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Triumph Over Destiny
"Triumph Over Destiny" is a compelling true story of survival, great courage, love and one's destiny. Karoline Rink was living a happy life in the small, alpine village of Bleiberg, Austria in 1938. At fifteen and a half years old, she was already working alongside her father in the lead mines to help her family survive the harsh economic times that resulted from World War I. Karoline, had dreams and faith that her future would be full of adventure from travels out into the wider world. She was certain that love and a family waited as well. Karoline, as did all of Austria, knew of Hitler’s rise and how his Nazi force had invaded, then annexed their beloved country. Little did they know in 1938 that Hitler’s rise to power was the beginning of the all-out terror, destruction, horror, and death that became World War II. What Karoline could not know was how these events would spiral in and around so very close as to alter her life’s journey irrevocably. In July of 1938, fate came for Karoline Rink.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2014
2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 28, 2015
This book would have benefitted tremendously from a good editor who would have eliminated the constant repetitiveness of statements. The author has a wonderful story to tell: however, the all-too-frequent repeating of sentences describing the horrific events of Karoline's life, slowed the telling of the story.
I understand the author intends to publish a book that picks up where this one left off: relating how the Stefanovic family faced challenges after arriving in America. I would read that book if assured the writing is more concise and to the point.
I understand the author intends to publish a book that picks up where this one left off: relating how the Stefanovic family faced challenges after arriving in America. I would read that book if assured the writing is more concise and to the point.
April 8, 2015
This review is based on an interview I conducted with the author as well as a book review.
Peladija has written this book to share the story of her mother, but also to make sure this part of our history is not forgotten. I am always amazed by the tenacity and courage of those who suffered so greatly during WWII. I hope you find this book as inspiring as I did.
Peladija grew up hearing stories of her parent’s childhoods growing up in Austria and Yugoslavia. Both of them had very different upbringings and destiny brought these two people together during the tragedies of WWII while they were both living in Germany. Peladija, born in America, relates growing up in America as much different from the stories her mother and sister tell of growing up during WWII. As an adult, Peladija realized her mother’s stories needed to be told to more than just to their family. Not because her mother’s story is unique to others who suffered during WWII, but because it is part of our history. The atrocities of war are felt far and wide and innocent victims are forever changed, no matter the age. How the war affected her family is tragic, horrifying and unimaginable. But, without the war, Peladija’s parents would have never met. Choices and destinies have created her family history and this story is one to be shared. Peladija is the author of TRIUMPH OVER DESTINY, but in it she is telling the stories from her mother’s perspective.
Peladija recorded her mother’s stories over the span of a few years and then compiled them into this book chronicling her mother’s life. In the book she tells of growing up in Austria, being ripped from her family at the young age of 15 to provide forced labor in Germany, her marriage to a German soldier, raising their two daughters, suffering tragedies unimaginable (including her husband’s death) while living in Germany, marrying a POW from Yugoslavia after the war was over, and eventually coming to America sponsored by a family in Oelwein, Iowa.
Many books have been written telling the horrors Hitler’s regime inflicted on the people of Europe. Knowing, as you are reading, that these things truly happened to innocent victims, someone like you and me, and realizing how out of control the cruelty became will give you a new perspective on WWII.
The story begins in Austria and takes us to Germany when Karoline, Peladija’s mother is forcefully taken from her family by soldiers. They had no idea where she was being taken, if they would see her again, and what would happen to her. Karoline was actually one of the “lucky” ones if you could even say that, because she was placed in a restaurant in Germany. She was able to live in a small apartment with another young woman, was fed and cared for, even though the work was long and hard and she was treated as an outsider and disgraced. During her time working in the restaurant, she was eventually treated with respect and given more freedoms which led her to meet her future husband, Hinrich, a German soldier. Their romance was quick and survived Hinrich’s long deployments during the war. Eventually they were married and Karoline was free from working as a forced laborer.
Living on his parents’ farm, raising their two daughters, and being well cared for, helped her to forget some of the tragedies of war, but the numerous restrictions on travel, danger along the roads, and fear of bombs dropping on them at any moment kept their lives in constant fear.
Peladija’s mother had a vivid memory and was able to recall in great detail the stories of their lives during WWII. The stories are emotional, tragic and horrific. I don’t want to mention them here to take away the telling of Karoline’s story. I wondered how Peladija was able to write them knowing they happened to her mother, father, and sisters. Peladija stated all of them were difficult to hear and every time she worked on the book, there were tears coming down her face and she was constantly wiping tears off of her computer. It was a highly emotional journey for her with some stories being more difficult to write than others, but in her heart, she knew these stories needed to be told. Oftentimes, her children were in the room while she recorded these stories. She believes these stories and her mother’s values made her and her sisters some of the strongest-willed women she has ever met. She even jokes that it makes life pretty difficult for their husbands. But, she said, if you would have known my mom, you would have seen her as a mild mannered, reserved, and quiet woman. You never would have guessed the atrocities she suffered in her life because she was a woman who was blessed and always found something to be thankful for. She said prayers with her children every night, thanking God for the basics of health and family, because, as she told them, if you didn’t have that, you had nothing.
I find every time I read a book set during WWII, I learn something new about the history and affects the war had on innocent people. In this book, I learned how the POWs were left to practically fend for themselves in Germany once the war ended. Many of them were starving and homeless and which, unfortunately, caused many of them to turn to violence to get revenge against the Germans. Germans became victims of the tortured POWs and Peladija’s family suffered greatly at their hands even after they had been kind to so many of them. Even when the war was over, it was just as dangerous for people in Germany, just a different kind of danger. They weren’t watching the sky for bombs, but instead looking out for intruders to harm them or steal prized possessions, as Peladija stated. The war may have been over but atrocities happened for years after.
Peladija ends the book once her parents arrive in Oelwein, Iowa. The reader is left with many unanswered questions about their assimilation into American culture and their life here. When I asked Peladija some of my burning questions, she hesitated and then replied, I’m planning a sequel. “Our life in America is really a separate story,” she stated. “Even though we were in America, life wasn’t easy. I’ve had many people ask and want to know more about our family’s story and I plan to write a sequel soon.”
If you enjoy reading true accounts of people as part of the history of our nation and world, I highly recommend reading TRIUMPH OVER DESTINY.
Peladija has written this book to share the story of her mother, but also to make sure this part of our history is not forgotten. I am always amazed by the tenacity and courage of those who suffered so greatly during WWII. I hope you find this book as inspiring as I did.
Peladija grew up hearing stories of her parent’s childhoods growing up in Austria and Yugoslavia. Both of them had very different upbringings and destiny brought these two people together during the tragedies of WWII while they were both living in Germany. Peladija, born in America, relates growing up in America as much different from the stories her mother and sister tell of growing up during WWII. As an adult, Peladija realized her mother’s stories needed to be told to more than just to their family. Not because her mother’s story is unique to others who suffered during WWII, but because it is part of our history. The atrocities of war are felt far and wide and innocent victims are forever changed, no matter the age. How the war affected her family is tragic, horrifying and unimaginable. But, without the war, Peladija’s parents would have never met. Choices and destinies have created her family history and this story is one to be shared. Peladija is the author of TRIUMPH OVER DESTINY, but in it she is telling the stories from her mother’s perspective.
Peladija recorded her mother’s stories over the span of a few years and then compiled them into this book chronicling her mother’s life. In the book she tells of growing up in Austria, being ripped from her family at the young age of 15 to provide forced labor in Germany, her marriage to a German soldier, raising their two daughters, suffering tragedies unimaginable (including her husband’s death) while living in Germany, marrying a POW from Yugoslavia after the war was over, and eventually coming to America sponsored by a family in Oelwein, Iowa.
Many books have been written telling the horrors Hitler’s regime inflicted on the people of Europe. Knowing, as you are reading, that these things truly happened to innocent victims, someone like you and me, and realizing how out of control the cruelty became will give you a new perspective on WWII.
The story begins in Austria and takes us to Germany when Karoline, Peladija’s mother is forcefully taken from her family by soldiers. They had no idea where she was being taken, if they would see her again, and what would happen to her. Karoline was actually one of the “lucky” ones if you could even say that, because she was placed in a restaurant in Germany. She was able to live in a small apartment with another young woman, was fed and cared for, even though the work was long and hard and she was treated as an outsider and disgraced. During her time working in the restaurant, she was eventually treated with respect and given more freedoms which led her to meet her future husband, Hinrich, a German soldier. Their romance was quick and survived Hinrich’s long deployments during the war. Eventually they were married and Karoline was free from working as a forced laborer.
Living on his parents’ farm, raising their two daughters, and being well cared for, helped her to forget some of the tragedies of war, but the numerous restrictions on travel, danger along the roads, and fear of bombs dropping on them at any moment kept their lives in constant fear.
Peladija’s mother had a vivid memory and was able to recall in great detail the stories of their lives during WWII. The stories are emotional, tragic and horrific. I don’t want to mention them here to take away the telling of Karoline’s story. I wondered how Peladija was able to write them knowing they happened to her mother, father, and sisters. Peladija stated all of them were difficult to hear and every time she worked on the book, there were tears coming down her face and she was constantly wiping tears off of her computer. It was a highly emotional journey for her with some stories being more difficult to write than others, but in her heart, she knew these stories needed to be told. Oftentimes, her children were in the room while she recorded these stories. She believes these stories and her mother’s values made her and her sisters some of the strongest-willed women she has ever met. She even jokes that it makes life pretty difficult for their husbands. But, she said, if you would have known my mom, you would have seen her as a mild mannered, reserved, and quiet woman. You never would have guessed the atrocities she suffered in her life because she was a woman who was blessed and always found something to be thankful for. She said prayers with her children every night, thanking God for the basics of health and family, because, as she told them, if you didn’t have that, you had nothing.
I find every time I read a book set during WWII, I learn something new about the history and affects the war had on innocent people. In this book, I learned how the POWs were left to practically fend for themselves in Germany once the war ended. Many of them were starving and homeless and which, unfortunately, caused many of them to turn to violence to get revenge against the Germans. Germans became victims of the tortured POWs and Peladija’s family suffered greatly at their hands even after they had been kind to so many of them. Even when the war was over, it was just as dangerous for people in Germany, just a different kind of danger. They weren’t watching the sky for bombs, but instead looking out for intruders to harm them or steal prized possessions, as Peladija stated. The war may have been over but atrocities happened for years after.
Peladija ends the book once her parents arrive in Oelwein, Iowa. The reader is left with many unanswered questions about their assimilation into American culture and their life here. When I asked Peladija some of my burning questions, she hesitated and then replied, I’m planning a sequel. “Our life in America is really a separate story,” she stated. “Even though we were in America, life wasn’t easy. I’ve had many people ask and want to know more about our family’s story and I plan to write a sequel soon.”
If you enjoy reading true accounts of people as part of the history of our nation and world, I highly recommend reading TRIUMPH OVER DESTINY.
February 8, 2016
I cannot wait for the sequel. This true story is heart wrenching yet full of hope. The unimaginable horrors they witnessed and were a part of during WWII but always with hope I their hearts makes this book a must read.
February 3, 2015
This story pulled me into the world of the German people during WWII. Paladia Woodson-Diers tells her mother's story from many interviews they shared. Karoline's story begins when she is a teen living in Austria with her family. From the day she is taken by force to work in Germany to the day she steps off the boat in America, her story is a roller coaster ride of emotions. Her perseverance in the face of adversity is to be admired. Karoline's character is tested over and over again. Living her story allows us to feel her strength, love, and raw emotions while dealing with her family, daily life during the war, German soldiers, the SS, and those freed from the concentration camps. I thought I knew the history of WWI, but Karoline's story gave me a personal connection to that time in history.
January 4, 2015
Triumph Over Destiny is a wonderful story of survival, courage, and love. Karoline is a young mother trying to survive in a war torn Germany. She had an incredibly difficult life and she overcame so many personal tragedies. Karoline is a very compassionate person and has unyielding love for her family and her equally courageous daughters. Karoline tells this incredible true story from her perspective and her daughter, Peladija Woodson Diers, writes a very compelling story that keeps you intrigued until the very end. I was captivated from Karoline's struggles as a forced labor worker in Germany all the way to her struggles with escaping Germany to make a better life in America.
August 2, 2015
Amazing! The author of this book is from Oelwein Iowa. I have a lot of family there. It was such an inspiring story of strength & resilience. Makes me realize what a spoiled society we have now.
Kudos to Peladija (author) for sharing her family's story.
Kudos to Peladija (author) for sharing her family's story.
February 20, 2015
This is a touching true story in the voice of a courageous, amazing woman. Her capacity to love and forgive is awe-inspiring.
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July 1, 2016very interesting story. written by the sister in law of someone in my book club. True story of her mother who was Austrian and taken to Germany by the Nazis.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews