This book brings together the horrifying real life stories of women who woke up one day and were not who they thought they were. The government changed and they suddenly no longer had the right kind of blood, the right name, the right family background, the right physical features to be considered a member of society, city of state. These stories are from German women who were part of a Jewish-Christian 'mixed marriage' and were subsequently persecuted under the Nuremberg laws. Hitler called them 'mischling' - half-breeds, however they have often been passed over in studies of the Holocaust - perhaps because they are often not considered 'real Jews'. But these women are still struggling with the nightmares of the Third Reich and the Holocaust, the loss of family in concentration camps, and with their own identity - divided between their Jewish and Christian roots. Often their Jewish background was revealed to them only after Hitler's laws were passed. These are the narratives of eight women who remained in Germany, struggling to reclaim their German heritage and their cultural and religious identity. The narratives are compelling and sensitively written, addressing questions of cultural and ethnic identity.
'Divided Lives is a well-written, intelligent must-read.' - John E. Dolibois, US Ambassador
'I believe in personal testimonies as you do - they have no equal in their weight of truth and memory.' - Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
'...the voices and stories she collects have not been heard in such detail before and are a welcome addition to Holocaust and Jewish studies.' - Publishers Weekly
'Gives a voice to the neglected Mischlings (half-breeds) and provides a significant record of both wartime and postwar Germany.' - Kirkus Reviews
'...deeply human, nonconventional view of the Nazi time and of particular women's destinies. Opens new questions.' - Agnieszka Holland, Director of Academy Award-Nominated Europa, Europa and Angry Harvest
'Crane allows the voices of the victims to shape their own history, and therefore offers an important contribution to Holocaust studies'. - Marion Kaplan, Queens College, CUNY
'Divided Lives is a well-written, intelligent must-read. - John E. Dolibois, US Ambassador
'I believe in personal testimonies as you do - they have no equal in their weight of truth and memory.' - Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
'...the voices and stories she collects have not been heard in such detail before and are a welcome addition to Holocaust and Jewish studies.' - Publishers Weekly
'...Crane's project is a welcome addition to such a timely and sensitive topic...' - Caroline Schaumann
Introduction
Ingeborg Hecht
Ingrid Wecker
Ruth Yost
Ruth Wilmschen
Ursula Randt
Ilse B.
Gretel Lorenzen
Sigrid Lorenzen
Margot Wetzel
Ursula Bosselmann
CYNTHIA A. CRANE is Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Cincinnati, USA.
Description
This book brings together the horrifying real life stories of women who woke up one day and were not who they thought they were. The government changed and they suddenly no longer had the right kind of blood, the right name, the right family background, the right physical features to be considered a member of society, city of state. These stories are from German women who were part of a Jewish-Christian 'mixed marriage' and were subsequently persecuted under the Nuremberg laws. Hitler called them 'mischling' - half-breeds, however they have often been passed over in studies of the Holocaust - perhaps because they are often not considered 'real Jews'. But these women are still struggling with the nightmares of the Third Reich and the Holocaust, the loss of family in concentration camps, and with their own identity - divided between their Jewish and Christian roots. Often their Jewish background was revealed to them only after Hitler's laws were passed. These are the narratives of eight women who remained in Germany, struggling to reclaim their German heritage and their cultural and religious identity. The narratives are compelling and sensitively written, addressing questions of cultural and ethnic identity.
Reviews
'Divided Lives is a well-written, intelligent must-read.' - John E. Dolibois, US Ambassador
'I believe in personal testimonies as you do - they have no equal in their weight of truth and memory.' - Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
'...the voices and stories she collects have not been heard in such detail before and are a welcome addition to Holocaust and Jewish studies.' - Publishers Weekly
'Gives a voice to the neglected Mischlings (half-breeds) and provides a significant record of both wartime and postwar Germany.' - Kirkus Reviews
'...deeply human, nonconventional view of the Nazi time and of particular women's destinies. Opens new questions.' - Agnieszka Holland, Director of Academy Award-Nominated Europa, Europa and Angry Harvest
'Crane allows the voices of the victims to shape their own history, and therefore offers an important contribution to Holocaust studies'. - Marion Kaplan, Queens College, CUNY
'Divided Lives is a well-written, intelligent must-read. - John E. Dolibois, US Ambassador
'I believe in personal testimonies as you do - they have no equal in their weight of truth and memory.' - Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
'...the voices and stories she collects have not been heard in such detail before and are a welcome addition to Holocaust and Jewish studies.' - Publishers Weekly
'...Crane's project is a welcome addition to such a timely and sensitive topic...' - Caroline Schaumann
Contents
Introduction
Ingeborg Hecht
Ingrid Wecker
Ruth Yost
Ruth Wilmschen
Ursula Randt
Ilse B.
Gretel Lorenzen
Sigrid Lorenzen
Margot Wetzel
Ursula Bosselmann
Authors
CYNTHIA A. CRANE is Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Cincinnati, USA.
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