Someone Named Eva

Ruzha, a Czech girl from Milada’s school, is the foil to Milada’s character. Ruzha’s character arc directly opposes Milada’s. The girls respond to situations differently even though they are from the same town and experienced the traumatic loss of their families. While Milada works hard to remember her home and family, Ruzha, now Franziska, fully accepts her new place as a German: “It seemed Franziska was starting to forget herself. Really forget. Not just tucking away who she was, but erasing everything she had been before coming to the center” (48).

Although Ruzha is renamed and begins to take on the German ideals, her core character traits do not change much, making her a flat character. From the beginning of the story, Ruzha is characterized as being “cold and unfriendly” (11). When the girls are eating dessert at Milada’s birthday party, Ruzha rudely tells one of the girls she is “not pretty enough” to be a movie star and points out the girl’s struggle with reading (13). During her time at the facility, Ruzha only grows meaner. She points out the mistakes other girls make and revels in the power of being a teacher’s pet. The other girls are intimidated by her. Ruzha’s character is an example of the effectiveness of Germanization and provides the reader with a glimpse of Milada’s possible fate, had she worked hard to remember her identity and home.

Babichka, Milada’s grandmother, is a minor yet important character. She is strong and retaliates against the Nazis in whatever way she can—from speaking in opposite to the occupation to shredding photos of Hitler. She is only present in the first two chapters of the book, yet her words and love for Milada create lasting impact. Babichka acts as Milada’s spiritual guide and mentor, and her star-shaped garnet pin symbolizes Milada’s true identity and home. Babichka fosters Milada’s love of the stars and puts words to the main theme of the book: “Remember who you are, Milada. Remember where you are from. Always” (19).

In each important moment that involves Milada’s sense of identity, Babichka comes up in her thoughts. The first time Eva salutes Hitler, she thinks of Babichka. This happens every time Milada touches the pin hidden in her clothes, sneaks outside to see the stars, or hears the Czech national anthem. Whenever Milada remembers herself, she also thinks of her grandmother. This is particularly powerful at the end of the book when Milada and her mother return to Lidice. Milada looks at the stars and tells her grandmother that she did remember who she is, and found her way home, as promised.

Milada’s mother fulfills the archetype of a mother in literature. She does whatever she can for her family, even baking a dessert for Milada when rations are thin, and she tries to protect and comfort her daughters when the Nazi soldiers take the family. Once Milada is taken to the German facility, Mama exists as a memory of home and safety. Milada consistently dreams of Mama and Papa coming to save her or of the war ending and being returned to her parents. When Milada reunites with her mother, Mama is a changed woman. She is in a fragile state after the atrocities of the concentration camp. Despite Mama’s now frail appearance, Milada notices that “her eyes still shone with the light I knew was my mother’s” (102). Mama’s character demonstrates the darker side of the war that Milada didn’t see and has trouble talking about the family they have lost. Once reunited, Mama and Milada discuss the past years and create a life for themselves in Prague, demonstrating the strength of Mama’s character.

Fräulein Krüger is the Nazi headmistress in charge of the German facility Milada and Ruzha are brought to in Chapter 3. Her character reflects the ideology of Nazism. Fräulein Krüger is the ideal Aryan woman, “pretty, in a sharp sort of way, with a small nose and soft, ivory skin” (36). She is also the one who renames the girls and begins their brainwashing process. As a representation of Germany, she is harsh to anyone who shows weakness or resistance. She uses physical violence to keep the children in line with their training, like when Milada refuses to be called Eva and when the six-year-old Polish girl makes mistakes in class. To girls like Franziska, Fräulein Krüger is a “movie star” and an example of a perfect German. To Milada, Fräulein Krüger is the face of Nazism and those responsible for destroying her beloved family.

Despite Fräulein Krüger’s strict training, she does provide stability to the children of her ward. She ensures they are clean, well fed, and otherwise physically cared for. In a sense, she becomes the children’s surrogate parent before they are adopted. Milada realizes this on her way to the Werner house: “I had spent two years being afraid of Fräulein Krüger, and now I was genuinely afraid to leave her” (68).

Frau Werner is the matriarch of the German family that adopts Milada. She is characterized as having a “soft, gentle voice, musical and sweet” (69) and hair that “smelled like flowers” (71). Her presence is conflicting for Eva, who longs for Frau Werner’s motherly comfort and affection yet cannot reconcile the fact that Frau Werner is a Nazi. Eva receives her main instruction from Frau Werner, who teaches Eva and Elsbeth basic math and science, home economics, and how to sew, embroider, and polish silver.

Frau Werner’s mental state gradually decays throughout the story and is an example of how the Nazi regime brainwashed German citizens. Frau Werner, who has an unshakable faith in Germany and the Fuhrer, receives a medal for having three children in the home and adding to the strength of Germany. When Herr Werner decides to go into hiding with only Peter, Frau Werner naively believes that her husband will return for her. When Elsbeth urges her to consider going into hiding as well, Frau Werner replies, “This is my house. This is my family. We will not leave. Never! Hitler will keep us safe. We will wait until your Vater (father) returns for us. Heil Hitler!” (102). She ignores the situation around her and does not want to hide in the bomb shelter until Elsbeth tricks her into entering. Even after the war, she refuses to clean Herr Werner’s office because she thinks he will return and do it himself. When the Americans come to retrieve Eva, Frau Werner loses control, tries to hit the man, and clings to his pant leg. She claims Eva is her own daughter, given to her by the Fuhrer. The last time Eva sees Frau Werner, she is collapsed on the stairs weeping, with Elsbeth comforting her.