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Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and A Forever Promise Forged in World War II
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Amazon Editor’s Pick
“An intimate, moving look at the war that extracts deep meaning from the carnage and loss.” – Publishers Weekly
What happens when you lose your freedom and the people who eventually get it back for you are no longer alive to thank?
Remember Us, by Robert Edsel—#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men—begins in the pre-dawn hours of Hitler’s invasion of Western Europe on May 10, 1940, when his forces rolled into the small rural province of Limburg in the Netherlands shattering more than 100 years of peace. Their freedom gone, the Dutch lived through four-and-a-half years of occupation until American forces reached Limburg in September 1944, the last portion of Western Europe liberated by the Allies before their advance on Nazi Germany slammed to a halt.
Like The Monuments Men, Remember Us is an ensemble piece that follows twelve main characters over a six-year span, zeroing in on ordinary people including Frieda van Schäik, a teenager who falls in love with an American soldier; Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole, the first member of the 101st Airborne to receive the Medal of Honor; and Sergeant Jeff Wiggins of the 960th Quartermaster Service Company, who escaped the poverty and racism of Alabama for yet another indignity—digging graves.
Drawing on never-before-seen letters, diaries, and other historical records, Edsel shows the painful price of freedom, on the battlefields and inside American homes. In this rich, dramatic, and suspenseful story, he captures both the horrors of war and the transcendent power of gratitude, showing the extraordinary measures the Dutch have taken to thank their liberators. Remember Us is exactly the book we need—a reminder that grief is universal, that humanity knows no national or racial boundaries, and that we all want to be remembered, somehow, someway, by somebody.
Amazon Editor’s Pick
“An intimate, moving look at the war that extracts deep meaning from the carnage and loss.” – Publishers Weekly
What happens when you lose your freedom and the people who eventually get it back for you are no longer alive to thank?
Remember Us, by Robert Edsel—#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men—begins in the pre-dawn hours of Hitler’s invasion of Western Europe on May 10, 1940, when his forces rolled into the small rural province of Limburg in the Netherlands shattering more than 100 years of peace. Their freedom gone, the Dutch lived through four-and-a-half years of occupation until American forces reached Limburg in September 1944, the last portion of Western Europe liberated by the Allies before their advance on Nazi Germany slammed to a halt.
Like The Monuments Men, Remember Us is an ensemble piece that follows twelve main characters over a six-year span, zeroing in on ordinary people including Frieda van Schäik, a teenager who falls in love with an American soldier; Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole, the first member of the 101st Airborne to receive the Medal of Honor; and Sergeant Jeff Wiggins of the 960th Quartermaster Service Company, who escaped the poverty and racism of Alabama for yet another indignity—digging graves.
Drawing on never-before-seen letters, diaries, and other historical records, Edsel shows the painful price of freedom, on the battlefields and inside American homes. In this rich, dramatic, and suspenseful story, he captures both the horrors of war and the transcendent power of gratitude, showing the extraordinary measures the Dutch have taken to thank their liberators. Remember Us is exactly the book we need—a reminder that grief is universal, that humanity knows no national or racial boundaries, and that we all want to be remembered, somehow, someway, by somebody.
524 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2025
570 people are currently reading
3487 people want to read
About the author
Robert M. Edsel
18 books202 followersRobert M. Edsel is the best-selling author of Saving Italy, The Monuments Men and Rescuing da Vinci and co-producer of the award-winning documentary film The Rape of Europa. Edsel is also the founder and president of the Monuments Men Foundation, a recipient of the National Humanities Medal, and a trustee at the National WWII Museum. After living in Florence for five years, he now resides in Dallas, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 16, 2025
This is a well-written, informative, WWII historical account of American soldiers who lost their lives during WWII, and the remarkable Dutch people who made sure that their sacrifices were never forgotten. I listened to the audio book, and Dion Graham and the author, Robert M. Edsel, do an outstanding job narrating this book.
June 7, 2025
The most definitive book yet written, in this reader's opinion, about the loved and lost American soldiers in World War Two.
Mr. Edsel interviewed dozens of families of the soldiers who lost their lives in Europe fighting the Germans. And this book is a testimony of what he learned from them.
Below is a poem that Mr. Edsel included in his book composed by Archibald MacLeish:
'The Young Dead Soldiers
Do Not Speak'
Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses:
who has not heard them?
They have a silence that speaks for them at
night and when the clock counts.
They say, We were young. We have died
Remember us.
They say, We have done what we could but
until it is finished it is not done.
They say, We have given our lives but until it is
finished no one can know what our lives gave.
They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours:
they will mean what you make of them.
They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace
and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who
must say this.
They say, We leave you our deaths: give them their meaning;
give then an end to the war and a true peace: give them a
victory that ends the war and a peace afterwards: give them
their meaning.
We were young, they say, We have died.
Remember us.'
Mr. Edsel interviewed dozens of families of the soldiers who lost their lives in Europe fighting the Germans. And this book is a testimony of what he learned from them.
Below is a poem that Mr. Edsel included in his book composed by Archibald MacLeish:
'The Young Dead Soldiers
Do Not Speak'
Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses:
who has not heard them?
They have a silence that speaks for them at
night and when the clock counts.
They say, We were young. We have died
Remember us.
They say, We have done what we could but
until it is finished it is not done.
They say, We have given our lives but until it is
finished no one can know what our lives gave.
They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours:
they will mean what you make of them.
They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace
and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who
must say this.
They say, We leave you our deaths: give them their meaning;
give then an end to the war and a true peace: give them a
victory that ends the war and a peace afterwards: give them
their meaning.
We were young, they say, We have died.
Remember us.'
May 18, 2025
I looked forward to reading this book from the moment I saw information on it. I really did not know what to expect but found that exceeded any expectations I might have had. I found the stories to be interesting and compelling. The information to be relevant and descriptive.
There were more than once that I found my heart in my throat from the emotional responses I had. I do have a personal connection with the story as my father is buried in Margraten. He was killed in Germany April 1945 only six days after my birth. I visited his grave on Memorial Day 1973 when stationed in Germany but I did not know of the adoption program or its background.
My gratitude to the author for telling me the story of what happened upon his death and the wonderful support and response from the Dutch people. Now I know “the rest of the story.”
There were more than once that I found my heart in my throat from the emotional responses I had. I do have a personal connection with the story as my father is buried in Margraten. He was killed in Germany April 1945 only six days after my birth. I visited his grave on Memorial Day 1973 when stationed in Germany but I did not know of the adoption program or its background.
My gratitude to the author for telling me the story of what happened upon his death and the wonderful support and response from the Dutch people. Now I know “the rest of the story.”
June 6, 2025
At first, I was a little thrown by the number of characters introduced. By the end, I loved each storyline and couldn’t imagine the book without them. This book is many things - well written, excellently researched and poignant. But most importantly, it’s a gut wrenching reminder of the price of freedom and the families who know that cost all too well.
December 31, 2025
a phenomenal read
I loved the many perspectives from this book. What a beautifully put together narrative non-fiction. I’d previously never thought of the Dutch when thinking about WWII, and I appreciated this perspective. I find myself continuing to think especially of African Americans who fought for freedom and then went back to US only to be segregated again. Some of the scenes in this book will stick with me for a long time. I took .5 stars off simply because I think the last Part could have been much shorter, and it was just a tad too long because of it.
I loved the many perspectives from this book. What a beautifully put together narrative non-fiction. I’d previously never thought of the Dutch when thinking about WWII, and I appreciated this perspective. I find myself continuing to think especially of African Americans who fought for freedom and then went back to US only to be segregated again. Some of the scenes in this book will stick with me for a long time. I took .5 stars off simply because I think the last Part could have been much shorter, and it was just a tad too long because of it.
February 13, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This was an excellent read! Very powerful and emotional. Much of it took place in Maastricht where I studied abroad!!
This was an excellent read! Very powerful and emotional. Much of it took place in Maastricht where I studied abroad!!
October 29, 2025
Thank you Harper Horizon for allowing me to read and review Remember Us, American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and A Forever Promise Forged in World War II by Robert M. Edsel on NetGalley.
Published: 04/29/25
Stars: 4
I didn't fact check Mr. Edsel. I chose Remember Us looking for stories. It didn't cross my mind that this would be more of a text book writing. It's factual, thorough, and for me dry. I'm at a point where I want to relax not study.
I would recommend the book for history lovers.
This would have been a nice resource during my college debate years.
Published: 04/29/25
Stars: 4
I didn't fact check Mr. Edsel. I chose Remember Us looking for stories. It didn't cross my mind that this would be more of a text book writing. It's factual, thorough, and for me dry. I'm at a point where I want to relax not study.
I would recommend the book for history lovers.
This would have been a nice resource during my college debate years.
November 24, 2025
The story of a cemetery. Oh what a story. Powerful and poignant. Impossible to read without Kleenex.
We meet many American soldiers from colonels to African American tankers. We meet determined Dutch men and women who went above and beyond for our soldiers. After fighting and enduring the Germans the Dutch had to contend with a military bureaucracy that deemed their concern and efforts as irrelevant and inappropriate.
This book took a long time to write because the author wanted to get it right. He did so. And then some.
We meet many American soldiers from colonels to African American tankers. We meet determined Dutch men and women who went above and beyond for our soldiers. After fighting and enduring the Germans the Dutch had to contend with a military bureaucracy that deemed their concern and efforts as irrelevant and inappropriate.
This book took a long time to write because the author wanted to get it right. He did so. And then some.
June 29, 2025
This is a beautiful book with engaging stories of soldiers doing their duty in face of danger. The cruelty that the Nazis carried with them is horrific and we should be careful not to let nationalistic arrogance sweep into our world again. These stories of young men who died to keep us free and the world free from fascism.
It tells the story of the Dutch gratitude for people who helped them regain their freedom from fear and oppression and the closeness between the Dutch people and the soldiers.
It also tells the story through African American soldiers view that they were very proud to help provide freedom to Europe and fight for their Country but that they did not have these freedoms for themselves in many parts of the United States.
It tells the story of the Dutch gratitude for people who helped them regain their freedom from fear and oppression and the closeness between the Dutch people and the soldiers.
It also tells the story through African American soldiers view that they were very proud to help provide freedom to Europe and fight for their Country but that they did not have these freedoms for themselves in many parts of the United States.
August 20, 2025
excellent book. lots of different stories intertwined. stories I never knew. loved this book!!
October 16, 2025
Vanuit de opzet met 13 personages geeft het originele inkijk in tweede wereldoorlog in Limburg. Voor mij bijzonder omdat ik een van de personages familie is
December 12, 2025
I can't finish the book right now. The subject matter, as important as it is, is just hard to deal with.
January 22, 2026
I picked up this book after finding out about the Foundation for Adopting Graves at the American Cemetery in Margraten. It's an interesting read about a wonderful program.
March 20, 2026
In 2019, my siblings and I and our families went the Nijmegen in the Netherlands to attend the 75th anniversary in memory to the liberation of the city by American forces in 1944. Our father, now deceased, was in the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. That regiment made a crossing of the Waal River under intense fire to capture a key bridge across the river. There were many casualties. The ceremony featured speeches, a reenactment and other events, including honoring two living members of the regiment, now well into their nineties.
What was most moving about the occasion was the realization that even today the Dutch remember and celebrate their liberation all those years past. One example is a nightly march across the bridge (now a modern one) that is made every day at evening time. On the anniversary day, there were hundreds of citizens of all ages who marched across the bridge, most of whom were not alive in 1944. At the end of the march, people gathered at the memorial park at the foot of the bridge. My siblings and I were wearing lanyards that depicted on one side the logo of the 82nd Airborne and on the other a photo of our then 22-year-old father in his troopers uniform. An eldery woman grasped my lanyard and kissed by father's photo. A very moving experience.
The point here is how astonishing it is that such reverence is still shown among the Dutch population for the American liberators. This book contains that theme. It tells the story of individual Dutch people of Maastricht in southern Holland who endured the occupation and of American soldiers of the 9th Army who drove out the Nazi's and stayed in the town, among the citizens, for some time after. At large farm field nearby, there began the interment of thousands of American dead. The process of identifying those killed in action and burying them is told in detail, including that the graves were dug manually by a Black regiment assigned to that role.
After the war, the citizens of Maastricht and the province of Limburg began a campaign to find the relatives of the soldiers so that they could express their respect and their shared grievance. The American army bureaucracy resisted this, but, ultimately, this resistence was overcome through a public relations approach and many contacts were established. The citizens of the region determined to adopt the graves of each soldier, over 8,000, to tend to the gravesites as if they were their own family members. The adoption program continues to this day, passing down from generation to generation. There is even a waiting list people who wish to become adopters.
Back to 2019. My brother and sister attended an event at the cemetery at Margraten in which the uncle of friend of his, who was formerly missing in action, was identified and commerated. I wasn't there, but my siblings said the cemetery is a beautifully maintained place. If ever anyone has the opportunity to visit one of the American cemeteries in Europe, I'd highly advise it. When I was sixteen in 1965, my father and I took a weekend trip to the cemetery in Luxembourg (he was stationed at an airbase in Western Germany). The cemetery was beautiful. After leaving there, we drove back to Germany and spotted a modest cemetery near the border. It turned out to be a German military cemetery. Another man was there, about my Dad's age. Although neither spoke the other's language, the German man and my Dad figured out that they were opposite each other in the battle of Monte Cassio in Italy. As shouldn't be surprising, there were smiles and handshakes between the former enemies.
The book was extentively researched and provides fascinating perspectives of civilians and soldiers at this tumultous time in a small town in the Netherlands.
What was most moving about the occasion was the realization that even today the Dutch remember and celebrate their liberation all those years past. One example is a nightly march across the bridge (now a modern one) that is made every day at evening time. On the anniversary day, there were hundreds of citizens of all ages who marched across the bridge, most of whom were not alive in 1944. At the end of the march, people gathered at the memorial park at the foot of the bridge. My siblings and I were wearing lanyards that depicted on one side the logo of the 82nd Airborne and on the other a photo of our then 22-year-old father in his troopers uniform. An eldery woman grasped my lanyard and kissed by father's photo. A very moving experience.
The point here is how astonishing it is that such reverence is still shown among the Dutch population for the American liberators. This book contains that theme. It tells the story of individual Dutch people of Maastricht in southern Holland who endured the occupation and of American soldiers of the 9th Army who drove out the Nazi's and stayed in the town, among the citizens, for some time after. At large farm field nearby, there began the interment of thousands of American dead. The process of identifying those killed in action and burying them is told in detail, including that the graves were dug manually by a Black regiment assigned to that role.
After the war, the citizens of Maastricht and the province of Limburg began a campaign to find the relatives of the soldiers so that they could express their respect and their shared grievance. The American army bureaucracy resisted this, but, ultimately, this resistence was overcome through a public relations approach and many contacts were established. The citizens of the region determined to adopt the graves of each soldier, over 8,000, to tend to the gravesites as if they were their own family members. The adoption program continues to this day, passing down from generation to generation. There is even a waiting list people who wish to become adopters.
Back to 2019. My brother and sister attended an event at the cemetery at Margraten in which the uncle of friend of his, who was formerly missing in action, was identified and commerated. I wasn't there, but my siblings said the cemetery is a beautifully maintained place. If ever anyone has the opportunity to visit one of the American cemeteries in Europe, I'd highly advise it. When I was sixteen in 1965, my father and I took a weekend trip to the cemetery in Luxembourg (he was stationed at an airbase in Western Germany). The cemetery was beautiful. After leaving there, we drove back to Germany and spotted a modest cemetery near the border. It turned out to be a German military cemetery. Another man was there, about my Dad's age. Although neither spoke the other's language, the German man and my Dad figured out that they were opposite each other in the battle of Monte Cassio in Italy. As shouldn't be surprising, there were smiles and handshakes between the former enemies.
The book was extentively researched and provides fascinating perspectives of civilians and soldiers at this tumultous time in a small town in the Netherlands.
February 12, 2026
Overall rating: 5/5
Seldom does a story of fighting for freedom so accurately portray the efforts of all involved. Not just the obvious stories of heroics but also the stories less idyllic but no less important. World War II is often portrayed, rightfully so, as a war for freedom. But its story is never a perfect embodiment of the endeavor, how could it be when African American soldiers, despite their well documented herculean efforts and victories, come home to a country that denied them the freedom they just safeguarded for others?
Remember Us is a book about humanity, and how it transcends all our pettiness when freedom is under attack. It makes the point that nothing more powerful exists than an affront on freedom in laying bear how fragile our grievances with one another are when we make the effort to defend freedom. The appreciation from the Dutch for their American liberators is yet another testament to how universal freedom is. Oppression and tyranny take many forms, however they choose to manifest should matter not to anyone aware to how universal the desire for freedom is and the efforts necessary to achieve it. Today, we have our struggles, but we often forget how fragile freedom can be when we know not how it feels to lose it or to have ever lived without it. Remember Us is a wonderful reminder of what others sacrificed and gave in the name of freedom, the brotherhoods and lifelong friendships, kinship's even, that are formed in its pursuit.
I'll end with this. Remember Us is why reading is so important. It is a reminder that when we today might not have first hand experience with our own freedoms at risk, remembering and being able to gain the empathy from those of the past who lost their freedoms, or never even had them in the truest sense, serves to make us aware when they might be. Freedom is a ceaseless process, begging for constant attention and a willingness to be unyielding in its defense, not just of your own, but of all humankind. Freedom, after all, is the most human endeavor.
Seldom does a story of fighting for freedom so accurately portray the efforts of all involved. Not just the obvious stories of heroics but also the stories less idyllic but no less important. World War II is often portrayed, rightfully so, as a war for freedom. But its story is never a perfect embodiment of the endeavor, how could it be when African American soldiers, despite their well documented herculean efforts and victories, come home to a country that denied them the freedom they just safeguarded for others?
Remember Us is a book about humanity, and how it transcends all our pettiness when freedom is under attack. It makes the point that nothing more powerful exists than an affront on freedom in laying bear how fragile our grievances with one another are when we make the effort to defend freedom. The appreciation from the Dutch for their American liberators is yet another testament to how universal freedom is. Oppression and tyranny take many forms, however they choose to manifest should matter not to anyone aware to how universal the desire for freedom is and the efforts necessary to achieve it. Today, we have our struggles, but we often forget how fragile freedom can be when we know not how it feels to lose it or to have ever lived without it. Remember Us is a wonderful reminder of what others sacrificed and gave in the name of freedom, the brotherhoods and lifelong friendships, kinship's even, that are formed in its pursuit.
I'll end with this. Remember Us is why reading is so important. It is a reminder that when we today might not have first hand experience with our own freedoms at risk, remembering and being able to gain the empathy from those of the past who lost their freedoms, or never even had them in the truest sense, serves to make us aware when they might be. Freedom is a ceaseless process, begging for constant attention and a willingness to be unyielding in its defense, not just of your own, but of all humankind. Freedom, after all, is the most human endeavor.
April 25, 2025
“Remember Us” starts in the morning hours of May 10, 1940, when Hitler’s forces roll into the small province of Limburg in the Netherlands shattering more than 100 years of peace. The Dutch live under German occupation until American forces reach Limburg in September 1944. Edsel (also brought us the stories of “The Monuments Men”) has us follow 12 people whose lived were changed during this time. Some people many of us know like American soldier; Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cole, and new heroes of the Dutch resistance and who spent the rest of their lives to thank their liberators.
As I read these stories, that Edsel tells us by researching through never seen before letters, diaries, and other historical records, I felt I was there and experience the pain and fear. I cried the last 1/3 of the book. While the Dutch have shown and continue to show their thanks, I felt very thankful how much they cared for the American soldiers. I want to visit the Netherlands more now than ever. As always, Robert Edsel shares his thanks and passions through the stories he tell. Hij is een magische verhalenverteller, die je een verbondenheid laat voelen met de plekken en de personen waarover hij schrijft. (He is a magical storyteller, who makes you feel connected to every place and person he writes about. (I felt some of this review needed to be in Dutch))
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Horizon. #RememberUs #NetGalley
As I read these stories, that Edsel tells us by researching through never seen before letters, diaries, and other historical records, I felt I was there and experience the pain and fear. I cried the last 1/3 of the book. While the Dutch have shown and continue to show their thanks, I felt very thankful how much they cared for the American soldiers. I want to visit the Netherlands more now than ever. As always, Robert Edsel shares his thanks and passions through the stories he tell. Hij is een magische verhalenverteller, die je een verbondenheid laat voelen met de plekken en de personen waarover hij schrijft. (He is a magical storyteller, who makes you feel connected to every place and person he writes about. (I felt some of this review needed to be in Dutch))
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Horizon. #RememberUs #NetGalley
January 23, 2026
Wow! This was quite the effort by the author with years of research and trips to Europe and the Netherlands. All the books and articles referenced along with the people interviewed to give us a glimpse into the minds and hearts of the conquered, the survivors and those that paid the ultimate price for our freedom. There was so much of the historical aspect surrounding the individuals portrayed that I did not know about WW II. But the most amazing part was the upmost effort and care that was shown to the Americans that died during the war effort to defeat in this case the Nazi regime in the European theatre. The United States was intent on providing each of its fallen soldiers a proper burial and recognition if possible. The remains of every dead American would be recovered if at all possible. The "Eulogy for Fallen Comrades" printed in chapter 47 was very moving. Reading the final chapter moved me to tears as the Dutch honored a fallen American hero at their cemetery. The book was a bit tedious to get through but the individual stories made sense as he weaves each of their induvial tales together to the overall theme of Dutch freedom and the promises to remember. The major characters with pictures are listed and summarized at the front of the book. There is also a huge number of notes and references notated in the back with an extensive index. This was well worth the effort to read.
November 5, 2025
The book follows 6 residents of Maastricht, Netherlands and 6 American military from 1940 to 1946. There was Frieda van Schäik, the teenager who loved to go into the labyrinth of Sint Pietersberg caves with her father, who worked there. Precious paintings were hidden in the caves to protect them from the Nazis. There was a little known, secret passage way where Jews were escorted into Belgium. Freida's mother would bury their identities in a jar in the backyard. Many Dutch families would feed and shelter American soldiers.
There was Jay Wiggins, who lied about his age to join the army to escape poverty in Alabama. The black brigade was tasked with digging graves in Margraten for fallen soldiers. But they also fought, and were successful in the American push through Belgium, in the famous Battle of the Bulge.
This is a great book with many more personal stories like this in great detail. Of destitute and starvation...horrible times. Many stories of the battles fought by American soldiers.
Towards the end, the book's focus is establishing the American Cemetery in Margraten. The Dutch adopted, and took care of the graves (and still do to this day) and communicated, and established relations with the next of kin of the fallen soldiers.
There was Jay Wiggins, who lied about his age to join the army to escape poverty in Alabama. The black brigade was tasked with digging graves in Margraten for fallen soldiers. But they also fought, and were successful in the American push through Belgium, in the famous Battle of the Bulge.
This is a great book with many more personal stories like this in great detail. Of destitute and starvation...horrible times. Many stories of the battles fought by American soldiers.
Towards the end, the book's focus is establishing the American Cemetery in Margraten. The Dutch adopted, and took care of the graves (and still do to this day) and communicated, and established relations with the next of kin of the fallen soldiers.
August 7, 2025
From the author of Monuments Men, Remember Us tells the story of Margraten, a small town in The Netherlands that has tended the graves of hundreds of American soldiers who perished in nearby battles. This act of gratitude by the townsfolk is a true inspiration, and speaks volumes to the country's appreciation of the sacrifices that were made to free them from Nazi tyranny.
The book tells the story of several individuals who stayed and/or passed through Margraten and endeared themselves to the local folk. The stories are quite interesting, but I must admit that I had trouble following them as the author jumped back-and-forth between the various stories, making it difficult to keep everything straight and sorted in my mind.
The book also tells the story of the efforts of a few town residents who worked tirelessly to secure approval from the United States military to keep the cemetery active and secure the blessings of the families of those who had fallen.
The book tells the story of several individuals who stayed and/or passed through Margraten and endeared themselves to the local folk. The stories are quite interesting, but I must admit that I had trouble following them as the author jumped back-and-forth between the various stories, making it difficult to keep everything straight and sorted in my mind.
The book also tells the story of the efforts of a few town residents who worked tirelessly to secure approval from the United States military to keep the cemetery active and secure the blessings of the families of those who had fallen.
March 17, 2025
Not just another World War II story (which I would still want to read) Remember Us tells the story of The Netherlands American Cemetery through the lives of the people who created it, the people who care for it, and the people who rest in it. While most war books focus on the people who made it home to tell their stories, Remember Us brought me a more realistic picture of war in which many good people don't make it home, and you never know if anyone you have come to care about will make it out alive. This book also paints a picture of a Dutch village during and after Nazi occupation and provides a fascinating history of how the United States handles the remains of its war dead. I received an advanced reader copy of Remember Us from Publisher's Weekly's Grab a Galley giveaway, and I can recommend it without reservation to WWII buffs as well as those who just like a good story.
May 15, 2025
This is the history of the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands told through vignettes of those that are buried there, those that built the cemetery and the town that welcomed the American liberators and continues to care for the graves of those that will never leave.
Why I started this book: Placed a hold on Libby because of the title.
Why I finished it: Cried my way through this book. I recommend listening, as it's hard to read through tears. Like Edsel's first book, The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History this book personalizes the vast global consequences of a world war. Perfect for your Memorial Day reflections.
Why I started this book: Placed a hold on Libby because of the title.
Why I finished it: Cried my way through this book. I recommend listening, as it's hard to read through tears. Like Edsel's first book, The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History this book personalizes the vast global consequences of a world war. Perfect for your Memorial Day reflections.
August 29, 2025
There is an American cemetery in Margraten, in the Netherlands. 8300 American soldiers from World War II are buried there, and every soldier's grave has been adopted by a local Dutch person or family, who care for it as if it were their own family member. The Dutch do not forget the soldiers who gave their lives for their freedom.
In this book, Edsel tells the story of the Netherlands American Cemetery and how it came to be. His cast of characters includes Dutch men and women (civilians, civic officials, resistance fighters), American soldiers and chaplains, and the town of Margraten itself. It is a sad book, as most of the featured Americans profiled end up buried in Margraten. But it is a very strong book, and the people whose stories Edsel tells will stay with me for a long time. And as much of Edsel's story is about memory and remembrance, this feels fitting.
In this book, Edsel tells the story of the Netherlands American Cemetery and how it came to be. His cast of characters includes Dutch men and women (civilians, civic officials, resistance fighters), American soldiers and chaplains, and the town of Margraten itself. It is a sad book, as most of the featured Americans profiled end up buried in Margraten. But it is a very strong book, and the people whose stories Edsel tells will stay with me for a long time. And as much of Edsel's story is about memory and remembrance, this feels fitting.
October 6, 2025
This was an amazing true story about a horrible time in the history of our world - when Hitler’s Nazis invaded Western Europe in the early 1940s. The story is an ensemble piece that follows twelve different characters over the time of the Nazi occupation, the liberation by Allied forces es, and the years following the war when American families dealt with the loss of family members who died and were buried far from home. I loved the details about the Dutch people who lived and appreciated the sacrifices of the American men and women and the ways they showed that love to families of the fallen. However, I did find the book difficult to keep up with, given twelve different characters that were followed. But it was worth the confusion and backtracking in the book for me to have some understanding of this time in our history.
February 24, 2026
For four years we lived in Germany right next door to Maastricht and Margraten NL. Maastricht was and still remains one of our favorite Dutch cities. It holds a special place in our heart. I literally toured the caves of Sint Pietersberg with my daughter’s 5th grade class. We have visited the American cemetery no less than six times. I was always emotionally moved. But I never knew the real history of how this cemetery came to be until reading this book. I was overwhelmed with emotion learning about the Dutch influence at the time the soldiers died. The link between the Dutch and the Americans was forever forged amidst death and horror most of us could never imagine. It makes me look at my Dutch friends through completely different lenses and as always American soldiers both white and black who gave their all for the cause of freedom. Love this book.
November 3, 2025
Remember Us by Robert Edsel is a deeply moving and profoundly human story of courage, loss, and remembrance. Through the intertwined lives of ordinary people, Dutch civilians and American soldiers Edsel reveals how the darkest moments of World War II brought out extraordinary acts of compassion and sacrifice. The book reminds us that freedom is never free and that gratitude must extend beyond generations. Rich with historical detail and emotional depth, Remember Us honors those who gave everything for a better world. It’s a haunting yet hopeful testament to the enduring strength of humanity and the power of remembering.
July 2, 2025
I don't believe that there is a superlative in the dictionary to describe this book. It is heartbreaking and it is uplifting. It is so well researched that it reads more like a Wouk novel than the telling of the ultimate sacrifice paid by young American soldiers eighty years ago. The Dutch response to the liberation of their village and promises kept since the end of WWII; the connection they made with American families of the fallen soldiers is a gift to be cherished. This is truly one of the best books I have ever read.
August 3, 2025
I had seen the movie Monuments Men a few years ago . Remember Us is written by Robert Edsel who wrote the book the movie was based on. The author weaved the stories of 12 people - US soldiers and residents of a small town in Holland into this moving, rich story.
The horrors of war and the gratitude of those lives liberated during WWII are part of what was Remembered in this book. Letters , Life magazine articles and photographs increase the books ability to vividly share the price of freedom. The care of the graves at the American cemetery Margraten continues to this day.
The horrors of war and the gratitude of those lives liberated during WWII are part of what was Remembered in this book. Letters , Life magazine articles and photographs increase the books ability to vividly share the price of freedom. The care of the graves at the American cemetery Margraten continues to this day.
September 8, 2025
As the daughter of a soldier who fought in this area and survived to share the stories, this book was one that made me have a new appreciation for and understanding of why there is such gratitude for the American soldiers by the Dutch people. I read this in preparation of a visit to the area including tours by the local people who honor the WWII veterans that liberated their country through the sharing of stories with their ancestors on said tours. It was an emotional read for me as it has such a personal connection. It’s an important and meaningful read.
January 8, 2026
what an amazing book!
I never knew of the period of the Dutch/Netherlands history of WWII. Born in 1941, living thru the war times since then, we were not taught this vital history in our schools. Shameful! This book evoked so many emotions, and couldn’t help but compare the differences in attitudes between America’s general public and the primarily Dutch and other War affected peoples. What stamina, what inhumanity these people suffered and then to be so generous and thankful. Thank you for bringing this to us. Will be forever grateful.
I never knew of the period of the Dutch/Netherlands history of WWII. Born in 1941, living thru the war times since then, we were not taught this vital history in our schools. Shameful! This book evoked so many emotions, and couldn’t help but compare the differences in attitudes between America’s general public and the primarily Dutch and other War affected peoples. What stamina, what inhumanity these people suffered and then to be so generous and thankful. Thank you for bringing this to us. Will be forever grateful.
July 24, 2025
Best book I have devoured so far this year. Since I hate Nazis, this book was a no brainer for me to adore. Edsel has created a masterpiece of true stories about the Dutch who wound up caring for American WW2 soldiers' graves, and how those heroes wound up dying during the attempt to liberate them, and the rest of Europe. Hard to put down. A book you didn't want to stop reading after you finished. Great labor of love, Mr Edsel.
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