What do you think?
The Jewish Hospital
“A gripping, intriguing World War II novel capturing the loss of innocence of a young Jewish girl. I cried. I raged. I despaired. Ultimately, Jonathan forces us to believe humanity can exist in the most evil of times.”
—Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
“Hammel’s vivid imagery and deft storytelling remind us that there are infinite grey areas between the extremes of good and evil. Suspenseful to the very end, The Jewish Hospital will quicken your pulse as each life-altering decision unfolds.”
—Georgia Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones
Berlin, 1942.
In a city governed by fear and ruled by the quiet machinery of Nazi terror, young Bavarian nurse Lena Schild arrives at the Jewish Hospital—the last refuge of its kind still operating during the Third Reich. What begins as an escape from a harsh life in Munich soon becomes something far more perilous as Lena finds herself navigating whispered rumors, vanishing patients, and the ever-present gaze of the SS.
Living and working alongside her bold and brilliant friend Sophie, Lena steps into a world where every act of care is an act of courage, and every choice carries a weight she never imagined. As pressure on the hospital mounts and loyalties are tested in ways neither woman is prepared for, Lena is forced to confront questions of faith, friendship, and the limits of compassion under a regime built on cruelty.
Inspired by the haunting true history of Berlin’s Jewish Hospital, The Jewish Hospital is a story of quiet defiance and the extraordinary resilience of those who struggled to keep humanity alive in the darkest of times.
—Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz
“Hammel’s vivid imagery and deft storytelling remind us that there are infinite grey areas between the extremes of good and evil. Suspenseful to the very end, The Jewish Hospital will quicken your pulse as each life-altering decision unfolds.”
—Georgia Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones
Berlin, 1942.
In a city governed by fear and ruled by the quiet machinery of Nazi terror, young Bavarian nurse Lena Schild arrives at the Jewish Hospital—the last refuge of its kind still operating during the Third Reich. What begins as an escape from a harsh life in Munich soon becomes something far more perilous as Lena finds herself navigating whispered rumors, vanishing patients, and the ever-present gaze of the SS.
Living and working alongside her bold and brilliant friend Sophie, Lena steps into a world where every act of care is an act of courage, and every choice carries a weight she never imagined. As pressure on the hospital mounts and loyalties are tested in ways neither woman is prepared for, Lena is forced to confront questions of faith, friendship, and the limits of compassion under a regime built on cruelty.
Inspired by the haunting true history of Berlin’s Jewish Hospital, The Jewish Hospital is a story of quiet defiance and the extraordinary resilience of those who struggled to keep humanity alive in the darkest of times.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 3, 2026
This is the first WWII historical fiction that I have read that focuses on the Jewish hospital in Berlin. I wonder if there are others out there? Anyway, since I have read many WWII fiction and memoir books, it was nice to read one from an angle that I had not explored previously.
The main focus of the book is Lena, a young naïve and optimistic nurse, who throughout the course of the book, develops in maturity as a result of the many wartime hospital experiences she encounters. Other characters in the story – Sophie, another nurse; Stefan, a psychiatric patient; and Arthur, a patient of renown – add colour and life to the book, each with their own personality quirks.
The horrors of the Nazi regime are brought to life once again in this book, and we see people grappling with issues of morality and difficult choices. It always reminds me of how lucky I am not have experienced such trials in my life.
I would say that this book is more character-driven than plot-driven. While I’d prefer a stronger, clearer plot earlier in this book, I still enjoyed reading it and learning about the Jewish hospital during the war. There is a more defined plot in the events toward the end of the book, although it took a while to get there. I definitely enjoyed the latter part of the book more when there was a bit more tension.
This book will appeal to readers who choose to read books that are harrowing and have an interest in the events of WWII. A worthwhile read, especially if you enjoy character-driven books.
Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The main focus of the book is Lena, a young naïve and optimistic nurse, who throughout the course of the book, develops in maturity as a result of the many wartime hospital experiences she encounters. Other characters in the story – Sophie, another nurse; Stefan, a psychiatric patient; and Arthur, a patient of renown – add colour and life to the book, each with their own personality quirks.
The horrors of the Nazi regime are brought to life once again in this book, and we see people grappling with issues of morality and difficult choices. It always reminds me of how lucky I am not have experienced such trials in my life.
I would say that this book is more character-driven than plot-driven. While I’d prefer a stronger, clearer plot earlier in this book, I still enjoyed reading it and learning about the Jewish hospital during the war. There is a more defined plot in the events toward the end of the book, although it took a while to get there. I definitely enjoyed the latter part of the book more when there was a bit more tension.
This book will appeal to readers who choose to read books that are harrowing and have an interest in the events of WWII. A worthwhile read, especially if you enjoy character-driven books.
Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 5, 2026
The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel was a very moving and meaningful novel that offered historical insight and emotional depth beyond what I was expecting. It was about a young, impressionable and very naive Bavarian nurse, Lena Schild and her friend Sophie who both found themselves employed as nurses in The Jewish Hospital in Berlin, Germany in 1942. Jonathon Hammel’s The Jewish Hospital was based on the true story of his own grandmother’s experiences at this hospital and the facts that surrounded the hospital’s existence and what actually occurred within its walls during the Nazi regime. It was about friendship, who could be trusted, faith, courage, compassion, survival and resilience. The Jewish Hospital was a gripping, harrowing and riveting novel about a subject and setting that I had little to no prior knowledge of before reading this book. In my opinion, The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel is a must read for all.
Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing for allowing me to read The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing for allowing me to read The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts in this review are completely my own.
July 4, 2026
How does one rate such as this?. Hammel based the novel on his grandmother‘s experiences, working as a nurse in the one hospital in Berlin that served Jews in Nazi Germany. The terrifying choices that the lead characters, Lena and Sophie, are confronted with are impossible to judge. What would I do in those shoes is too terrifying to imagine. The horrific crimes perpetrated by Hitler and his despicable, heinous cohorts, one could say are unimaginable, but reality says otherwise. I decided to read the book after reading an editorial in WAPO. This was not an easy or comfortable book to read.
May 9, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
(Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
There are many books focused on the the numerous horrors of World War II: Jewish families torn from their homes, widespread starvation and rationing, and of course, the atrocities of Nazi concentration camps. The Jewish Hospital , however, focuses on a lesser-known aspect of Nazi Germany, the coersion of Jewish people into aiding the regime in the capture of fellow Jews.
This book centers around Lena, a young Jewish nurse employed at the Jewish Hospital in Berlin in 1942. One of the only Jewish institutions allowed to remain in operation in Nazi Germany, the Jewish Hospital is described as a place of refuge and survival in a city consumed by the persecution of the Nazi regime.
Lena, young and somewhat naive, struggles to believe all the stories she hears about what is happening to Jews in Berlin and around Europe. She wants to focus on her work as a nurse and care for her patients, but the reality of the Nazi's brutality cannot be ignored for long. Her character development was one of the strongest parts of this novel for me.
Hammel explores the true horrors that took place in Nazi Germany during the second world war. Many elements were included that I hadn't considered before, particularly the coercion of Jewish people not only in betraying their fellow Jews in providing names to the Nazis, but also in physically aiding in their capture. This was a heartbreaking reality that Hammel describes in such a way that allows the reader to feel the immense weight of the choices these individuals were forced to make.
My main critique in this short novel is that there are a few parts that I would have liked to see expanded a bit further. The main storyline ended quite abruptly, and while there was resolution to the story in the epilogue, it felt somewhat rushed. There was noticeable build-up in the last few chapters that suddenly just...ended. I wanted more.
Despite my critique, I do think that Hammel has a true gift for storytelling and for conveying the sheer terror the Jews must have experienced during this terrible, dark part in history. I found myself reading with wide, tear-filled eyes and holding my children tighter. Above all, I felt a mixture of profound grief and anger reading about the real events of the Holocaust.
Content considerations:
-Occasional mild language
-Discussion of the hospital director exchanging sexual favors in return for keeping nurses' names off Nazi lists; one brief scene is described, though not overly explicit
-Some implied intimacy
-Wartime danger and persecution described, though not in graphic detail
-Mentions of Jews committing suicide to avoid deportation to Nazi work camps
-Medical terminology and minor wound descriptions
-One male character is described as enjoying makeup and dresses; mention of his mother wanting a daughter and raising/treating him accordingly
(Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
There are many books focused on the the numerous horrors of World War II: Jewish families torn from their homes, widespread starvation and rationing, and of course, the atrocities of Nazi concentration camps. The Jewish Hospital , however, focuses on a lesser-known aspect of Nazi Germany, the coersion of Jewish people into aiding the regime in the capture of fellow Jews.
This book centers around Lena, a young Jewish nurse employed at the Jewish Hospital in Berlin in 1942. One of the only Jewish institutions allowed to remain in operation in Nazi Germany, the Jewish Hospital is described as a place of refuge and survival in a city consumed by the persecution of the Nazi regime.
Lena, young and somewhat naive, struggles to believe all the stories she hears about what is happening to Jews in Berlin and around Europe. She wants to focus on her work as a nurse and care for her patients, but the reality of the Nazi's brutality cannot be ignored for long. Her character development was one of the strongest parts of this novel for me.
Hammel explores the true horrors that took place in Nazi Germany during the second world war. Many elements were included that I hadn't considered before, particularly the coercion of Jewish people not only in betraying their fellow Jews in providing names to the Nazis, but also in physically aiding in their capture. This was a heartbreaking reality that Hammel describes in such a way that allows the reader to feel the immense weight of the choices these individuals were forced to make.
My main critique in this short novel is that there are a few parts that I would have liked to see expanded a bit further. The main storyline ended quite abruptly, and while there was resolution to the story in the epilogue, it felt somewhat rushed. There was noticeable build-up in the last few chapters that suddenly just...ended. I wanted more.
Despite my critique, I do think that Hammel has a true gift for storytelling and for conveying the sheer terror the Jews must have experienced during this terrible, dark part in history. I found myself reading with wide, tear-filled eyes and holding my children tighter. Above all, I felt a mixture of profound grief and anger reading about the real events of the Holocaust.
Content considerations:
-Occasional mild language
-Discussion of the hospital director exchanging sexual favors in return for keeping nurses' names off Nazi lists; one brief scene is described, though not overly explicit
-Some implied intimacy
-Wartime danger and persecution described, though not in graphic detail
-Mentions of Jews committing suicide to avoid deportation to Nazi work camps
-Medical terminology and minor wound descriptions
-One male character is described as enjoying makeup and dresses; mention of his mother wanting a daughter and raising/treating him accordingly
August 13, 2026
This is an interesting and informative story about how the Jewish Hospital in Berlin operated, perhaps the only place where Jews could find some refuge during the Nazi regime. Doctors and nurses operated always under the watchful and critical eye of the Gestapo. I thought that although the characters lacked depth, they serve to remind the reader about the fear that Jews lived with every moment of every day. The focus is on the hospital, so don’t expect to learn about what happens to people once they are deported to the camps. The ending felt abrupt.
June 7, 2026
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The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel is tells about the only Jewish hospital to remain operational in Nazi Berlin. Mr. Hammel, a physician, used the experience of his grandmother to write this historical novel.
Lena Schild, a Bavarian nurse, starts her job at the Jewish Hospital, the last one operating under the Third Reich. Almost immediately she realizes things are not right.
Sophie takes Lena under her wing; helps he makes choices that will keep her alive and deal with the enormous pressure. Together they are forced to question themselves, their religion, and their friendship.
The book is a profound examination of survival, and the impossible choices people must make. People trained to heal, are forced to operate and assist a system designed for destruction.
The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel shows an authentic, claustrophobic and stark reality through the eyes of a young nurse. The Holocaust is not a distant or abstract tragedy but is an immediate threat to every person in the hospital.
I wasn’t surprised to find out the author is a physician. The sensory overload of being in a wartime hospital, under constant threat comes through very clearly. Even though the physical aspects of the story shine, the psychological weight that the staff was under was the aspect of the story which was told very well.
One of the grimmest parts of a grim book is the selection process. The hospital management has to decide which of their workers is going to be sent to a concentration camp. This is a zero-sum game where there’s not a valid choice to be made.
Sophie, for me, was the most interesting character in the story. It’s a brilliant way to show institutional decay in a very personal way, while the hospital itself goes through the same process. She drifts into a self-preservation mode and shows how fear can corrupt even the most resilient humans.
This was a very intense book; the author doesn’t take it easy on the reader. He makes you a fly on the wall for all the despair, anger, and depression of being stuck in a living nightmare.
The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel is tells about the only Jewish hospital to remain operational in Nazi Berlin. Mr. Hammel, a physician, used the experience of his grandmother to write this historical novel.
Lena Schild, a Bavarian nurse, starts her job at the Jewish Hospital, the last one operating under the Third Reich. Almost immediately she realizes things are not right.
Sophie takes Lena under her wing; helps he makes choices that will keep her alive and deal with the enormous pressure. Together they are forced to question themselves, their religion, and their friendship.
The book is a profound examination of survival, and the impossible choices people must make. People trained to heal, are forced to operate and assist a system designed for destruction.
The Jewish Hospital by Jonathan Hammel shows an authentic, claustrophobic and stark reality through the eyes of a young nurse. The Holocaust is not a distant or abstract tragedy but is an immediate threat to every person in the hospital.
I wasn’t surprised to find out the author is a physician. The sensory overload of being in a wartime hospital, under constant threat comes through very clearly. Even though the physical aspects of the story shine, the psychological weight that the staff was under was the aspect of the story which was told very well.
One of the grimmest parts of a grim book is the selection process. The hospital management has to decide which of their workers is going to be sent to a concentration camp. This is a zero-sum game where there’s not a valid choice to be made.
Sophie, for me, was the most interesting character in the story. It’s a brilliant way to show institutional decay in a very personal way, while the hospital itself goes through the same process. She drifts into a self-preservation mode and shows how fear can corrupt even the most resilient humans.
This was a very intense book; the author doesn’t take it easy on the reader. He makes you a fly on the wall for all the despair, anger, and depression of being stuck in a living nightmare.
June 3, 2026
The Jewish Hospital
by Jonathan Hammel
Rating: 5 star rating
This was a great moving and thought-provoking historical holocaust novel set in Berlin during World War II. Lena Schild, a young nurse, takes a position at the Jewish Hospital with the help of her father. This hospital is one of the few places where Jewish people could still receive medical care under Nazi rule. Lena faces difficult choices about loyalty, courage, and doing what is right, as things become more dangerous.
The author, Jonathan Hammel, does a great job bringing this story with a little-known piece of history to life.
The characters feel real, and the story has historical detail that offers emotional depth and feelings. I especially enjoyed the friendship between Lena and Sophie, Arthur, and Stefan. The novel shows ordinary people trying to maintain their humanity in extraordinary circumstances, but things don't always stay the same in hard circumstances.
The book is not fast-paced, but it kept my interest because I cared about the characters and wanted to know what would happen to them. Readers who enjoy World War II historical fiction with strong themes of hope, compassion, and moral courage will likely appreciate this novel.
Overall, The Jewish Hospital is an engaging and heartfelt story that shines a light on a lesser-known chapter of Holocaust history. I enjoyed the way the author ended the story, with a lot of detail. I would recommend it to fans of historical fiction and stories about resilience in difficult times. I thought this was great historical book.
Thank you, NetGalley, Skyhorse Publishing, and the author Jonathan Hammel for the eARC book review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#The JewishHospital
#JonathanHammel
#SkyhorsePublishing
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by Jonathan Hammel
Rating: 5 star rating
This was a great moving and thought-provoking historical holocaust novel set in Berlin during World War II. Lena Schild, a young nurse, takes a position at the Jewish Hospital with the help of her father. This hospital is one of the few places where Jewish people could still receive medical care under Nazi rule. Lena faces difficult choices about loyalty, courage, and doing what is right, as things become more dangerous.
The author, Jonathan Hammel, does a great job bringing this story with a little-known piece of history to life.
The characters feel real, and the story has historical detail that offers emotional depth and feelings. I especially enjoyed the friendship between Lena and Sophie, Arthur, and Stefan. The novel shows ordinary people trying to maintain their humanity in extraordinary circumstances, but things don't always stay the same in hard circumstances.
The book is not fast-paced, but it kept my interest because I cared about the characters and wanted to know what would happen to them. Readers who enjoy World War II historical fiction with strong themes of hope, compassion, and moral courage will likely appreciate this novel.
Overall, The Jewish Hospital is an engaging and heartfelt story that shines a light on a lesser-known chapter of Holocaust history. I enjoyed the way the author ended the story, with a lot of detail. I would recommend it to fans of historical fiction and stories about resilience in difficult times. I thought this was great historical book.
Thank you, NetGalley, Skyhorse Publishing, and the author Jonathan Hammel for the eARC book review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#The JewishHospital
#JonathanHammel
#SkyhorsePublishing
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
September 12, 2026
As someone who generally loves historical fiction, particularly stories set around World War II, I was immediately interested in the premise of The Jewish Hospital. The idea of exploring this period through the setting of a Jewish hospital felt like a fascinating perspective and one I hadn't encountered much before.
The book started interestingly enough, and I really liked the historical context and the setting it was exploring. Unfortunately, the story itself wasn't compelling enough to keep me reading. Despite being interested in the subject matter, I didn't feel invested enough in the characters or the plot to want to continue.
It's disappointing because the premise had so much potential for me personally, but the execution just didn't hold my attention. Ultimately, I decided to DNF it.
The book started interestingly enough, and I really liked the historical context and the setting it was exploring. Unfortunately, the story itself wasn't compelling enough to keep me reading. Despite being interested in the subject matter, I didn't feel invested enough in the characters or the plot to want to continue.
It's disappointing because the premise had so much potential for me personally, but the execution just didn't hold my attention. Ultimately, I decided to DNF it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've read many historical fiction books written about this sad time during our world's history and the subject of this book was what drew me to request it. Although it was informative in regards to the function of the Jewish Hospital (which was a new subject matter for me), I needed to know and understand more the two main characters. Certainly their stories are heartfelt but I felt the author could have developed them a bit more. This book also had much narrative vs dialogue and that may have been part of the reason why I had a hard time connecting. With that said it was still a good read but had the making to be a great one. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 8, 2026
THE JEWISH HOSPITAL is a fascinating look at the lives of Jewish Berliners, after Germany’s borders closed and most of the Jewish population had fled, from 1941 until war’s end. The story is a novelized version of the author’s grandmother and her experiences working in the remaining Jewish Hospital as the Nazis removed all ways for Jews to live. It is scary, overwhelming and difficult to put down. The characters and the setting are hyper-realistic. My only caveat is that the book ends abruptly and transitions too quickly to a post-script of an ending. I needed more continuity and missed learning about the characters lives once deported to camps. Overall this is a book well worth reading. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 4, 2026
The Jewish Hospital written by Jonathan Hammel. This book takes place in Nazi held Berlin in 1942. Inspired by the true story of his grandmother, Gerda Haas, who was a nurse for three years. We follow the life of young Lena Schild, a Jewish girl who is now a nurse at a Jewish hospital. Lena is from Munich and she is not used to the fast paced life of Berlin with Nazis controlling the streets and most Jews living in total fear in a ghetto environment. While working alongside her friend Sophie, Lena realizes that her people are in grave danger and that she must try anything to help them. All of her beliefs, and morals will be tested. How will she cope and stay true to herself under horrible circumstances? #historicalfiction #wwii #worldwartwobooks #kindle #readersofinstagram
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An informative novel about how the Jewish hospital in Berlin was run. It also illustrates what the nurses and doctors were subjected to, always under the vigilant eye of the Gestapo. We also learn about what kind of patients were attended to and in what conditions they were.
As far as the historical background is concerned, I was really interested in reading. However, the storyline along with the characters fell rather flat. I wished more depth in depicting the characters. It is a short novel, though. Overall, an interesting and informative background.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
As far as the historical background is concerned, I was really interested in reading. However, the storyline along with the characters fell rather flat. I wished more depth in depicting the characters. It is a short novel, though. Overall, an interesting and informative background.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
June 22, 2026
This story about Lena, Sophie, Arthur, Stefan and so many others, including the children touches the reader's heartstrings. So much sadness but also, hope for a better life when the nightmare of WWII finally ends and Hitler is no longer in power.
The experiences they lived through and how they conquered or succumbed and the horrors they endured is written about well and the author does well to bring the characters' background into the present during the timeframe written about so that the reader knows as much as they can about them, makes for an easy read.
The experiences they lived through and how they conquered or succumbed and the horrors they endured is written about well and the author does well to bring the characters' background into the present during the timeframe written about so that the reader knows as much as they can about them, makes for an easy read.
June 9, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley!
Happy publication month! I hadn't read a WWII book with this premise before and that alone made it very interesting. I have some left to finish - I read too many WWII books after Yom HaShoah and it made my stress levels skyrocket, but I wanted to leave a review around publication date and have enjoyed the 60%+ of the book I have finished so far. Thank you so much for the advance copy!
Happy publication month! I hadn't read a WWII book with this premise before and that alone made it very interesting. I have some left to finish - I read too many WWII books after Yom HaShoah and it made my stress levels skyrocket, but I wanted to leave a review around publication date and have enjoyed the 60%+ of the book I have finished so far. Thank you so much for the advance copy!
June 21, 2026
I am familiar with the story behind the book that Jonathan has written. He took the bones of the story, including many true events, and wove them into a compelling book with lessons that are relevant today. As with other great books, there is a twist at the end that will leave you crying, reassured that the good in others will overcome evil in the world. I can see this as the basis for a movie, it's that good.
August 20, 2026
This book started out slow and I had a hard time getting into it. Then something changed and the t turned into a very touching story during a very dark time in history, the ending of Sonia and Lena was very clunky.
August 16, 2026
A truly moving story.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews