Elizabeth Bellak (née Ari­ana Spiegel) was born in 1930 in Staw­ki, Poland. She was a prominent child actress, known as the “Shirley Temple of Poland.”

‍

Ariana and her older sister Renia were visiting their grandparents in the town of Przemyśl when the Nazi invasion began. Renia was killed, but Ariana survived and made her way to Warsaw. Ariana was baptized and given the name “Elzbieta.” With her new identity, she was then cast in an acting role as a Catholic girl at a convent school.

‍

Following the war, Elzbieta came to New York and began teaching. Incredibly, she was able to find her sister Renia’s wartime diary, full of the family’s experiences and reflections, many years later. St. Martin’s Press published it in 2019 as Renia’s Diary and it became an international bestseller.