Escaping War: Our Journey to Freedom

By John Bimshas

During World War II Lithuania was caught between two adversarial powers: the Soviets and the Nazis. The country was first occupied by the Soviets, then by the Nazis and in each case its citizens were oppressed and frequently in danger. This is the story of one family's experiences both during occupation and later when fleeing for personal safety carrying meager possessions as they abandoned their old life. The family of four consisted of the parents and their two young children, Gert and John. The story is told by the younger of the two children, John, who makes clear throughout that his father was the hero of the piece. They traveled alone at times, and at other times were joined by fellow refugees. John's father was a natural leader who guided his group skillfully through harrowing situations. The major events of World War II are well documented but there is value in reading this kind of human interest story. John and his family were eye witnesses to profound acts of cruelty which he details in the memoir and which remain etched in his mind many decades later. The family spent years in various displaced persons camps. Stories from those years make vivid the daily life of refugees. These were people caught up in the events of their time, with little control over where and with whom they would live. It is a story of survival. How they survived, and the eventual outcome, makes for gripping reading.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1983678015
• ISBN13: 9781983678011
• Release Date: February 2018
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 142 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"