Legacy of Silence

“It is a truism, she thought, that each one of us is the result of decisions made by those who came before us, and they in turn are the product of actions taken by others, and back and back…”

These are the thoughts of Jane Hartzinger, the granddaughter of Holocaust victims, when the truth about her mother’s lover, Walter, is revealed decades after his death at the beginning of World War II. Jane’s mother, Caroline, who fled Germany with her adopted sister, Lore, and eventually was able to make it to America when she was eighteen and pregnant, had always believed her lover, Walter, was a Nazi and had deserted her because she was a Jew. Caroline and her illegitimate daughter, Eve, both lived with this lie until the discovery of show more Lore’s diaries after her death in 1993 revealed another truth.

This book tells the story of heartbreak, courage, and forgiveness of three generations of women and the men they relied on and loved. In a horrific time to be alive, each gave up a part of themselves so others could go on. Belva Plain, a gifted writer, tells this authentic and beautifully woven tapestry of love, life, and death in a story that will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page. show less

On September 1, 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland sparking one of the most gruesome and tragic conflicts that involved virtually every part of the world – World War II. Prior to this tragic date the citizens of German and the surrounding nations watched tensions build and their worlds shifted, shattered and change after Aldopf Hitler took to the stage in 1921 as the leader of the National Socialist (Nazi) party.

By 1933, massive changes were occurring in Germany: the Nazi Party became Germany’s only political party, Polish immigrant Jews were stripped of their German citizenship, concentration camps were opened, laws were passed which allowed beggars, the homeless, alcoholics and the unemployed to be sent to concentration camps, and show more the German Parliament passed the Enabling Act giving Hitler full dictatorial powers; carving the way for Adolf Hitler to be named the Fuehrer of Germany in 1934.

In 1935, Hitler’s true reign of terror began with the stripping of German Jew’s rights by the Nuremberg Race Laws. The Nuremberg Race Laws deprived German Jews of their citizenship, property, human rights and forbade them any involvement with “Aryans” (Any person with blond hair and blue eyes of German lineage) and they were forced to undergo a medical examination to certify they were fit to marry and had no genetic disease. During this horrifying time period people struggled trying to obtain visa to leave the country, to find a safe haven for their families before they faced the same fate of those who drew the attention of the Nazi party. In “Legacy of Silence” by Belva Plain we get a glimpse into the world of one family’s saga as they are torn asunder by the Nazi Reign.

We follow the harrowing tale of two sisters, Caroline and L Lore Hartzinger as they make their way in an uncertain world, where war lurks around the corner. Caroline falls in love with Walter Litzhauser. Their love doomed from the start as Caroline is of Jewish descent and he being Aryan and a son of a wealthy supporter of the Nazi Party. Plans are made for them both to leave to America, but betrayal tears their relationship apart sending Caroline down a spiral of despair as she is forced to leave with only her sister Lore. Once in America, Caroline and Lore each are forced to make decisions that will impact them and their family for generations as they struggle with hiding the secrets of the past actions from those who must bear the stigma in the future.

Belva Plain does an amazing job of pulling you into her story through a richly descriptive narrative and excellent character development. The scenery and story unfolds around you, gradually exposing the nature and personality of the characters giving you time to absorb them and form a picture in your mind. You grow attached to each wanting them all to have a happy ending but knowing sadly in your heart that many will not get such a chance in this tale. The story was conceivable; doing an excellent job of focusing on the family saga without weighing you down with the historical data of the time period. It hinted of the horrors surrounding the characters just enough to make you understand how a person in that setting would react to the threats, and how they make the choices they do. It did an excellent job of slowly building up and tying in the various plot lines together for a rather unexpected ending.

Overall I would put this down as a deeply satisfying read that kept me wanting to turn the pages to find out what would happen next. I would recommend this as a good read for those who enjoy family sagas that are a tangle web of deep family secrets that span several generations. show less

Just arrived from USA through BM.

This is the story of Caroline Hartzinger and her family during her escape from the beginning of World War II in Europe until she reaches her new life in America.

Since I've read better books on this subject, I gave it only 3 stars.

Just arrived from USA through BM.

This is the story of Caroline Hartzinger and her family during her escape from the beginning of World War II in Europe until she reaches her new life in America.

Since I've read better books on this subject, I gave it only 3 stars.

Just arrived from USA through BM.

This is the story of Caroline Hartzinger and her family during her escape from the beginning of World War II in Europe until she reaches her new life in America.

Since I've read better books on this subject, I gave it only 3 stars.

Just arrived from USA through BM.

This is the story of Caroline Hartzinger and her family during her escape from the beginning of World War II in Europe until she reaches her new life in America.

Since I've read better books on this subject, I gave it only 3 stars.