Majstor porculana

Majstor porculana

Sarah Freethy

The novel is Sarah Freethy's debut work, a historical fiction with elements of mystery, love, and art, inspired by the real Allach porcelain factory in the Dachau concentration camp (the SS's production of "Aryan" porcelain).

The story unfolds in two timelines:

  • 1929–1940s, Germany (Weimar, Berlin, Dachau): Young artists – Bettina Vogel, an avant-garde painter, and Max, a talented Jewish architect and porcelain master – fall in love in the bohemian vortex of the Weimar Republic. Their passionate, forbidden relationship (she an "Aryan", he a Jew) confronts the rise of Nazism. Max's talent for porcelain attracts the attention of the regime: he is forced to work in the Allach factory, where the SS uses prisoners to produce luxurious figurines and serviceware. The lovers struggle for survival amidst persecution, betrayal, camps and war. Bettina risks her life to protect Max and their secret, while art becomes a resistance and a refuge.
  • 1993, contemporary America/Europe: Bettina's daughter Clara Vogel (or a similar character), raised without a father, inherits a rare porcelain object – a unique figurine signed by a master. Clara sets out on a quest to find the truth about her father and mother's past. Through research, she uncovers the dark history of porcelain, a mother’s love, and the sacrifices of war. Fragments of memory, letters, and artifacts reveal secrets, betrayals, and courage.

The novel weaves an epic love story with historical horrors: the rise of Nazism, the Holocaust, forced labor, and art as resistance. Porcelain symbolizes fragility, beauty, and permanence amidst brutality—a perfect metaphor for love and humanity in the midst of hell. Freethy writes emotionally, in detail, with a focus on female strength, artistic spirit, and the effects of war on generations.

Original title
Porcelain Maker
Translation
Maja Klarić
Editor
Nataša Pejić
Graphics design
Snježana Hladni
Dimensions
21 x 13.5 cm
Pages
322
Publisher
Znanje, Zagreb, 2025.
 
Latin alphabet. Paperback.
Language: Croatian.

One copy is available

Condition:Unused
 

Are you interested in another book? You can search the offer using our search engine or browse books by category.

You may also be interested in these titles

Nježni ratnik

Nježni ratnik

Julie Garwood

A classic historical romance by Julie Garwood, praised for its strong heroine character development and classic Garwood romance. One of her early works, before series like "Lairds' Fiancées" or "Highlands."

Mozaik knjiga, 2022.
Croatian. Latin alphabet. Paperback.
3.56
Kurlani

Kurlani

Mirko Božić

The first part of the Kurlan trilogy, a novel divided into three parts: "Carnival", "Procession" and "Legend". The action takes place in the fictional village of Kurlani near Sinj (Cetinska krajina, 1930s), between the feuding brothers Gornji and Donji Ku

Nakladni zavod Matice hrvatske, 1989.
Croatian. Latin alphabet. Hardcover.
5.32
Djevojka s Leicom

Djevojka s Leicom

Helena Janeczek

The novel is a kaleidoscopic, polyphonic account of the life of Gerda Taro (née Gerda Pohorylle, 1910–1937), the first female war photographer to die on the battlefield. A must-read for fans of historical fiction about strong women and anti-fascism.

Naklada Ljevak, 2020.
Croatian. Latin alphabet. Hardcover with dust jacket.
13.72
Heretička kraljica

Heretička kraljica

Michelle Moran

In her second historical novel, the contemporary American writer brings us the story of Nefertari, the niece of the former Queen Nefertiti.

Znanje, 2011.
Croatian. Latin alphabet. Paperback.
4.82
Šoše

Šoše

Isaac Bashevis Singer

"Shosha" (1978) is an intimate and tragic story set in the Jewish community of Warsaw before World War II. Written with warmth and deep humanism, the novel is a moving portrayal of a lost world and the universal search for love.

BIGZ, 1989.
Serbian. Latin alphabet. Hardcover with dust jacket.
7.34
Deobe

Deobe

Dobrica Ćosić

Deobe is a novel about the tragic division of Serbs into Chetniks and Partisans during World War II. Winner of the NIN Award, it is part of a wider epic trilogy, inspired by Ćosić's experiences and historical documents.

Prosveta, 1963.
Croatian. Latin alphabet. Hardcover with dust jacket.
13.74