The Lilacs I Once Knew

The Lilacs I Once Knew is a collection of poems by Friddie Stoleru, born in 1919 in Bucharest, Romania. At 18, Friddie married a charming, charismatic scientist named Freddy; but their union was tragically short. Just two weeks after the wedding, Freddy disappeared, and Friddie was unjustly accused of a crime she had never committed. She spent nine years in a Romanian prison, followed by four years in a communist labor camp. Despite the harsh and inhumane conditions, Friddie found solace in writing poetry. Friddie's poems reflect her journey through life, imprisonment, and hope. They speak of joy, loss, fear, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit. After her death, her family discovered hundreds of letters and postcards where Friddie shared her poems with her cousin, Aaurica. Friddie's story was first told in the award-winning novel Where the Lilacs Bloom Again (StoryTime World, 2022). Now, her powerful words are brought to life in this collection.

Aharona (Roni) Rosenthal, Ph.D., was born in Haifa. She is the Director of Judaic Studies and Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. "In December 2009, I promised my father, a few days before his death, to bring Friddie's story to light. I have now completed my vow to restore, translate, and share Friddie's powerful words through her poems. Dad, I promised to tell our family's story to the world, and so I did. Your love and memory accompanied me every step of the way. I hope you are proud of the results. I miss you so much..."

The sun will shine on Friddie once again.