Германската дъщеря

by Marius Gabriel, Мариус Габриел

Историята в „Германската дъщеря“ ни пренася в мрачните дни на Втората световна война. В малко норвежко градче се раждат две сестри, плод на немислимата любов на младо местно момиче и висш нацистки офицер.

Но войната ги разделя, сякаш завинаги. И двете не знаят кои са истинските им родителите и нито една от тях не подозира, че има сестра. След повече от двадесет години едно предсмъртно писмо ще промени всичко, ще разкрие погребаната военновременна тайна.

Една майка, един баща, две сестри – ще успеят ли да преодолеят болката от миналото, разстоянията и строго охраняваните граници, за да бъдат отново заедно?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Audiobook, Historical, War, Thriller

376 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2024

About the author

Marius Gabriel is an international thriller and mystery writer.

Under the pseudonym Madeleine Ker, he wrote over 30 romance novels in the 1980s.

As Marius Gabriel he has written several mystery best-sellers, some of them historical novels.

He has three grown-up children and currently lives in Cairo and London. He is 59.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark, disturbing story that will challenge your perspectives. Imagine discovering that not only are you adopted, but your parents were Nazis...not misguided people but bonafide true believers. Your mother volunteered for the Lebensborn breeding project and your father was an SS war criminal. How would you feel about their daughters...repulsed? The other timeline is 1968 in East Berlin under the brutal Stasi regime and you will need a strong stomach to read this part of the story. The German Daughter is meticulously researched and pulls no punches in describing the atrocities of WW II, particularly how women & children were targeted.

I'm old enough to remember 1968, being at the Berlin Wall, and the residual resentments that followed World War II. My father was a WW II Pacific theater veteran who never talked about his experiences but refused to buy German or Japanese products for the rest of his life. He wouldn't even get off the plane when we had stopovers in Germany which we frequently did because we were a Foreign Service family. I'm glad he didn't live to see politicians quoting Hitler, dismantling democracy, or supporting Russia. If you are on the fence about fascism, you won't be after reading this book. It was an honor to read this on the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

[Kayla Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The German Daughter was unputdownable and literally the true definition of staying up into the wee hours of the night to finish . . . As I write this at 4 am! Katalina and Agnes are two sisters who were conceived by two Nazi enthusiasts via a Lebensborn program in Norway during World War II. Three years apart, both Katarina and Agnes know nothing of each other. Separated from their birth mother at birth, they grow up living worlds apart and never knowing of one another. Fate reunites them, but the Berlin Wall threatens to tear them apart forever. I loved this story was told by the viewpoints of all the major characters. Katarina, Agnes, their mother Liv and their father Ulrich. It wasn’t the typical ever chapter switches a point of view, rather the story was told in chronological order by the most ideal character for each part of the story, and it was so cleverly done.

I loved this story because it’s a story of defeat and victory, love and loss, blood and water, faith over fear, retribution and vindication, and bravery amidst daring to hope in the darkest of times.

This is a must-read for World War II fans as well as those who enjoy reading about life in Germany post World War II.

[Denise Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my usual genre of book, but it looked interesting so I bought it. I started reading it around midnight last night and I finished it today around 6pm.
It was well written, with insight and compassion. I really enjoyed it.
Imagine living all your life being brought up by your Grandfather is a beautiful historic house in the English countryside, with a Rolls Royce Phantom in the drive and staff indoors. This was Agnes' life, her parents had died when she was young and she stayed with her Grandfather who loved and cherished her.
Meanwhile across the world another parentless girl, Karolina lived behind the Berlin Wall in the DDR under strict Russian regime. Her parents had died and she was brought up by adoptive parents who died during the war while she was still very young, they were killed by the Russians, but she had run into the forest and become one of the many Wolfchildren there. Children who had been orphaned by the Russians and had nowhere to go, they lived in groups and hunted for food, berries or rummaged through bins to survive. Eventually She was picked up and put into a Russian Orphanage. She was academically bright and was put into University by the state.
One day when with friends, she had a few drinks and smoked some weed and got the idea she was going to go over the wall and escape to West Germany. She had made no plans it was just a whim and before she realised what she was doing she was running toward the wall. The sirens wailed and guns were aimed at her with a loud hailer telling her to stay where she was and not move or they would release the dogs.
This led to her being put in a vile prison for 3 years where they broke her body and spirit. Her life became even more complicated when the Stasi started to follow her and took her away to train as a Juliet, basically a prostitute (unpaid) to sleep with rich and influential Westerners which was filmed and recorded and used to get information from them and blackmail them.
Agnes meantime found her Grandfather dead in his study, with the remnants of correspondence around him and a partially burned letter in the hearth. She pieces some thing together and realises this is not her family. Her beloved Grandfather had lied, he had stolen her away from an orphanage in Norway at the end of the war to replace the son he had lost.
Determined to find out exactly who she is and where she came from unearths some awful things done by the Nazi's and the Russian's, experiments etc to produce pure bred German babies, and she is the result of one of these and she also has a sister who is a few years older than her who is also the result of the same experiment.
She sets out to find her parents and sister, and finds out a lot more than she bargained for,
A really gripping read

[Grace Chiao · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down. Interesting perspective, very different from the usual WWII narrative. Enjoyed that, but story and characters felt a bit surface-level. I had a hard time understanding why Agnes would be so quick to push her grandfather (who raised her all her life and was generally a good, caring man) aside. And how the sisters were so quick to cling to each other. With all of Carolina’s trauma, I would think she would have difficulty trusting others so quickly. And then the motivation of their dad at the end seemed unbelievable. I’m surprised by the high ratings but to each their own. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Grace Hintz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute wee story with some nice history woven in. Didn’t absolutely wow me but quite wholesome! Nice ease read! Shortest review I’ve ever written - proud of myself

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook. I think this could have used multiple narrators. With multiple main characters, it was often difficult to keep track of who I was listening to.

Good story. Always horrified by the stories of WW2. It was clearly well researched. I wish there had been an author’s note with real life research details.

[ЙОАНА МАНДЖУКОВА · Rating 4 out of 5]

Обичам да чета романи за Холокоста и съдбите на хората, които са го преживели. Очаквах и тук нещо подобно. Но в този роман Мариус Габриел ни запознава с историята на един СС офицер, една норвежка и техните две дъщери. Действието се развива в две времеви линии- след края на Втората световна война 1945 година и през 1968 година. Четейки, съпреживявах историята на героите, но в контекста на днешното време и моите лични убеждения, този роман ми се стори твърде пропаганден. Именно затова свалям една звезда. Ако се абстрахирам от това, таланта на Габриел е безспорен!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d have to give this book 3.5 stars. It was an amazing story full of complex characters and gripping storyline. The only problem I had with the book was that I didn’t think it was well written. It’s totally a personal taste thing. I felt like the writing was a little lazy/elementary. But, it was truly a gripping, hard, satisfying story.

[Lisa A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

This is the first novel I've read by Marius Gabriel, and I'll be looking for more! I really enjoyed The German Daughter, and loved learning about yet another aspect of the Nazi regime that I hadn't read about before.
This is a dual-timeline novel set in 1940 and 1968. In 1940, Liv makes a decision that will forever leave her vilified and broken. In 1968, Agnes accidentally uncovers secrets about her past when her grandfather passes away, and so begins a journey that takes her from her hometown in England to Norway & Berlin, where she begins to unravel the dark secrets of her past.
I was so emotionally invested in this story, particularly with Karolina's character, and was just heartbroken at what she endured. The author sucked me right in - I felt every emotion and felt like I was right there with the characters. I'm still thinking about this book over a week after finishing it and I know it's going to stay with me for a long time. There are many facts woven into the story, and I found myself wanting to learn more about the events covered. This was a truly educational journey for me, so many things I had no idea about.

I found a couple of parts a little slow, but overall found it hard to put this book down and I highly recommend it to lovers of historical WW2 fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books, and Marius Gabriel for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Mrs Crossley · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a very descriptive story with a lot of filler, I powered through it reluctantly. The thing that I disliked most was the quasi-parental/maternal instincts that came to light in the story. I'm sorry, but it was not believable nor was it heartfelt or touching. It felt forced and cringe. Lots of Nazi history, violence toward children and women, it's going to be a no for me.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot-wise, the story was completely engrossing and I couldn’t put it down. I read it all on a single overnight flight instead of sleeping! But philosophically, I have a problem with books like this that humanize or empathize with Nazis and their collaborators/sympathizers/lovers.

[Maciej · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perspektywa II Wojny Światowej przedstawiona w książce jest dość ciekawa, ale mam wrażenie, że bohaterzy są dość płascy.
Historia pewnej rodziny od czasów przedwojennych do podzielonego Berlina.
O ile początek z historią matki dziewczynek bardzo mi się podobał o tyle historia córek wydaje mi się kompletnie niewiarygodna. Trudno mi było zrozumieć, dlaczego Agnes tak szybko odsunęła na bok swojego dziadka (który wychowywał ją przez całe życie i był ogólnie dobrym, troskliwym człowiekiem), jakim cudem siostry które się nie znały a które mają kompletnie różne historie i różne traumy tak szybko sobie zaufały i się „pokochały”. Karolina której losy potoczyły się tragicznie i to jak ją wykorzystano umieszczając w burdelu zachowuje się tak jakby nie wpłynęło na jej psychikę. Ojciec który popełniał zbrodnie wojenne i nie mial żadnej relacji z córkami przygotowuje akcje jak z dobrego filmu sensacyjnego by uratować jedną z nich brzmi już lekko abstrakcyjnie. Najlepsza postacią jest tu matka i traktując książkę jak zwykłą rozrywkę to nie było złe. Ale nie trafi ona do moich ulubieńców ani coś co będę z czystym sercem polecał

[Katie Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a random recommendation. I don’t even remember where I saw it but I am so glad I did! There are HF books out there about Lebensborn, but this is the first I’ve seen that tells you about what happened to those involved after losing the war. The women there were considered Nazi whores & their babies were unwanted & treated cruelly in many cases. I had no idea about this part of this topic. So if you want to read about what happened to the babies born through Lebensborn after losing the war, this was a very entertaining read & pretty informative.

[Melanie Hyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book that pulled me deep into the heart of World War II and its aftermath. Gabriel masterfully crafts a story of love, betrayal, and resilience, set against the backdrop of war-torn Europe. The historical detail made the story come alive and immersed  me into an era of unimaginable hardship and strength. A must-read for fans of historical fiction!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Exciting historical fiction. A young woman finds out that she was a stolen German orphan when her “grandfather” passes away. Agnes starts to search for her birth parents and background. She discovers she also has a sister who lives behind the Iron Curtain. A story of struggles, heartbreak, and redemption. I really enjoyed it.

[Call Me Cordelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, brutally sad

Loved every minute of reading this book. I chuckled, I winced, I gasped, and I sighed. If you like stories about the forgotten and forbidden histories, this novel is for you!

[Sierra Lybbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and heartbreaking, I didn’t want to put it down. It captured me from the prologue and had me in tears at the end 💕

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

So many layers to this story. It lays bare the motivations for actions that on the surface seem either good or bad, but in truth are too complex to label. Is saving a baby from war torn Norway a kind act of charity or a heartless kidnapping? These people faced circumstances that most of is would find inconceivable, and make their choices to survive.
This book tells stories about a side of WWII that most history books have forgotten.

[Tipping Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy WWII stories. I had never read about the practice of birthing Aryan children for the Reich. This adds another layer of atrocities committed during Hitler's reign. It was also a reminder of how the Russian soldiers conducted themselves and what life was like in East Berlin

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a lot of potential. I wish the characters and background stories were more developed. The progress of the story was rushed.

[aska_taka_ja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lebensborn - organizacja opiekuńczo-charytatywna powstała z inicjatywy Heinricha Himmlera. Jej celem było stworzenie warunków do odnowienia krwi niemieckiej, w której kobiety i mężczyźni przechodzili selekcję rasową. 
"Nigdy nawet nie widział tych dziewczyn na oczy. Nic dla niego nie znaczyły. O wiele bardziej zależało mu na jego psach niż na nich. Psy i córki. Córki i psy."
"Wojenny sekret" to historia dwóch młodych kobiet poszukujących swojej tożsamości. Jedna całe życie była przekonana, że jej rodzice zginęli podczas wojny, a jej ojczyzną jest Anglia. Druga była świadoma, że żyła jako dziecko wilk, była pozostawiona sama sobie i wystawiona na wiele trudów życia. I choć początek wszystkich wydarzeń ma swoje miejscie podczas II wojny światowej  to głównym czasem tychże wydarzeń są lata 60-te XX-wieku.  Marius Gabriel zabiera nas pod berliński mur i pokazuje część problemów społecznych z jakim musieli borykać się mieszkańcy niemieckiej stolicy podzielonej na dwa różne światy.
Nie pamiętam, żebym wcześniej spotkała się z ideą Lebensborn w książkach. Autor pokazał jak ten proces przebiegał i jakie skutki miał dla osób biorących w nim udział, ale i też dla tych którzy z tego projektu się zrodzili. Ludzie szukający swojej tożsamości nigdy chyba tak do końca nie osiągną zadowolenia i szczęścia w życiu w którym rodzi się więcej pytań niż znajduje odpowiedzi. Bardzo się cieszę, że mogłam poznać tę historię i rozszerzyć swoją wiedzę na temat poczynań nazistów. Nie ma większej zbrodni jak odrzucenie dziecka przez rodzica. I choć czasy się zmieniają, warunki życia ewoluują, nigdy dziecko nie powinno ponosić negatywnych konsekwencji wynikających z decyzji dorosłych czy ludzi za te dzieci odpowiedzialnych. "Wojenny sekret" to książka która zmusiła mnie do refleksji, poruszyła emocjonalnie jako matkę i córkę. Cieszę się, że mogłam ją poznać, choć do łatwych lektur nie należy. Polecam. 

P.s. "Wojenny sekret" przypomina mi trochę niedawno czytaną "Victorię" - te same czasy, to samo miejscie głównych wydarzeń, jednak zupełnie inna historia. II wojna światowa choć zakończona wiele lat temu miała wiele "skutków ubocznych" których konsekwencje wielu ludzi i rodzin ponosić do dnia dziejszego.

[Sandra O'hagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a fair amount of WWII fiction and this was interesting as much of it was a story I hadn’t really read a lot about.
I enjoyed this read but felt there were parts where characters made very rash decisions very quickly making it less believable.
Agnes giving up on her father, quitting her job and travelling to uncover family secrets happened hastily. Also her Sisters willingness to embrace her and risk her life and her biological Father’s decisions all happened very fast.
The story was fascinating and the ending unexpected.
I think the Author tried to put a lot into this book and sometimes less is more.

[Kristen Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this book because I got to learn about a new part of the war that I never knew about. I also enjoyed learning more about east verse West Berlin and I really enjoyed the ending.

[Chera Longfritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

All my friends should read this book… not only a beautiful story that had me sobbing but a very unique portrait of the Third Reich and the DDR. This book had details I had never heard of before and the writing style is so clear and undressed UGH yeah this is it for me

[Joan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, Sad, Realistic, Informative

Please read this book to bring the History of WWII back to life. Could this all happen again? Possibly. Unless we decide to change to direction, our country is headed.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Alice Bäckbro · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10. Jag kommer för alltid älska 2WW romaner, men det kom inga tårar denna gången 😂 Dock otroligt välskriven.

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark and disturbing, consequences of WW2 from a different perspective. People/countries sometimes aren’t very nice to each other even 20 or so years after the war.

[Lauren Emsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Won't get it out of my head ever, I don't think.