Austrian Again: Reclaiming a Lost Legacy

by Anne Hand

In this captivating memoir, the author embarks on a deeply personal journey to uncover her family’s hidden history during the Holocaust while pursuing Austrian citizenship. As Austria opens the door to reparation citizenship for descendants of those victimized by the Nazi and Austrofascist regimes, Anne digs through fragments of family stories and documents to trace her Austrian and Czechoslovakian roots. Through her search, she pieces together the story her ancestors withheld from their children after World War II, while reflecting on identity, migration, and heritage.

Navigating the bureaucratic process of gaining citizenship, this journey becomes much more than just a legal pursuit. It transforms into a reflection on memory, loss, and resilience, culminating in the celebration of legacies both long buried and still cherished. Along the way, she confronts the silences and gaps in her family’s past, grappling with the weight of history and its impact on future generations. This story is a heartfelt meditation on the intersection of personal and shared history, and a joyful tribute to the power of remembering and belonging.

This bestselling memoir stands out as a unique and contemporary story, offering a fresh perspective on historical reparations and the ongoing quest for identity in a rapidly changing world. By blending personal narrative with a modern-day journey through citizenship laws and collective memory, it highlights the enduring influence of history on modern life. It is a timely, thoughtful exploration of what it means to reclaim a lost heritage and gain a new place in today’s world.

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2025

Reviews

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

i won this in a giveaway

[Ally Gotsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Austrian Again is a moving and thoughtful memoir that goes far beyond its premise. What begins as an effort to reclaim Austrian citizenship becomes a deeply emotional exploration of family history and identity. A meaningful read!

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Austrian Again to be both a thought provoking and enjoyable read. The detective chase of genealogical and historical discovery; the reflections on identity, culture, migration and family; the parallels between a historical moment that many of our ancestors fled and the current moment in which borders are closing and attitudes towards immigrants are toughening. Reading Ann Hand's narrative helped me to gain new insights on my own family history and identity. I highly recommend this book.

[Eugenia De Diego · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Beth Callaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible writing and an interesting story— highly recommend!

[Cindy Chronister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Austrian Again is a thoughtful and deeply human exploration of identity, memory, and belonging. Anne Hand examines what it means for descendants of those persecuted by the Nazi regime to reconnect with a country that was both home and the source of profound loss.

What makes this book especially compelling is its willingness to embrace complexity. Rather than offering easy answers, Hand explores the emotional and practical realities of reclaiming citizenship, confronting family history, and building a relationship with a place that carries both painful and meaningful connections.

As someone whose own family was forced to flee Vienna, I found many of the questions raised in this book familiar and thought provoking. Yet the book’s appeal extends far beyond descendants of Holocaust survivors. It speaks to anyone interested in family history, inherited memory, and the ways the past continues to shape our sense of self.

Insightful, honest, and engaging, Austrian Again is a valuable contribution to the growing conversation about remembrance, restoration, and what it means to reclaim a lost heritage.

[Lai-Yee Yau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Austrian Again tells a universal story that all descendants of immigrants can relate to. As you read the book, you understand both the experience of her grandfather immigrating author’s personal point of view and her feelings as they come to her throughout her journey of self and family discovery - it feels more like you’re listening to a long lost friend who is catching you up on her life and her authentic experiences both positive and negative.

While the book itself is a powerful and impactful read, some of the unknown and unsaid are even more compelling, including the wondering of what happened to relatives who stayed in Austria. People you didn’t connect with directly, people your family may not have mentioned, but people who were a universe unto themselves.

Truly this is an enjoyable book you can read in one extended sitting, or you can enjoy slowly chapter by chapter. The story sticks with you whether you read it in one go or in pieces.

[Helen Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nuanced and thoughtful exploration of identity and belonging deserves a wide readership. Anne Hand meticulously documents the journey - both bureaucratic and personal - which led her to successfully pursue Austrian citizenship as a Jewish descendant of ancestors forced to flee the rising antisemitism and persecution during the 1930s. More than a memoir, this book explores basic human aspirations and universal individual responses to hardship and forced migration. In her words,” "People learn, often the hard way, that they must build and rebuild no matter where they are in this world, no matter where they end up, even if it is a nowhere land they would have expected themselves to end up in indefinitely." Highly recommend.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful, poignant read about family, identity and the author's relationship to both. So much of the author's family's story is about the details, of paperwork, placenames and timing, and yet the story weaves through what could have been heavy details with a delicate hand. There is so much hope here, even when the grim cruelty of the Holocaust is highlighted in the legacy of documentation, bureaucracy, both found and lost in time.

Note: I was provided with an advance digital copy, but with no expectation of, or compensation for, a review.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting and hopeful personal account of discovering and engaging with a traumatic heritage and embracing the pursuit of Austrian citizenship as reparation for descendants of holocaust victims. Anne Hand writes as a thoughtful citizen of the world rooted in a rich and proud family culture that persisted through adversity and starting over in a new place.

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a rambling story about the author investigating her family's journey to America in the lead up to WWII. In the process, she applies for Austrian citizenship. This book tells about her discoveries, both about herself and her family.

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!

[Lily Ehlebracht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne's research and storytelling transform the red tape and paperwork of applying for citizenship into an exploration of family and identity that stays with you. This memoir honors the weight of history and the resilience that carries through her family's story.

[William Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful new memoir about uncovering a complicated and searing hidden history. Relevant today as the world grapples with the past as part of understanding the present.