Fastening the slender golden chain around Rosa’s neck, Itzhak Dunovich seals their marriage vows with a medallion, symbolising the joy of new life. Yet the young couple never imagine that they would welcome their longed-for first child in the Jewish ghetto, or that they would let anything tear their family apart. Sophie Kumiega, a British bride working in Warsaw’s library, awaits news of her husband, recently deployed with the Polish Air Force. Though Sophie is determined that she and the baby in her womb will stay safe, the days ahead will draw her into the plight of those around her, compelling her to help, whatever the danger. Seemingly overnight, the German blitzkrieg of Warsaw in 1939 turns its streets to a warzone and shatters the life of each citizen – Polish, Jewish or otherwise. As daily privations intensify, Rosa soon faces a terrifying reality: to save their daughter’s life, she must send her into hiding. Her only hope of finding her after the war – if any of them survive – is the medallion, cut in half and placed around her daughter’s neck. Inspired by true events of Poland’s darkest days and brightest heroes, The Medallion paints a stunning portrait of war and its aftermath, daring us to believe that when all seems lost, hope can make a way forward.
