israel.

“Well, well. A little Russian with clever hands. How unusual.”

Officer Schmidt’s “joke” about Lida’s skill reflects the German prejudice against Russians. Belittling “inferior” groups dehumanizes them, allowing Schmidt to validate his own supremacy.

“Did the Nazis see us as nothing more than spare parts for their war machine?”

The Nazis only value the enslaved laborers—and even their own German workers—insofar as they remain useful. The Nazis do not care about who the enslaved laborers are as people; they view the enslaved laborers as resources who serve a purpose for the Nazis. Lida and the other enslaved laborers rightly fear becoming useless and being discarded.

“It seemed that just as there were different soups, there were different ways of being killed, depending on your nationality.”

Lida recognizes that the Nazis discriminate even in death. German workers who are no longer valuable endure long starvation, while those who the Nazis hate are shot.

“Most of the time I felt powerless, and that was the worst feeling of all.”

Although Lida rarely despairs, her lack of freedom and agency weigh heavily on her. She has little control over her life but is desperate to be free and find Larissa. These conflicting feelings could defeat Lida, but she finds comfort in helping her friends in the camp and in their emotional support.

“It makes me happy to share…”

Lida reveals her altruistic nature by sharing the fabric from Inge’s flannel shirt with Zenia and the other girls from Barracks 7. Lida’s selflessness exemplifies her emotional and social strength and shines as an act of positivity in a dark time.

“The Nazis will pay for this…They should think twice before asking slaves to make bombs.”

Outraged to learn that Officer Schmidt executed the new, weakened OST workers—and all the other OST workers at the camp—Lida vows revenge by sabotage. She implies that the Nazis’ assumption that the enslaved laborers are cowed and apathetic is foolish.

“We made the bombs out of this destroyed material, and included scraps of paper upon which Bibi wrote in several languages, Dear Allies, this is all that we can do for you now.”

Lida and the bomb assembly girls assert control within their limited sphere of influence as enslaved laborers. With their assignment, the Nazis have ironically given them the means to subvert rather than aid the Nazi war effort. The girls’ notes to the Allies, even though they might never be seen, reflects their sense of empowerment and patriotism and a desire to be known.

“It would be better for her to be dead.”

Thinking that Larissa might be a Nazi prompts Lida’s harsh judgment. Lida’s hatred for the Nazis and everything she has endured at their hands is the only thing that could destroy Lida’s strong family bond with her sister. Lida later thoughtfully reproaches herself, knowing that Larissa was as helpless as Lida to resist the Nazis’ control.

“I don’t take orders from you anymore…”

Juli, pushed to the limit of her tolerance for the cruelty and sadism she witnesses, defies Officer Schmidt. Juli sacrifices her life so others can live: an ultimate act of courage and humanity.

“We were all weak and hungry and every one of us had trouble standing, but we decided as a group that we would walk out with our dignity. It was our victory, after all.”

Although near death, Lida and the enslaved laborers from the ammunition factory show their solidary and strength of will. By refusing to be carried out on stretchers, they show that they still retain a sense of self-worth and pride.

“Everything about his manner showed that he considered me human—equal to him.”

The American soldier treats Lida as an individual, a valuable human who is not inferior, and who does not need to prove her worth to survive. This is the opposite of how the Nazis have treated Lida and reflects the difference between good and evil, humanity and inhumanity.

“Your first job is to save yourself, Lida. You have been very lucky so far, but if you don’t stay free, you and your sister can never hope to be reunited.”

Pani Zemluk uses the one argument that will convince Lida to stay in Germany: Larissa. Lida both denies herself and puts herself first: placing her own longing for home aside and focusing on her safety. In this way, family is still Lida’s priority.

“So many people, all lost…How will the survivors ever find each other?”

Natalia is saddened by the hundreds of fluttering messages outside refugee camps, representing the multitudes of families torn apart by war. The messages reflect the horror of war, with its pain and loss, but also the survivors’ undying hope.

“I dreamed of finding our lilac tree together, maybe placing lilacs on our parents’ graves. Now I knew I could never go back.”

The lilac tree is a symbol of home and family, representing Lida’s hopes for the future. Memories of the scent of lilacs and happy family times around the tree kept Lida hopeful throughout the ordeal of her captivity. The realization that she will be killed or imprisoned by the Soviets if she returns home destroys that part of her dream.

“I patched the knees of Luka’s trousers with the remnants of a shredded Nazi flag and darned the holes in his shirt with coarse thread from Pani Zemluk. How I wished the damage to his soul could be fixed that easily.”

Luka suffers from the Red Army soldiers’ physical abuse but even more from the emotional wounds they inflict. Luka’s hopes are shattered: He is bereft of family and home. Lida’s reference to sewing reflects her skills of creation and mending and her deep attachment to Luka. Though her sewing cannot mend Luka, Lida helps Luka regain his confidence, reassuring him that she will stay with him.