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Something Remains
Erich Levi doesn't understand why his father is so gloomy when the Nazis are elected to power. He's too concerned with keeping his grades up, finding time to hang out by the river with his friends, and studying for his bar mitzvah, to worry about politics.
But slowly, gradually, things begin to change for Erich. Some of the teachers begin to grade him unfairly - because he's Jewish. The Hitler Youth boys in his class bully him, and he's excluded from sporting events and celebrations. His whole world seems to be crumbling: at school, and at home, where money is tight because no one wants to do business with a Jewish family.
Not everyone is so cruel, though, and many of the Levis' friends and neighbors remain fiercely loyal at great risk to themselves. With good people still around, Erich can't believe the situation will last, and stubbornly holds onto his dreams - even as his homeland becomes a dangerous and alien place.
Inge Barth-Grzinger has brilliantly recreated the life of a Jewish family in a small German town during the Nazi era. Something Remains provides, with terrible, everyday detail, an answer to the impossible question: how could the Holocaust have happened?
But slowly, gradually, things begin to change for Erich. Some of the teachers begin to grade him unfairly - because he's Jewish. The Hitler Youth boys in his class bully him, and he's excluded from sporting events and celebrations. His whole world seems to be crumbling: at school, and at home, where money is tight because no one wants to do business with a Jewish family.
Not everyone is so cruel, though, and many of the Levis' friends and neighbors remain fiercely loyal at great risk to themselves. With good people still around, Erich can't believe the situation will last, and stubbornly holds onto his dreams - even as his homeland becomes a dangerous and alien place.
Inge Barth-Grzinger has brilliantly recreated the life of a Jewish family in a small German town during the Nazi era. Something Remains provides, with terrible, everyday detail, an answer to the impossible question: how could the Holocaust have happened?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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414 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 21, 2018
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May 13, 2007
The book is the culmination of a research project a school teacher in a small town in Germany initiated with her students. The project was to trace the history of the (small) Jewish community in the town which disappeared in 1938. The author focuses on one German-Jewish family during Hitler's rise to power, while specifically writing from the perspective of one of the children, Erich. The book is created as a children's book (10 and up), yet is more than captivating for an adult. The author writes in such a simple style, but also very profoundly, capturing the wide range of emotions swirling around in this young boy.
There is something unique about seeing these events from a child's perspective: the naivete and confusion about what is occuring. The reader sees up close how normal people around this Jewish family change with the rising currents of anti-Jewish sentiment. Yet there are some friends who remain stubbornly loyal to the family, even to their own detriment, which demonstrates the complexity in Germany at this time that we (as Americans at least) often overlook.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and at the same time acknowledge the difficulty of dealing with the subject. I feel the author did a very admirable job addressing a horrendous period in German history.
My major criticism actually concerns the brief on the back of the book, which I presume the author did not write. It ends by stating, "Something Remains provides, with terrible, everyday detail, an answer to the impossible question: How could the Holocaust have happened?" First of all, it is true that it is an impossible question, meaning there is no answer. The book did not, in my opinion, even attempt any answer. Herein lies the beauty of the book. The author posed questions. She did not provide answers. The questions engage the reader and provide an unexpected depth. In fact, the last sentence of the book was a question: Why?
There is something unique about seeing these events from a child's perspective: the naivete and confusion about what is occuring. The reader sees up close how normal people around this Jewish family change with the rising currents of anti-Jewish sentiment. Yet there are some friends who remain stubbornly loyal to the family, even to their own detriment, which demonstrates the complexity in Germany at this time that we (as Americans at least) often overlook.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and at the same time acknowledge the difficulty of dealing with the subject. I feel the author did a very admirable job addressing a horrendous period in German history.
My major criticism actually concerns the brief on the back of the book, which I presume the author did not write. It ends by stating, "Something Remains provides, with terrible, everyday detail, an answer to the impossible question: How could the Holocaust have happened?" First of all, it is true that it is an impossible question, meaning there is no answer. The book did not, in my opinion, even attempt any answer. Herein lies the beauty of the book. The author posed questions. She did not provide answers. The questions engage the reader and provide an unexpected depth. In fact, the last sentence of the book was a question: Why?
November 20, 2016
I've never thought that there should be books that "everyone" should read. However, after the election, maybe everyone should read Something Remains. Everyone likes to think that they would have done the right thing in Nazi Germany, but we know that is simply not true. The last sentence of the blurb sums this book up perfectly: "Something Remains provides, with terrible, everyday detail, an answer to the impossible question: how could the Holocaust have happened?" It seems we need a reminder.
November 8, 2019
The book Something Remains written by Inge Barth-Grozinger is very boring. Erich Levi is a 12-year-old Jewish boy in the times of Hitler and the Nazis while living in Germany. They had a great life before Hitler. the Levis had a chef/ maid named Franny who would cook and clean. Erich’s fathers’ cattle business was doing wonderful and Erich had good friends. Slowly things went south, and everything went bad.
The reason I think this book is boring is that it takes forever to read and you lose interest easily. The beginning of the book was very slow-paced and it felt like it took forever to get to the middle of the book. Once you get into the middle of the book it seems to go by faster and is more of an enjoyable read. So you get through the fun part and get to the end of the book which is boring again. If you were to read this book I would skip to the middle and just not finish it.
If you like boring books, you should read this book. I don’t recommend this book to people who can’t sit and read a book over a million years.
The reason I think this book is boring is that it takes forever to read and you lose interest easily. The beginning of the book was very slow-paced and it felt like it took forever to get to the middle of the book. Once you get into the middle of the book it seems to go by faster and is more of an enjoyable read. So you get through the fun part and get to the end of the book which is boring again. If you were to read this book I would skip to the middle and just not finish it.
If you like boring books, you should read this book. I don’t recommend this book to people who can’t sit and read a book over a million years.
January 11, 2018
I don't think that I can honestly (and fairly) give this book a review. Part of the issue was I wasn't really in the mood to read a WWII book, and so I think that was part of why it was so hard to get through. However, the writing quality was good and Inge Barth-Grözinger (who is a teacher) definitely put in their research. However, I just... I was in the wrong headspace because I couldn't get into it, and I had a hard time finishing it. I mean yes, things do happen- but it didn't feel like much. Although as the book went on, Erich and his family struggled more and more so there's that. But, the only thing I really cared about was when the family housekeeper/maid had to go to another family. Otherwise I just...eh. It was the wrong to book to read at the wrong time. Perhaps I was too young to get the full experience, but whatever the case it just wasn't good.
Maybe I'll pick it up again one day and give the 4 or 5 stars it probably deserves! But for now, it's a solid 3. Maybe 2.5?
Maybe I'll pick it up again one day and give the 4 or 5 stars it probably deserves! But for now, it's a solid 3. Maybe 2.5?
May 19, 2019
"Something Remains", by Inge Barth-Grözinger, is a novel about a young Jewish boy named Erich Levi who is living in Ellwangen, Germany during the first years of the Nazi regime. The more Hitler's popularity grows, the more Erich suffers. He begins to receive bad marks from his teachers, the Nazi youth boys in his classes start to bully him, and his father's cattle business begins to fail. His family tries to stay optimistic saying that things are going to calm down once time goes on. Little did they know that it would just get worse and worse. It becomes almost unbearable once Erich's best friend Helmut is forbidden to see him due to Erich being a Jew. I absolutely loved this novel. I cried at least 3 times while reading it. I recommend this novel to those who are interested in the life of Jews during the Nazi regime. It is definitely a must read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2017
When we think about biographies we often assume it is going to be very dull. However, Something Remains by Inge Barth- Grözinger is taken to the next level of biographies. It’s not your typical biography book that talks about a person and what great accomplishments they achieved. It shows the tragic, dreadful treatment and events the Levi family had to experience during Hitler’s rule.
The plot develops really quickly in this novel. It starts off with Erich just setting the foundation of the story and builds on until the climax. Then, the falling action is how Hitler affected their everyday lives. At the end of this true story the Levi family has to decide on one of the biggest decisions that they have ever made in their lives. But, I'm going to leave that up to you to find out.
The plot develops really quickly in this novel. It starts off with Erich just setting the foundation of the story and builds on until the climax. Then, the falling action is how Hitler affected their everyday lives. At the end of this true story the Levi family has to decide on one of the biggest decisions that they have ever made in their lives. But, I'm going to leave that up to you to find out.
May 26, 2022
this story is about a Jewish boy growing up during the holocaust. He and his family live in Germany and they go through hardship after hardship. He and his family do survive in the end.
I liked the fact that the author was a school teacher, and you can really tell he put in his research. The book is also very well written and is a true masterpiece.
The book can be a little boring at times though, but it gets better as you progress through the book.
I liked the fact that the author was a school teacher, and you can really tell he put in his research. The book is also very well written and is a true masterpiece.
The book can be a little boring at times though, but it gets better as you progress through the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2023
Lo leí hace bastante tiempo y me encantó. Me impresionó cómo empiezan las mayores tragedias de la humanidad, poco a poco y cuando quieres pensarlo está todo destrozado...
December 8, 2023
Thinking Day 2023--Germany
July 18, 2022
Based on a true story, this Novel truly showed how life completely changes for Erich Levi and his family during the Third Reich. It was a heartbreaking read engrossing the Reader on a journey of the treatment from close friends, teachers and more that this family endured. Despite the sadness and anger, strength really proved well in this Book.
October 1, 2012
I was reading historical fiction about WWII earlier and I think that book (The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti) really helped me in understanding this book. It was very interesting because "The Boy Who Dared" was about a normal German boy and this book is about a Jew. It was fascinating to see the differences and similarities in the lives of these young people.
The story itself is very exciting and it hooks the reader until the end, leaving them stunned to see what actually happened. I loved reading about the characters themselves and how they were doing now after the war at the end of this book and it also added a lot of tragedy to the book. When I finally thought I'd read enough for the evening and I wanted to get to bed, I was constantly tempting myself to pick the book up again.
I wish you could give half stars because really I wanted to give this 3 and a half, but something pushed it up to 4 stars. The reason for the book not being as good as expected was the bore, the wait. The book kept pulling along, it went incredibly slow in the beginning. I do enjoy how the author makes up for this in the end and brings everything together with great speed, it leaves you wondering what happened to the time.
If you enjoy historical fiction and you have some experience reading hist. fiction about WWII, I think you would enjoy this book. I definitely wouldn't want to read it as my first real Hist. Fiction book because it is quite a hard book to read, both in content and language. Reading other books about this topic helped me understand the book much better, but if you are interested in the topic and you really want to read this book then there is nothing stopping you.
The story itself is very exciting and it hooks the reader until the end, leaving them stunned to see what actually happened. I loved reading about the characters themselves and how they were doing now after the war at the end of this book and it also added a lot of tragedy to the book. When I finally thought I'd read enough for the evening and I wanted to get to bed, I was constantly tempting myself to pick the book up again.
I wish you could give half stars because really I wanted to give this 3 and a half, but something pushed it up to 4 stars. The reason for the book not being as good as expected was the bore, the wait. The book kept pulling along, it went incredibly slow in the beginning. I do enjoy how the author makes up for this in the end and brings everything together with great speed, it leaves you wondering what happened to the time.
If you enjoy historical fiction and you have some experience reading hist. fiction about WWII, I think you would enjoy this book. I definitely wouldn't want to read it as my first real Hist. Fiction book because it is quite a hard book to read, both in content and language. Reading other books about this topic helped me understand the book much better, but if you are interested in the topic and you really want to read this book then there is nothing stopping you.
April 18, 2015
At first, Erich Levi (a jewish boy from Ellwangen,Germany) doesn't understand why everything in his life is changing. As Hitler starts gaining control, most of his friends from school start to distance themselves from him until he only has one friend(helmut). His father's business starts failing because he has no customers and his brother(max) is being physically bullied at school. When he gets older things get even worse for him because the man who teaches his class is a Nazi who harasses Eric for being a Jew. Everyone but Helmut isolates him because of it.His family has to start selling their possessions just to survive because Erich's father still isn't getting any business from people . Eventually, he has to be pulled out of his school and has to leave his home in Ellwangen. My favorite character in this book is Helmut besides he is a good friend to Erich even though no one else is. I also like him because he is a leader instead of a follower and he doesn't give into pressure. Erich's father is also my favorite character because he never gives up hope even when things keep getting worse and worse. My favorite part of the book is when Erich's family escapes before they're put into concentration camps. I love this book because it inspires me to be brave in hard times.
April 9, 2011
I suppose a lot of research went into this novel, and I do appreciate that it was written by a teacher and that it is a true story. But as a reader, I must say that this book is super boring. Nothing really happens. Yes, things do get worse and worse for Erich Levi and his family who live in a small town in Germany during the rise of Hitler and the Nazis in the early 1930s. And yes, I did feel incredibly sorry for Erich and his little brother, Max, who had to undergo ridicule and humiliation day after day at school just for being Jews. But it was just not very entertaining. By the end, I couldn't wait for it to be over.
I was disappointed in the novel. Being an avid reader of Holocaust literature, I was definitely hoping for more. Yes, I understand that it is a true story and the author felt as though she must stick to the truth, but there just wasn't much there. Read this if ghettos and concentration camps make you squirm, because there is not a trace of those things in this book.
I was disappointed in the novel. Being an avid reader of Holocaust literature, I was definitely hoping for more. Yes, I understand that it is a true story and the author felt as though she must stick to the truth, but there just wasn't much there. Read this if ghettos and concentration camps make you squirm, because there is not a trace of those things in this book.
September 1, 2010
A very good and important book about the last family if Jews in a small town in Swabia. Most books are solely about the Holocaust and do not discuss the trauma that must have affected so many families even before the war. I think it also gives a bit of insight into the townspeople. Surely some were bad, but also sine were just terrified - something the Levis could actually relate to. Great perspective. And the writing itself was good. I would like to see what else this author could do, maybe even more novels based on research projects.
November 23, 2015
I was a little disappointed, but I think it was mostly that I wasn't sure what toe expect from this book. I thought it would be a story of a Holocaust survivor, either based on a true story or a group of true stores. It is actually more of a fictionalized version of one boy's story about living in Germany as anti-Jewish feeling escalated in the 1930s, but not during WWII or the Holocaust. It was less dramatic and plot-centered than I was expecting, but again, I think that was mostly my misunderstanding of what the book would be about.
December 5, 2011
Sure, it's Holocaust literature, which should get it bonus points for the whole "minory, taboo subject" thing. But it was so terrible. I couldn't get halfway through. It's so slow, and the characters are all so generic. I guess Erich Levi was supposed to represent an average mostly-Ortodox (I think?) 12 year old, but nothing happened in the book. A hundred pages in, and very few things of note have happened.
Total, epic, #bookfail
*headdesk*
Total, epic, #bookfail
*headdesk*
April 7, 2014
I really enjoyed this book because instead of it being about concentration camps and that sort of thing, it was about the daily life of German Jews during Hitler's rise to power and the rise of the Nazi party. I think it was really well researched and showed the gradual rise of feelings against the Jews. I wish there had been a little more questions answered, even if it was fictional.
March 6, 2017
I had high hopes for a book about a young Jewish boy living in Germany during the years leading up to WWII. But this was one of the slowest books I've ever read and incredibly boring. It's almost a daily account of the boy's life as he goes to school each day. There really isn't much of a plot, and I finally gave up midway and skipped to the final chapters and epilogue to see what happened.
April 26, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. One of the messages I got from it is that even when the world is crumbling around you, the kindness of a few can lift you up and keep you going. Also that Natzis suck. But I knew that already.
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July 26, 2011Excellent novel, hard to read at parts, heartbreaking, shows in great detail HOW the Holocaust happened and how good Germans were terrorized into submission. One of the best Holocaust novels I have read.
January 8, 2012
Inge Barth-Grozinger has brilliantly recreated the life of a Jewish family in a small German town during the Nazi era. Something Remains provides, with terrible, everyday detail, an answer to the impossible question: how could the Holocaust have happened?
April 19, 2012
I thought it was a bit slow, but it was good. Something I'd never read anything like. It's pre-Holocaust times, from a Jewish kid's point of view. Hilter was just elected and was wreaking havoc all over Germany. I felt so bad for him. :( I literally started crying.
June 6, 2017
I thought this was a very good book. I loved the characters and plot. This book was told a great story of what it was like for Jews before WWII. How this ugly mess got started. I'm glad that the family got out of Germant and to America before they were send off to the camps.
November 9, 2008
This book proves that in tough times people can be cruel but also....people can survive through the worst.
June 17, 2011
Enjoyed this book. Saddened how subtle evil rises. The book flowed well and I really could feel the loneliness and confusion of the subject.
August 4, 2011
Life of young boy and his family in Germany in the years immediately preceeding the holocaust.
August 13, 2016
Excellent Holocaust YA historical fiction. Not much left to say really. It doesn't feel right to make any kind of witty joke here. Recommended!
July 25, 2016
This was a good book but it moved slowly at times. I love historical fiction set in WW II regarding the holocaust so I persevered.
March 14, 2012
Something Remains was researched in great depth to the point of being inexorably dragging.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews