Daughter of the Reich audiobook

Wissen ist macht --------------------------------------- Is there anyone who is truly as they appear? In 1929, when Herta Heinrich (Hetty) is seven years old, she falls off a jetty into a lake while on a family outing. Her older brother Karl’s friend comes to the rescue, pulling Hetty from the water before she can drown. I finally gather the courage to look directly at Walter. His wavy blond hair is half dry, half wet. He’s saying something to Karl, but then he turns and looks at me and his face breaks into a smile. His eyes are the warmest, kindest blue. The story picks up four years later, from which point we follow Hetty’s travails from pre-adolescence to early adulthood as Germany goes through a radical change. Louise Fein - image from her Twitter pix How could anyone possibly have supported Adolph Hitler? What kind of monster must any supporter have been to go along with the rank madness of the Nazi Party? One major element was the impact of relentless propaganda on impressionable minds. My original plan had been to write the book from the Jewish experience. But the more I learned, the more I wanted to understand the mindset of the Nazis. How could a people, a deeply civilized, democratic nation, become so unbelievably cruel; to de-humanise one another, and commit atrocities on such an unimaginable scale? The more I read, the more I realised that what I wanted to say could perhaps be more powerfully told if I were to climb inside the head of a Nazi. To tell the tale of someone young, who was fed a twisted ideology, taught hatred from day one. Someone who knew no other way. What could possibly change their outlook, when it went so against everything their family and the society around them believed? - from Why I Wrote This Book on Fein’s website Hetty is molded by the messages that pervade her world. We follow her through the stages of her exposure, both to the party messaging and, later, to alternate perspectives. When she pets a neighbor’s cute dog, her mother is horrified, warning her that she must not talk to those “Dirty pigs, Jews.” Her father is an SS officer charged with using a local newspaper to spread propaganda. Hetty does not really understand what this is about, but eventually Vati spells it out for her, …there is no such thing as news per se. News is power, wrapped in a message, presented, told and retold. With this newspaper…I have the power to put into the world what I want, and in the way I would have the masses understand. Do you realize what supremacy, what authority that gives me? It might remind folks of a quote from Roger Ailes, Truth is whatever people will believe. Nazi radio is de rigeur in the Heinrich household, with Hitler’s speeches a major highlight. Hetty has so incorporated the ethos of Hitler uber alles that she harbors an inner Fuhrer, a dark conscience of sorts, who speaks to her when she is faced with difficult choices. This is heightened when she attends a major party event and sees Hitler himself. It is very reminiscent of the Hitler projection in the film Jojo Rabbit. Hetty’s brother Karl is an eager member of the Hitler Jungen. Hetty becomes a member of the BDM, or Bund Deutscher Mädel, The League of German Girls. This is intended to mold young German females into compliant brood mares for the manufacture of more Nazis, and supportive hausfraus for Nazi officers. Not exactly what Hetty has in mind for her future. Having helped her mother with a home for war veterans, she feels powerfully drawn to becoming a doctor. The Nazi world is not receptive to such dreams, even if her motivation is to help the Reich. Image from emaze.comHetty is no paragon. She buys in to the insanity, behaving in ways that make us cringe. But is this because she is a bad person, or because she doesn’t know any better? She is, after all, rather young. But as events progress, she is exposed to alternate perspectives. The major push in this direction is when she becomes reacquainted with her young savior, Walter, now a handsome young man. Hetty had been smitten with Walter since that fateful day, and cannot accept that all the awful things she has been taught about Jews could possibly be true, given that Walter is Jewish. Capulet, meet Montague, and the challenge is on. What can one, or two people do when faced with such an overwhelmingly dark social force? Her struggle, and education, intensify once they find each other, bolstered by her gaining the insight that knowledge is power. I didn’t set out to write a love story per se, but in thinking about what would change someone’s thinking, when they had been so thoroughly and successfully groomed into the perfect Nazi, what could possibly change their mind? Realistically, the answer had to be love. - from the BusyWords interviewHypocrisy is, of course, rampant, and Hetty begins to see past the images to the reality, both in people close to her and in the wider political context. There are others for whom their façade is not of the two-faced, hypocritical sort, but cover, necessary for survival. Makes it tough to take anyone at face value, and very difficult to know who one can trust.The story is told in a linear narrative, from Hetty’s point of view, no back and forth time jumps, and only occasional takes from other characters, via correspondence. Fein gives Hetty a journal to ease the expression of thoughts and feelings her young heroine might have, but which would be tough to deliver in dialogue. We get a feel for the time and place, see some of the nuts and bolts of how extremist racist views are promoted and then implemented in the real world. References are made to the camps, but we are spared the worst of that. Krystallnacht, and the planning that lead up to it, are shown with chilling effectiveness. Local residents watch the burning of the ceremonial hall at the Jewish cemetery in Graz during Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass). Graz, Austria, November 9-10, 1938 – image from History CollectionFein has a personal connection to the story. He father was a German Jew from Leipzig. I always wanted to write something about my father’s background because I knew so little about it. He died when I was seventeen and I never really got a chance to speak with him about it. - from her People Like Us book launch videoWhile she knew that she wanted to write a book of fiction, she also had to do considerable research to get the details of the place and time right. Street names, for instance, often changed within the timeframe of the novel. I had the benefit of a large collection of family papers, including contemporaneous diaries, photos, letters, official documents etc, all of which are now lodged with the University of Sussex’s Centre of German-Jewish Studies. This was a rich resource of contemporaneous lives, told in the raw, with no benefit of hindsight, no retrospective view through the filter of history.- from the BusyWords interviewA particular theme that comes through is the powerless of women. It was very clear that even if Hetty loved and admired Hitler, and wanted to serve the nation, there were only certain sorts of services that were available to her. This is also reflected in her dealings with male peers, including her brother, who tend to dismiss her opinions and perceptions as delusional. But some people find ways to get around the craziness. The relationships she has are complicated, with her mother, with her friend Erna, a male friend who becomes a suitor, with Walter, and with the family staff. These were handled quite well, making Hetty a believable character, and far more than a BDM Stepford teen. Her growth and education are credible, as is her susceptibility to massive, pervasive, evil propaganda. The portrayals of males, per se, in the book seemed more black-and-white-ish, than those of the females, who were more fully realized. And, of course, the romance is both wonderful and fraught. The book is a bit long but reads fast, so don’t be put off by that. In short, Daughter of the Reich is a marvelous, moving account of a relatable, vulnerable person during a period of great upheaval and madness, a young woman coming of age in a dark time. It offers a first person look at the events of the 1930s, without the hindsight with which we now see that era. It is deeply moving, as well as disturbing, reminding us just how the forces of darkness go about turning off all the lights, in history and today. It is a lesson worth remembering, and Hetty’s story (the sorrows of young Herta?) helps keep that lesson brightly lit in our minds.Review posted – May 22, 2020Publication date – May 12, 2020 – US - hardcoverThe novel is titled People Like Us in the UK, Australia and NZ and as De Dochter van De Nazi in The Netherlands=============================EXTRA STUFFLinks to the author’s personal, Twitter and FB pagesInterviews-----Author Stories - Episode 877 | Louise Fein Interview by Hank Garner – audio – 27:59 – begin at 2:30-----Busywords -Meet Louise Fein by Edward James-----Virtual launch event:Part 2- Louise Fein (Daughter of the Reich) with Meg Waite ClaytonItems of Interest----- A brief video intro to the book by the author -----Louise Fein’s - People Like Us Book Launch - video – 59:45 - start at 14:00-----Louise Fein - Why I Wrote This Book - from her website-----Yad Vashem - From the Testimony of Hillel Shechter about Jewish Life in Leipzig During the 1930’s -----The League of German Girls-----E-maze – a slideshow on The Hitler Youth

How was it possible for Hitler to lure masses of people to follow his extreme views? After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles forced Germans to pay war reparations, which had crushing effects on economy and humiliating effects on patriotic Germans. Hitler, a mesmerizing public speaker, blamed all bad things on Jews and communist minorities, claiming they were trying to take over the world. With worldwide economic depression and high unemployment, he put blame on the ineffectiveness of democratic government, thus calling for a New Order, promising to restore prosperity for all with no class divisions. Most of this story is set within the two years preceding WWII, giving a glimpse into how humans in dire situation can be manipulated and pushed into doing atrocities. The story is set in Leipzig and begins in 1933, quickly moving to 1937, giving a glimpse at what is happening in Germany during those years. Hetty’s family has just moved to a new big house, where previous tenants left their furniture and artwork. She is almost twelve years old. Her father is a high-ranking SS officer and she doesn’t understand what is happening. She just knows that they don’t go to church any longer as Herr Himmler wouldn’t like it. She dreams of being a doctor and now to her surprise she finds out that as a woman she can’t be a doctor, rather she needs to learn obedience and concentrate on home things. As Hitler promises “a brilliant future with no more poverty; no more class divisions. Just one, great, unified nation which will be the envy of all the world.”Those who refuse to join SA recruitment go hungry, because they lose current jobs and can’t get another one. Those who are unwanted get charged with false crimes and are being convicted.At schools, talks of population projections take big part. “A population of the best: the fittest, bravest, most beautiful, cleverest, and robust. The epitome of Darwin’s theory. A people who will be superior in every way and who must spread their influence throughout the world.” “A newspaper, (…) is a powerful weapon. (…) it is our duty to shape the opinion of the masses and ensure the Fatherland’s values and best interests are always in the forefront of people’s minds.”Hetty almost at the age of sixteen still struggles to make sense of this all. Her brother’s best friend, Walter, got shunned and she secretly is in love with him. He paints a touching picture for her what it means to be German. He paints a straightforward picture for her how differently Jews are being treated, pretty much cornered and left without provisions for livelihood. When she still struggles, he challenges her and her beliefs. He encourages her to be whatever she wants to be and not to follow others directions who limit her position in society and not expect to use her mind. He tells her of other countries where she can study medicine as a woman. She slowly starts realizing that there is another side to this story, to the world that has surrounded her. It takes Hetty time to mature, but giving the circumstances she is a believable character. This story brings a vivid portrayal of distraction of lives, of feeding lies – one thing being said when in reality opposite is being done; of feeding hatred that pushes one man to commit horrible atrocities against another man that is even unbearable to think about. Engagingly written. It is a heartbreaking story with a very poignant message.“How could a people, a deeply civilized, democratic nation, become so unbelievably cruel; to de-humanise one another, and commit atrocities on such an unimaginable scale?” Don’t take your freedom and rights for granted and don’t let it slip away from you. Learn the lessons of the past.Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook, synced ebook .....audio-narrated by Marisa Catlin (she does a great job)...Debut Pre WWII historical fiction novel.......1930’s Nazi Germany; war threats on the rise. ...560 pages or 14 hrs and 52 minutes long as an audiobook. ... This story was inspired by the author’s family.Hetty Heinrich is German 🙍‍♀️Walter Keller is Jewish 🙎‍♂️...Forbidden love is on the rise. 👩‍❤️‍👨...Sappy, readable....mostly predictable, with a couple of tidbit surprises. .... hundreds of books are similar. ( painful experiences, people suffered, horrific atrocities, with an emotional ending). ....but it feels like we’ve read this exact story ‘many’ times. however....I felt the sappy, happy, sad, sad, happy ending as much as the next reader. I wasn’t completely a cold turd. The epilogue was affecting with a little punch to to gut ... which could create teary-eyes in many. ... the writing was a little flowery ..... and the plot lines cliche. ... the romance-desperation was a little trite and overdone. ...THAT SAID........The subject was sad...( a Nazi Germany story is stamped with ‘official sadness’)....based on a true story. So my appreciation for the author is there, too. ...The storytelling had high moments and mediocre moments. If you LOVED “The Nightingale”, by Kristen Hannah .... and enjoyed Hannah’s writing....then you’ll probably love this book, too. But...if things bothered you in Hannah’s book, like exaggeration melodrama...then this book might feel like a ‘style re-visit’ when reading “Daughter of The Reich”. Please note... I didn’t hate this novel. I can understand readers engrossed - transported - engaged - and moved....invested in the characters lives, their trial and tribulations... rooting for their survival and happiness. I did a little of these things too...But... I admit to being a little jaded. It took too long to tell - a story of which 80% I’ve read dozens plus times before. ( even from the point of view being German as opposed to being Jewish).....‘not’ a first pony ride. In the hands of the right reader... this book will be 5 stars. 3.5 to a slim 4 star rating, from me.

Daughter of the Reich takes place in Germany during the 1930’s, life is good for the Heinrich family and they have just moved into a beautiful house in Leipzig. Hetty's father is a busy man, Hetty, her mother and her brother Karl don’t question what the head of the household is up to, he works hard for their family and very long days. Hetty attends school at the local gymnasium, here she’s taught what every teenage German girl needs to know, the curriculum has been changed and it’s all about making Germany great again and they're being brainwashed. Hetty starts to have doubts, she maybe a spoiled teenage girl, but she can’t understand why Jewish people are being treated so badly and she knows some nice Jewish families. Hetty almost drowned when she was eight her brother’s best friend Walter saved her and he is Jewish. But Karl, cuts all ties with Walter, his childhood friend is shunned and he’s no longer welcome at their house. Hetty also learns the shocking truth about her father’s job he’s working for the SS and how he obtained the house the family is living in. The brown shirts start targeting innocent Jewish people, including children and older people. Their property is taken from them, they are bashed in the street, publicly humiliated, charged a fortune to try to get a passport and to leave the country. It’s very interesting to read about the German perspective as they head towards fighting in another world war, its scary what they think is necessary and right.Hitler had a plan for human progression, it’s not just Jewish people he wanted to eliminate, he wanted to create a super race, of pure Aryan blood, he believed this will stop crime, hereditary diseases, insanity and create scientific advancement. Hetty is horrified to discover her father also believes this, he thinks Hetty should marry a German man and produce perfect blond haired blue eyed pure Aryan babies. Hetty has major issues with what her father wants her to do, she hopes to finish school and dreams of being a doctor, she doesn’t want to be used as a German brood mare and she has fallen in love with Walter, he's Jewish and every time they meet they risk being arrested.I couldn’t stop reading Daughter of The Reich, the book is very different to other WW II historical fiction I have read and I really liked it. The story is about two young people trying to go against the Nazi tide, finding the courage to keep going as they fight to survive and try desperately to be together. I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review, five stars from me, and I have shared my review on Goodreads, Amazon Australia, Kobo, Edelweiss, Twitter and my blog. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/

Hetty Heinrich is the daughter of a high ranking SS officer, her mother and older brother Karl have just moved from a flat to a three story house with a garden. She is loyal to her family and to Hitler, as she has been bought up to be a good German girl.When Hetty was 7 she nearly drowned, Karl’s best friend Walter rescued her but he is a Jew and is considered a second class citizen who they should not mix with.Hetty meets up with Walter years later and is instantly attracted to him, but their relationship is one that has to be kept secret. Hetty starts to doubt all that she had been bought up to believe. How can her love for Walter be a sin just because he is a Jew? With the Jews being rounded up and sent to concentration camps she knows she will have to save Walter.This is such an emotional book, the story comes to life and I actually felt the fear every time Hetty and Walter met up, scared that they would be punished for their actions!!A must read book that will capture you’re heart!!Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I won this book in a GR Giveaway but never received it - probably due to COVID 19/PO Box issues. So I finally grabbed it from SCRIBD. This was a grippingly intense book, telling the story of the changing, growing POV of the protagonist, a daughter of an SS agent and giving a larger than life account of various people's existence living in Germany under the Third Reich.A chilling and rather timely-told tale, it is terrifying to see how easily manipulable hate and fear and ignorance truly is and how it can be such an utter force of destruction. It also shines a light on the ability for people to find and own their humanity and courage, even in the face of almost insurmountable odds. I loved this book!

Foarte tare mi-a plăcut. Complex și foarte bine documentat

People Like Us is a stunning piece of historical fiction set around the Second World War and its impact around the globe. 8 May, 2020, marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) day when the brutal Nazi war machine ground to a halt as they surrendered to the Allies. There are innumerable ways of remembering and honouring those who took part in the wartime action. The reason I mention this is due to the fact that this book is set in Wartime Germany and gives a fascinating account of what life was like on the for those supportive of the evil regime. It centres around Herta (Hetty) Heinrich and a man named Walter who form a friendship after Walter saved her from drowning many years prior. Hetty and her brother Karl are pure-bred Germans but Walter is, unfortunately, a Jew with this, of course, determining his treatment despite calling Germany home. The siblings' father is a high-ranking Nazi and member of the SS with many secrets to hide. Hetty and Walter fall madly in love with one another and Hetty is forced to question the ideology she has long held dear. But what will come forth from her re-evaluation?This is a tale of forbidden romance set against the backdrop of persecution, genocide and eugenics. It is one of the most emotional, moving, realistic and believable WWII epics I have ever read which makes it impossible not to fly through the pages hoping for a happy ending. However, the ending is full of sadness and anger. The cast of characters was engaging with every character having a distinctive personality and a defined place in the story. Spanning a ten year period between 1929 and 1939 the plot serves to highlight the Nazi regime and its cruel ways. The fact that it is based on real-life events makes it even more compulsive. The number of children who didn't know any better and who were brainwashed and indoctrinated is considerable and I wonder exactly what happened to each of them. All in all, this is an original, refreshing and heart-rending novel and one that has been researched extensively. A highly recommended atmospheric page-turner. Many thanks to Aria for an ARC.

Based on a true story. Hetty is the daughter of a high ranking SS officer. Walter is a Jew and their neighbour. This story starts when Walter and Holly were innocent children and Walter had rescued Hetty from drowning. Then the Nazt regime begins and friendship had turned to forbidden live. Her brother is in the Luftwaffe. Hetty was a member of the BMD.This is a story of love, sorrow, confusion, anger and frustration and I felt everyone of them along with Hetty. German students were brainwashed into believing the life they were to lead. I enjoyed reading this from the point of view of a German character through pre war to post war and the struggles she found herself going through. Reading this story brought tears to my eyes. You must read the authors note as it brings to life the story of her own past.I would like to thank NetGalley, Aria and the author Louise Fein for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy the novel, but I broke my arm and shoulder and I’m not capable of writing a review at the moment.

Fiica Reichului a fost o ficțiune istorică cu mare impact pentru mine. Toate cărțile care pornesc de la un adevăr sunt așa.Aici privim viața naziștilor in umbra celui de al doilea război mondial. Privim cum sunt excluși treptat evreii din drepturi, cum suferă, cum sunt trimiși in lagăre de concentrare.. cum mor. Cum sunt uciși.Încă mi-e greu să înțeleg cum un popor așa versat ca germanii au ajuns să extermine ceea ce credeau ei a fi “rasa inferioară”. E un subiect sensibil și azi, încă asimilez și eu informații. Autoarea a vrut să prezinte situația din punctul de vedere al nazistilor și execuția a fost foarte bună. Ne-a băgat într-o familie germană, vorbind despre o tânăra germană și cum a fost pentru ea perioada aceea - la școală, pe stradă, în comunitate - oriunde - erau controlați de Hitler.La scoala studiau Mein Kampf de cel putin 3 ori, cântau cântece patriotice, nu studiau cărți interzise - care ar fi putut să le dea idei tinerilor - iar evreii erau ridiculizați că arătau în nu știu ce fel.În contextul acesta ni se prezintă povestea lui Hetty Heinrich, nazista și a lui Walter, evreul. O poveste de dragoste sinceră și plină de peripeții.S-au ascuns, s-au iubit, el a fost bătut, ea a suferit.. și tot așa. Autoarea a fost foarte explicita arătând gândurile ei.. și am văzut și din el mai multe când ii scria.Aventura celor doi a devenit din ce in ce mai periculoasa pagina după pagina. Mi-a fost frica pentru ei. Am trăit multe emoții alături de cei doi adolescenți.M-am împăcat si eu cu situația la un moment dat, nu ai cum altfel.Am terminat cartea, am lăcrimat putin și am stat putin să mă gândesc.. că ce s a întâmplat in carte chiar a fost parte a realității. Mii și mii de oameni omorâți fiindcă s-au născut evrei.Ura a fost mare.Iar cartea asta a conturat foarte bine tot ce a însemnat să fii evreu înainte de Al Doilea Război Mondial.Cu astea spuse, cred că iau o pauza de la ficțiuni istorice.. afectează într-un alt mod, dar sigur voi mai citi și alte cărți despre acea perioada 😄

Mi-am dorit mult sa citesc aceasta carte inca de cand a aparut. Este minunat de trista. Ceea ce o face diferita de celelalte romane despre cel de-al doilea război mondial, este ca ne prezintă atmosfera germana nazista inainte de război. Asa aflam ca evreii au început sa fie persecutați inca de prin anii '30. Este interesanta perspectiva expusa din punctul de vedere al unui nazist, m-a impresionat transformarea lui Hetty dintr-o tanara care a învățat de mica ce este ura și căreia i s-a impus o ideologie greșită, intr-o persoana adulta capabila sa se revolte si sa fie de partea binelui. Au fost mulți germani ca ea, dar din păcate nu suficient de puternici ca sa poată schimba ceva. Este o alta lecție de istorie necesara. O recomand absolut.

I’m not crying, I just have something in my eyes. This book deserves all the stars in the world.