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Max's War: The Story of a Ritchie Boy
As the Nazis sweep across Europe, Jewish teen Max and his parents flee persecution in Germany for Holland, where Max finds friends and romance. But when Hitler invades in 1940, Max must escape to Chicago, leaving his parents and friends behind. When he learns of his parents' murder in Sobibor, Max immediately enlists in the US Army. After basic training he is sent to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence.
Deployed to the OSS, Max carries out dangerous missions in Occupied countries. He also interrogates scores of German POWs, especially after D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, where, despite life-threatening conditions, he elicits critical information about German troop movements.
Post-war, he works for the Americans in the German denazification program, bringing him back to his Bavarian childhood home of Regensburg. Though the city avoided large-scale destruction, the Jewish community was decimated. Max roams familiar yet strange streets, replaying memories of lives lost to unspeakable tragedy. While there, however, he reunites with someone from his past, who, like him, sought refuge abroad. Can they rebuild their lives… together?
This epic story about a Ritchie Boy is Libby Hellmann’s tribute to her late father-in-law who was active with the OSS and interrogated dozens of German POWs.
Deployed to the OSS, Max carries out dangerous missions in Occupied countries. He also interrogates scores of German POWs, especially after D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, where, despite life-threatening conditions, he elicits critical information about German troop movements.
Post-war, he works for the Americans in the German denazification program, bringing him back to his Bavarian childhood home of Regensburg. Though the city avoided large-scale destruction, the Jewish community was decimated. Max roams familiar yet strange streets, replaying memories of lives lost to unspeakable tragedy. While there, however, he reunites with someone from his past, who, like him, sought refuge abroad. Can they rebuild their lives… together?
This epic story about a Ritchie Boy is Libby Hellmann’s tribute to her late father-in-law who was active with the OSS and interrogated dozens of German POWs.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 9, 2024
18 people are currently reading
1372 people want to read
About the author
Libby Fischer Hellmann
79 books970 followersLibby Fischer Hellmann left a career in broadcast news in Washington, DC and moved to Chicago a long time ago, where she, naturally, began to write gritty crime fiction. She soon began writing historical fiction as well. Eighteen novels and twenty-five short stories later, she claims they’ll take her out of the Windy City feet first. She has been nominated for many awards in the mystery writing community and has even won a few. Her newest work is MAX'S WAR, her 6th historical saga. MAX, set before and during WW2, It will be released in April, 2024.
Libby began her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS’s night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985.
Originally from Washington, D.C.—where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics”—Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications.
Libby’s best-selling novels have won widespread acclaim since her first novel, AN EYE FOR MURDER, which was nominated for several awards and described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense”.
Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. EYE introduced Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother who went on to star in five more novels in a series described by Libby as “a cross between Desperate Housewives and 24.”
Libby’s second series, also six novels now, follows Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense hard-boiled detective operating in the Northern suburbs and beyond.
In addition to her popular series, Libby has also written five standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer. Readers will meet young activists during the late Sixties, a young American woman who marries and moves to Tehran, three women forced to make dire choices during WW2, and a female Mafia boss who chases power at the expense of love. And in A BEND IN THE RIVER, she takes a break from her thrillers to write an award-winning novel of two Vietnamese sisters trying to survive the Vietnam war. MAX is the upcoming 6th addition to the loosely-linked series she calls her "Revolution Sagas."
Libby began her career as an assistant film editor for NBC News in New York before moving back to DC to work with Robin McNeil and Jim Lehrer at N-PACT, the public affairs production arm of PBS. Retrained as an assistant director when Watergate broke, Libby helped produce PBS’s night-time broadcast of the hearings. She went on to work for public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in Chicago in 1978, where she stayed until she left to found Fischer Hellmann Communications in 1985.
Originally from Washington, D.C.—where, she says, “When you’re sitting around the dinner table gossiping about the neighbors, you’re talking politics”—Libby earned a Masters Degree in Film Production from New York University and a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to writing, Libby writes and produces videos, and conducts speaker training programs in platform speaking, presentation skills, media training and crisis communications.
Libby’s best-selling novels have won widespread acclaim since her first novel, AN EYE FOR MURDER, which was nominated for several awards and described by Publisher’s Weekly as “a masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense”.
Libby is known for her portrayal of strong female characters. EYE introduced Ellie Foreman, a video producer and single mother who went on to star in five more novels in a series described by Libby as “a cross between Desperate Housewives and 24.”
Libby’s second series, also six novels now, follows Chicago PI Georgia Davis, a no-nonsense hard-boiled detective operating in the Northern suburbs and beyond.
In addition to her popular series, Libby has also written five standalone thrillers in diverse settings and historical periods that demonstrate her versatility as a writer. Readers will meet young activists during the late Sixties, a young American woman who marries and moves to Tehran, three women forced to make dire choices during WW2, and a female Mafia boss who chases power at the expense of love. And in A BEND IN THE RIVER, she takes a break from her thrillers to write an award-winning novel of two Vietnamese sisters trying to survive the Vietnam war. MAX is the upcoming 6th addition to the loosely-linked series she calls her "Revolution Sagas."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 10, 2024
What an amazing read. The story of a Jew growing up in what became Nazi Germany. His struggles that he and his family went through.
His eventually return as an adult during WWII and not let his persecution effect his job.
Strongly recommend as a read. I read as an ARC with no expectation of a positive review.
His eventually return as an adult during WWII and not let his persecution effect his job.
Strongly recommend as a read. I read as an ARC with no expectation of a positive review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
Read as part of the Indie Author Project.
Didn't finish it, because I got bored, but it was a perfectly passable novel. It read like a YA novel, which I didn't love. Again, nothing wrong with the book, it just wasn't interesting enough to have me invested.
Didn't finish it, because I got bored, but it was a perfectly passable novel. It read like a YA novel, which I didn't love. Again, nothing wrong with the book, it just wasn't interesting enough to have me invested.
December 7, 2024
Max's War: The Story of a Ritchie Boy (The Revolution Sagas), Libby Fischer Hellmann, author, Derek Shetterly, narrator.
This is a story that is fiction, but it is based on the very real time of Hitler's rise to power as he built his Third Reich. Hitler created a world focused on the barbarian treatment of people he deemed to be unworthy. Hitler’s actions gave rise to war, and ultimately, the ignominious years of The Holocaust. Hitler started World War II, and he willfully planned the torture and murder of those that he judged to be unfit Germans, those who were not pure Aryans, and unfortunately, six million of those who failed his test were targeted and killed because they were Jews.
Max Steiner is a German Jewish teenager, at the time of Hitler's rise to power. He lives in a town called Regensburg. His family is very successful there, and he enjoys a good life, wanting for nothing. His girlfriend Renee Herskowitz is also enjoying a life free from want. Slowly, however, Hitler’s draconian rules for Jews, limiting their freedom and their civil rights, often ending in violence, forces many to consider leaving Germany. After Kristallnacht and Max’s father’s arrest for treason and subsequent manhandling by the SS (The Gestapo), the family flees to Amsterdam. Although it is difficult, they manage to start again. When Hitler invades Holland, however, they will have to consider fleeing again. What will they do then?
Meanwhile, Renee and her family had fled to Shanghai, because China allowed Jews to come there without proper papers. They, too, attempt to start again, but their situation will deteriorate as well, when the Japanese occupy Shanghai. How will they fare then?
Although the teenage sweethearts were forced to separate, they had vowed to remain in touch. Soon, though, Renee freed Max from their commitment. She understood that the times were difficult and realized that they might never see each other again. Soon Renee met someone, and so did Max. When Max arrived in Amsterdam, he went to a bookstore and met Carl Weber. They became good friends. Weber’s father, Jacob, was the owner of the bookstore. Carl took Max to a club, and he met Annaliese, a prostitute. He was smitten by her and worked hard to get her out of prostitution. She had only chosen it out of desperation. He managed to help her get a job in the fashion industry, but a fellow worker recognized her and began to blackmail her into prostitution again. When she was fired, though blameless, Max took revenge by writing letters that shamed the man, not thinking ahead. Soon, that Nazi will seek revenge against Annaliese.
Life grew more complicated when Hitler invaded Holland. Carl’s father, who worked with the Underground had gotten Max involved also, so when Annaliese was threatened, and then Max was also, he turned to Carl for help. Carl hid them in the bookstore, but the Nazi bent on vengeance, drunk with his power, showed up there, and tragedy followed. Max escaped, but Annaliese did not. Max was forced to flee for his life. He made his way to America with a visa his mom had procured earlier, and he was taken in by a relative. He learns that his parents were sent to Sobibor, a Concentration Camp and everyone knew the fate of those victims. Everything he knew and loved was gone. He joins the army and after basic training is assigned to Camp Ritrchie and becomes one of the Ritchie Boys. The Ritchie boys were trained in intelligence gathering and combat. Many were from the countries Hitler invaded. They spoke the language and knew the areas where the war was active, so they were better able to interrogate the prisoners of war and those seeking asylum. Max wanted revenge. He desperately wanted to kill Nazis. Now he could finally fight back. Ultimately the war ended, did he become a killer? Did he maintain his humanity? Did he find love again?
This is a story about the consequences of war, of the heroes and the villains, of the cruelty and the heroism, of the courage and the bravery humans are capable of, of the debauchery it forces some people to sink to in order to survive, of the barbarians and the angels, of the hate and the insanity, and of the love that can bloom even in the worst of circumstances, love that can outlive the horror, survive and flourish even after the war is over. The survivors learned that love is the one thing that didn’t die.
As with other books on the Holocaust that I have read, each one informs me of something new, even though I think I have read everything there is to know. I did not know that in some places, Jews could not return to their homes even though others were living in them illegally. It seems that there was no way to return. Their neighborhoods no longer existed. Their friends and family no longer existed. Their possessions were taken by others. Essentially, their lives were gone, and there was little to return to, and also, it was unsafe since there were still people who would murder them if they did return. They could not return to life as it had been, because that life no longer existed and could not be resurrected.
Finally, one has to come to the conclusion that no one sane could have contemplated the horrors of World War II, or of the Holocaust that ensued, resulting in the deaths of so many millions, not only Jews. Perhaps Hitler’s supporters were purely German, but they were also purely evil, cruel, inhumane and monstrously mentally disturbed. We must all keep the memory of The Holocaust alive, because otherwise we might forget… and if we forget, it could happen again.
This is a story that is fiction, but it is based on the very real time of Hitler's rise to power as he built his Third Reich. Hitler created a world focused on the barbarian treatment of people he deemed to be unworthy. Hitler’s actions gave rise to war, and ultimately, the ignominious years of The Holocaust. Hitler started World War II, and he willfully planned the torture and murder of those that he judged to be unfit Germans, those who were not pure Aryans, and unfortunately, six million of those who failed his test were targeted and killed because they were Jews.
Max Steiner is a German Jewish teenager, at the time of Hitler's rise to power. He lives in a town called Regensburg. His family is very successful there, and he enjoys a good life, wanting for nothing. His girlfriend Renee Herskowitz is also enjoying a life free from want. Slowly, however, Hitler’s draconian rules for Jews, limiting their freedom and their civil rights, often ending in violence, forces many to consider leaving Germany. After Kristallnacht and Max’s father’s arrest for treason and subsequent manhandling by the SS (The Gestapo), the family flees to Amsterdam. Although it is difficult, they manage to start again. When Hitler invades Holland, however, they will have to consider fleeing again. What will they do then?
Meanwhile, Renee and her family had fled to Shanghai, because China allowed Jews to come there without proper papers. They, too, attempt to start again, but their situation will deteriorate as well, when the Japanese occupy Shanghai. How will they fare then?
Although the teenage sweethearts were forced to separate, they had vowed to remain in touch. Soon, though, Renee freed Max from their commitment. She understood that the times were difficult and realized that they might never see each other again. Soon Renee met someone, and so did Max. When Max arrived in Amsterdam, he went to a bookstore and met Carl Weber. They became good friends. Weber’s father, Jacob, was the owner of the bookstore. Carl took Max to a club, and he met Annaliese, a prostitute. He was smitten by her and worked hard to get her out of prostitution. She had only chosen it out of desperation. He managed to help her get a job in the fashion industry, but a fellow worker recognized her and began to blackmail her into prostitution again. When she was fired, though blameless, Max took revenge by writing letters that shamed the man, not thinking ahead. Soon, that Nazi will seek revenge against Annaliese.
Life grew more complicated when Hitler invaded Holland. Carl’s father, who worked with the Underground had gotten Max involved also, so when Annaliese was threatened, and then Max was also, he turned to Carl for help. Carl hid them in the bookstore, but the Nazi bent on vengeance, drunk with his power, showed up there, and tragedy followed. Max escaped, but Annaliese did not. Max was forced to flee for his life. He made his way to America with a visa his mom had procured earlier, and he was taken in by a relative. He learns that his parents were sent to Sobibor, a Concentration Camp and everyone knew the fate of those victims. Everything he knew and loved was gone. He joins the army and after basic training is assigned to Camp Ritrchie and becomes one of the Ritchie Boys. The Ritchie boys were trained in intelligence gathering and combat. Many were from the countries Hitler invaded. They spoke the language and knew the areas where the war was active, so they were better able to interrogate the prisoners of war and those seeking asylum. Max wanted revenge. He desperately wanted to kill Nazis. Now he could finally fight back. Ultimately the war ended, did he become a killer? Did he maintain his humanity? Did he find love again?
This is a story about the consequences of war, of the heroes and the villains, of the cruelty and the heroism, of the courage and the bravery humans are capable of, of the debauchery it forces some people to sink to in order to survive, of the barbarians and the angels, of the hate and the insanity, and of the love that can bloom even in the worst of circumstances, love that can outlive the horror, survive and flourish even after the war is over. The survivors learned that love is the one thing that didn’t die.
As with other books on the Holocaust that I have read, each one informs me of something new, even though I think I have read everything there is to know. I did not know that in some places, Jews could not return to their homes even though others were living in them illegally. It seems that there was no way to return. Their neighborhoods no longer existed. Their friends and family no longer existed. Their possessions were taken by others. Essentially, their lives were gone, and there was little to return to, and also, it was unsafe since there were still people who would murder them if they did return. They could not return to life as it had been, because that life no longer existed and could not be resurrected.
Finally, one has to come to the conclusion that no one sane could have contemplated the horrors of World War II, or of the Holocaust that ensued, resulting in the deaths of so many millions, not only Jews. Perhaps Hitler’s supporters were purely German, but they were also purely evil, cruel, inhumane and monstrously mentally disturbed. We must all keep the memory of The Holocaust alive, because otherwise we might forget… and if we forget, it could happen again.
April 3, 2024
This story has been told often: Hitler becomes stronger and bolder, creeping across Europe and destroying everything in his path, starting in Germany. Nobody believes it at first, because it is unbelievable and because it happens bit by bit, step by step. Suddenly the Jews (and other undesirables, anyone in the way of Hitler’s perfect world) realize they haven’t only been marginalized, they’ve been pushed aside, pushed away, unfathomably harshly dealt with, found unworthy of the basic necessities of life itself - discarded. Yes, we’ve heard this story before, but it never loses its potency. And in the always strong, capable, and excellent hands of author Libby Fischer Hellmann it comes fully alive and feels personal and unique.
WW2 is Hellmann’s forte. In Max’s War she perfectly captures the befuddlement of the German Jews. This cannot be happening to them. They are Germans. Good Germans. They contribute to society. They run businesses. They perform their civic duties. They are good citizens. So they are unwilling and unable to accept what is right before them, what is happening to them, even though it’s obvious and the end is inevitable. They search far too long for an explanation, for a way to fix this, to belong once again when it’s now apparent that that will never happen again.
Max’s mother wants the family to leave Germany and go to America as soon as the persecution starts, even securing papers for them so they can travel. But his father believes she’s overreacting, that the current state of the nation can’t last much longer and things will return to normal. Meanwhile, little by little they are shunned by old friends, lose business and Max is forced to change schools. It’s not until his father is arrested and imprisoned for a time that he finally agrees they must leave their home. America is no longer an option, so they resettle in Holland. His close friend and first love Renée and her family have already emigrated to Shanghai.
Things are good in Holland for a while. Max’s father is back in business, his mother is active in women’s groups, and Max makes friends at school. He misses Renée but it seems that was not meant to be. He meets Annaliese and once again his heart is full. But Hitler’s march stops for no one, and Holland is in his path. Max joins the resistance and vows he and Annaliese will use those papers he mother obtained years ago and go to America. But disaster strikes and Max barely escapes. His parents refuse to leave, citing his father’s illness as the reason. Max finds himself in Chicago with family and tries to make a life for himself as a mechanic. When Max learns of his parents’ deaths in Holland at the hands of the Nazis, he enlists in the US Army, determined to do whatever he can to stop this insanity. What has to this point been a heartbreaking story of one family’s struggle now becomes even more intense and fascinating thanks to author Hellmann’s meticulous research and attention to detail.
After basic training Max is sent to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence and becomes a “Ritchie Boy.” The Ritchie Boys were a special collection of soldiers, with sizable numbers of German-Austrian recruits, who were used primarily for interrogation of prisoners on the front lines and counterintelligence in Europe because of their knowledge of the German language and culture. As a Ritchie Boy Max makes a difference many times over.
The story follows Max through the end of the war and his return to Germany in his work for the Americans in the German denazification program. How will that feel? Will anyone he knew as that young boy who left years ago still be there? Still be alive? Will it feel like home, or is his home – and heart – now in America?
Max’s War is a stunning portrayal of the horror, struggles, danger and despair for all those good souls who suffered and were victimized. And it is also the story of the perseverance and determination of a young boy who becomes a strong, determined man. I was completely drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down. I recommend it without hesitation. Libby Fischer Hellmann is always a disciplined, excellent, satisfying author and Max’s War is a brilliant example of that. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
WW2 is Hellmann’s forte. In Max’s War she perfectly captures the befuddlement of the German Jews. This cannot be happening to them. They are Germans. Good Germans. They contribute to society. They run businesses. They perform their civic duties. They are good citizens. So they are unwilling and unable to accept what is right before them, what is happening to them, even though it’s obvious and the end is inevitable. They search far too long for an explanation, for a way to fix this, to belong once again when it’s now apparent that that will never happen again.
Max’s mother wants the family to leave Germany and go to America as soon as the persecution starts, even securing papers for them so they can travel. But his father believes she’s overreacting, that the current state of the nation can’t last much longer and things will return to normal. Meanwhile, little by little they are shunned by old friends, lose business and Max is forced to change schools. It’s not until his father is arrested and imprisoned for a time that he finally agrees they must leave their home. America is no longer an option, so they resettle in Holland. His close friend and first love Renée and her family have already emigrated to Shanghai.
Things are good in Holland for a while. Max’s father is back in business, his mother is active in women’s groups, and Max makes friends at school. He misses Renée but it seems that was not meant to be. He meets Annaliese and once again his heart is full. But Hitler’s march stops for no one, and Holland is in his path. Max joins the resistance and vows he and Annaliese will use those papers he mother obtained years ago and go to America. But disaster strikes and Max barely escapes. His parents refuse to leave, citing his father’s illness as the reason. Max finds himself in Chicago with family and tries to make a life for himself as a mechanic. When Max learns of his parents’ deaths in Holland at the hands of the Nazis, he enlists in the US Army, determined to do whatever he can to stop this insanity. What has to this point been a heartbreaking story of one family’s struggle now becomes even more intense and fascinating thanks to author Hellmann’s meticulous research and attention to detail.
After basic training Max is sent to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence and becomes a “Ritchie Boy.” The Ritchie Boys were a special collection of soldiers, with sizable numbers of German-Austrian recruits, who were used primarily for interrogation of prisoners on the front lines and counterintelligence in Europe because of their knowledge of the German language and culture. As a Ritchie Boy Max makes a difference many times over.
The story follows Max through the end of the war and his return to Germany in his work for the Americans in the German denazification program. How will that feel? Will anyone he knew as that young boy who left years ago still be there? Still be alive? Will it feel like home, or is his home – and heart – now in America?
Max’s War is a stunning portrayal of the horror, struggles, danger and despair for all those good souls who suffered and were victimized. And it is also the story of the perseverance and determination of a young boy who becomes a strong, determined man. I was completely drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down. I recommend it without hesitation. Libby Fischer Hellmann is always a disciplined, excellent, satisfying author and Max’s War is a brilliant example of that. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
April 21, 2024
MAX’S WAR is another engrossing and powerful historical novel from award-winning author Libby Fischer Hellmann. From growing up Jewish in Germany as Hitler gains power to becoming a member of the US military intelligence unit, Max’s point of view will pull readers into a story that is rich in details and action.
In 1930s Regensburg, Germany, in an area known as the Jewish Quarter, Max and his parents are increasingly aware of local businesses that are closing due to the growing anti-Jewish sentiment. His father’s bicycle shop remains longer than most establishments, but Max encounters racism even from teachers at his school, forcing him to leave. His childhood sweetheart, Renee, has left for Shanghai with her family, though they correspond throughout their lives. Their letters give readers insight into life in Asia as Japan engages in World War II.
Max and his parents realize that they need to leave while they still can, so they move to Amsterdam. There Max finds friends and falls in love with a young woman who works as a prostitute. He helps her realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer at a department store. When a manager recognizes her and blackmails her, Max retaliates by telling people what the man has done.
Max’s father is taken to Dachau and is very sick when he returns home days later. It is clear that he was reported because of Max’s revenge plan. The situation continues to get worse in Amsterdam for Max and his family. By 1942, his parents urge him to go to the United States.
Max works in Chicago near his cousins. When he learns that his parents have been taken to a concentration camp, he enlists for the US. He makes it through basic training and is moved to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, to train in intelligence. The fascinating details of this group come through the narrative as Max works on missions posing as a German or interrogating Germans to help the Allies.
Hellmann, who is so skilled at writing mysteries, weaves in characters and clues across the years. Max receives help from his former love’s mother on a mission. At the end of the war, he assists in screening those who are Nazi sympathizers and discovers the teacher who bullied him from his youth. It is during this post-war time working in Germany that Max returns to Regensburg and runs into an old friend, bringing his life full circle.
From the story of a young Jewish man growing up to the missions of his espionage work, MAX’S WAR moves quickly with memorable characters. Readers will appreciate the book’s vivid descriptions and learning about the little-known Ritchie Boys.
Reviewed by Amy Alessio
In 1930s Regensburg, Germany, in an area known as the Jewish Quarter, Max and his parents are increasingly aware of local businesses that are closing due to the growing anti-Jewish sentiment. His father’s bicycle shop remains longer than most establishments, but Max encounters racism even from teachers at his school, forcing him to leave. His childhood sweetheart, Renee, has left for Shanghai with her family, though they correspond throughout their lives. Their letters give readers insight into life in Asia as Japan engages in World War II.
Max and his parents realize that they need to leave while they still can, so they move to Amsterdam. There Max finds friends and falls in love with a young woman who works as a prostitute. He helps her realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer at a department store. When a manager recognizes her and blackmails her, Max retaliates by telling people what the man has done.
Max’s father is taken to Dachau and is very sick when he returns home days later. It is clear that he was reported because of Max’s revenge plan. The situation continues to get worse in Amsterdam for Max and his family. By 1942, his parents urge him to go to the United States.
Max works in Chicago near his cousins. When he learns that his parents have been taken to a concentration camp, he enlists for the US. He makes it through basic training and is moved to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, to train in intelligence. The fascinating details of this group come through the narrative as Max works on missions posing as a German or interrogating Germans to help the Allies.
Hellmann, who is so skilled at writing mysteries, weaves in characters and clues across the years. Max receives help from his former love’s mother on a mission. At the end of the war, he assists in screening those who are Nazi sympathizers and discovers the teacher who bullied him from his youth. It is during this post-war time working in Germany that Max returns to Regensburg and runs into an old friend, bringing his life full circle.
From the story of a young Jewish man growing up to the missions of his espionage work, MAX’S WAR moves quickly with memorable characters. Readers will appreciate the book’s vivid descriptions and learning about the little-known Ritchie Boys.
Reviewed by Amy Alessio
April 21, 2024
MAX’S WAR is another engrossing and powerful historical novel from award-winning author Libby Fischer Hellmann. From growing up Jewish in Germany as Hitler gains power to becoming a member of the US military intelligence unit, Max’s point of view will pull readers into a story that is rich in details and action.
In 1930s Regensburg, Germany, in an area known as the Jewish Quarter, Max and his parents are increasingly aware of local businesses that are closing due to the growing anti-Jewish sentiment. His father’s bicycle shop remains longer than most establishments, but Max encounters racism even from teachers at his school, forcing him to leave. His childhood sweetheart, Renee, has left for Shanghai with her family, though they correspond throughout their lives. Their letters give readers insight into life in Asia as Japan engages in World War II.
Max and his parents realize that they need to leave while they still can, so they move to Amsterdam. There Max finds friends and falls in love with a young woman who works as a prostitute. He helps her realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer at a department store. When a manager recognizes her and blackmails her, Max retaliates by telling people what the man has done.
Max’s father is taken to Dachau and is very sick when he returns home days later. It is clear that he was reported because of Max’s revenge plan. The situation continues to get worse in Amsterdam for Max and his family. By 1942, his parents urge him to go to the United States.
Max works in Chicago near his cousins. When he learns that his parents have been taken to a concentration camp, he enlists for the US. He makes it through basic training and is moved to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, to train in intelligence. The fascinating details of this group come through the narrative as Max works on missions posing as a German or interrogating Germans to help the Allies.
Hellmann, who is so skilled at writing mysteries, weaves in characters and clues across the years. Max receives help from his former love’s mother on a mission. At the end of the war, he assists in screening those who are Nazi sympathizers and discovers the teacher who bullied him from his youth. It is during this post-war time working in Germany that Max returns to Regensburg and runs into an old friend, bringing his life full circle.
From the story of a young Jewish man growing up to the missions of his espionage work, MAX’S WAR moves quickly with memorable characters. Readers will appreciate the book’s vivid descriptions and learning about the little-known Ritchie Boys.
Reviewed by Amy Alessio
In 1930s Regensburg, Germany, in an area known as the Jewish Quarter, Max and his parents are increasingly aware of local businesses that are closing due to the growing anti-Jewish sentiment. His father’s bicycle shop remains longer than most establishments, but Max encounters racism even from teachers at his school, forcing him to leave. His childhood sweetheart, Renee, has left for Shanghai with her family, though they correspond throughout their lives. Their letters give readers insight into life in Asia as Japan engages in World War II.
Max and his parents realize that they need to leave while they still can, so they move to Amsterdam. There Max finds friends and falls in love with a young woman who works as a prostitute. He helps her realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer at a department store. When a manager recognizes her and blackmails her, Max retaliates by telling people what the man has done.
Max’s father is taken to Dachau and is very sick when he returns home days later. It is clear that he was reported because of Max’s revenge plan. The situation continues to get worse in Amsterdam for Max and his family. By 1942, his parents urge him to go to the United States.
Max works in Chicago near his cousins. When he learns that his parents have been taken to a concentration camp, he enlists for the US. He makes it through basic training and is moved to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, to train in intelligence. The fascinating details of this group come through the narrative as Max works on missions posing as a German or interrogating Germans to help the Allies.
Hellmann, who is so skilled at writing mysteries, weaves in characters and clues across the years. Max receives help from his former love’s mother on a mission. At the end of the war, he assists in screening those who are Nazi sympathizers and discovers the teacher who bullied him from his youth. It is during this post-war time working in Germany that Max returns to Regensburg and runs into an old friend, bringing his life full circle.
From the story of a young Jewish man growing up to the missions of his espionage work, MAX’S WAR moves quickly with memorable characters. Readers will appreciate the book’s vivid descriptions and learning about the little-known Ritchie Boys.
Reviewed by Amy Alessio
July 12, 2024
This is based on facts from real survivors during WWII who were in the resistance but the characters named in this book never existed. This doesn't romanticize the facts but makes telling this story easier. Max is based on a young man who lived in what we know as Eastern Germany, a central European area with multiple cultural groups living in harmony. Max's father actively served in WWI and always thought of himself and his family as belonging to Germany as a citizen. The family was also Jewish in religion, but not overly strict but did attend a local synagogue. Max attended the local schools instead of the all-private Jewish school because he contemplated attending university. He starts in the book at around 13 and the story takes place from the 1930s through 1945. They start to hear about the rise of Hilter in the government but they ignore his rise until Hilter becomes head of Germany and starts enacting mandates that only affect Jewish residents so all start to plan, but Max's father delays despite pleas from his wife until he is taken away and tortured in Dachau. When he is released the father moves the family to the Netherlands, hoping that they can stay there until this "Hilter phase" passes, but as history proves even the Netherlands falls under Nazi rule. Max is forced to leave behind his mother and father who refuse to leave and leave with a visa to go to America where he lives with his relatives finishes his schooling and then decides to join up when he receives notice of his parents being taken away. At the end of his basic training, he is placed in a special newly created division to undergo even more special training because of his skills in speaking languages and mental abilities, gets promoted to Staff Sargent and is switched to another unit (the CIA in its infancy) and given citizenship. He gets to do several infiltration missions going into Europe to bring supplies to the resistance and fight along with them. His last mission assignment was to return to his local town and evaluate all the citizens for either re-education back as a functioning citizen or send them to be prosecuted at the Nazi trials. Dong this job, he is reunited with his first love, who returned from Shankai, where her family had fled, because she was trying to find him. Together they decide to live in the USA.
February 15, 2024
Max’s War: The Story of a Ritchie Boy
by Libby Fischer Hellmann
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Max’s War: The Story of a Ritchie Boy covers what may be a sensitive topic for some. It is a novel that chronicles the heartbreaking journey of Max Steiner, a Jew, before, during and at the end of the Second World War. It covers his childhood, adolescence, then his passage into adulthood. More specifically, a period spanning over ten years. As a result of his experiences, Max becomes hell-bent on revenge against Hitler and the Nazis. Written by Libby Fischer Hellmann, the book offers a raw and unfiltered portrayal of the harrowing grief and trauma that is the price to pay with war. With its gripping narrative and poignant insights, it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss.
The book is amazing. Despite its harrowing topic, the author conveys messages with incredible tact. I enjoyed the writing style, which is both poetic and deep in its portrayal of situations and reflections.
The pages are brimming with profound information such as the restrictive laws set up by the Nazis, that has left a lasting impact on me. The author’s use of military knowledge and jargon is impressive. I found myself deeply touched by the unwavering resilience displayed by every character in the story, each in their own unique way.
The book is thought-provoking in more ways than one, touching on concepts such as antisemitic-fueled propaganda that captured my attention. Such a tremendous loss, experienced by many nations, is an unimaginable tragedy that most people cannot comprehend.
Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Max’s War is moving and incredibly human. It showcases how fragile life can be and how much pain people can endure. However, it also showcases that people can overcome even the most profound suffering when there seems to be no hope left, highlighting the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
While I cannot comprehend what it meant to have lived during this period, I believe this book is an invaluable read. We should never forget the devastation caused during this period in time.
by Libby Fischer Hellmann
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Max’s War: The Story of a Ritchie Boy covers what may be a sensitive topic for some. It is a novel that chronicles the heartbreaking journey of Max Steiner, a Jew, before, during and at the end of the Second World War. It covers his childhood, adolescence, then his passage into adulthood. More specifically, a period spanning over ten years. As a result of his experiences, Max becomes hell-bent on revenge against Hitler and the Nazis. Written by Libby Fischer Hellmann, the book offers a raw and unfiltered portrayal of the harrowing grief and trauma that is the price to pay with war. With its gripping narrative and poignant insights, it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss.
The book is amazing. Despite its harrowing topic, the author conveys messages with incredible tact. I enjoyed the writing style, which is both poetic and deep in its portrayal of situations and reflections.
The pages are brimming with profound information such as the restrictive laws set up by the Nazis, that has left a lasting impact on me. The author’s use of military knowledge and jargon is impressive. I found myself deeply touched by the unwavering resilience displayed by every character in the story, each in their own unique way.
The book is thought-provoking in more ways than one, touching on concepts such as antisemitic-fueled propaganda that captured my attention. Such a tremendous loss, experienced by many nations, is an unimaginable tragedy that most people cannot comprehend.
Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Max’s War is moving and incredibly human. It showcases how fragile life can be and how much pain people can endure. However, it also showcases that people can overcome even the most profound suffering when there seems to be no hope left, highlighting the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
While I cannot comprehend what it meant to have lived during this period, I believe this book is an invaluable read. We should never forget the devastation caused during this period in time.
February 4, 2024
This new World War II novel looks at a little known group called The Ritchie Boys. The Ritchie Boys were a special collection of soldiers, mostly German, who worked with Military Intelligence. They were used primarily for interrogation of prisoners and counter intelligence in Europe and were successful because of their knowledge of the German language and culture. The author mentions that this book is a tribute to her late father-in-law who was active with the OSS and interrogated dozens of German POWs.
Max is a Jewish teen and lives in Germany with his parents. When the persecution of the Jews starts in Germany, they escape to Holland where they feel that they will be safe. He starts his life over and finds friends and a girlfriend but when the Nazis invade Holland, his parents encourage him to go to the US to be safe. He ends up in Chicago with family and tries to start his life over. When he finds out that his parents have been killed in a camp, he decides to join the United States Army. After basic training, he is sent to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence. He is sent to Europe where he carries out dangerous missions in occupied countries. He also interrogates many German POWs to find out what he can about German troop movements during some of the critical battles. After the war ends, he works for the Americans in the German denazification program.
This was an extremely well written and well researched novel about the war and the role of many German born soldiers as they did their part to help end Nazi rule. Max was a very well written and interesting character. He did what he could to help the United States as he dealt with the memories that he had of his parents and his years growing up in Germany. It's emotional to read in parts especially when Max goes back to his home in Germany after the war and realizes that he barely recognizes what is left of his town.
If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, this is a book that you don't want to miss about a little known group called the Ritchie Boys.
Max is a Jewish teen and lives in Germany with his parents. When the persecution of the Jews starts in Germany, they escape to Holland where they feel that they will be safe. He starts his life over and finds friends and a girlfriend but when the Nazis invade Holland, his parents encourage him to go to the US to be safe. He ends up in Chicago with family and tries to start his life over. When he finds out that his parents have been killed in a camp, he decides to join the United States Army. After basic training, he is sent to Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is trained in interrogation and counterintelligence. He is sent to Europe where he carries out dangerous missions in occupied countries. He also interrogates many German POWs to find out what he can about German troop movements during some of the critical battles. After the war ends, he works for the Americans in the German denazification program.
This was an extremely well written and well researched novel about the war and the role of many German born soldiers as they did their part to help end Nazi rule. Max was a very well written and interesting character. He did what he could to help the United States as he dealt with the memories that he had of his parents and his years growing up in Germany. It's emotional to read in parts especially when Max goes back to his home in Germany after the war and realizes that he barely recognizes what is left of his town.
If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, this is a book that you don't want to miss about a little known group called the Ritchie Boys.
February 18, 2024
Jewish young man growing up in Germany before WWII returned as an American soldier - 5 stars
This thoughtful historical novel relates the life of Max Steiner from his youth in the Jewish ghetto in Regensburg, Germany, then Amsterdam, and eventually Chicago in the United States where he enlisted in the US Army. Max's language and people skills made him a natural for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), the British SOE (Special Operations Executive), and interviewing Germans after the war to identify people who still had Nazi sympathies.
From 1932-1938 Goebbels worked Hitler's propaganda machine to turn people into anti-Semites so that close childhood friends turned against each other. As the propaganda unfurled, Max and his family slowly realized that their possessions and professions were stolen leading to concentration camps and death. The realization that led his family to flee from Germany to Holland was replayed, after restarting their life of Jewish customs and festivals, was ripped away more violently than in Germany. Max was trying to flee to the United States with his girlfriend; a scheme to get even with powerful people backfired. Max's desire to leave Holland became a necessity to save his life; Max hid in an empty coffin to escape detection by the Gestapo.
Max as an innocent child, coming of age, and deciding on his future was a powerful way to tell the story on an easily understandable level. Having his father taken away by policemen that he knew, witnessing death, and trying to help in the underground resistance were life-forming experiences that led to a determination to avenge the Nazis.
Military training forged Max into a person who seldom lost his temper. On the battlefield and in dangerous hostile situations, Max found ways to defuse life-and-death situations. He was particularly sensitive about seeing innocent people killed even though there was a war going on. Max was successful in keeping fair treatment of others even when other's views were particularly hostile.
This thoughtful historical novel relates the life of Max Steiner from his youth in the Jewish ghetto in Regensburg, Germany, then Amsterdam, and eventually Chicago in the United States where he enlisted in the US Army. Max's language and people skills made him a natural for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), the British SOE (Special Operations Executive), and interviewing Germans after the war to identify people who still had Nazi sympathies.
From 1932-1938 Goebbels worked Hitler's propaganda machine to turn people into anti-Semites so that close childhood friends turned against each other. As the propaganda unfurled, Max and his family slowly realized that their possessions and professions were stolen leading to concentration camps and death. The realization that led his family to flee from Germany to Holland was replayed, after restarting their life of Jewish customs and festivals, was ripped away more violently than in Germany. Max was trying to flee to the United States with his girlfriend; a scheme to get even with powerful people backfired. Max's desire to leave Holland became a necessity to save his life; Max hid in an empty coffin to escape detection by the Gestapo.
Max as an innocent child, coming of age, and deciding on his future was a powerful way to tell the story on an easily understandable level. Having his father taken away by policemen that he knew, witnessing death, and trying to help in the underground resistance were life-forming experiences that led to a determination to avenge the Nazis.
Military training forged Max into a person who seldom lost his temper. On the battlefield and in dangerous hostile situations, Max found ways to defuse life-and-death situations. He was particularly sensitive about seeing innocent people killed even though there was a war going on. Max was successful in keeping fair treatment of others even when other's views were particularly hostile.
April 30, 2024
MAX'S WAR--Epic, Emotional, Evocative--Libby Fischer Hellman!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024
What did I like? THE ENTIRE BOOK! Oh, my oh my! I so enjoyed this outstanding story spanning about twenty years, across three continents (Europe, Asia, North America). Max Steiner, a Jewish teen living in Regensburg, Germany in the 1930's, tells his story of experiencing Hitler's tyrannical steps in the failed attempt to takeover Europe (for starters) and the entire eradication of the Jewish people! This story can be upsetting, as Max grows that are just the experiences of a young Jewish boy facing the ugly changes to the only society he's ever known. Childhood friends are wearing Nazi uniforms to school, taunting Max, starting fights, destroying possessions. As more and more anti-Jewish laws are enacted, he tries to make sense of his world. Renee, his first, is encountering similar events at her synagogue school. When Hitler takes away all the Jewish people rights, the Stringers escape to Amsterdam, Renee's family to Shanghai. Upheaval to all his roots, way-of-life, thinking, feelings!!! Max adapts to his new environs in Jewish Holland, new friends, new girl--Annaliese. But Hitler is continuing his destruction of Europe--one country at a time by invading with his butchering army. My summary so far relates parts of Lillian's epic tale sans the raw emotions and biting dialogue which she digs deep into her brain and heart to provide the BEST BOOK OF MY YEAR!
Her storysetter and storytelling is superb, balancing true events woven with MAX'S story!
Yes, I cried once; ok often and I, too, got angry all over again.
I highly recommend this outstanding work by Libby Fischer Hellman!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024
What did I like? THE ENTIRE BOOK! Oh, my oh my! I so enjoyed this outstanding story spanning about twenty years, across three continents (Europe, Asia, North America). Max Steiner, a Jewish teen living in Regensburg, Germany in the 1930's, tells his story of experiencing Hitler's tyrannical steps in the failed attempt to takeover Europe (for starters) and the entire eradication of the Jewish people! This story can be upsetting, as Max grows that are just the experiences of a young Jewish boy facing the ugly changes to the only society he's ever known. Childhood friends are wearing Nazi uniforms to school, taunting Max, starting fights, destroying possessions. As more and more anti-Jewish laws are enacted, he tries to make sense of his world. Renee, his first, is encountering similar events at her synagogue school. When Hitler takes away all the Jewish people rights, the Stringers escape to Amsterdam, Renee's family to Shanghai. Upheaval to all his roots, way-of-life, thinking, feelings!!! Max adapts to his new environs in Jewish Holland, new friends, new girl--Annaliese. But Hitler is continuing his destruction of Europe--one country at a time by invading with his butchering army. My summary so far relates parts of Lillian's epic tale sans the raw emotions and biting dialogue which she digs deep into her brain and heart to provide the BEST BOOK OF MY YEAR!
Her storysetter and storytelling is superb, balancing true events woven with MAX'S story!
Yes, I cried once; ok often and I, too, got angry all over again.
I highly recommend this outstanding work by Libby Fischer Hellman!!!!!
April 16, 2024
What a gem of a novel. This sweeping saga of one man’s journey from WWII Germany to America, from his family roots as a Jewish citizen in a war-torn country to his training as a Ritchie Boy, a group of young men in the United States tasked with interrogating prisoners on the front line and later serving as military intelligence officers. We see Max and his family struggle as they realize the precariousness of their situation – being Jews in a Nazi state puts them at grave risk and indeed, eventually Max’s parents are killed. Everything he was raised to believe is called into question as countrymen betray friends and neighbors and he’s forced to make hard choices that challenge his loyalty and his honor.
It's refreshing to read about a hero acting on moral principles, staying true to his code. The meticulous research that went into this novel shows in every line, as we the reader are right there with Max as he experiences challenge after challenge. This may have been written, as the author shares, as a tribute to her beloved father-in-law, but it’s a story for the ages.
Highly recommended for its attention to detail but also for the broader picture it paints on a man who faced almost insurmountable odds yet emerged as a true patriot. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, a lover of WWII tales, or just someone who enjoys terrific fiction, you won’t be disappointed in Max’s War.
It's refreshing to read about a hero acting on moral principles, staying true to his code. The meticulous research that went into this novel shows in every line, as we the reader are right there with Max as he experiences challenge after challenge. This may have been written, as the author shares, as a tribute to her beloved father-in-law, but it’s a story for the ages.
Highly recommended for its attention to detail but also for the broader picture it paints on a man who faced almost insurmountable odds yet emerged as a true patriot. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, a lover of WWII tales, or just someone who enjoys terrific fiction, you won’t be disappointed in Max’s War.
March 24, 2024
Max Steiner was twelve years old when Hitler began his reign of terror. He was fifteen when he and his parents fled Germany for safety in Holland. For a brief time, they had an almost normal life, until Hitler’s troops marched into Amsterdam.
He was able to make it to the United States, reluctantly leaving his parents behind. He was twenty-two when devastating news came from Holland, and he knew it was time to fight back against the man and the regime that had taken away everything and everyone he loved. He joined the United States Army, and in December 1942 he was recruited into the Army’s first intelligence training program, training at Fort Ritchie, Maryland.
The Ritchie Boys were native German speakers, many of them Jewish. Their primary task was to interrogate German prisoners of war, but they did much more than that. Max was on the scene at several pivotal points in the war. The contributions of those brave men were invaluable to the war effort.
Through Max’s eyes the reader sees the personal cost of a worldwide tragedy. The historical details are meticulously researched and skillfully intertwined into the story. Max’s War is a powerful tale of what has happened when nationalism rears its ugly head. It is a cautionary story of what could happen again. Highly recommended.
He was able to make it to the United States, reluctantly leaving his parents behind. He was twenty-two when devastating news came from Holland, and he knew it was time to fight back against the man and the regime that had taken away everything and everyone he loved. He joined the United States Army, and in December 1942 he was recruited into the Army’s first intelligence training program, training at Fort Ritchie, Maryland.
The Ritchie Boys were native German speakers, many of them Jewish. Their primary task was to interrogate German prisoners of war, but they did much more than that. Max was on the scene at several pivotal points in the war. The contributions of those brave men were invaluable to the war effort.
Through Max’s eyes the reader sees the personal cost of a worldwide tragedy. The historical details are meticulously researched and skillfully intertwined into the story. Max’s War is a powerful tale of what has happened when nationalism rears its ugly head. It is a cautionary story of what could happen again. Highly recommended.
Read
January 10, 2025I am sorry to be giving up on this. It occurs in a time period that I've read tons of books about--World War II in German and Holland--and covers a subject I find intensely interesting--the resistance and the OSS. But the writing is dull and stilted, even in the action scenes. You know how when you're writing action, you shorten your sentences and jump about to build excitement? In this book, all of the sentences are short and choppy--they failed to pull me along. After a paragraph or two, I kept finding myself wanting to put the book down.
The guy next to him pulled out a rosary and started to pray. Max recited the Sh'ma. The plane abruptly ascended five hundred feet. Max was on the verge of panic. What was happening? Had they been shot at again? No. The unit leader made circular gestures with his arms, signalling that the jumps would begin. He struggled to pull open the plane's door.
Is this just me being picky, or did the paragraph about read like something I might read to my kids, in a "talking down" tone? (Which I wouldn't do) And another issue I had is that the emotional content just wasn't there. It read like a history book. Strange.
I'm really sorry, because I think the author did her research excellently well and came up with a cool story designed to bring history to life. But for me, it didn't.
The guy next to him pulled out a rosary and started to pray. Max recited the Sh'ma. The plane abruptly ascended five hundred feet. Max was on the verge of panic. What was happening? Had they been shot at again? No. The unit leader made circular gestures with his arms, signalling that the jumps would begin. He struggled to pull open the plane's door.
Is this just me being picky, or did the paragraph about read like something I might read to my kids, in a "talking down" tone? (Which I wouldn't do) And another issue I had is that the emotional content just wasn't there. It read like a history book. Strange.
I'm really sorry, because I think the author did her research excellently well and came up with a cool story designed to bring history to life. But for me, it didn't.
January 31, 2024
This is not my normal type of story, I like cosy mysteries, so this was a big change for me. I think Libby is a talented author and I am a big fan, which is why I gave it a chance. It's not a quick read and the emotions you experience while reading means I couldn't read it in large chunks and it took me a while to finish. This was mainly because the story was so well written that you cared about what happened to Max. I have heard stories about what happened during the war but this is the first time I have experienced what the people faced and went through, a real eye opener. The story follows Max, a young Jewish boy and his transformation and reasons for joining the Ritchie Boys and his stand against Hitler. I enjoyed his training and the author obviously did a lot of research, which she backs it up with a heart warming tale. I did need a box of tissues but I couldn't stop reading until I had finished.
This review feels too short to explain everything I experienced and felt while reading this book but so much happened and it is impossible to tell it without spoilers, so I will just say well worth a read.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This review feels too short to explain everything I experienced and felt while reading this book but so much happened and it is impossible to tell it without spoilers, so I will just say well worth a read.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 2, 2024
This is a wonderful book. It tells the story of Max, a young German Jewish boy before, during and after the Second World War. Through Max’s experiences, the reader also experiences the horrors of the war and the atrocities of the Nazi treatment of Jews in Germany and the rest of Europe.
The book can be read and appreciated by readers of all ages. Young readers will be able to relate to Max and learn about the Holocaust. More mature readers will once again be exposed to the terrors the Jews of Europe lived or didn’t live through.
The author skillfully tells Max’s story through his life in Germany, Holland and in a special position with the US Army and affiliate. Max is presented as a real person with friends, loves and losses. Through all of this his humanity and sensitivity to others remains.
While many books have been written about World War II and the Holocaust, this book stands out in its exceptional telling of the well known war atrocities and also in the fact that it tells a lesser known historical role of the US in the war.
I highly recommend this book. It will stay with readers for a long time.
The book can be read and appreciated by readers of all ages. Young readers will be able to relate to Max and learn about the Holocaust. More mature readers will once again be exposed to the terrors the Jews of Europe lived or didn’t live through.
The author skillfully tells Max’s story through his life in Germany, Holland and in a special position with the US Army and affiliate. Max is presented as a real person with friends, loves and losses. Through all of this his humanity and sensitivity to others remains.
While many books have been written about World War II and the Holocaust, this book stands out in its exceptional telling of the well known war atrocities and also in the fact that it tells a lesser known historical role of the US in the war.
I highly recommend this book. It will stay with readers for a long time.
March 25, 2024
The author wrote an amazing book around the Vietnam war which I thought was one of the most moving and engaging books that I have read. When I saw that she had written another around WWII, I was expecting great things, and I wasn't disappointed, it evokes the period so well, and is peopled by original and believable characters which are so skilfully drawn that I almost believed that I knew them.
She doesn't flinch from portraying the more unpleasant aspects of life at the time, nor does she shy away from writing very nasty characters, but she also balances this with sympathetic characters and joyful moments.
There has obviously been a huge amount of research carried out, the details of things like clothes and food demonstrate this, and this is something which I really appreciate. Having been to the SOE exhibition in Beaulieu I found the references to that organisation in the training of the Ritchie boys, the American organisation similar to the SOE.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, but I can say in all honesty that this review would have been exactly the same if I had paid for the book.
She doesn't flinch from portraying the more unpleasant aspects of life at the time, nor does she shy away from writing very nasty characters, but she also balances this with sympathetic characters and joyful moments.
There has obviously been a huge amount of research carried out, the details of things like clothes and food demonstrate this, and this is something which I really appreciate. Having been to the SOE exhibition in Beaulieu I found the references to that organisation in the training of the Ritchie boys, the American organisation similar to the SOE.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, but I can say in all honesty that this review would have been exactly the same if I had paid for the book.
April 7, 2024
This is a great story and overview of a Jew's journey from the start of Nazism through the time after the war. Max, at the start the story is a school boy who sees his life changing as being Jewish is no longer acceptable in Germany. His family escapes to Amsterdam, but only he makes it to the US. He becomes an intelligence officer for the US and goes back to Europe. Max lives through devastating events and keeps his intelligence, his stable nature, and his compassion alive throughout.
The book covers some aspects of WWII and the Jewish experience that I was unaware of, although I've read many books about the Resistance fighters and historical figures. I think this book could be an excellent resource for teens and older to begin learning about the rise of Hitler and the Nazi's and how Jews and other people found their lives uprooted at best, and completely destroyed at worst.
I recommend this book for people wanting learn more about WWII and even those who know a lot might learn more by reading this book.
The book covers some aspects of WWII and the Jewish experience that I was unaware of, although I've read many books about the Resistance fighters and historical figures. I think this book could be an excellent resource for teens and older to begin learning about the rise of Hitler and the Nazi's and how Jews and other people found their lives uprooted at best, and completely destroyed at worst.
I recommend this book for people wanting learn more about WWII and even those who know a lot might learn more by reading this book.
April 15, 2024
Yes, this is a book about WWII, and yes this is a book about the experience of a Jewish young guy during the war, but what make it different for me was the introduction of the Ritchie Boys in the narrative of WWII. I have never heard of them and the vital role they played gathering intel and information for the Allies.
The Ritchie Boys were a group of mostly German born young men who immigrated to the United States, joined the military and were picked to form a special intel unit who's job was primarily to interrogate german prisoners in Europe and gather intelligence information.
Max is one of the Ritchie Boys, he is sent to Europe, and of course Germany where he puts his training to use interrogating prisoners, one of those is his former teacher who made his life miserable while in school, and gathering counterintelligence.
With an amazing amount of research and a very good writing by the author, this book is one that is hard to put down, even though the subject of the book is not an easy one to read.
The Ritchie Boys were a group of mostly German born young men who immigrated to the United States, joined the military and were picked to form a special intel unit who's job was primarily to interrogate german prisoners in Europe and gather intelligence information.
Max is one of the Ritchie Boys, he is sent to Europe, and of course Germany where he puts his training to use interrogating prisoners, one of those is his former teacher who made his life miserable while in school, and gathering counterintelligence.
With an amazing amount of research and a very good writing by the author, this book is one that is hard to put down, even though the subject of the book is not an easy one to read.
April 16, 2024
Now that MAX’S WAR by Libby Fischer Hellmann, has launched in hard cover, soft cover, eReader and audio, you have absolutely no excuse not to get this wonderful book. It is very obvious that Libby really did her homework. The sense of place is so strong, I felt like I walking the streets in Germany and Holland. The sense of history is so clear, I felt like I was there during the war.
MAX’S WAR is a very personal story about a young boy who escapes to Holland with his family to avoid Nazi persecution as the Nazi regime spreads across Europe. When the Nazis invade Holland, Max escapes to Chicago where he eventually joins the US Army and is sent to Camp Richie where he becomes one of the Richie Boys. Because of his language skills and knowledge of the country, Max is sent behind enemy lines to help defeat the Nazi regime.
MAX’S WAR is well written, riveting and very entertaining.
MAX’S WAR is a very personal story about a young boy who escapes to Holland with his family to avoid Nazi persecution as the Nazi regime spreads across Europe. When the Nazis invade Holland, Max escapes to Chicago where he eventually joins the US Army and is sent to Camp Richie where he becomes one of the Richie Boys. Because of his language skills and knowledge of the country, Max is sent behind enemy lines to help defeat the Nazi regime.
MAX’S WAR is well written, riveting and very entertaining.
May 18, 2024
What an amazing story, at times, riveting! Libby Hellmann, does an amazing amount of research to present such an incredibly historical novel that grips the reader from the very beginning transporting you back into World War II. Her story on Viet Nam , “A Bend in The River”, was likewise compelling! In Max’s War, our hero is a young Jewish boy, thrust into the horrors of war as Hitler begins his march of terror throughout Europe. We follow Max as his family leaves Germany, going to Holland, with Max eventually immigrating to America. When the US joins the war effort, Max has one goal in mind; to enlist in the Army to enact revenge on the Nazis. Max’s language skills and intelligence lead him into an elite group of “Ritchie's” sent to the front line for intel and interrogation of prisoners. His war experiences are at times heartbreaking, but through it all Max learns a lot about himself and the value of life. An absolutely amazing read!
January 29, 2024
This story follows our main character, a Jewish boy called Max who lives in Germany at a time when antisemitism was on the rise and Hitler was coming into power. As Max grows older, he is faced with numerous conflicts internally and externally from antisemitic bullying in school to having to flee his home and the life he once knew.
This story is full of joy, hope, love, and loss on every page. We not only travel time as Max grows up but also countries and contents in the hopes of escaping the growing persecution and war in Europe. But as we all know, escaping external and internal conflict is not easy or even possible in some cases.
I received this book from NetGalley and The Red Herrings Press and I had a great time reading it and look forward to exploring more work by the author Libby Fischer Hellmann.
This story is full of joy, hope, love, and loss on every page. We not only travel time as Max grows up but also countries and contents in the hopes of escaping the growing persecution and war in Europe. But as we all know, escaping external and internal conflict is not easy or even possible in some cases.
I received this book from NetGalley and The Red Herrings Press and I had a great time reading it and look forward to exploring more work by the author Libby Fischer Hellmann.
February 6, 2024
I am a fast reader. Halfway through the book I decided to start over to be sure I didn’t miss anything. Why did I start over? Because of how good this book is. I had never heard of the Richie boys that the book is based on. Also, it grabbed my attention being set in Germany at the time Antisemitism was growing at a rapid pace with Hitler coming into power and now at this time Israel is dealing with a war with Hamas. You see the beginning of the war from the eyes of a young Jewish boy living in Germany. Max and his parents flee to Amsterdam thinking they would be safe. But was not to be. Do not want to give too much away but Max ends up in America at the age of 20. Two years later he enlists and after basic training he becomes a Ritchie Boy. Just so much I could write because this book is so good. It will catch your attention and you just have to keep reading.
April 2, 2024
I'm not really big on historical fiction, but this book captured my heart and mind. Tough to read at times, but nonetheless, a great story with great characters and a compelling read.
I will not reiterate the blub, you can read that and get the gist, but if you are looking for a book that is a wonderful read and hard to put down, you will find those qualities in this one.
Set in WWII Nazi Germany, Ms. Hellmann has done a wonderful job portraying historically correct events that at times are difficult to embrace but validate this tale. Emotional to say the least, a must-read at best, pick this up today, and a book that you just don't want to pass up. One click now, and you won't be sorry.
I received an advanced copy of this wonderful story and am voluntarily leaving my unbiased review.
I will not reiterate the blub, you can read that and get the gist, but if you are looking for a book that is a wonderful read and hard to put down, you will find those qualities in this one.
Set in WWII Nazi Germany, Ms. Hellmann has done a wonderful job portraying historically correct events that at times are difficult to embrace but validate this tale. Emotional to say the least, a must-read at best, pick this up today, and a book that you just don't want to pass up. One click now, and you won't be sorry.
I received an advanced copy of this wonderful story and am voluntarily leaving my unbiased review.
April 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this story of the plight of the Jews and others in Germany. It has always saddened me to hear about what happened to the millions of innocent people. This story did such a great job of letting us in on that part of history. I fully understand why Max wanted to go to war. Max is growing up during the time of Hitler's rise to power. Being Jewish, his family had to pay close attention. When they flee Germany, they think they are safe, but that didn't last too long. When it came time to flee again, Max had to go to America without his parents. He really wants to do something that will make a difference not only for his family, but for all the Jews that have been brutalized by a monstrous regime. Along the way there is so much sadness, love, forgiveness and triumph.
June 20, 2024
Thoroughly readable book.
I found this book to be very entertaining and close enough to the actual course of events to be a true account of the period covered. Because it includes the kind of personal details that makes it a page turner, it should appeal to a great number of readers. I relate to it because my ancestry is German, although rather far removed from Germany proper as my immigrants came to America in the early 19th century. However, I have read quite a lot of history relating to WWII and feel enabled to experience the personal account told in this story, though I am not Jewish. Despite a few proofreading errors, the story is well written and induces the reader to keep going chapter to chapter, not wanting to stop. I would very much like to read more of this author in future.
I found this book to be very entertaining and close enough to the actual course of events to be a true account of the period covered. Because it includes the kind of personal details that makes it a page turner, it should appeal to a great number of readers. I relate to it because my ancestry is German, although rather far removed from Germany proper as my immigrants came to America in the early 19th century. However, I have read quite a lot of history relating to WWII and feel enabled to experience the personal account told in this story, though I am not Jewish. Despite a few proofreading errors, the story is well written and induces the reader to keep going chapter to chapter, not wanting to stop. I would very much like to read more of this author in future.
December 12, 2024
I have read a lot by this author, Libby Fischer Hellman
I have loved all her books
Her female characters are mostly bright and courageous
This book,Max's War was fabulous
I realized Libby must have done impeccable research and I adored all her main characters
The story of the Richie Boys to me is a miracle
The US Army allowed these young German immigrants, most of whom had lost their families, to become the eyes and ears of the Natzi officers and private soldiers that were captured by the Army.
These young men spoke German without a flaw
They also knew the ins and outs of the German culture and life within Germany
I twwruly enjoyed every page of this book
My heart was up in my throat while reading this book as it is always when I read about Jews in Germany during this time period
This book and the Ritchie Boys will be with me for a long time
I have loved all her books
Her female characters are mostly bright and courageous
This book,Max's War was fabulous
I realized Libby must have done impeccable research and I adored all her main characters
The story of the Richie Boys to me is a miracle
The US Army allowed these young German immigrants, most of whom had lost their families, to become the eyes and ears of the Natzi officers and private soldiers that were captured by the Army.
These young men spoke German without a flaw
They also knew the ins and outs of the German culture and life within Germany
I twwruly enjoyed every page of this book
My heart was up in my throat while reading this book as it is always when I read about Jews in Germany during this time period
This book and the Ritchie Boys will be with me for a long time
April 16, 2024
This is a story that delves into what until recently has been a little know aspect of WWII: the Ritchie Boys. Ritchie Boys were young, Jewish men, many immigrants from Germany, recruited to work to help the US undermine Hitler and win the war. One of these men was Max Steiner. Born in Germany, Max as a young boy was witness to the uprising of antisemitism. He suffered many losses in his hometown of Regensburg, Germany before he and his parents escaped to Holland. There, for a while, life proceeded more normally, It wasn’t long though until Max found it necessary to flee to the US.
The book also offers a glimpse into life in Shanghai, China, where his friend, Renee Herskowitz, escapes with her family. This view into the conditions she and her family experienced there is eye-opening. While they found a degree of safety, they also suffered from less than ideal conditions. It was heartening to share the correspondence between the two friends.
I found this an entertaining and informative historical novel. It begins following Max as a twelve-year-old in the 1930s, as his life in Germany turns from pastoral to horrific. In the following years, Max makes moves, finds and loses love, and joins the US Army, soon to become one of the elite Ritchie Boys.
Max’s War is a well-written book, filled with historical details and engaging characters. It’s a realistic look into how the life of one young man changed in the years leading up to and during WWII. It deals with love, loss, grief, guilt, family, and friendship, It’s the tale of a childhood lost and an adulthood found. It doesn’t hold back in illustrating some of the horrors that WWII brought for many.
I found this an informative and enlightening book. I highly recommend it.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reacting this book.
The book also offers a glimpse into life in Shanghai, China, where his friend, Renee Herskowitz, escapes with her family. This view into the conditions she and her family experienced there is eye-opening. While they found a degree of safety, they also suffered from less than ideal conditions. It was heartening to share the correspondence between the two friends.
I found this an entertaining and informative historical novel. It begins following Max as a twelve-year-old in the 1930s, as his life in Germany turns from pastoral to horrific. In the following years, Max makes moves, finds and loses love, and joins the US Army, soon to become one of the elite Ritchie Boys.
Max’s War is a well-written book, filled with historical details and engaging characters. It’s a realistic look into how the life of one young man changed in the years leading up to and during WWII. It deals with love, loss, grief, guilt, family, and friendship, It’s the tale of a childhood lost and an adulthood found. It doesn’t hold back in illustrating some of the horrors that WWII brought for many.
I found this an informative and enlightening book. I highly recommend it.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reacting this book.
April 18, 2024
Another rate 5 star from me.
Max Steiner grew up in Regensburg Germany. He had a great life with friend, family and school. Then Hitler came to power. We follow Max as his family flees to Amsterdam and then he goes to America. He falls in love in Amsterdam, makes new friends and finds a father figure that means the world to him.
2 years into his life in Chicago, he gets word of his parents who he left behind in Amsterdam. He decides to enlist in the US Army. Because of his ability to speak multiple languages he is sent to a training base in Virginia, home of the Ritchie Boys. The Ritchie Boys were a special battalion trained in intelligence and interrogation. Many of them were German and many of them were Jewish.
Max is sent to Europe to help coordinate and lead missions. We follow Max to the end of the war.
Action packed with great characters, loved it.
Max Steiner grew up in Regensburg Germany. He had a great life with friend, family and school. Then Hitler came to power. We follow Max as his family flees to Amsterdam and then he goes to America. He falls in love in Amsterdam, makes new friends and finds a father figure that means the world to him.
2 years into his life in Chicago, he gets word of his parents who he left behind in Amsterdam. He decides to enlist in the US Army. Because of his ability to speak multiple languages he is sent to a training base in Virginia, home of the Ritchie Boys. The Ritchie Boys were a special battalion trained in intelligence and interrogation. Many of them were German and many of them were Jewish.
Max is sent to Europe to help coordinate and lead missions. We follow Max to the end of the war.
Action packed with great characters, loved it.
April 23, 2024
This story starts out with a ten year old boy in 1933, and ends in 1946 at the end of World War II. We meet Max Steiner and his parents Moritz and Hannah. Max grows up like any normal boy his age in Germany until Hitler interferes with that normalcy. In 1936, the Steiner family moves to Amsterdam to get away from the German prosecution of the Jewish community. The family thinks they are safe, but, as the war escalates and Hitler and his Nazi's move into Holland Moritz and Hannah suggest Max goes to America where his will be safe. Max has other plans and when he gets to America he enlists in the Army. He is assigned to Camp Ritchie and becomes one of the Ritchie Boys. We follow Max through the perils of his war thought England, France, and Belgium. A wonderful WWII 5 plus book.
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