The author, Svenja O''Donnell, tells the story of her search for her great-grandparents, grandmother, and mother's lives in Germany, East Prussia, and Denmark from the rise of Hitler to the end of World War II and a little beyond. Her grandmother, Inge, was an only child of Albert and Frieda Wiegandt, a well-to-do family in Koingsberg. Albert was a wine merchant. Inge goes to Berlin to get an education where she meets Gisela and Wolfgang von Schimmelmann and their mother Dorothea and goes to live with them. The story proceeds from there as Inge falls in love with Wolfgang, he is sent to Germany's Eastern Front and she returns to her parents where she gives birth to Beatrice, the author's mother. The family does not flee Konigsberg until the very last moment when the Russians are taking over East Prussia. This book is footnoted and has a bibliography and index. ( )

I am puzzled as to why I felt uncomfortable with this book. I did not find it boring, or hard to keep reading. The pictures, mostly family ones were the best part of the book. They made me ask more questions that will never be answered. Inge tells her granddaughter something that would be very important if I was writing the book but it is placed out there without any explanation and the book never comes back to it. Inge's father buys a house from a Jewish fleeing Germany at the last moment and Inge says that she hopes that her father gave the man a fair price. That is tied to the important thing that Inge told her granddaughter. It is a clue but is it enough?

It was interesting that Inge's family lived in a more isolated part of Germany, some in that area were disappointed that Hitler did not die of the assassination attempt but silently though "If only". That region identified with being East Prussia more than Germany. Also, I did not realize that the young people in Germany were enticed by jazz and swing. Goebbels thought Germany could create its own swing, Charley and His Orchestra. The music was America tunes with Nazi lyrics. It did not go over well with Hitler but Churchill was amused by it.

One of major thoughts by the author was that she felt guilty researching and reading her families letters, that it was their story to tell. I had a similar feeling when after my mother died, reading my mother's and father's letters (a whole suitcase of them). I felt like I was intruding. That is one of the hazards of writing a family history so close in time. Maybe that is the reason that I feel uncomfortable reading this book.

I received a fini I am puzzled as to why I felt uncomfortable with this book. I did not find it boring, or hard to keep reading. The pictures, mostly family ones were the best part of the book. They made me ask more questions that will never be answered. Inge tells her granddaughter something that would be very important if I was writing the book but it is placed out there without any explanation and the book never comes back to it. Inge's father buys a house from a Jewish fleeing Germany at the last moment and Inge says that she hopes that her father gave the man a fair price. That is tied to the important thing that Inge told her granddaughter. It is a clue but is it enough?

It was interesting that Inge's family lived in a more isolated part of Germany, some in that area were disappointed that Hitler did not die of the assassination attempt but silently though "If only". That region identified with being East Prussia more than Germany. Also, I did not realize that the young people in Germany were enticed by jazz and swing. Goebbels thought Germany could create its own swing, Charley and His Orchestra. The music was America tunes with Nazi lyrics. It did not go over well with Hitler but Churchill was amused by it.

One of major thoughts by the author was that she felt guilty researching and reading her families letters, that it was their story to tell. I had a similar feeling when after my mother died, reading my mother's and father's letters (a whole suitcase of them). I felt like I was intruding. That is one of the hazards of writing a family history so close in time. Maybe that is the reason that I feel uncomfortable reading this book.

I received a fini I am puzzled as to why I felt uncomfortable with this book. I did not find it boring, or hard to keep reading. The pictures, mostly family ones were the best part of the book. They made me ask more questions that will never be answered. Inge tells her granddaughter something that would be very important if I was writing the book but it is placed out there without any explanation and the book never comes back to it. Inge's father buys a house from a Jewish fleeing Germany at the last moment and Inge says that she hopes that her father gave the man a fair price. That is tied to the important thing that Inge told her granddaughter. It is a clue but is it enough?

It was interesting that Inge's family lived in a more isolated part of Germany, some in that area were disappointed that Hitler did not die of the assassination attempt but silently though "If only". That region identified with being East Prussia more than Germany. Also, I did not realize that the young people in Germany were enticed by jazz and swing. Goebbels thought Germany could create its own swing, Charley and His Orchestra. The music was America tunes with Nazi lyrics. It did not go over well with Hitler but Churchill was amused by it.

One of major thoughts by the author was that she felt guilty researching and reading her families letters, that it was their story to tell. I had a similar feeling when after my mother died, reading my mother's and father's letters (a whole suitcase of them). I felt like I was intruding. That is one of the hazards of writing a family history so close in time. Maybe that is the reason that I feel uncomfortable reading this book.

I received a fini I am puzzled as to why I felt uncomfortable with this book. I did not find it boring, or hard to keep reading. The pictures, mostly family ones were the best part of the book. They made me ask more questions that will never be answered. Inge tells her granddaughter something that would be very important if I was writing the book but it is placed out there without any explanation and the book never comes back to it. Inge's father buys a house from a Jewish fleeing Germany at the last moment and Inge says that she hopes that her father gave the man a fair price. That is tied to the important thing that Inge told her granddaughter. It is a clue but is it enough?

It was interesting that Inge's family lived in a more isolated part of Germany, some in that area were disappointed that Hitler did not die of the assassination attempt but silently though "If only". That region identified with being East Prussia more than Germany. Also, I did not realize that the young people in Germany were enticed by jazz and swing. Goebbels thought Germany could create its own swing, Charley and His Orchestra. The music was America tunes with Nazi lyrics. It did not go over well with Hitler but Churchill was amused by it.

One of major thoughts by the author was that she felt guilty researching and reading her families letters, that it was their story to tell. I had a similar feeling when after my mother died, reading my mother's and father's letters (a whole suitcase of them). I felt like I was intruding. That is one of the hazards of writing a family history so close in time. Maybe that is the reason that I feel uncomfortable reading this book.

I received a fini I am puzzled as to why I felt uncomfortable with this book. I did not find it boring, or hard to keep reading. The pictures, mostly family ones were the best part of the book. They made me ask more questions that will never be answered. Inge tells her granddaughter something that would be very important if I was writing the book but it is placed out there without any explanation and the book never comes back to it. Inge's father buys a house from a Jewish fleeing Germany at the last moment and Inge says that she hopes that her father gave the man a fair price. That is tied to the important thing that Inge told her granddaughter. It is a clue but is it enough?

It was interesting that Inge's family lived in a more isolated part of Germany, some in that area were disappointed that Hitler did not die of the assassination attempt but silently though "If only". That region identified with being East Prussia more than Germany. Also, I did not realize that the young people in Germany were enticed by jazz and swing. Goebbels thought Germany could create its own swing, Charley and His Orchestra. The music was America tunes with Nazi lyrics. It did not go over well with Hitler but Churchill was amused by it.

One of major thoughts by the author was that she felt guilty researching and reading her families letters, that it was their story to tell. I had a similar feeling when after my mother died, reading my mother's and father's letters (a whole suitcase of them). I felt like I was intruding. That is one of the hazards of writing a family history so close in time. Maybe that is the reason that I feel uncomfortable reading this book.

I received a I am puzzled as to why I felt uncomfortable with this book. I did not find it boring, or hard to keep reading. The pictures, mostly family ones were the best part of the book. They made me ask more questions that will never be answered. Inge tells her granddaughter something that would be very important if I was writing the book but it is placed out there without any explanation and the book never comes back to it. Inge's father buys a house from a Jewish fleeing Germany at the last moment and Inge says that she hopes that her father gave the man a fair price. That is tied to the important thing that Inge told her granddaughter. It is a clue but is it enough?

It was interesting that Inge's family lived in a more isolated part of Germany, some in that area were disappointed that Hitler did not die of the assassination attempt but silently though "If only". That region identified with being East Prussia more than Germany. Also, I did not realize that the young people in Germany were enticed by jazz and swing. Goebbels thought Germany could create its own swing, Charley and His Orchestra. The music was America tunes with Nazi lyrics. It did not go over well with Hitler but Churchill was amused by it.

One of major thoughts by the author was that she felt guilty researching and reading her families letters, that it was their story to tell. I had a similar feeling when after my mother died, reading my mother's and father's letters (a whole suitcase of them). I felt like I was intruding. That is one of the hazards of writing a family history so close in time. Maybe that is the reason that I feel uncomfortable reading this book.

I received a finished copy of this book from the publisher as a win from FirstReads. My thoughts and views in this review are entirely my own. ( )