Little Crumbs by Hana Juračáková is a collection of short stories from the author’s childhood in Czechoslovakia. Hana was born in the village of Trojanovice within the Moravian-Silesian region of the modern-day Czech Republic. Her tales reflect the quaint lifestyle she experienced as a child, growing up in the rural countryside with her parents and grandparents. As her childhood began in 1932, she lived through the Second World War, and much of the book is influenced by the events of the war. Her stories are unique in that they detail the mundane occurrences of her childhood, yet they are experiences that have been uniquely shaped by the time period and location she grew up in. They are a wonderful insight into the memory of a child who had experienced the poverty and depression brought about by the war. At the same time, she writes of small joys found between her family and community that lifted their spirits during difficult times. Her stories are pieces of her memory that collectively reveal a deep insight into her life.
Hana’s story is similar to many of the children who experienced WWII. Due to the war effort, many regions lacked essential needs and experienced a shortage of food and clothing. They began to rely on what they could reuse or create themselves. Like Hana’s family, people planted their own gardens for food and began to reuse and recycle clothing and houseware items. In addition, school was often interrupted during war times. Some children, unfortunately, had their education cut short because their teachers were being drafted or they did not have enough funds to keep schools running. Additionally, in countries where bombings were taking place, children were often displaced or separated from their families. In order to protect the children, they were sent by their parents to more rural areas where they would live with family members or foster parents. These traumatic experiences were a part of a child’s life in Europe during WWII.
Through this collection of stories, Hana Juračáková is able to recreate the life of a child around wartime, which allows present-day readers a greater understanding of this period of history. It is an important documentation of the emotions and experiences of children during WWII. This book is a great read for people of all ages and is available for purchase in the Czech Center Museum gift shop or online through the link below.
Written By: Rachel Stenz
Sources: Imperial War Museum, Venken