Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Ervin Appelfeld akaberekerwa muJadova Commune, Storojineț County, mudunhu reBukovina reHumambo hweRomania, ikozvino Ukraine. Mubvunzurudzo nemudzidzi wezvinyorwa, Nili Gold, muna 2011, akayeuka guta rake rekumusha mudunhu rino, Czernowitz, senzvimbo "yakanaka kwazvo", izere nezvikoro uye nemitambo miviri yechiLatin, uko makumi mashanu kusvika makumi matanhatu muzana yevagari vaive vechiJuda. Muna 1941, paakanga ava nemakore mapfumbamwe, Mauto eRomania akatorazve taundi rokumusha kwake pashure pegore rokugara kweSoviet
uye amai vake vakapondwa. Appelfeld akaendeswa pamwe chete nababa vake kumusasa wevashandi vechibharo muTransnistria yaidzorwa neRomania. Akatiza ndokuhwanda kwamakore matatu asati apinda muuto reSoviet somubiki. Pashure peHondo Yenyika II, Appelfeld akapedza mwedzi inoverengeka ari mumusasa wevapoteri muItaly asati atamira kuPalestine muna 1946, makore maviri Israeri isati yawana rusununguko. Akabatanidzwazve nababa vake pashure pokuwana zita rake pane rimwe rondedzero reJewish Agency muna 1960. (Akanga afungidzira kuti baba vake vakanga vafa, uye baba vake vakanga vafungidzira kuti Aharon akanga afawo muHolocaust. Vose vakanga vaenda voga kuIsrael pashure pehondo.) Baba vakanga vaendeswa ku"ma'abara" (musasa wevapoteri) muBe'er Tuvia. Kuonanazve kwacho kwakanga kuchikurudzira zvikuru zvokuti Appelfeld haana kutongokwanisa kunyora pamusoro pako.