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One of the most beloved children's books of all time — read by millions around the world — almost never made it out of Nazi Europe.
Time for a thread.
Time for a thread.
On May 10, 1940, Adolf Hitler sent three million troops into France. Parisians fled by the hundreds of thousands.
Among them were a Jewish couple named Margaret Waldstein and Hans Reyersbach.
They'd been living in Paris for just four years.
Among them were a Jewish couple named Margaret Waldstein and Hans Reyersbach.
They'd been living in Paris for just four years.
Hans and Margaret were artists. He was a sketcher and painter who sold plumbing to make ends meet.
She was a writer and photographer.
When it came time to flee, they had a big problem: Everyone with a car had already left.
The streets were deserted.
She was a writer and photographer.
When it came time to flee, they had a big problem: Everyone with a car had already left.
The streets were deserted.
Hans scoured the city for whatever spare parts he could find.
Eventually he found enough scrap metal to build two bicycles. He started in the morning and was finished by the afternoon.
At 530am on June 12th, they fled the city — just before German troops arrived.
Eventually he found enough scrap metal to build two bicycles. He started in the morning and was finished by the afternoon.
At 530am on June 12th, they fled the city — just before German troops arrived.
The first day, they rode south for thirty miles.
They could hear the sounds of German shelling behind them.
They didn't have time to pack. All Margaret had was a manuscript they'd been working on.
It was so precious that she had strapped it tightly to her bicycle.
They could hear the sounds of German shelling behind them.
They didn't have time to pack. All Margaret had was a manuscript they'd been working on.
It was so precious that she had strapped it tightly to her bicycle.
The first night they slept in a barn, then wherever they could, until they finally made it to a train station with one of the last trains available.
They rode to Lisbon, then sailed to Brazil, and a few months later, made it to New York City as refugees.
They rode to Lisbon, then sailed to Brazil, and a few months later, made it to New York City as refugees.
In New York, a friend had just been hired as a children's book editor at an up-and-coming publisher.
She asked to see the manuscript.
It was about a young, mischievious monkey whose innocence and hope was exactly what the world needed.
And that's how Curious George was born.
She asked to see the manuscript.
It was about a young, mischievious monkey whose innocence and hope was exactly what the world needed.
And that's how Curious George was born.
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They're full of daily stories that will give you hope and joy.
And let's face it, the world could sure use more of that lately.
