Motherland: Beyond the Holocaust: A Mother-Daughter Journey to Reclaim the PastA moving account of a mother and daughter who visit Germany to face the Holocaust tragedy that has caused their family decades of intergenerational trauma, from the author of Brothers, Sisters, Strangers Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award In 1938, when Edith Westerfeld was twelve, her parents sent her from Germany to America to escape the Nazis. Edith survived, but most of her family perished in the death camps. Unable to cope with the loss of her family and homeland, Edith closed the door on her past, refusing to discuss even the smallest details. Fifty-four years later, when the void of her childhood was consuming both her and her family, she returned to Stockstadt with her grown daughter Fern. For Edith the trip was a chance to reconnect and reconcile with her past; for Fern it was a chance to learn what lay behind her mother's silent grief. Together, they found a town that had dramatically changed on the surface, but which hid guilty secrets and lived in enduring denial. On their journey, Fern and her mother shared many extraordinary encounters with the townspeople and—more importantly—with one another, closing the divide that had long stood between them. Motherland is a story of learning to face the past, of remembering and honoring while looking forward and letting go. It is an account of the Holocaust’s lingering grip on its witnesses; it is also a loving story of mothers and daughters, roots, understanding, and, ultimately, healing. |
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adds American answer baby begin breath building calls changed child close continues couldn't dark daughter didn't door Edith everything eyes face father feel felt Finally front gave German girl give glass grandmother graves hand Hans happened head hear heard hold hope It's Jewish Jews Jürgen keep knew leave letter lived looks lost mean memory Mina mind mother mother says Nazis never notice once parents past picks picture play points pull question remember says seems side smile someone stand Stockstadt stops story street suppose sure talk tell things thought told took town trip trying turns understand voice wait walk watch week Westerfeld window woman wonder