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In the Wake of Madness: My Family's Escape from the Nazis
A cache of poignant letters
A narrow escape from Nazi-occupied Europe
A family scattered and forever changed by war
In 1940, thousands of Jewish refugees descended upon sunny Lisbon, desperately scrambling to acquire visas to escape Nazi-occupied Europe. Among them were Elsa and Saly Levi, a young German-Jewish couple who thought they had found safety in neutral Belgium—until Nazi bombs began to fall. Their eyes were fixed on America, but anywhere would do, as long they were far from the Nazis’ reach. But there were others to Saly’s parents were trapped in Vichy France, and Elsa’s mother in Berlin.
In the Wake of Madness captures heartache and hope as history unfolds, from the prewar period in Germany to 1950 New York. Armed with a wealth of long-neglected personal documents, the author pieces together the nail-biting details of her family’s escape. Her journey takes the reader to Germany, Belgium, Portugal, New York, Japan, Chile, Britain and Palestine as WWII scattered loved ones across the globe.
A powerful true story that is both intimate and universal.
A narrow escape from Nazi-occupied Europe
A family scattered and forever changed by war
In 1940, thousands of Jewish refugees descended upon sunny Lisbon, desperately scrambling to acquire visas to escape Nazi-occupied Europe. Among them were Elsa and Saly Levi, a young German-Jewish couple who thought they had found safety in neutral Belgium—until Nazi bombs began to fall. Their eyes were fixed on America, but anywhere would do, as long they were far from the Nazis’ reach. But there were others to Saly’s parents were trapped in Vichy France, and Elsa’s mother in Berlin.
In the Wake of Madness captures heartache and hope as history unfolds, from the prewar period in Germany to 1950 New York. Armed with a wealth of long-neglected personal documents, the author pieces together the nail-biting details of her family’s escape. Her journey takes the reader to Germany, Belgium, Portugal, New York, Japan, Chile, Britain and Palestine as WWII scattered loved ones across the globe.
A powerful true story that is both intimate and universal.
- GenresHolocaustNonfiction
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 5, 2024
About the author
Bettie Lennett Denny
3 books20 followersIN THE WAKE OF MADNESS: MY FAMILY'S ESCAPE FROM THE NAZIS is a blend of history and memoir bolstered by an invaluable collection of letters and documents. It is Bettie's first work of non-fiction and a labor of love. She is also the author of ANGEL UNFOLDING, a fictional social drama set in Montana, and BURYING MY DEAD, an award-winning historical mystery based in Portland, Oregon with a genealogical twist.
Bettie was born in Kew Gardens Hills, New York where her claim to fame was growing up next door to Paul Simon. (Yes, that Paul Simon.) A circuitous path took her to Omaha, Nebraska where she met her husband, Pat, and embarked on a career in television broadcasting and public relations work for non-profits. Vacations always took them west to the mountains and rivers, so when life provided the opportunity, they moved to Portland, Oregon, which has been their home since 2006. Thanks to good karma or good fortune, her two daughters and three grandchildren live nearby.
Bettie was born in Kew Gardens Hills, New York where her claim to fame was growing up next door to Paul Simon. (Yes, that Paul Simon.) A circuitous path took her to Omaha, Nebraska where she met her husband, Pat, and embarked on a career in television broadcasting and public relations work for non-profits. Vacations always took them west to the mountains and rivers, so when life provided the opportunity, they moved to Portland, Oregon, which has been their home since 2006. Thanks to good karma or good fortune, her two daughters and three grandchildren live nearby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 5, 2024
This is a compelling, page turning read. I’m not a history buff and in fact have been overwhelmed by all the recent books about WWII, but so glad I read this one. I was riveted by the true story of the author’s parents’ migration to the U.S. as Jewish refugees during WWII. When they made the decision to leave Europe, they had been living in Belgium believing that was safer than their home in Germany. They returned to Germany to get their documents in order, but it was almost too late. I can’t believe all the countries they had to pass through, obtaining visas, tickets, temporary housing, and work. The book weaves personal drama with a journalist crafting of the narrative. It’s based on family letters and meticulous research. which I believe reflects Ms. Dennie’s 20 year career as TV journalist. While a different type of migration story, I found it just as powerful as The Warmth of Other Suns. I was privileged to receive an ARC from the author, am a huge fan of her historical fiction novel, Burying My dead.
February 7, 2024
The picture that stays with me is the author's father, dressed in a suit and tie, being forced to wait while he knows the nazis are basically circling the town where he and his wife have taken some temporary refuge. It wasn't enough to give up virtually everything, you still had to jump through so many bureaucratic hoops.
From a genealogical point of view, I'm also fascinated how you can use letters and research to put together such a complete story. I don't have as much of a paper trail, and I don't know that there are any historically significant pieces to the story, but I'm motivated to look again at my own family's information.
From a genealogical point of view, I'm also fascinated how you can use letters and research to put together such a complete story. I don't have as much of a paper trail, and I don't know that there are any historically significant pieces to the story, but I'm motivated to look again at my own family's information.
March 28, 2024
A compelling story that weaves history with memoir as the author recreates her parents’ arduous journey to safety. Anecdotes from a trove of preserved letters grounds the story and offers important insights to the cleverness and tenacity of the author’s parents in navigating tremendous obstacles to escape the Nazi killing machine. This is an excellent contribution to diasporic stories, centered on hope and resilience.
March 22, 2024
An amazing journey of escape from Nazi Germany meticulously written by Bettie Denny as she learned about her parents ordeal. I could not put it down and I learned so much about history that was not covered in our textbooks.
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March 5, 2024Goodreads Giveaway
I really enjoyed this book; opened my eyes to the struggles of immigration and refugees. I've only read accounts of those in concentration camps, so this was a different perspective. It also made me realize how all of this took place in the fairly recent past even though it feels like many lifetimes ago. Loved the pictures and getting to read the letters.
I really enjoyed this book; opened my eyes to the struggles of immigration and refugees. I've only read accounts of those in concentration camps, so this was a different perspective. It also made me realize how all of this took place in the fairly recent past even though it feels like many lifetimes ago. Loved the pictures and getting to read the letters.
February 25, 2024
This book is amazing. I enjoy any book that revolves around WWII and all that occurred, whether it is the story of soldiers, victims or survivors. To read the story of a family that mostly made it out of Nazi Europe was incredibly eye opening.
I give Bettie incredible props for calling out the way that the world is today and how much it is like the world then and how we need to reevaluate how things are going, not only in America but in other countries too. It takes courage to speak out.
I love the list of other books to read at the end of the book, they will be going on my want to read list.
I give Bettie incredible props for calling out the way that the world is today and how much it is like the world then and how we need to reevaluate how things are going, not only in America but in other countries too. It takes courage to speak out.
I love the list of other books to read at the end of the book, they will be going on my want to read list.
February 15, 2024
Fascinating true story of one families life changing horrific experience to freedom. How they managed to out smart the Nazi's and their allies, and find their way to America. Easy to read, gripping, and makes me appreciate the freedoms I have. Often said "never forget what happened," but it seems these times have much in common in the world, especially for Jewish people. It makes me sad and even more determined to recognize the evil of some people, and rid humanity of this evil. Thanks to the author for the huge effort to document her story !!
February 8, 2024
Spectacular book. The author remarkably shared her family’s story thru letters and artifacts.
October 4, 2024
As a full-time faculty member in history at an American community college, I highly recommend In the Wake of Madness to anyone interested in the history of World War II, the Holocaust, and/or modern Jewish history. It is a beautifully written and fascinating portrayal of what it took to escape the murderous insanity of the Nazi regime, and a moving contribution to several genres: family memoir, social and cultural history of World War II, and most importantly, Holocaust survivor testimony.
While the author does not claim to be a professional historian, she carried out meticulous historical research, working from family archives and interviews while also roping in relevant and up-to-date scholarship on the WWII era. Along the way, the reader is presented with many elements of history too often overlooked. The daughter of German Jewish Holocaust survivors, Denny is able to address many of the questions that remain central to the study of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, including (among others) why more Jews did not flee Germany after the Nazi seizure of power, how prevalent antisemitism was in both pre-war and wartime Europe, how much was known about the Holocaust in the Allied nations, and what life was like for Jewish refugees who did manage to escape during the war. Through a compelling narrative, the reader comes to appreciate the combination of resourcefulness, tenacity, and luck that had to come together at just the right time.
There are many compelling elements to this book – too many to enumerate in a short review. A thoroughly worthwhile read!
While the author does not claim to be a professional historian, she carried out meticulous historical research, working from family archives and interviews while also roping in relevant and up-to-date scholarship on the WWII era. Along the way, the reader is presented with many elements of history too often overlooked. The daughter of German Jewish Holocaust survivors, Denny is able to address many of the questions that remain central to the study of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, including (among others) why more Jews did not flee Germany after the Nazi seizure of power, how prevalent antisemitism was in both pre-war and wartime Europe, how much was known about the Holocaust in the Allied nations, and what life was like for Jewish refugees who did manage to escape during the war. Through a compelling narrative, the reader comes to appreciate the combination of resourcefulness, tenacity, and luck that had to come together at just the right time.
There are many compelling elements to this book – too many to enumerate in a short review. A thoroughly worthwhile read!
January 3, 2024
At the end of In the Wake of Madness, Bettie Lennett Denny’s vivid chronicle of her parents’ escape from Nazi Germany, she writes, “My parents taught me that vigilance is vital and despair is not an option.” Resilience and courage were also vital during their harrowing journey through Europe to their New York City destination.
Denny is masterful at creating suspense. The reader feels her parents’ fears and heartbreak as the Nazis gain control of Germany and they realize that, as Jews, escape is imperative. Packed into a “five-passenger Graham Paige,” they drive through various countries at their peril dealing with one physical or personal roadblock after another, never knowing if they will survive the trip — but determined to do so.
Denny is a detective and historian. She delves into research with relish unearthing a mountain of fascinating details about World War II, Chile (where some of her family immigrated), and her extended family. (The story of how strangers came to her aid when she found letters in a box written in Old German script is engrossing.) She shows us how humanity can endure even in the depths of evil, and how determination can overcome obstacles. And she does this with fluid, beautiful writing.
In the Wake of Madness should be on everyone’s bookshelf. In a time when authoritarianism and hatred are on the rise throughout the world, Denny’s parents’ story reminds us that we can’t allow this to happen again.
Denny is masterful at creating suspense. The reader feels her parents’ fears and heartbreak as the Nazis gain control of Germany and they realize that, as Jews, escape is imperative. Packed into a “five-passenger Graham Paige,” they drive through various countries at their peril dealing with one physical or personal roadblock after another, never knowing if they will survive the trip — but determined to do so.
Denny is a detective and historian. She delves into research with relish unearthing a mountain of fascinating details about World War II, Chile (where some of her family immigrated), and her extended family. (The story of how strangers came to her aid when she found letters in a box written in Old German script is engrossing.) She shows us how humanity can endure even in the depths of evil, and how determination can overcome obstacles. And she does this with fluid, beautiful writing.
In the Wake of Madness should be on everyone’s bookshelf. In a time when authoritarianism and hatred are on the rise throughout the world, Denny’s parents’ story reminds us that we can’t allow this to happen again.
February 9, 2024
Such an ambitious and heartfelt project from a second-generation survivor whose own birth could be considered a triumph! Bettie Denny spins a harrowing tale of her parents’ flight from the Nazis, a 20th century odyssey that was fueled by hope and optimism despite the terrible odds. With just the right combination of personal and historical accounting, Denny makes those traumatic times resonate, and her assured and colorful writing carries us easily through the story. This intimate approach takes us inside the hard choices Elsa and Saly had to make in the face of encroaching menace, family responsibilities, immigration restrictions, and the snail pace of bureaucracy. As if they hadn’t been through enough, once safely in New York they experienced the cruel irony of being “enemy aliens” and the sorrow of an extended family permanently splintered by their individual escapes from danger. There’s much to be learned from Denny’s careful reporting: who knew that U.S. senators were working on behalf of the Nazis, that the Dominican Republic was free with their passports, or that an organization called the Hilfsverein helped Germans emigrate…until it was hijacked by the Reich for its data? Family photos at the end of each chapter allow us to pause and look into the faces of people who not only endured but left behind the images, letters, and documents that help us understand their journey. Bravo to Denny for pulling it all together into a thought-provoking and engaging narrative.
February 26, 2024
I highly recommend this compelling and well-researched family saga.
The book is historically interesting and informative. In portraying her relatives’ escapes from the Nazis, Denny illuminates some aspects of World War II not widely known.
Denny’s family’s story resonated with me, as I believe it will with readers who also have a family history of immigration. The book captures the perpetual dread of persons “caught in the life and death race between papers and deportation,” and the anguish of arriving in a strange land of unfamiliar climate, costumes, language; surrounded by people who did not want “foreigners” as neighbors.
My main reason for recommending this book is the cautionary tale it weaves. I could not read about the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany without seeing similarities to events unfolding in our country and our world today. . In a post-epilogue chapter, Denny poses this challenge:
As virulent “otherism” becomes an easy way to rally people to a cause, and authoritarian forces challenge the principles of democracy, will good people turn away, assuming the unthinkable cannot happen again?
In the Wake of Madness propels a thoughtful reader to carefully consider this question.
The book is historically interesting and informative. In portraying her relatives’ escapes from the Nazis, Denny illuminates some aspects of World War II not widely known.
Denny’s family’s story resonated with me, as I believe it will with readers who also have a family history of immigration. The book captures the perpetual dread of persons “caught in the life and death race between papers and deportation,” and the anguish of arriving in a strange land of unfamiliar climate, costumes, language; surrounded by people who did not want “foreigners” as neighbors.
My main reason for recommending this book is the cautionary tale it weaves. I could not read about the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany without seeing similarities to events unfolding in our country and our world today. . In a post-epilogue chapter, Denny poses this challenge:
As virulent “otherism” becomes an easy way to rally people to a cause, and authoritarian forces challenge the principles of democracy, will good people turn away, assuming the unthinkable cannot happen again?
In the Wake of Madness propels a thoughtful reader to carefully consider this question.
February 8, 2024
In the Wake of Madness by Bettie Lennett Denny is a deeply moving account of the author’s German-Jewish family’s narrow escape from the Nazis and the subsequent scattering of her loved ones around the globe. Poignant, heart wrenching, and the result of painstaking research on the author’s part, the book shows the horrific events of World War II – and the courage and resilience it took to overcome them. With a cache of old family letters and documents combined with descriptions of actual historical events, Denny writes of the grit and perseverance her family needed not only to survive, but to go on to live rich, productive lives. This book is a testament to the author’s research and writing skills, but moreover, it is a touching story, both harrowing and uplifting – an unforgettable gem that shouldn’t be missed.
May 30, 2024
This book takes readers through an amazing family history of the author's parents, grandparents and wider family pieced together from long-held letters and other documents. It traces the family's experience in the years leading up to World War II, through the war itself and beyond. I appreciate the care and meticulousness of the research combined with the author's vivid writing style. I felt the heartbreak building throughout the book as the family exchanged letters that both pined for closeness and showed how far a long distance really felt in the age before jet travel and modern telecommunications. Readers will not have to look hard to notice troubling connections to today's politics and the increasing threat of anti-Semitism, which makes the book that much more valuable in the current era.
December 14, 2023
“History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes…”. This memoir is chillingly well timed. We are now in the midst of a struggle with so many themes which echo the rise of Nazism. Ms. Denney's recounting of her parents’ flight from Germany is engaging and filled with the kind of details that make it easy to empathize with that journey. The historical facts are revealed through the very personal responses and experiences of her parents and her extended family. The author was fortunate to have a trove of personal letters and documentation which she puts to excellent use. She is able to create a warm-hearted portrait of her parents even while bringing an era of atrocities to life.
Highly rewarding reading!
Highly rewarding reading!
February 7, 2024
I have read many books about survival of Jewish families during Nazi controlled Europe during World War II but this book was the first time I understood that not only did families survive horrible circumstances during their escape but they also had extreme difficulty finding new countries to accept them. The author’s family were spread across the world and many did not see each other again. This book not only focused on their escapes but also on their lives in their new countries. This book addresses the direct impact to the family of the loss of life by the Nazi regime but also the significant impact that the separation of families because of the limited choices of places the families could relocate to during the war.
April 1, 2024
As I read In the Wake of Madness by Bettie Lennett Denny, I often related what I had read to my wife Edi. My history of the World War II era is weak, so I related information learned from the recent reading. Edi would add and substantiate the information with her knowledge of history. The intricacies of the escape stories intrigued Edi and our eldest son and his wife over meals together. We understood the horrors of war and the Holocaust but the details of Bettie’s family story added to our knowledge and expanded my view of impact on the wider world.
While Bettie was with KETV, we worked to promote trees and tree planting. I was the Omaha City Forester at that time, early 1990’s.
While Bettie was with KETV, we worked to promote trees and tree planting. I was the Omaha City Forester at that time, early 1990’s.
August 25, 2025
I hung on every page of this book. Using family documents, letters, and rigorous historical research, Denny renders in riveting detail her family's escape from Nazi Germany. I admire how she brings this story to life with her vivid imagination and crisp, lively prose. It is quite a feat to render this story in such moving detail based on documents and a few family conversations. I also relished her own detective story as she uncovered new sources and details giving her clues to her family's mostly unspoken past. The rapidity with which normal life fell apart and fascism took over feels like an urgent warning for us now--in case we may have felt that it can't happen here.
February 6, 2024
Through amazing family archives, photos, receipts and letters to officials, the story of the author's parents escape from Nazi Europe will keep you turning the pages until the end. No spoiler to say the parents survived as the author is their daughter who combed through all the materials and finally put to paper this epic tale.
It is a reminder that refugees are refugees through no fault of their own. When a country takes them in, the payback is great and spans generations to come. Read this reminder of the times and the struggles individuals overcame to reach freedom.
It is a reminder that refugees are refugees through no fault of their own. When a country takes them in, the payback is great and spans generations to come. Read this reminder of the times and the struggles individuals overcame to reach freedom.
February 15, 2024
I have read quite a few books about the Holocaust, but In the Wake of Madness was written from the unique perspective of the harrowing lengths that Jews trying to escape Nazi had to go through to get out of the country. Written in a compelling way, it shared the migration of Jews out of Europe and the separation of families migrating throughout the world. The author shares the story of her own family’s miraculous survival and journey to Palestine, England, and Chile before finally making it to the United States.
April 4, 2024
This is a compelling story of the author's own parents and grandparents escaping with their lives from Nazi Germany. It is extremely well researched and written. I felt I was with with them as they managed one challenge after another, seeking a way out through many European countries. I was struck by the intense planning, ingenuity and luck it took to make this remarkable escape. As soon as I finished it I picked it up and read it again. I have given copies to several friends and relatives. Everyone should read this book.
May 6, 2024
An Amazing, Heart-rending Look at a Family and World in Crisis
This is real history at its finest.
In the Wake of Madness is the truest picture of a family at a crucial moment in world history I have ever found. Bettie Lennett Denny has given us a detailed and harrowing account of how her parents escaped from Europe in the early days of World War II, eventually built a life in America, and reconnect with remnants of their families scattered from Great Britain to Chile.
Along the way, she sheds light on so much history that has been swept under the rug, including how slow the U.S. was to come to the aid of European Jews. Just as importantly, she dives deeply into the lives of the amazingly resilient people her family members were--brave, loving, sometimes difficult, and incredibly strong.
This will stay with me for a long, long time. I recommend it without hesitation to anyone who seeks a true story of real people overcoming unthinkable odds.
This is real history at its finest.
In the Wake of Madness is the truest picture of a family at a crucial moment in world history I have ever found. Bettie Lennett Denny has given us a detailed and harrowing account of how her parents escaped from Europe in the early days of World War II, eventually built a life in America, and reconnect with remnants of their families scattered from Great Britain to Chile.
Along the way, she sheds light on so much history that has been swept under the rug, including how slow the U.S. was to come to the aid of European Jews. Just as importantly, she dives deeply into the lives of the amazingly resilient people her family members were--brave, loving, sometimes difficult, and incredibly strong.
This will stay with me for a long, long time. I recommend it without hesitation to anyone who seeks a true story of real people overcoming unthinkable odds.
September 29, 2024
A fascinating book! Much has been written about the victims of the Holocaust but In the Wake of Madness reveals how thousands of Jews, including the author’s parents, managed to escape from the watchful eyes of the Nazis – and how few countries would accept them. Even after traveling to their final destinations, they were often not welcomed by their new neighbors. The story is filled with fear and disappointment but also with hope and love. The writing is superb. You will not be able to put this book down.
February 20, 2024
In the Wake of Madness made me feel as if I was accompanying the author’s parents, Elsa and Saly Levi, on their narrow escape from Nazi-occupied Europe. Her use of the first person and her parents paper trail of letters caused me to feel her family’s terror and their persistent struggle to make it out of Europe and to the United States. It is history that reads like a novel and one that I didn’t want to put down.
April 5, 2024
I couldn't put it down. I felt like I was transported to a time of love and loss, struggle and triumph, close calls and strategic planning along with some luck in the midst of disaster. The incredible research that went in to the writing of this book in order to bring the story to life would stop so many in their tracks. Thank goodness Bettie didn't give up. I am thankful I could be a part of her parents world for just a bit and thankful for the insight it gives.
March 17, 2024
This is a dynamic, very well written and researched book that is far more than a personal story. A lot of history is beautifully intertwined. This is so timely. With the current resistance to immigration, increase in antisemitism and a push toward isolationism, we all need to be reminded of what can happen under those circumstances.
February 2, 2025
Heartfelt book
This is a very good book by the daughter of Holocaust survivors who were among the very blessed to have excaped the Nazis along with their parents. But they had other hardships to overcome and sadness to face. It is a different side of the holocaust. I highly recommend this book.
This is a very good book by the daughter of Holocaust survivors who were among the very blessed to have excaped the Nazis along with their parents. But they had other hardships to overcome and sadness to face. It is a different side of the holocaust. I highly recommend this book.
February 10, 2024
A riveting tale of a family scattered by war and persecution. The personal challenges of various family members, some living in the old world and others in the new, are deftly chronicled by the author from a rich collection of correspondence crossing borders and time.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
October 12, 2024
Amazing read!!
I've been to israel, visited the holocaust museum, including the children's building. I have such admiration for the Jewish people. God certainly watches over them.
I've been to israel, visited the holocaust museum, including the children's building. I have such admiration for the Jewish people. God certainly watches over them.
April 11, 2024
Wonderfully captivating writing! The fragility of life and humanity in us and our society is evidenced in this family’s biography. It is so important to keep this our minds and hearts.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews