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Submerged on the Surface: The Not-So-Hidden Jews of Nazi Berlin, 1941–1945
Between 1941 and 1945, thousands of German Jews, in fear for their lives, made the choice to flee their impending deportations and live submerged in the shadows of the Nazi capital. Drawing on a wealth of archival evidence and interviews with survivors, this book reconstructs the daily lives of Jews who stayed in Berlin during the war years. Contrary to the received wisdom that “hidden” Jews stayed in attics and cellars and had minimal contact with the outside world, the author reveals a cohort of remarkable individuals who were constantly on the move and actively fought to ensure their own survival.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2019
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277 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 26, 2020
This book was difficult to read and I only persevered because I was fascinated by the content as it described an area of the holocaust which I had not been aware of before.
It is a factual account, pulling on records and stories of survivors, but written in a style that is a mix of narrative and academic writing which does make it heavy going. The introduction is very lengthy giving a full account of research methods and the authenticity of facts used which could perhaps have been better placed as an appendix. It is also quite repetitive in content as if sections were written separately and assembled later.
However having said all that, the structure was clever and led the reader through the various stages of Submerging, Surviving, Living and Surfacing. It was a fascinating and disturbing read, and interesting that the people involved referred to themselves as divers, dashers and U-boats - all of which describe their unique methods of survival.
It is a factual account, pulling on records and stories of survivors, but written in a style that is a mix of narrative and academic writing which does make it heavy going. The introduction is very lengthy giving a full account of research methods and the authenticity of facts used which could perhaps have been better placed as an appendix. It is also quite repetitive in content as if sections were written separately and assembled later.
However having said all that, the structure was clever and led the reader through the various stages of Submerging, Surviving, Living and Surfacing. It was a fascinating and disturbing read, and interesting that the people involved referred to themselves as divers, dashers and U-boats - all of which describe their unique methods of survival.
September 30, 2020
Very well researched book about a subject that doesn't seem very well known regarding Jews in Nazi Berlin. My biggest complaints about the book are the organization and structure of the book, and the way the information is conveyed. While the structure follows a chronological order during some key phases of the time period covered (1941-1945, and post-war years), each chapter rambles on and on with various accounts and 'take home' lessons.
After 200 pages of this approach (and well before), I felt like I was tediously wading through thick mud. So much of the information could have been presented in far more succinct ways. The use of different stories and accounts was good, but may have been far more effective if told in entirety rather than jumping around from story to story and back again. What might have been far easier to digest would have been telling different case stories over the entire time period, and then pulling out the primary messages. Instead, the author is redundant and disjointed, making it easy for the reader to get lost in the weeds.
I found myself in the last half of the book skipping to the 'conclusions' at the end of the chapters instead of continuing the arduous task of wading through the mud. What could have been a really excellent book, was instead a disappointment. This doesn't mean there is nothing to learn--far from it--but one must really work at it to get the pearls that were here.
After 200 pages of this approach (and well before), I felt like I was tediously wading through thick mud. So much of the information could have been presented in far more succinct ways. The use of different stories and accounts was good, but may have been far more effective if told in entirety rather than jumping around from story to story and back again. What might have been far easier to digest would have been telling different case stories over the entire time period, and then pulling out the primary messages. Instead, the author is redundant and disjointed, making it easy for the reader to get lost in the weeds.
I found myself in the last half of the book skipping to the 'conclusions' at the end of the chapters instead of continuing the arduous task of wading through the mud. What could have been a really excellent book, was instead a disappointment. This doesn't mean there is nothing to learn--far from it--but one must really work at it to get the pearls that were here.
November 19, 2020
I thought this book would have lengthy personal stories of Jews in Berlin during WWII. However, it is a description of the various ways the German Jews avoided the Nazis. I'm giving it three stars because it is well written and in recognition of the massive amount of information that the author discovered. The book contains mostly facts about how the Jews remained in Berlin during the war sprinkled with short specific information about a few of those Jews. The read is dry and boring which is not a problem with the book but with my misunderstanding of what the book was about. I read about a third of the book and then abandoned it.
August 13, 2020
Lots of numbers
I found it repetitive. There were lots of stats, numbers and charts. Written as a narrative, it just did not hold my interest.
I found it repetitive. There were lots of stats, numbers and charts. Written as a narrative, it just did not hold my interest.
March 7, 2020
This was a fascinating story about something that I had never heard about, how tens of thousands of Jews hid in Berlin during WWII from the Nazi's right out in the open. You would think that this was a really silly thing to do, but more people that I would have ever guessed, did it and survived. Some married a non-Jew, some just appeared to abandoned their faith outwardly and lived and worked among the rest of the Germans, some took jobs that kept them more hidden such as overnight factory workers or nannies out in the countryside during the summer months. Whatever it took. These people were know as u-boaters as they lived under the radar. This is a great read for those interested in another side of the Jewish life during WWII. This one has lots of true stories by those who lived as a u-boater and lived to tell the tale.
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November 20, 2020More than I anticipated
I didn't recounted too much into the description of the book, histrionic it sounded interesting. That it was. I need expected much !any stories of individual situations and encounters. Ok was surprised by the knowledge that went onto the book, especially when the author focuses on how many survivors and other numbers. Great job!
I didn't recounted too much into the description of the book, histrionic it sounded interesting. That it was. I need expected much !any stories of individual situations and encounters. Ok was surprised by the knowledge that went onto the book, especially when the author focuses on how many survivors and other numbers. Great job!
December 5, 2020
The topic was very interesting and the author collected detailed facts and stories of survivors.
However, this must have been created as part of an academic thesis and then published commercially. It is filled with academic jargon, repetitive and redundant. The author tells us what he will tells us, tells us in several different ways then tells us what he has told us. Not very readable.
However, this must have been created as part of an academic thesis and then published commercially. It is filled with academic jargon, repetitive and redundant. The author tells us what he will tells us, tells us in several different ways then tells us what he has told us. Not very readable.
March 20, 2020
History at its best
The author must have spent years researching this book
A must read chronicle of an important part of history excellently told
The author must have spent years researching this book
A must read chronicle of an important part of history excellently told
June 23, 2021
Out of all the things I've read about the Holocaust, this covers a different perspective that I wasn't aware of. Worth your time.
September 19, 2021
fascinating read
I found this heavy going for pleasure reading but wow so eye opening. I am Fascinated with the tenacity of human spirit. This book shows that.
I found this heavy going for pleasure reading but wow so eye opening. I am Fascinated with the tenacity of human spirit. This book shows that.
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July 11, 2020item 5 set in olympic city
or 5 bonus book with more than 20 letters
or 5 bonus book with more than 20 letters
September 16, 2019
Survivors
This was a textbook about the Jews in Berlin who went into hiding. It was an interesting report summarizing previously published texts with the author’s views. Not an easy read although the stories about different individuals were interesting.
This was a textbook about the Jews in Berlin who went into hiding. It was an interesting report summarizing previously published texts with the author’s views. Not an easy read although the stories about different individuals were interesting.
August 1, 2022
Great info on Berlin's Jewish people during WWll. Hard to read, so many references and Kidle kept "flipping back" to earlier parts of the book. Spend a great deal of time "paging" forward to where I was in the book! A challenge to read!
Want to read
November 30, 2019TheEReaderCafe
May 14, 2022
Interesting topic but not well written
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews