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Orphans of war: Once the Deed is Done, by Rachel Seiffert, reviewed

Interlinked stories of displaced children in Germany in 1945 capture this devastating moment in history. But amid the pain and trauma there is hope and resilience, too

Emily Rhodes
Women and children from Lodz, Poland, wait on the outskirts of Berlin, hoping to be picked up by a British train, December 1945.  Getty Images
EXPLORE THE ISSUE 03 May 2025
issue 03 May 2025
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  • Once the Deed is Done

    Rachel Seiffert

    Virago, pp. 464, £22

In Rachel Seiffert’s searingly beautiful fifth novel, the author returns to Germany, 1945 – ground she previously explored in The Dark Room, her Man Booker-shortlisted debut. Once the Deed is Done opens with a boy, Benno, looking out of his window at night, having been woken by sirens from the munition works.

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