Ashes and Diamonds

Ashes and Diamonds (Polish original: Popiół i diament, literally: Ash and Diamond) is a 1948 novel by the Polish writer Jerzy Andrzejewski. The story takes place during the last few days of World War II in Europe, and describes the political and moral dilemmas associated with the soon to be suppressed Anti-communist resistance in Poland (1944–1946). The protagonist Maciek is a soldier in the underground anti-communist Polish army assigned to kill the Communist Szczuka. The story follows Maciek's and other characters' actions in those ominous days.