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De herovering
ISBN: 9789463822664
'Net een geweldige film.' - Der Tagesspiegel
'Levendig en zeer indrukwekkend.' - Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Op 12 mei 1945 stapt een jonge soldaat in Brits uniform in Goes in zijn jeep. Hij is geboren in Duitsland. En hij is Joods. Hij rijdt dwars door zijn voormalige, verwoeste heimat naar Theresienstadt, om zijn ouders uit het concentratiekamp te bevrijden.
Manfred Gans' verhaal begint in 1938, als zijn ouders tot de conclusie komen dat zij als Joden in Duitsland hun leven niet langer zeker zijn. Ze sturen hun zestienjarige zoon vooruit, naar Engeland, maar het lukt ze niet meer om zelf weg te komen. Zeven jaar later keert Manfred hij heeft zich aangesloten bij het Engelse leger en maakt deel uit van de legendarische 'Three Troop', die tijdens D-day op de stranden van Normandië landt. Als Duitsland capituleert, rijdt hij vanuit Goes naar Borken, het stadje van zijn jeugd. Alles blijkt verwoest. Het wordt het startpunt van een zware reis, die Manfred langs vluchtende Duitsers, militaire blokkades van de Sovjets en dwars door het niemandsland van het Ertsgebergte uiteindelijk naar Theresienstadt voert.
De herovering is een weergaloos relaas over Duitsland vlak na de capitulatie, een lang verdrongen levensgeschiedenis én een verhaal over een onverwachte liefde.
'Net een geweldige film.' - Der Tagesspiegel
'Levendig en zeer indrukwekkend.' - Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Op 12 mei 1945 stapt een jonge soldaat in Brits uniform in Goes in zijn jeep. Hij is geboren in Duitsland. En hij is Joods. Hij rijdt dwars door zijn voormalige, verwoeste heimat naar Theresienstadt, om zijn ouders uit het concentratiekamp te bevrijden.
Manfred Gans' verhaal begint in 1938, als zijn ouders tot de conclusie komen dat zij als Joden in Duitsland hun leven niet langer zeker zijn. Ze sturen hun zestienjarige zoon vooruit, naar Engeland, maar het lukt ze niet meer om zelf weg te komen. Zeven jaar later keert Manfred hij heeft zich aangesloten bij het Engelse leger en maakt deel uit van de legendarische 'Three Troop', die tijdens D-day op de stranden van Normandië landt. Als Duitsland capituleert, rijdt hij vanuit Goes naar Borken, het stadje van zijn jeugd. Alles blijkt verwoest. Het wordt het startpunt van een zware reis, die Manfred langs vluchtende Duitsers, militaire blokkades van de Sovjets en dwars door het niemandsland van het Ertsgebergte uiteindelijk naar Theresienstadt voert.
De herovering is een weergaloos relaas over Duitsland vlak na de capitulatie, een lang verdrongen levensgeschiedenis én een verhaal over een onverwachte liefde.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 31, 2025
very interesting book which enjoyed reading about a German Jew who fled nazi Germany and became a member of three troop and helped liberate Germany also after the war the search for some of his family.
March 19, 2026
4.25. rounded to 4 stars for GR.
This story is remarkable. A true story about one young German-born Jewish boy's escape to England during the uprising of WW2 and his enlistment in a Commando force of the British Army to fight back at the tyrannical government that was taking so much from him and his people. Captured through real letters to/from his young love (and future wife), family diaries ,and field reports and retold by the author using the original content. I felt the war unfolding through Manfred's eyes and hoped for his continued success. I was hooked to the last word.
History must be retold so that it is not relived - this was a story well worth telling.
This story is remarkable. A true story about one young German-born Jewish boy's escape to England during the uprising of WW2 and his enlistment in a Commando force of the British Army to fight back at the tyrannical government that was taking so much from him and his people. Captured through real letters to/from his young love (and future wife), family diaries ,and field reports and retold by the author using the original content. I felt the war unfolding through Manfred's eyes and hoped for his continued success. I was hooked to the last word.
History must be retold so that it is not relived - this was a story well worth telling.
July 12, 2023
Een heel aangrijpend en opmerkelijk levensverhaal van een slachtoffer van de Jodenhaat in de nazitijd. Hoe dan ook inspirerend en beklijvend samengesteld en tot leven gebracht door de auteur. Knap werk.
May 4, 2024
Heel interessant en makkelijk te lezen. De zinnen zijn alleen heel kort, waardoor het een beetje robotachtig overkomt. Hierdoor kreeg ik ook niet echt feeling met de hoofdpersonen. Maar wel blij dat ik het gelezen heb en goed dat dit geschreven is!
May 23, 2026
My Collins book had 246 pages, including 4 blank pages.
As a student of history who has done a fair bit of reading on various aspects of the Holocaust, I found, "I Will Come Back For You," by Daniel Huhn to be a nice addition to the history. The author has done a lot of primary research, plus worked directly with members of the Gans family. Thus, the information is solid and tells a great true story.
I think that the only very minor issue I had with the book was calling the family middle class. When you own your successful textile business and can afford to send three children overseas, I think you're doing better than middle class. I think that I captured this point because so much of the book covers some interesting ground very well.
One area that I think could have been a book on its own was the story of Three Troop. The German-speaking group that was then broken up to work with other units, such as the author working with 41 Commando.. I think that would be a great story to cover from Manfred Gans's point of view.
I would have liked to have learned more about Manfred's parents' time in Theresienstadt, as I haven't read much from survivors. However, the book was about Manfred's story, not theirs, so I understand the level of detail.
Overall, this was an easy read. The book was well-written and information and flowed well. I would recommend it to students with an interest in WWII and the Holocaust.
As a student of history who has done a fair bit of reading on various aspects of the Holocaust, I found, "I Will Come Back For You," by Daniel Huhn to be a nice addition to the history. The author has done a lot of primary research, plus worked directly with members of the Gans family. Thus, the information is solid and tells a great true story.
I think that the only very minor issue I had with the book was calling the family middle class. When you own your successful textile business and can afford to send three children overseas, I think you're doing better than middle class. I think that I captured this point because so much of the book covers some interesting ground very well.
One area that I think could have been a book on its own was the story of Three Troop. The German-speaking group that was then broken up to work with other units, such as the author working with 41 Commando.. I think that would be a great story to cover from Manfred Gans's point of view.
I would have liked to have learned more about Manfred's parents' time in Theresienstadt, as I haven't read much from survivors. However, the book was about Manfred's story, not theirs, so I understand the level of detail.
Overall, this was an easy read. The book was well-written and information and flowed well. I would recommend it to students with an interest in WWII and the Holocaust.
August 2, 2025
I Will Come Back for You: A Family in Hiding During World War II is a moving and accessible picture book that introduces young readers to the Holocaust through the lens of personal family history. Author and illustrator Marisabina Russo beautifully intertwines fact and memory in this semi-biographical account based on her mother’s childhood in Italy during World War II.
The story follows a young girl whose Nonna tells her about growing up in Rome as a Jewish child under Mussolini’s rule. Through evocative watercolor illustrations and gentle yet honest narration, readers learn how the girl’s family was forced into hiding and separated due to anti-Semitic laws. Her father is sent to prison, and the family relies on the courage and kindness of friends and strangers to survive.
What makes this book especially powerful is its ability to present complex historical realities with emotional clarity and hope. Russo frames the story through the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, making the past feel personal and relevant. The recurring image of a charm bracelet, with each charm representing a part of the family’s journey, adds a tender and symbolic touch to the narrative.
This is a poignant, age-appropriate introduction to the Holocaust, emphasizing resilience, love, and the importance of remembering. Perfect for families and classrooms, I Will Come Back for You honors those who survived and those who helped, encouraging young readers to ask questions, show empathy, and understand the value of history.
The story follows a young girl whose Nonna tells her about growing up in Rome as a Jewish child under Mussolini’s rule. Through evocative watercolor illustrations and gentle yet honest narration, readers learn how the girl’s family was forced into hiding and separated due to anti-Semitic laws. Her father is sent to prison, and the family relies on the courage and kindness of friends and strangers to survive.
What makes this book especially powerful is its ability to present complex historical realities with emotional clarity and hope. Russo frames the story through the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, making the past feel personal and relevant. The recurring image of a charm bracelet, with each charm representing a part of the family’s journey, adds a tender and symbolic touch to the narrative.
This is a poignant, age-appropriate introduction to the Holocaust, emphasizing resilience, love, and the importance of remembering. Perfect for families and classrooms, I Will Come Back for You honors those who survived and those who helped, encouraging young readers to ask questions, show empathy, and understand the value of history.
April 13, 2026
3.5 ⭐
I Will Come Back for You by Daniel Huhn was an interesting story. It could have been so much better though. The writing made an exciting story kinda dull. There was a lot of: this happened, then this happened, then this happened. I wanted more description and more evocative language. This could be due to it being a translation but I'm not sure.
This book tells the story of Manfred Gans/Frederick Gray, a German Jew that travels alone to the UK before the onset of the Second World War to study. While there, the war breaks out and he loses touch with his parents who are sent to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Czechoslovakia. Eventually he enlists in the British forces and is chosen to become part of an elite commando unit of foreign Jewish men that are living in the UK called Three Troop. The film Inglourious Basterds is supposedly based off of the exploits of this unit however it is an extremely inaccurate portrayal of what these men actually did. At the end of the war, he is given permission to search for his parents which was the most interesting portion of the book for me.
Manfred's story had the potential to be very exciting and engaging I just wasn't hooked all the way through like I expected to be. I wanted more from the actual writing.
I did like how Manfred's story unfolded through the letters exchanged between himself and his childhood sweetheart and later wife. That aspect was pretty cute and I appreciated being able to see two sides of his story, one from his perspective and the other from an outsider's. While they knew each other in Germany before the war, Anita moved to the US as a teen and from reading her letters and responses to Manfred I got the impression she didn't fully grasp the situation that he was in or the horrors that he was witnessing. This of course wouldn't have been unusual given how removed she was from the war in Europe.
I also liked how the author bookended I Will Come Back For You with Manfred's descendants retracing his steps through mainland Europe when he was searching for his beloved parents. The idea of being able to do that as a family is pretty neat.
Overall it is worth reading, I just wanted more description, more interesting writing.
I Will Come Back for You by Daniel Huhn was an interesting story. It could have been so much better though. The writing made an exciting story kinda dull. There was a lot of: this happened, then this happened, then this happened. I wanted more description and more evocative language. This could be due to it being a translation but I'm not sure.
This book tells the story of Manfred Gans/Frederick Gray, a German Jew that travels alone to the UK before the onset of the Second World War to study. While there, the war breaks out and he loses touch with his parents who are sent to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Czechoslovakia. Eventually he enlists in the British forces and is chosen to become part of an elite commando unit of foreign Jewish men that are living in the UK called Three Troop. The film Inglourious Basterds is supposedly based off of the exploits of this unit however it is an extremely inaccurate portrayal of what these men actually did. At the end of the war, he is given permission to search for his parents which was the most interesting portion of the book for me.
Manfred's story had the potential to be very exciting and engaging I just wasn't hooked all the way through like I expected to be. I wanted more from the actual writing.
I did like how Manfred's story unfolded through the letters exchanged between himself and his childhood sweetheart and later wife. That aspect was pretty cute and I appreciated being able to see two sides of his story, one from his perspective and the other from an outsider's. While they knew each other in Germany before the war, Anita moved to the US as a teen and from reading her letters and responses to Manfred I got the impression she didn't fully grasp the situation that he was in or the horrors that he was witnessing. This of course wouldn't have been unusual given how removed she was from the war in Europe.
I also liked how the author bookended I Will Come Back For You with Manfred's descendants retracing his steps through mainland Europe when he was searching for his beloved parents. The idea of being able to do that as a family is pretty neat.
Overall it is worth reading, I just wanted more description, more interesting writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2025
When I saw this book was about a Jewish boy from Nazi Germany I was immediately intrigued. I've read extensively in this area and heard about this all my life. I love the title as it shows a positive side to the book at the outset and that encouraged me to read Huhn's story. This Jewish boy was sent to England for his own safety when Hitler's Germany turned into a huge purge of the Jews. The author did his research well and managed to tie all of the facets of that time period into his story. Without going further than telling the time period of this book and drawing on the vast story that is Germany's prewar and WWII history, let me just say that there is some good news which had me in tears as I read on and finished the book. Well done, Daniel Huhn!
January 19, 2025
A quite remarkable book: a military history, a journey into manhood, tales of love and hope, redemption, loss and horror. The author chillingly describes in a few pages Germany’s descent into authoritarianism and the creation of a gangster state - a cautionary tale for our times.
August 21, 2025
A really interesting story and quite different to most of this genre.
November 16, 2025
I totally enjoyed this! It’s my kinda book! The hardships people went through to survive, a never ending love story…
December 19, 2025
This has to be one of the best books I have read in 2025.There are so many elements to this story
December 31, 2025
A very good document of how Jewish survived a shocking war - with a dire warning about anti-semitism and how it propagates today.
March 13, 2026
good story, along the lines of Anne frank. Interesting
April 20, 2023
Daniel Huhn beschrijft de geschiedenis van Manfred Gans (Frederick Gray) een in de aanloop van de Tweede Wereldoorlog naar UK wist te komen en daar in een speciale legereenheid van Duits sprekende (joodse) militairen in het Britse leger kwam. Belast met inwinnen van informatie en verhoren van Duitsers. Hij rijdt vlak na de bevrijding naar concentratiekamp Theresienstad waar zijn ouders gevangen zaten. Bijzondere geschiedenis over deze legereenheid, over de manier waarop Manfred, zijn ouders en broers en overige familie hun leven na de oorlog oppakken. Goed geschreven. Nederlandse vertaling ‘De herovering’, Alexander van Kesteren, 2022.
October 14, 2023
Indrukwekkende biografie van Manfred Gans die opgroeiende in joods gezin in Borken voor de oorlog, vecht in Brits leger en zijn ouders ophaalt uit Theresienstadt, nazi's verhoord en later vanuit Amerika Borken bezoekt en op scholen daar verteld over het verleden.
May 21, 2020
A beautiful exchange of letters, love story from contemporary witnesses of the second world war.
January 1, 2024
Amazing story … sad, enlightening, sobering, enjoyable, …
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews