My Father's Country: The Story of a German Family"I enjoyed "My Father's Country" intensely. What an extraordinary story. I was spellbound by the history of Wibke Bruhns' grandparents' and parents' lives. What astonishing people her parents, in particular, were, in their different ways - and how richly and accurately they documented their lives and feelings. They left a great fortune for you to find. In the final stages, as the terrible finale approaches, I was almost too moved and appalled to go on reading - but also too moved and appalled to stop. I bought the book because I'd so much admired Bruhn's journalism; I couldn't have guessed, though, what a treasure I was opening"--Michael Frayn. 'A fascinating blend of private chronicle, contemporary history and a personal search for identity' - "Der Spiegel". 'A sensational book, which almost effortlessly answers the crucial question [about the Third Reich]: How did it come to this?' - "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung". 'A heart-rending, brave, utterly convincing book. You cannot read it without being moved to the core' - In August 1944, Hans Georg Klamroth was executed for his part in the 20 July plot to assassinate Hitler. Wibke Bruhns, his youngest daughter, was six years old at the time. Decades later, watching a documentary about the events of 20 July, images of her father in the Third Reich People's Court appeared on the screen - and she realises she never knew him. In "My Father's Country", Bruhns tells of her search for her father. Returning to her ancestral home in Halberstadt, Northern Germany, she retraces her family's story from Kaiser Wilhelm to the end of World War Two, discovering old photographs, letters and diaries, which she uses to piece together a unique and unforgettable family epic. |
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Abwehr air raid Albrecht von Hagen army Barbara battle Berlin Bernhard Bismarckplatz called child children's diary Christmas Cläreliese Command course Cuirassiers Curaçao Danish daughter death Denmark Eastern Front Else's Erich Ludendorff everything father fatherland feel Freikorps friends front Führer Georg German Gestapo goes Grodno guests Halberstadt Hamburg hand Hans Litten happy HG writes HG's HG's diary Hindenburg Hitler honour horses I.G. Klamroth Jewish Jews Jochen July Kaiser Königsberg Kurt's later letters living look Ludendorff Magdeburg March military morning mother murder National Nazis never night NSDAP once parents Party peace Pleskau Plötzensee Ravelin Ravelin Horn regiment Reich Reich School Reichstag riding Russian Siegfried soldiers Stieff there's things town troops turn Ursula wedding weeks Wehrmacht whole wife Wismar Wolf's Lair worries Yorck young