"A Childhood Gone too Soon" tells the moving, autobiographical tale of the authorÕs childhood in East Prussia, where she spent her early years in the sheltered environment of her familyÕs farm before being forced to flee from the advancing Russian army in 1945. The personal tale of one familyÕs attempts to stay together, survive, and ultimately forge a new life for themselves through all the turmoil and chaos of the post-war years takes place against the dramatic backdrop of the Second World War and its aftermath. The authorÕs memories encompass the horror of those times, but also depict the extraordinary humanity displayed at times by ordinary people towards one another. Hella Pat would particularly like her book to help future generations to find and remember their roots, as well as to show all the wonderful things that still happened, despite the great tragedies that were occurring at the time.