The Baby Experiment

By Anne Dublin

When 14-year-old-Johanna learns that her orphanage is experimenting on babies, she kidnaps one of them and sets off for Amsterdam.

Johanna is a 14-year-old Jewish girl who lives in Hamburg, Germany, in the early 18th century. She feels stifled by the daily drudgery of her life and dreams of seeing what lies outside the confines of the Jewish quarter. Johanna lies about her identity and gets a job as a caregiver at an orphanage. Until it’s too late, she doesn’t realize a secret experiment is taking place that results in the deaths of babies.

Deciding to kidnap one of the orphans, Johanna sets off for Amsterdam. She faces many dangers on her journey, including plague, bandits, storms and, not least of all, anti-Semitism. Johanna has a lot of courage and determination, but will it be enough to save the baby and reach her destination? Will she finally find a place where she can be free?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dundurn
• Release date: Jun 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781459701373

Anne Dublin

Anne Dublin is an award-winning author of historical fiction and biographies for young people. Her books include Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything, winner of the IODE Violet Downey Book Award and the Canadian Jewish Book Award, and The Orphan Rescue, finalist for the U.S. National Jewish Book Award. She lives in Toronto.

Book preview

— Chapter One —

The Interview

Hamburg, Germany

1703

Johanna had been waiting on the hard wooden bench for over an hour. She shivered as cold drafts of air seeped in through the doors and windows. The hall was very grand with its tiled floor and faded tapestries, but it wasn’t made for comfort.

She stood up, sat down, stood up again. She smoothed her dress and straightened her hat. She sat down again.

Johanna stared at the other girls sitting on benches that lined the hall. Some were chatting to each other; others sat stiffly, gazing at the walls or the floor.

Am I mad? Johanna thought. Why did I come here? Perhaps if I do something, I’ll be able to calm down. She took a piece of lace out of her bag. She loved the way the bone shuttle drew the thread back and forth, making knots and creating a design. She had learned to do lacework like this from Grandmother Rachel. But her fingers trembled so much that, after a few minutes, she put her work away.

Last week, she had seen the announcement posted in front of the town hall:

Young women needed

to work in orphanage ––

Under the sponsorship

of the Duke of Brunswick.

Apply in person

at Hamburg Town Hall.

Wednesday September 15, 9:00 a.m.

Johanna felt guilty. She should have stayed to help Mama at the market. Every day they tried to sell the lacework she and Mama made, or notions like buttons and thread. On good days, they earned a few schillings; on bad days, they went to bed hungry.

Papa had been a stonecutter, specializing in headstones for the Jewish cemetery in Altona. Jews were forced to bury their dead there because they weren’t allowed to have a cemetery in Hamburg. Papa often travelled between the towns.

Three months earlier, on his way home from Altona, Papa had been attacked by robbers. They had kicked him in the ribs and beat him on the head with heavy clubs, all the while calling him names like dirty Jew. Some passersby had helped Papa get home. He lay in bed for several days until he succumbed to his wounds and died.

Papa hadn’t been one of the wealthy merchants who had profited from trading tobacco, wine, cotton, or spices. Nevertheless, he was skilled with the chisel on stone. Now he himself lay buried beneath a stone in the Jewish cemetery where so much of his work stood.

Johanna helped Mama with the housework as well as at the market. But she hated cooking, cleaning, and washing! She was so tired of helping Mama! Today, Johanna had told Mama she was going to visit her friend, Marianne. Mama had grudgingly agreed.

Instead, Johanna had come here, to the town hall. She was sorry about lying to Mama, but if she got this job, she’d be able to buy a new dress or shoes or coat. More importantly, she would be able to give some money to Mama.

Excuse me?

Johanna was startled. She looked up into the blue eyes of a young woman sitting beside her. Her blonde hair hung in two neat braids on each side of her round face.

Do you know anything about the new orphanage? The girl twisted one of her braids through her fingers.

Johanna shook her head. No. Nothing.

The girl smiled. If I were as pretty as you, she said, I would try to marry a rich man. Not look for work in an orphanage.

Johanna blushed. Mama always said she was pretty, with her auburn hair and hazel eyes, but Johanna didn’t really believe her. After all, mothers always thought their daughters were beautiful. You need a dowry to get married to a rich man, Johanna said, and I don’t have one.

Nor do I, the girl replied.

My name is Johanna. What is yours?

Cecile. Cecile Hansen.

Are you from Hamburg? Johanna asked.

No. Altona. Cecile lowered her voice. My brother, Antoine, is a merchant. He often travels between Altona and Hamburg on business. Last week he saw the sign posted outside. He told me about the job. So, I begged him to take me with him today.

Perhaps we’ll both be lucky.

I hope so, Cecile answered.

A short man stood at the door at the end of the hall. Next, he said and motioned Johanna to follow him. He wore a long, brown, full-bottomed wig. His jacket was light brown wool; his breeches, dark brown; and his buckled leather shoes were plain brown.

The windows’ interior shutters had been opened wide and shafts of sunlight were playing with dust motes in the air. Johanna tried to walk quietly, but the sound of her shoes resounded loudly on the tiled floor.

The man sat down behind a large oak table. Beside him, a stout woman glanced up as Johanna approached. The woman wore a dark grey, woollen dress cut in severe lines. Her thin black hair was streaked with grey. Her small black eyes seemed to bore into Johanna’s head, while her nose jutted out like a bird’s beak.

Johanna couldn’t find a comfortable place for her hands. She wanted to run away but her feet felt stuck to the floor. Her smile felt like the one painted on the Till Eulenspiegel puppet she had seen last summer at the Hamburg fair.

What is your name? barked the woman.

Johanna curtsied. Johanna, if you please, ma’am.

Last name?

Richter. Johanna had almost blurted out her real name, but stopped herself just in time. If she told them her name was Eisen, her real, Jewish name, she wouldn’t get the job. People didn’t give such work to Jews. To be sure, a few wealthy Jews lived in the city. But most Jews made their living in small trades — tailors, shoemakers, bookbinders. The Christians didn’t trust Jews; they still believed all the old lies.

The man riffled through some papers on his desk and reached into his pockets, searching for something. Then he touched the spectacles resting on his nose, shook his head, and smiled. He dipped his quill into the inkpot, licked his lips, and wrote Johanna’s name onto the paper. The scratching of pen on paper put Johanna’s nerves more on edge.

My name is Frau Taubman, said the woman. She pointed a fat finger at the man next to her. This is Herr Vogel, the duke’s secretary. The man nodded and pushed his spectacles farther up the bridge of his nose. What is your age?

Fourteen.

Do you have experience taking care of babies? Frau Taubman asked.

Johanna swallowed hard. Her mouth felt dry as sand. I had a younger brother and sister. I took care of them since they were babies. That is —

What? Frau Taubman interrupted.

They died last winter. Of the plague. Johanna’s legs were shaking. She clenched her fists and willed herself to stand still.

I see. Frau Taubman stared at Johanna. At her threadbare woollen dress, her frayed collar, and worn shoes. Johanna blushed under the woman’s scrutiny. She was glad she’d washed her hands and face that morning. She hoped she didn’t smell too badly.

You seem to be a quiet one. You do not chatter on and on like some of the others.

Thank you, ma’am, Johanna said.

Now, girl, you need to understand something before you take this position.

Ma’am? Johanna’s heart began to beat rapidly. Does this mean she will offer me the job?

You will be responsible for the care of orphan babies.

I know I —

Frau Taubman pursed her lips and held up her hand. "We have a strict rule. An unbreakable rule. The caregivers will not be permitted to speak to the babies. And you may not hold a baby beyond what is absolutely necessary for its physical care."

I don’t understand, said Johanna. Why not?

That is not your business, said Frau Taubman. You must follow this rule. She narrowed her eyes. "Can you do so? And will you?"

Johanna nodded slowly. It was a strange rule, an unnatural rule, but she desperately wanted the job. Yes, Frau Taubman. I can. She swallowed hard. And I will.

Very well, then. You shall be paid one thaler per month. Adequate room and board will be provided. Frau Taubman stared at Johanna as if she wanted to ask her another question but changed her mind. Report to the duke’s old summer house on the 27th of September. You will live there full-time, with one day off every three weeks. Frau Taubman paused. Do you agree to these terms?

Yes, ma’am, Johanna said. Frau Taubman didn’t seem like the sort of person

Reviews for The Baby Experiment

[buriedinbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review of The Baby Experiment by Anne DublinI received an Advance Reading Copy of this book through the Early Reviewers program at LT.The heroine of The Baby Experiment is Johanna of Hamburg, Germany in the early 1700s. Johanna is a 14 year-old Jewish girl who, by passing as a Gentile, gets a job as a caregiver for babies at an orphanage. Since she and her mother are very poor, this job seems like a godsend—but Johanna soon loathes her job. As part of a secret experiment, there is an inflexible rule at the orphanage that the caregivers are not to speak to the babies or to hold them any longer than absolutely necessary for taking care of their physical needs. Johanna knows this is wrong—and when the babies begin dying, she determines to rescue her favorite baby from this horrible place. Up until this point, the book kept me engaged, but the story of Johanna’s and baby Rebecca’s escape seemed to go too smoothly to be believable. Johanna and the baby met with many dangers and difficulties, but were always quickly rescued in some way. So she was soon in Amsterdam where Jews had more freedom and she also easily secured a job there. This book would have benefited by more details of Johanna’s job at the orphanage and especially of her escape with the baby. The escape from the orphanage to Amsterdam had the potential for the sort of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but since it skimmed through things so quickly, the sense of danger never sunk in before Johanna was rescued from or escaped the peril. While overall the book was somewhat interesting, the simplistic danger-rescue-or-escape pattern made the story seem implausible.

[smithsj01_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'd been expecting a bit more about the actual orphanage for some reason the experiments on the babies (hence the title) but what you get is instead a little insight to life for a young girl in 1700s Hamburg over the course of a few weeks. I'm making the assumption that the historical accurateness is there as the author is an award-winning author of historial fiction - it was interesting to see how much Jewish people were persecuted that far back in time and is something I wasn't aware of. This is unfortunately all I've really gained from reading this novel (novella?).It became all about her religion and how she had to change who she was, which is fine but not when the title doesn't lead to you this. Furthermore, what an easy time Johanna had on leaving the orphanage - a nice easy jaunt across the country in two days; I was surprised that it wasn't difficult or fraut with danger as her partners in crime had led me to believe. It isn't a book I'd recommend and I'm please I came across a copy rather than purchasing it but at least it was only an hour of reading.

[sara1022 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book through Early Reviewers. I actually started it while on vacation at Disney World and could not put it down. Although it is a short read, it is captivating from beginning to end. I appreciate the historical side to this novel as it brings out some cruel experiments and lives of different cultures in 1700s.

[skstiles612 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jews have long been blamed for everything from plague to anything bad that happened. They have been persecuted for centuries. We know from our recent history how Hitler made a point of trying to wipe them out. But, did you know that in the early 1700’s they were just as persecuted and looked down on? I didn’t. Anne Dublin has crafted a story set during this time, in Hamburg, Germany. It is here we meet a young girl by the name of Johanna Eisen. She had seen a sign advertising for girls to work in an orphanage. She lies about her name to get a job to help her mother. She lied about her name because she was sure that with a Jewish name she would not be hired. Although her mother is against it, she lets Johanna go. It is immediately clear that there is something wrong in this orphanage. They are not allowed to speak to the babies and they are not allowed to hold them beyond changing their diaper or tending to their physical needs. Soon the babies begin to die. Johanna overhears a conversation between the concerned doctor and one of those in charge. It is shortly thereafter she decides she must rescue one of the babies she has fallen in love with. She makes the arrangements to escape and is caught by one of the other girls who wants to go with her. From this point on the tension is taken up a notch. Will she succeed in escaping? What about her mother? What about her friend Cecile? What will happen when Cecile finds out Johanna is a Jew? Read the book to find out answers to all of these questions and more. I would gladly recommend this book to my students and anyone who loves historical fiction. I look forward to reading more by this author.

[prop2gether · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Being Jewish and a girl in 1700's Hamburg is not an easy life for Joanna, and she dreams of living in Amsterdam, which Jews are allowed to trade and own property. She's fourteen, and can read, and takes a job as a caregiver in an orphanage by lying about her faith. The orphanage has some peculiar rules (never interact with the babies) and Hannah's suspicions about both her job and her charges force her to act--she runs away with a baby, heading for Amsterdam.Hannah has the good fortune to be literate in an age when girls were usually not; and to meet up with (on nearly every occasion) with extraordinarily helpful strangers (some Jewish and some not). While written for a younger teen audience, the improbabilty of all that good luck seems forced. The happy ending is abrupt and seems to shortchange the lessons of the journey. However, it was a fast read, and younger teen girls may find it interesting because of its emphasis on the historical attitudes of Germans toward Jews, especially around the time of the plague.

[jennie_103 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of the LibraryThing early reviewers program.My initial impression from the book itself was that it was much thinner than I expected at only 150 pages. YA lit can often be shorter than adult fiction, but this seemed a considerable difference. This did also, by necessity, affect the level of detail in the book and it sometimes seems bewilderingly fast moving.Without any spoilers, the book is set in Germany and the Netherlands in 1703 and begins with a young Jewish girl hiding her identity to get a job at a new orphanage. There is one bizarre clause - you must never speak or sing to the babies or hold them for longer than is absolutely necessary. She discovers that this is all part of a scientific experiment around language when the babies start to die inexplicably. Johanna decides to run away with one of her babies, and their adventure begins.It was interesting to see the level of anti-semitism, even before Nazism in Germany, as this wasn't something I was particularly aware of. It was also a new angle on the plague based stories to see that in another country.I would have liked to have seen what happened to the rest of the babies, and his experiment. Also, Johanna's mother suddenly drops out of the story except for a brief line towards the end where she considers how one day she will bring her to Amsterdam as well. Finally, her success seems so reliant on pure luck! It would have been more interesting if Johanna had needed to work harder to get into Amsterdam - perhaps sneak in, or tell her story to a judge or something.

[janarose1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Set in 1700 Germany, Johanna is a Jewish girl looking for work. She lies about her Jewish heritage in order to get a job as a caregiver at an orphanage. However, there are some unusual rules in place, including that the babies cannot be spoken too or comforted. When babies start dying off, Johanna kidnaps one of the babies and fleas to Amsterdam.This was a very short book. Everything seemed a bit to easy for Johanna, and she did not run into any significant problems while fleeing with the child. I also thought the characters were a bit flat and one-dimensional. Overall, I thought the premise of the book was interesting, but it did not live up to my expectations.

[lailasmum · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book and it was a quick undemanding read. The story revolves around 14 year old Johanna who gets a job at a rather unusual orphanage and then goes on to follow her struggle to rescue one of the orphans. It touches on Johanna's guilt at hiding her faith and dealing with the the repurcussions when those around her find out she is Jewish. In an limited way shows the anti semitism of the time but without really exploring any of the background to it in any depth. I think early teens will like this book, although it doesn't go into anything very deeply and ends rather abruptly so may be frustrating for some readers wanting a more meaningful read. I would quite happily read an adult version of this book with far more historical detail and following the story through to a more natural conclusion.

[evelynbernard · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Johanna is a fourteen year old Jewish girl who lives in Hamburg, Germany in the beginning of the 18th century. This book is written from her perspective. The story begins when Johanna applies for and gets a job as a baby minder in an orphanage. She must pretend not to be Jewish and she must follow strict guidelines when caring for the babies as they are part of an "experiment". Eventually, as the babies start to die she takes one and flees with her to Amsterdam where Jews are given full citizenship and rights.Any of these three topics would have made for an interesting book. Unfortunately, by attempting to deal with all three topics, the author stopped just short of satisfying me and my 14 year old niece. What was life like for Jews in Hamburg of the 1700's? I'm not quite sure.Who was behind the "experiment" in the orphanage and why? I'm not quite sure.The flight dealt with the plague, anti-Semitism, a robbery, a rescue, a sea voyage to another country - all glossed over without satisfying detail.The book left me wanting more.I would recommend this book for 10 - 12 year olds as an introduction to 18th century Jewish life and hope that it would pique their interest in learning more about any of these subjects.