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Escape: Our journey home through war-torn Germany
Two sisters.One extraordinary true story.Germany, 1945. Trapped between advancing armies, stranded hundreds of miles from their mother, and with their father missing in action, sisters Barbie and Eva were confronted with an impossible choice.Should they stay and face invasion or risk their lives to find their mother?Together, they set out on a perilous three-hundred mile journey on foot across a country ravaged by war. Fuelled by courage and love, Eva and seven-year-old Barbie encounter incredible hardship, extraordinary bravery, and overwhelming generosity.Against all odds, they both survived.But neither sister came out of the journey unscathed . . .This is the powerful true story of their escape.(Previously published as Little Girl Lost )
Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2019
13 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Barbie Probert-Wright
5 books3 followersBarbie was born in Germany in 1939. She moved to the UK in her early twenties as a student, married an Englishman, and has lived here ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 17, 2019
Barbie Probert-Wright was a young child in 1945 Germany as the war was drawing to a close. She was seven and all her life her family had done their best to protect her from the harsh realities of war that were taking place. As it became clear that Germany was going to lose, her parents opted to send her to join her older sister where they thought she would be safer. It ended up being the wrong choice and this book describes what happened to the author both before and after she left the shelter of her parents. In her dedication she writes that she dedicates it "to all the children around the world whose lives today are being torn apart by the brutality of war."
During the time period that the book covers, Barbie's nineteen year old sister Eva kept a journal of the trek that she and Barbie made across Germany to try and reunite with their mother. The story is told with the help of this journal to give solidity to the author's child like memories. There were also many discussions she had with her sister over the years that fleshed out the details of what had happened. Still, the book is primarily told through the voice and eyes of a child. It is a fascinating read and an amazing story. She credits her sister with saving her life and believes that love was the power that held them together through everything that they faced. It certainly opens the reader's eye's to just how traumatizing the war can be to noncombatants.
What kept this from being a five star read for me was the fact that the book went on well beyond the title concept. Sadly, as an adult the author lost a child. I can only imagine the depths of pain that must have brought her but I felt this book was not he place for that part of the story.
During the time period that the book covers, Barbie's nineteen year old sister Eva kept a journal of the trek that she and Barbie made across Germany to try and reunite with their mother. The story is told with the help of this journal to give solidity to the author's child like memories. There were also many discussions she had with her sister over the years that fleshed out the details of what had happened. Still, the book is primarily told through the voice and eyes of a child. It is a fascinating read and an amazing story. She credits her sister with saving her life and believes that love was the power that held them together through everything that they faced. It certainly opens the reader's eye's to just how traumatizing the war can be to noncombatants.
What kept this from being a five star read for me was the fact that the book went on well beyond the title concept. Sadly, as an adult the author lost a child. I can only imagine the depths of pain that must have brought her but I felt this book was not he place for that part of the story.
September 6, 2019
Best read of 2019 so far for me. Purchased this book because there are so few that tell of the tribulations experienced by the German people who lived through WW2.
Barbie Probert-Wright re-tells the harrowing 300 mile walk at age 7 (to reunite with their mother in Hamburg) with her 18 year old sister Eva, during the final days of the war. It is unbelievable that they survived their journey of intense danger as the allies liberation forces moved through Germany from the west, and the brutal Russian forces proceeded from the east.
Eva, an amazing sister-mother to Barbel, had incredible unending hope, determination and love that was the catalyst in their survival and success in living through the situations they encountered.
The book also continues the story of Eva & Barbel's life and that of their extended families for the next 60 years.
Barbie Probert-Wright re-tells the harrowing 300 mile walk at age 7 (to reunite with their mother in Hamburg) with her 18 year old sister Eva, during the final days of the war. It is unbelievable that they survived their journey of intense danger as the allies liberation forces moved through Germany from the west, and the brutal Russian forces proceeded from the east.
Eva, an amazing sister-mother to Barbel, had incredible unending hope, determination and love that was the catalyst in their survival and success in living through the situations they encountered.
The book also continues the story of Eva & Barbel's life and that of their extended families for the next 60 years.
July 25, 2019
I love historical fiction especially WW2 era, and was thrilled to pick up this book for my holiday read. Escape, however, is a true story so this made it even more special. My father had a similar experience as the author’s so this story was near to my heart. It is refreshing to read about the too-often overlooked plight of the German people after the war. Thank you Bärbel for sharing your story from the eyes of a young girl.
July 6, 2019
If you are interested in WW2 stories I can highly recommend "Escape" from Barbie Probert-Wright written with Jean Ritchie. It's the true story of Barbie (Bärbel) and the journey she took with her sister Eva in April 1945 through war-torn Germany to get back to their mother. Barbie was only 7 and it gives you a fascinating insight in how she experienced the journey and also from the viewpoint of ordinary German people. She uses extracts from her sisters journal to give more substance to the story. A beautiful and such a true line from her sisters journal; "Never let the hero in your soul die"; is something we must all remember.
One of the most profound passages in the book for me is when she meets American soldiers for the first time:
"The enemy, it turns out, consisted of friendly, young men, just like our soldiers. And that, as I was to learn, was the truth of it; the reality of war. Armies are made up of ordinary men, thrown into battle against each other through no fault of their own"
One of the most profound passages in the book for me is when she meets American soldiers for the first time:
"The enemy, it turns out, consisted of friendly, young men, just like our soldiers. And that, as I was to learn, was the truth of it; the reality of war. Armies are made up of ordinary men, thrown into battle against each other through no fault of their own"
March 14, 2021
Two sisters. Eva 19, is an incredible sister-mother to Barbel, 7, an amazing unending hope, determination, and love. Barbel credits to her sister with saving her life and believes that the love was the power that held them together through everything they faced. Yet, they survived and success in living and through the situations during the war. Barbel described the story, not just about between sisters that has a depth of describing and how she continues the story with her for next 60 years, where she sees people pains as her own sister Ruby and son Michael died. The title got me wandering and the written story have blown my mind, because the story has moved me from the start to the end. I couldn’t put it down ♥️👍
March 25, 2020
I don’t usually read much non-fiction these days, but I am very glad that I found this book. The idea of seeing the end of WWII through the eyes of a German child intrigued me. The journey that the two sisters undertook was very interesting and really kept me absorbed. The highs and lows of the story made me feel quite emotional at times and the landscapes and unfolding events were well-drawn. There were certainly very harrowing parts of the tale too.
The book kept my attention until the last part. The immediate aftermath of the journey was interesting enough because I had heard the stories of my own parents, who were also young at that time. However, as the book turned to more recent events and further information about family members, I must admit that I skipped quite a few pages.
All in all, I feel that the author should have been persuaded to end the book much earlier, perhaps at the beginning of adulthood, and should not have continued too far into her later life. Still, the book is well-worth reading for the first part and I congratulate Barbie’s and her sister’s courage.
The book kept my attention until the last part. The immediate aftermath of the journey was interesting enough because I had heard the stories of my own parents, who were also young at that time. However, as the book turned to more recent events and further information about family members, I must admit that I skipped quite a few pages.
All in all, I feel that the author should have been persuaded to end the book much earlier, perhaps at the beginning of adulthood, and should not have continued too far into her later life. Still, the book is well-worth reading for the first part and I congratulate Barbie’s and her sister’s courage.
June 24, 2023
What does a 7yo child know about war and its atrocities?
Well... lots if you are Barbie Probert, born in #Germany in late 1930s.
Lots... if you and your older sister, Eva have to trudge 300 miles across your war torn country on foot to look for your mom 👩
Brainwashed to believe that foreign allies were enemies, they surprisingly met some of the kindest and generous foreign soldiers (from UK and US). These allies treated them well and even shared their food supplies. 🧀🥖🥐
It was also a journey 🎭where the two sisters walked through battlefields, witnessed deaths, slept in the wilderness, and encountered the evils of mankind. 🤬👹
"Into a few short months, I packed a lifetime's experiences, observing them through the prism of my own childish innocence...", writes the author. 🖼
Were they finally reunite with their mom? Find out by getting this book
#bookstagram #holocaust #booksthatmatter
#concentrationcamp #hamburg #europehistory #worldwar2 #lifeinGermany #history #WW2history #walkingjourney #lifewithpurpose #purposefullife
#taitai #taitailife #singaporelockdown
#bookstoread #goodread
Well... lots if you are Barbie Probert, born in #Germany in late 1930s.
Lots... if you and your older sister, Eva have to trudge 300 miles across your war torn country on foot to look for your mom 👩
Brainwashed to believe that foreign allies were enemies, they surprisingly met some of the kindest and generous foreign soldiers (from UK and US). These allies treated them well and even shared their food supplies. 🧀🥖🥐
It was also a journey 🎭where the two sisters walked through battlefields, witnessed deaths, slept in the wilderness, and encountered the evils of mankind. 🤬👹
"Into a few short months, I packed a lifetime's experiences, observing them through the prism of my own childish innocence...", writes the author. 🖼
Were they finally reunite with their mom? Find out by getting this book
#bookstagram #holocaust #booksthatmatter
#concentrationcamp #hamburg #europehistory #worldwar2 #lifeinGermany #history #WW2history #walkingjourney #lifewithpurpose #purposefullife
#taitai #taitailife #singaporelockdown
#bookstoread #goodread
June 13, 2023
For everything the children went through, this could've been a much more engaging story. Maybe too much detail would've been harder to write, though, who knows?
Don't get me wrong, I am glad the story was told, and cannot begin to imagine such a terrifying time for these girls or their families. I just felt the hardships weren't given the attention to really drum things home.
The reader really should have felt the pain and fear every step of the way.
The final 20% of the book, I felt, was also not needed: snippets of information with quick resolve in as little as a single paragraph.
This could have been handled a little better too.
Don't get me wrong, I am glad the story was told, and cannot begin to imagine such a terrifying time for these girls or their families. I just felt the hardships weren't given the attention to really drum things home.
The reader really should have felt the pain and fear every step of the way.
The final 20% of the book, I felt, was also not needed: snippets of information with quick resolve in as little as a single paragraph.
This could have been handled a little better too.
February 20, 2020
The plot/story really interested me but it's obvious in the writing that she's not a professional author. For a WWII story I found myself struggling through the slow boring storytelling. However not the worst and I did find I was very impressed with having been given a different view of the German people during WWII.
May 7, 2020
I haven’t read many books from the perspective of everyday German citizens during WWII. This one was interesting, but somewhat biased. She says what the Nazis did to the Jews was horrible and wrong, but on the other hand she also says nobody in her family knew what was happening or why the Jewish people they knew fled/ went missing. Sure, I accept that a 7 year old may not have known, but any adult or older teen MUST have known! Come on, there were signs everywhere saying Jews Forbidden, laws against them, and violence and harassment everywhere.
October 21, 2019
An amazing memoir of an escape during world War II, by a 17 year-old, German girl, together with her 7 year-old sister. They trekked 300 miles through unbelievable dangers, to find their mother! Definitely, a page turner!
September 8, 2019
A tearful story of another side to WW2 which I knew nothing about, a must read!
Read
February 8, 2020A different sort of war story telling about two young German girls trying to find their folks who they have been separated from
November 21, 2020
I haven't even read this book yet and I am already intrigued. This sounds like a real page turner and I can't wait to get started.
December 18, 2021
insightful. A different point of view on WWII.
December 20, 2019
This was a remarkable story about two sisters (aged 7 and 19) trying to reunite with their mother, walking long distances through often treacherous circumstances as WWII drew to a close in their native Germany.
I found the first 3/4 of the story gripping, but the remaining 1/4 of the story felt more like being at any kitchen table and being told about all the relatives and what's been going on with every one of them. I think the book could have ended at the 3/4 mark and it would have been perfect. It's not that the story of her relatives' (and children's) later lives aren't important, but because these people either weren't born yet, or had minor roles in the main part of the story, I don't think the final 1/4 was necessary for the first part of the story to feel complete.
Still, this book was worth the read!
I found the first 3/4 of the story gripping, but the remaining 1/4 of the story felt more like being at any kitchen table and being told about all the relatives and what's been going on with every one of them. I think the book could have ended at the 3/4 mark and it would have been perfect. It's not that the story of her relatives' (and children's) later lives aren't important, but because these people either weren't born yet, or had minor roles in the main part of the story, I don't think the final 1/4 was necessary for the first part of the story to feel complete.
Still, this book was worth the read!
November 30, 2019
I am just about done escape it is an amazing story, you fall in love with the characters while you read your way through this book. Very well written by Barbie!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews