The German House audiobook

Thank you @harperviabooks for the gifted copy.The German House is a thoughtful post World War II/post Holocaust novel, set during the Auschwitz Trials of 1963. Eva Bruhns is a young translator who learns about her country, and her family’s, role in the horrors of the Holocaust through her assistance in the trials.It’s a fascinating and eye-opening glimpse into this time period and how a country can attempt to rebuild itself and its reputation in the world after something like the Holocaust. The German House also offers great insight into the trials and how Nazis were held accountable.Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

4.5 starsWhen I first saw this historical fiction book was about the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials of 1963 I knew I had to read it. Even though I have read many historical fiction and nonfiction books about World War 2, I don't often read books that explore the postwar years. The aftermath of the war is something I'm thankful the author deemed worthy of writing about as this was a fascinating read for me. It's 1963 and Eva Bruhns is twenty-four years old and living with her family in Frankfurt. Given her young age during World War 2, she really doesn't have many memories of that time period. She is working as a translator and is hoping her wealthy boyfriend, Jürgen Schoormann, will soon propose marriage. A man named David Miller wants to hire Eva as a translator for an upcoming war crimes trial, and that doesn't sit too well with Jürgen. Eva is horrified at what she learns at the trial and it weighs heavily on her mind.Eva is the main character and heart of the story but you do get the opportunity to get into the minds of the other characters as well. Near the beginning of the book, it was slightly jarring when you would be following one character and then without any warning it just bounced to a different character. This was something I adapted to fairly quickly, however I could see how the disjointed transitions might drive other readers nuts.I felt like there were two parts to the story. You have the trial which goes into detail about the atrocities of the war, and specifically what took place at the Auschwitz concentration camp. But the other compelling part of the story was Eva. I don't want to get into specifics about the plot and get into spoiler territory but I thought the author did a good job showing the attitudes and mindsets of the people in Germany during that time period. I lived in Germany for a few years not that long ago and actually lived not too far from Frankfurt. And I'll admit that might be part of the reason I was so into this story as in my mind I kept thinking about the differences between that time period and now. One of the more interesting things I learned while living there was it is mandatory for Germany students to learn about the Holocaust in school and many are required to tour a concentration camp or visit a museum so they can learn about the horrible things that occurred so it may never happen again.The only small criticism I have of the book is in my opinion Annegret's storyline wasn't entirely necessary. I would though be willing to change my mind if I ever found out the author's reasons for including it. Some more context would probably help. Highly recommend reading especially if you are a frequent reader of World War 2 historical fiction. Thank you to the publisher and BookishFirst for sending me an advance reader's copy! I was under no obligation to post a review here and all views expressed are my honest opinion.

This is an historical fiction book which explores the Frankfurt trials, the controversial trails held in Frankfurt two decades after the holocaust which set out to convict the SS men who held senior positions at Auschwitz. This book is written by a german lady, I read the translation in english.As with many translations this book is dry but very quickly I was drawn into the streets of Frankfurt surrounded by germans who didn't want to even acknowledge the trials that were taking place to hearing the survivors recounting their stories to be torn apart by the defense. This book sent me down many internet rabbit holes, googling various matters raised in the book and I felt like the author really captured the feelings of the people in this account from the articles I stumbled upon. This is a coming of age story centred around Eva, a german who is translating the accounts of polish survivors in court. I haven't read much about the after years of the holocaust and I feel more informed having read this. As with all books of this nature it's a hard read, having now read the last few pages im left feeling incredibly sad. Its human nature to twist events in our minds to make them more comfortable to live with but how the SS of the selection teams (the men who decided who would work in the camps and who would be sent straight to the gas chambers) could defend their positions that they choose to save lives equally as much as terminate them is just beyond me.As with many books, documentaries, memoirs of any horrendous act I am left feeling disappointed with humans and what we are capable of.

In 1963 in Frankfurt, Germany, Eva Bruhns is a bright, 24-year-old woman eager for her future to start while living with her parents, sister, and little brother. The destruction of World War II is in the past now that the city, including her parents’ restaurant, is rebuilt. Eva helps her parents at their restaurant, The German House, in between her work as a Polish translator and dates with her suitor, the wealthy son of a businessman, Jürgen Schoormann. However, Eva’s neatly planned future becomes muddled when investigator David Miller hires her as a translator for a war crimes trial.As Eva struggles with her family’s and suitor’s expectations, she becomes increasingly invested in the Frankfurt Trials against SS officers at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her new job brings past horrors to the forefront as Eva confronts the truth of her nation’s and her own past. The vague memories of her childhood bring Eva closer to the trial as it progresses. She must make a choice to uncover the atrocities in the past or to become the woman and the wife she is expected to be. Annette Hess’ The German House is a story which shows the atrocities committed by the Nazis through the eyes of a young German woman who must reconcile her own identity with the actions of her nation. This novel deals with the difficulty of speaking the truth and the complex relationships between a maturing woman and her family.

3.75 starsThe German House is a novel about an important topic. I think I liked the topic a bit more than the execution. The story is set in Germany in the 1960s, and focuses on the the war criminal trials of some Nazis as seen through a handful of fictional characters. The primary focus is Eva, who is in her early 20s and works as a translator during the trials. Despite having grown up in Germany right after the war, she learns about what the Nazis did and her own family’s role during the war from the trials. This is an important topic and the author does a good job of showing the fractious relations between Germans trying to reinvent themselves in the shadow of their dark past. What worked a bit less for me is that at times there was almost a farcical tone to the story. As an example, Eva’s family and boyfriend felt like they had exaggerated personalities and their reactions to events seemed overly grandiose. This doesn’t mean that I didn’t like The German House, but I might have liked it more if it had been more straight up in tone. Having said that, the translation from the German was very good. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Um livro para todos os amantes de histórias que estejam relacionadas com a Segunda Guerra Mundial.Eva é uma jovem tradutora que acaba por fazer um trabalho com um investigador para ser tradutora de um julgamento dos responsáveis pelo campo de concentração de Auschwitz.Ao mesmo tempo que Eva acompanha os terrores que este trabalho traz, vai-se recordando de algumas memórias de infância que fazem um ponte com os relatos ouvidos no julgamento. Será que há algo mais para além dessas recordações? Neste livro acompanhamos o crescimento de Eva através da sua vida pessoal, mas também a luta pela descoberta do que significam aquelas memórias tenebrosas. Conseguimos acompanhar também as duas versões da história, do que de facto aconteceu, de qual foi a papel da família de Eva nestes acontecimentos e porque que o seu noivo rejeita qualquer evento que esteja relacionado com o seu passado. Porque, de facto, todas estas histórias encontram-se interligadas num livro intenso e poderoso de cortar a respiração. Qual será a reação de Eva a ser confrontada com os horrores de Auschwitz e com a história da sua própria família?

I have a new-found appreciation of world war II era books but what attracted me to reading this story, in particular, was that it is based after the war is over when most are based on the lead up to it or during. It also is unique in that it merges war crimes with a family drama and caught my interest right from the beginning. Almost two decades after the Nuremberg trials the Frankfurt trials are in full swing exploring the Nazi Holocaust and holding to account former SS concentration camp guards. Young Eva Bruhn (hmm, yes, the name is very familiar) takes the role of translator at the trials (translating Polish survivors witness testimonies) and is shocked and appalled at what she hears. The trials hope to bring a sense of justice and prosecute those German's who committed the horrific war crimes in Auschwitz. However, this opens a can of worms and Eva is left contemplating why her family will not talk about the war and their roles in it. But Eva is adamant about discovering the truth and will not stop until she knows.This is a story all about the issues of complicity and how this can impact future generations. It's heart-wrenching to hear the stories of Auschwitz and a real eye-opener. Annette Hess manages to create a profoundly moving tale that envelops and immerses you beautifully and 1960s Frankfurt is depicted as having the fog of war not yet lifted hanging over the city. It's atmospheric, well written and poignant. It asks the question of whether those who knew about the Nazi atrocities and turned a blind eye to them are just as guilty as those doing the exterminating. The delicate subject matter is treated with the utmost respect and compassion. It's clear the author has carried out extensive research into this sad and often harrowing topic which makes the narrative believable. The translation, at times, felt rather clunky and clumsy but, for the most part, I enjoyed reading a different, thought-provoking perspective of events. Many thanks to HarperVia for an ARC.

The German House is a five star read. It is a powerful and impressive novel, well written and meticulously researched. The story takes place in Frankfurt, Germany in 1963 at the onset of the first Frankfurt Auschwitz trial which charged 22 defendants under German law for crimes committed as SS officials in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Eva is a young and naive woman whose main goal in life is to get her wealthy beau Jurgen to ask her father for her hand in marriage. She lives with her tightly knit family in an apt above The German House, a quaint local restaurant that her parents own and operate. Eve works as a Polish translator for an agency. Her life changes forever when she is tapped to be the translator for the Auschwitz survivors who are to give their heartbreaking testimony against the defendants on trial for their war crimes.Eva’s family and fiancee, both voice their displeasure at her acceptance of the job. However, she accepts the position. Eva has not even heard of Auschwitz, nor the horrific events that occurred there. As the trial progresses, Eva struggles to cope with the realization of the magnitude of the crimes against humanity committed by the Nazi regime. She cannot believe the general attitude of the populace in economically booming post war Germany which is to suppress the depth of the atrocities which occurred in the concentration camps as well as the reluctance to contend with the reality of the crimes committed. After Eva uncovers painful secrets about her own family during the war period, she makes life changing decisions in order to remain true to herself and her own conscience.

What if you found out, that everything you knew about your family was a lie?For Eva Bruhns, it's entirely possible everything she knew about her country is a lie as well. When hired as a translator in the Frankfurt Trials, she begins to really learn of unthinkable horrors, and prosecutors are determined to bring the Nazis to justice for war crimes during World War II.She doesn't remember much of the war, and memories are especially foggy since life has gone on in her hometown of Frankfurt - the streets are clean and the buildings rebuilt. She's in love and anxious to marry the man she loves and start her life.But as the trials begin - Eva begins to question her parents and their refusal to talk about the war, which leads to questioning everything else about her life.You will fall in love with Eva right away. She is flawed but also fiery and steadfast and I adored everything about her. She struggles to understand what's coming to light and her passion and determination gets stronger as the atrocities of the war are uncovered.A beautiful story, an emotional read, and such a thought provoking look at coming of age amidst the guilt of a family and their country.