Paula has heard of bombings nearby in France. She fears for her safety and that of her sisters, whom she now cares for. She writes to an American soldier she met and fell in love with, pleading for him to find her someday.
She senses impending danger…writing to him that she must change her name and leave behind her family fortune. But why? Where is she going? Where is she taking her sisters?
May 26th, 1944 bombing across France continues. Whatever happened to Paula?
Postcard Inspiration
The narrative of the young French woman ‘Paula’ was largely inspired by the story of my family. Specifically, that of my paternal great-grandfather who had to flee Nice, France, during the Nazi occupation after receiving an anonymous tip that the Gestapo was searching for him. My great-grandfather disappeared; he became a ghost even to his wife and four daughters. A year later, he reappeared with eggs and milk in hand but never spoke of what transpired during his time in hiding. To this day it remains unknown where he went, what he did, or how he survived. This personal history was an inspiration to the backdrop of this narrative.
Additionally, I recently watched a heartwarming video of a WWII veteran reuniting with his first love, a French woman he met at a US base camp in the east of France. These elements combined inspired the mysterious story of Paula.
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