Mutti's
War by M.J. Brett
Paperback,
312 pages
Published
December 1st, 2003
My
rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Mutti's
war is the story of Regina Wolff, a rather delicate young German mother who is
forced to smuggle her 3 small boys out of East Prussia when the Russians
surround it in 1944.
My thoughts…
This
courageous woman sacrifices all to protect her children while escaping from the
Russian occupied portion of Prussia and to reunite her family. This was a great
book from a perspective I don't hear about often, a German citizen during WWII
and how awful Hitler was to his own people.
“It
all began with an unexpected letter. As I think back, it all ended with an
unexpected letter, as well. Had I known of the last letter, I might have
responded differently to the first. But it would not have many any difference
in the long run. Either decision would have brought change, and I have always
detested change” – Regina Wolff 1911-1997
The
Russians were forty miles away and closing in on Königsberg, when Regina received
a letter from her husband, Gustav, who was serving in the German military. The
first words in the letter;
“Destroy
this letter as soon as you’ve read it, and tell no one of its contents. You
must get the boys out of Königsberg, now!”
Gustav
would be at the hospital in Karlsbad for thirty days and they must arrive to
meet him before then. Regina began to wonder what Gustav’s job in the military was for him to have so much information. So began the daring escape to protect her children. Regina
need to obtain a Ausweis, a pass and the proper papers before she could
purchase tickets or get on a train. Once at the office she was told that she
would receive a pass but her children would not. She wasn’t going to leave her children
behind, later that evening Regina snuck back into the building and typed “and
three sons” alongside her name on the proper paperwork.
The
following morning Regina boarded the train to Berlin along with her three sons.
They began their journey on the crowded train, the filth and stench was
sickening but they had no other choice and they brought little food. After some
time, the train stopped, all the passengers were removed from the train because
the train was need to transport soldiers. Regina and her boys had to sit
outside on the concrete in a cold rain until another train came along, a cattle
train. Once again, they were taken off the train and had to walk. From then on,
the conditions becoming progressively worse. They had to avoid Russian air attacks,
Regina was almost raped, she also had to steal potatoes to feed her children
who were hungry and sore from traveling by foot.
Throughout
her journey, Regina became to realize that she was doubtful of Hitler’s intentions
before she left with her children. Whenever she would try to talk to Gustav he
would tell her not worry and not to voice her opinions out loud because by
speaking about or writing letters could get her into trouble.
Her
friend had taught her how to make a little transistor radio that she kept
hidden from Gustav. When everyone was sleeping, Regina would go downstairs and
listen to broadcasts, other than German broadcasts, and was surprised to hear
how Hitler and Germany were viewed by the outside.
She
did not agree with the SS enforcement of new laws that Jewish people were no
longer allowed to own business or cars, go to public movies or concerts, or travel
on streetcars. Radio broadcasts and posters have proclaimed Jew as ‘enemies of
the people’ and they were singled out for mistreatment.
When
Hitler’s men had burned books that he considered radical, seemed strange to
Regina, since most of those books were classics. She had doubt’s but again she
didn’t voice her concern, she believed her husband knew best. Hitler began
replacing school books with images showing the brains of Aryan, Jewish, African
and Chinese people. The Aryan brains were drawn bigger while the others looked
shriveled. It made no sense to her because she knew that human brains were one size
only.
Did
Regina and her children make it Karlsbad and what was in the second
letter that Regina received? I highly recommend reading Mutti’s War to find out
and because it’s a reminder of the horrific events of a time of history that should
never be forgotten.
Mr. & Mrs. Brettschneider |
Me & M.J. Brett |
Mutti's War by M.J. Brett |
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, I love reading them. I will try to reply to your comment and visit you as well to spread the love. :)
Your comment is awaiting moderation. Have a wonderful day - Jovita