‘Abandoned and Forgotten,' one woman's tale
Evelyne Tannehill's book depicts the other side of World War II — what German children went through By Kimberly Nicoletti
Evelyne Tannehill never discussed her abusive past, growing up in Germany during World War II and losing her family. She tried, once, as a young wife who revealed a couple horrors of her past to her mother-in-law. The response: disbelief.
And so, she clammed up, until several years ago, when she returned to Germany when the Berlin Wall came down. As she sat on a bus with German tourists sharing experiences about growing up during Hitler's reign, she realized her story was unique: She had been caught under the abusive power of the Russians and Poles after the war ended and lost her parents in the process.
More to come!
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
"The Book" by Douglas Brough
Abandoned and Forgotten: Reviewed by Douglas Brough
www.laurahird.com, www.germanworldalliance.org, UK press
“One spends a lifetime waiting for ‘the book’ and then along comes a story so full of personal emotion and courageous honesty that it becomes a privilege to read. This, is that book. It took courage to address her past and open her life to public scrutiny and write of her life as an orphan of the Second World War. I offer a debt of gratitude for the privilege of reviewing her story; a story that I hope goes some way towards reconciliation between former enemies; a story so full of emotion that as she finally left her childhood roots after her visit, she decided was a chapter in her life that needed closing.
And then, Evelyne wrote the book, and the rest, as they say, is history………”
www.laurahird.com, www.germanworldalliance.org, UK press
“One spends a lifetime waiting for ‘the book’ and then along comes a story so full of personal emotion and courageous honesty that it becomes a privilege to read. This, is that book. It took courage to address her past and open her life to public scrutiny and write of her life as an orphan of the Second World War. I offer a debt of gratitude for the privilege of reviewing her story; a story that I hope goes some way towards reconciliation between former enemies; a story so full of emotion that as she finally left her childhood roots after her visit, she decided was a chapter in her life that needed closing.
And then, Evelyne wrote the book, and the rest, as they say, is history………”
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
A Readers Response
Dearest Dearest Evelyne,
I just finished reading your book. I took my time in reading every word that you had so beautifully written and so painfully remembered in order to make this masterpiece. Your book is so powerful and very very moving.
I have visited Germany and Poland and stood before some of the buildings that are scarred from the war and wondered with a heavy heart how the people in that area survived from day to day. The immense fear, the horrific losses, and the feeling of helplessness one must have felt. I shudder to think that you had to endure so much pain in your life as a little girl growing up in that terrible time. Not knowing if you or yours would see the light of day without the hunger pains, and the daily intrusions from the Russian soldiers as they entered your domain that was to keep you safe.
As I read the book, I cried with you, and for you. I prayed as I read that you would never ever have to endure such pain again in any lifetime. Through your wonderful writing, I was enabled to experience your every waking thought, the searing heartache that you felt. Even the stinging from your tears on my own cheeks.
As I read the final page, closed the book, and held it in my hands, the tears just started falling again.
I felt your sadness, I felt your happiness, and I felt your successes. There is not a day that has gone by since meeting you that I have not thought about you. I pray for you every night that your pain will ease and that you may never have to want for anything ever again.
With the warmest regards and best wishes,
I just finished reading your book. I took my time in reading every word that you had so beautifully written and so painfully remembered in order to make this masterpiece. Your book is so powerful and very very moving.
I have visited Germany and Poland and stood before some of the buildings that are scarred from the war and wondered with a heavy heart how the people in that area survived from day to day. The immense fear, the horrific losses, and the feeling of helplessness one must have felt. I shudder to think that you had to endure so much pain in your life as a little girl growing up in that terrible time. Not knowing if you or yours would see the light of day without the hunger pains, and the daily intrusions from the Russian soldiers as they entered your domain that was to keep you safe.
As I read the book, I cried with you, and for you. I prayed as I read that you would never ever have to endure such pain again in any lifetime. Through your wonderful writing, I was enabled to experience your every waking thought, the searing heartache that you felt. Even the stinging from your tears on my own cheeks.
As I read the final page, closed the book, and held it in my hands, the tears just started falling again.
I felt your sadness, I felt your happiness, and I felt your successes. There is not a day that has gone by since meeting you that I have not thought about you. I pray for you every night that your pain will ease and that you may never have to want for anything ever again.
With the warmest regards and best wishes,
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