The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story Chapter 24 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • In Spring 1943, Heinrich Himmler wants to give Hitler a birthday present.
  • What is it? A cake? Balloons? A drone?
  • No: the death of all the Jews.
  • We jump to December 10—we're assuming this is 1942—when Jewish family friends of Antonina show up for refuge.
  • Then we're in the summer of 1942, when Jews are being transported to concentration camps.
  • Regina Kenigswein and her husband, Samuel, flee and end up on Antonina's doorstep.
  • Antonina hides the Kenigsweins in the Pheasant House, where they stay for two months. Nothing to see here but the chickens, right?