Escape and Return : Memories of Nazi Germany

by Fritz Ottenheimer

Book Overview

In the course of gripping anecdotes, the author describes his life as a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany, as a young immigrant in the Bronx, as a G.I. fighting against his former fatherland, and as a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0970427700
• ISBN13: 9780970427700
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Morris Pub
• Length: 167 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful, Well Writtten & Very Readable

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a reader of many Holocaust/World War II books, I am very impressed with Mr. Ottenheimers well written story. He made his family & other characters come alive for the reader & made us care for them & cry for them. It is an event in our history that must never be forgotten & it must happen "NEVER AGAIN."

History - the interesting way

WWII is an interesting but sad topic. Many books have been written about it. This, Mr. Ottenheimer's book, is a combination of most of them. As a native of Konstanz, Germany, he gives us very accurate information about the living condition before and during the coming crisis. He could escape to the USA shortly before Germany invaded Poland. Later he returned as a member of the US Army. This gives him the unique possibility to see the war from both sides. He wrote about everything you could imagine: Life in pre-war-Germany, war-refugees in the USA, military training, military engagement in Europe and even about his relation with people from the old continent. Living in Switzerland (I just got 20), very close to Konstanz, it was very interesting to read about that nearby town. Too many things have never been said. I would recommend that book to everyone to read for it is unlike any other auto-biography. It reads so easily like a novel (not too difficult for foreign speakers neither). You hardly can put it away, it is so captivating.

A Must Read

Mr. Ottenheimer has written an extremely insightful book about the events leading directly up to the Holocaust, the Allies drive to push Nazism out of Europe at the end of the war, and the restoration of normalcy in Europe after the war - all events that the author experienced first hand. The book also reflects upon how this era is addressed in the schools and teachings in Germany today and even parallels events of that era to world politics in our era. This book is extremely well-written and easy to read. I strongly recommend it for anyone interested in history.

A Moving, Personal Look Into A Tragic Episode of History.

Escape and Return is the memoir of a life defined by the tragic, great force of World War II and the Holocaust. Written in a direct, chronological style, Fritz Ottenheimer's story takes you through a dark period in human history while taking you through his own life; a life filled with the tragedy of families and communities decimated, but also with triumphs, love and, yes, laughter. While not attempting to be an exhaustive study of WW II or the Holocaust, Mr. Ottenheimer's book has plenty of direct, first-hand information on everything from pre-war life in small German towns, to his own personal experience as a U.S. soldier assigned to Germany at the moment of Nazi defeat;the irony of his return a mere 6 years after fleeing Hitler and setting to the job of "de-Nazification" of his prior homeland is a riveting and deeply moving story. While the title of the book is Escape and Return, there are actually more "returns" in later years as Fritz Ottenheimer returned on his own personal journey to the town and land of his birth,where he was welcomed back and invited to tell his story to a new generation as well as his ongoing efforts for personal reconciliation. This book,(which has also been published in Germany) reads like an oral history, suitable for adults and teens(paired with the Ann Frank story as supplemental readings for WWII history) who want to learn more about this "black hole of history." (Ottenheimer's words.)