Reinhard Heydrich

In September 1941 SS commander Reinhard Heydrich was sent by Adolf Hitler to
Prague to head the Nazi Occupation of Czechoslovakia. His goal: to make all of Czechoslovakia
German.

Paneske Brezany

On the morning of May 27, 1942, Heydrich left his summer estate, located 9 miles
north of Prague city center, traveling in an open Mercedes-Benz convertible.

Holešovice

As Heydrich’s limousine slowed to make the sharp turn onto Rude Armady in
the Prague suburb of Holešovice, a pair of Czech Resistance fighters attacked.

Assassination

Hit by shrapnel from the side door, springs, and stuffing from the car seats,
Heydrich was seriously injured and died from blood poisoning eight days later.

Gestapo Agents

Immediately after Heydrich’s death, Hitler ordered that any village implicated in the
assassination would be severely punished. On vague links to the Czech Resistance, the small
town of Lidice was singled out.

Attack

On June 10, Gestapo agents from Prague and two companies of German police
raided the town of Lidice, planted explosives, and began destroying all of the town’s buildings.

Destruction of Lidice

Destruction of Lidice continued until July 1. Workers were ordered to leave
nothing to remember of the town or its people.

The Pear Tree

The only living thing to survive the destruction of the town of Lidice was a pear tree..

About the Book

The Pear Tree begins on the day Reinhard Heydrich was attacked by Czech partisans. It describes the investigation that leads the Gestapo to Lidice, the destruction of the town, the interrogation of its women and children, and the forced separation of mothers from their infants, sons from their mothers, friends from friends. The book follows the paths of characters who wrestle with fear that they will never see their families again, that their secrets will be revealed, that they will never learn the truth.

The book tells of the importance of the only living reminder of their town--the pear tree--on three of these characters: a young woman who mourns the loss of her son, her ten-year-old son who is forced to face the conflicts of war and occupation, and a thirteen-year-old boy who confronts Gestapo in his search of his mother.

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The Pear Tree was a semi-finalist in the 2019 Illinois Author Project’s Soon To Be Famous context. Out of 81 submissions, The Pear Tree and 14 other works of fiction made the semi-finalist list for that year. The Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Project recognizes independently published novels written by Illinois residents. It is the genesis for the national Indie Author Project.

Announcing: Semi-finalists for 2019 Illinois Author Project - Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Project