The Berlin Shadow
Living with the Ghosts of the Kindertransport
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A deeply moving memoir that confronts the defining trauma of the twentieth century, and its effects on a father and son.
In 1939, Jonathan Lichtenstein's father Hans escaped Nazi-occupied Berlin as a child refugee on the Kindertransport. Almost every member of his family died after Kristallnacht, and, upon arriving in England to make his way in the world alone, Hans turned his back on his German Jewish culture.
Growing up in post-war rural Wales where the conflict was never spoken of, Jonathan and his siblings were at a loss to understand their father's relentless drive and sometimes eccentric behavior. As Hans enters old age, he and Jonathan set out to retrace his journey back to Berlin.
Written with tenderness and grace, The Berlin Shadow is a highly compelling story about time, trauma, family, and a father and son's attempt to emerge from the shadows of history.
Customer Reviews
Excellent book
Book 2 for 2021! One of the best books I’ve read. I’d definitely give it 5 stars. It’s about a man who takes his father back to Germany. They retrace his steps from Germany to England when he was on the Kinder transport! They saved many Jewish children who made significant contributions to British life. Four of his peers on the train became Nobel Prize winners. It’s definitely a must read.