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The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story Chapter 30 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • In Winter 1943, Ryś is hospitalized for pneumonia. He returns as the snow melts in the spring.
  • We're told it's Spring 1943, not Spring 1944, when the president of Warsaw tells Jan he wants to rebuild and restore the zoo.
  • Jan is thrilled.
  • But the director of the Parks and Gardens opposes this for some reason and tells the Germans to fire Jan.
  • Nevertheless, the Polish vice-president intercepts the complaint and instead transfers Jan to the Pedagogic Museum, so that he won't lose all his income and his house.
  • One day, while Jan is at work, Antonina visits a friend's house for a bath. While she is there, German soldiers inspect the house and wonder why Antonina, an undocumented visitor, is in this house.
  • It's a tense moment, but the soldiers don't do anything to Antonina.
  • In June, Antonina gives birth to a daughter, Teresa.
  • Teresa's christening is celebrated on July 10.
  • Maurycy's hamster drinks too much honeyed vodka and dies. But the new baby evens out the population.