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Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge
"I've come on orders from Berlin to fetch the three children." --Gestapo agent, August 24, 1944
With those chilling words Christa von Hofacker and her younger siblings found themselves ensnared in a web of family punishment designed to please one man—Adolf Hitler. The furious dictator sought merciless revenge against not only Christa’s father and the other Germans who had just tried to overthrow his government. He wanted to torment their relatives, too, regardless of age or stature. All of them. Including every last child.
Praise for Ann Bausum’s The March Against Fear
"An exceptionally well-written and -researched chronicle of a crucial civil rights turning point."
--Kirkus, starred review
"This exemplary look into civil rights history concludes with perspective and encouragement regarding ongoing struggles for social change."
--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A must-have volume."
--School Library Journal, starred review
With those chilling words Christa von Hofacker and her younger siblings found themselves ensnared in a web of family punishment designed to please one man—Adolf Hitler. The furious dictator sought merciless revenge against not only Christa’s father and the other Germans who had just tried to overthrow his government. He wanted to torment their relatives, too, regardless of age or stature. All of them. Including every last child.
Praise for Ann Bausum’s The March Against Fear
"An exceptionally well-written and -researched chronicle of a crucial civil rights turning point."
--Kirkus, starred review
"This exemplary look into civil rights history concludes with perspective and encouragement regarding ongoing struggles for social change."
--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A must-have volume."
--School Library Journal, starred review
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 12, 2021
5 people are currently reading
3436 people want to read
About the author
Ann Bausum
28 books110 followersAnn Bausum writes about history for readers of all ages from her home in southern Wisconsin. Her works often focus on under-told stories from the past, and she frequently explores issues of social justice.
Her newest title, The March Against Fear (National Geographic: 2017), is her third work to examine the civil rights movement in the American South. In the case of these and other books, Bausum strives to bring the nation’s social justice history to life in ways that empower and inspire readers young and old alike. Her previous title, Stonewall (Viking: 2015), is among the first nonfiction books to introduce teens to gay rights history. Previous works have explored voting rights, immigration, and free speech, among other topics.
The almost-forgotten story of Stubby lured Bausum away from social justice history temporarily. She wrote twin titles about the stray dog smuggled to Europe during World War I who returned to a hero’s welcome. Both books were published in 2014 by National Geographic: Sergeant Stubby (for adult readers) and Stubby the War Dog (for children).
In the spring of 2017, the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C., will honor the body of Bausum’s work by presenting her with its venerable Nonfiction Award. This award recognizes the consistent commendation earned by her individual titles through the years. Bausum’s books have appeared consistently on lists of recommended and notable titles and have earned numerous literary awards including a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Carter G. Woodson Award (on two occasions), and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. In 2015, she was named the year’s Notable Wisconsin Children’s Author by the Wisconsin Library Association.
You may follow Bausum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AnnBausum) and Twitter (@AnnBausum) or visit her online at www.AnnBausum.com
Her newest title, The March Against Fear (National Geographic: 2017), is her third work to examine the civil rights movement in the American South. In the case of these and other books, Bausum strives to bring the nation’s social justice history to life in ways that empower and inspire readers young and old alike. Her previous title, Stonewall (Viking: 2015), is among the first nonfiction books to introduce teens to gay rights history. Previous works have explored voting rights, immigration, and free speech, among other topics.
The almost-forgotten story of Stubby lured Bausum away from social justice history temporarily. She wrote twin titles about the stray dog smuggled to Europe during World War I who returned to a hero’s welcome. Both books were published in 2014 by National Geographic: Sergeant Stubby (for adult readers) and Stubby the War Dog (for children).
In the spring of 2017, the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C., will honor the body of Bausum’s work by presenting her with its venerable Nonfiction Award. This award recognizes the consistent commendation earned by her individual titles through the years. Bausum’s books have appeared consistently on lists of recommended and notable titles and have earned numerous literary awards including a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the Carter G. Woodson Award (on two occasions), and the SCBWI Golden Kite Award. In 2015, she was named the year’s Notable Wisconsin Children’s Author by the Wisconsin Library Association.
You may follow Bausum on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AnnBausum) and Twitter (@AnnBausum) or visit her online at www.AnnBausum.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 27, 2024
Clearly, concisely penned (and in my opinion with enough textual detail for adequate facts but not so many minutiae that Ann Bausum’s printed words could risk becoming informationally overwhelming) Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge has been not only an interesting but also an extremely sobering, painful and eye-opening personal reading experience.
For while as a person of German background (and with advanced university level graduate degrees in German language and literature that also and naturally include basic German history and therefore of course WWII and National Socialism) I of course was prior to my perusal of Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge already more than well aware of (and also bien sûr in absolute agreement with) the April 1944 assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, that it sadly failed, and indeed, that not only the many active conspirators but also their families were arrested, incarcerated and even many of those family members often executed, I was in fact not all that cognisant of just how far Hitler and the Gestapo went with their rabid need for revenge, that not only the wives, adult friends, cousins, uncles, aunts etc. of the main so-called movers and shakers were rounded up en masse to face the Führer’s wrath, but that this also pertained to children (and some of them even toddlers), with male teenagers sent to serve as basically cannon fodder and female teens to act as forced labour, as slaves, and that younger children were stripped of their identities and incarcerated at a former youth retreat named Borntal, where they were not allowed to speak of either their families or to outsiders and where their care was at best substandard and at worst a form of psychological torture.
And Ann Bausum does thus also show with her text, does demonstrate with Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge just why there likely was so little open dissent and active resistance within Germany proper against Adolf Hitler, since the concept, since the possibility of Sippenhaft (of collective family punishments) was certainly known or at least more than suspected. Therefore and with this in mind, for me, this also rather makes the 1944 attempt on Hitler even more laudable in many ways (for the conspirators must of course have been aware of what would likely be the consequences if their plot to kill Adolf Hitler should fail, but of course the question must equally now be asked whether immediate and extended family members were even asked and that in particular the younger children would not have had any say whatsoever in the matter but still ended up paying a hugely traumatic and sometimes even deadly price for simply being related to, being of the same genetics as the conspirators of the April 1944 Adolf Hitler assassination plot). And furthermore, because of the nature of the text, because of its contents, that it does involve young children and that much of this is or at least can be heavy duty and emotional, I would definitely suggest Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge for readers above the age of at least elven or twelves (and yes, this even though Ann Bausum’s writing style is probably simple enough for slightly younger children). With many accompanying photographs and totally wonderful supplemental research and learning sources, including detailed bibliographic materials, timelines etc., for me Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge is most definitely a solid five stars, and most highly recommended (even though I do leave the for me necessary caveat that the facts, that the information presented by Ann Bausum are indeed painful, infuriating and saddening, to be expected of course, but I do feel warnings are warranted).
For while as a person of German background (and with advanced university level graduate degrees in German language and literature that also and naturally include basic German history and therefore of course WWII and National Socialism) I of course was prior to my perusal of Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge already more than well aware of (and also bien sûr in absolute agreement with) the April 1944 assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, that it sadly failed, and indeed, that not only the many active conspirators but also their families were arrested, incarcerated and even many of those family members often executed, I was in fact not all that cognisant of just how far Hitler and the Gestapo went with their rabid need for revenge, that not only the wives, adult friends, cousins, uncles, aunts etc. of the main so-called movers and shakers were rounded up en masse to face the Führer’s wrath, but that this also pertained to children (and some of them even toddlers), with male teenagers sent to serve as basically cannon fodder and female teens to act as forced labour, as slaves, and that younger children were stripped of their identities and incarcerated at a former youth retreat named Borntal, where they were not allowed to speak of either their families or to outsiders and where their care was at best substandard and at worst a form of psychological torture.
And Ann Bausum does thus also show with her text, does demonstrate with Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge just why there likely was so little open dissent and active resistance within Germany proper against Adolf Hitler, since the concept, since the possibility of Sippenhaft (of collective family punishments) was certainly known or at least more than suspected. Therefore and with this in mind, for me, this also rather makes the 1944 attempt on Hitler even more laudable in many ways (for the conspirators must of course have been aware of what would likely be the consequences if their plot to kill Adolf Hitler should fail, but of course the question must equally now be asked whether immediate and extended family members were even asked and that in particular the younger children would not have had any say whatsoever in the matter but still ended up paying a hugely traumatic and sometimes even deadly price for simply being related to, being of the same genetics as the conspirators of the April 1944 Adolf Hitler assassination plot). And furthermore, because of the nature of the text, because of its contents, that it does involve young children and that much of this is or at least can be heavy duty and emotional, I would definitely suggest Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge for readers above the age of at least elven or twelves (and yes, this even though Ann Bausum’s writing style is probably simple enough for slightly younger children). With many accompanying photographs and totally wonderful supplemental research and learning sources, including detailed bibliographic materials, timelines etc., for me Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge is most definitely a solid five stars, and most highly recommended (even though I do leave the for me necessary caveat that the facts, that the information presented by Ann Bausum are indeed painful, infuriating and saddening, to be expected of course, but I do feel warnings are warranted).
March 30, 2021
A compelling, detailed, well-researched account of the brutal retribution Hitler took upon the families of conspirators in the July 20 assassination plot.
May 20, 2021
Bausum reveals a nearly forgotten chapter of WWII, one centered on the retribution faced by the children and families of Germans who failed in an effort to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
June 12, 2021
One of the things I've learned after reading a number of books by Ann Bausum is that you can always count on her to write a compelling, well-researched book. She really knows how to present the participants, lay out the timeline, and contextualize the meaning of each historical event she tackles. And she has done it again in this book about the Valkyrie plot to kill Adolf Hitler, in what could otherwise be a confusing event in the history of Nazi Germany. But then, Bausum takes the story further and tells the reader what happened later to the children of the people involved in the plot.
Bausum begins her account with a detailed account of Adolf Hitler's rise in popularity and his seizure of power after the death of President Paul von Hindenburg in 1934. From the beginning, Hitler used fear and brutality to maintain control over the German people, and his predilection for retaliation meant little dissent among the people. But by 1943, some prominent Germans, among the *Count Claus von Stauffenberg, Cäsar von Hofacker and Friedrich-Wilhelm von Hase, began to realize that Hitler had to be stopped.
A plot to kill Hitler and overthrow his regime was planned, adapting the name Valkyrie. The plan was simple enough - von Stauffenberg would carry a briefcase with a bomb in it to a July 20, 1944 meeting at Hitler's Wolf's Lair retreat. He would excuse himself, but leave the briefcase behind. Unfortunately, the planned assassination failed and the conspirators were quickly captured, put to death and cremated.
But what about the families of the dead conspirators? Here is where Bausum shines a light on what is probably an almost unknown part of this story. The deadly fate of the conspirators wasn't enough for Hitler, who insisted on broadly applying a policy of Sippenhaft or family arrest to their "families, including spouses, children, siblings, parents and other relatives" (pg. 70) and put SS leader Heinrich Himmler in charge if it.
Over 700 family members were arrested, and then, children were separated from adults and taken to a former youth retreat called Borntal located in the secluded town of Bad Sachsa. There, they were traumatized even further. All family mementoes, including photographs and personal items, were removed from their suitcases, they were given new last names, and although they were marginally taken care of by staff, they were forbidden to speak to any outsiders.
What happened to these children, nicknamed the Ghost Children by the community around them, is really the main focus of this book. Using the diary kept by one of the children, Christa von Hofsacker, interviews with a number of the detainees still living, and extensive research, Bausum gives readers a detailed window into just what these children suffered without even knowing why it was happening to them.
As much as I know about Nazi Germany, the story of these Ghost Children was new to me. I did know about the Sippenhaft policy, but has just assumed it didn't involve children, who could have been re-educated the same way the Nazis re-educated Jewish children who looked Aryan from conquered countries. Instead, they followed a policy of erasure, isolation and harassment.
To help readers, Bausum includes a map of Europe on July 20, 1944, copious photographs, including many of the families of the conspirators before the assassination attempt, and extensive back matter. There is a timeline of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler, a list of the Borntal's Sippenhaft Families, a Resource Guide, A Note from the Author, and a detailed Bibliography, among other resources. Bausum also has a number of classroom suggestions to use in conjunction with this book, which you can find HERE.
Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair is a book for readers interested history, World War II, and/or Nazi Germany.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from Karen Wadsworth at Media Masters Publicity
*Here is an interesting fact I learned when I was writing about Fliegerinnen or women pilots in Nazi Germany. As part of the Sippenhaft policy, relatives of Count Claus von Stauffenberg were also arrested, including his older twin brothers Berthold and Alexander. Alexander, who was not part of the conspiracy, was married to Melitta Schiller, a half Jewish, half Aryan aviator. She had been awarded the Iron Cross in 1943, arrested in the 1944 Sippenhalf roundup, but later released. Melitta tested dive bombers for the Luftwaffe, and was shot down by an American fighter plane in 1945.
Bausum begins her account with a detailed account of Adolf Hitler's rise in popularity and his seizure of power after the death of President Paul von Hindenburg in 1934. From the beginning, Hitler used fear and brutality to maintain control over the German people, and his predilection for retaliation meant little dissent among the people. But by 1943, some prominent Germans, among the *Count Claus von Stauffenberg, Cäsar von Hofacker and Friedrich-Wilhelm von Hase, began to realize that Hitler had to be stopped.
A plot to kill Hitler and overthrow his regime was planned, adapting the name Valkyrie. The plan was simple enough - von Stauffenberg would carry a briefcase with a bomb in it to a July 20, 1944 meeting at Hitler's Wolf's Lair retreat. He would excuse himself, but leave the briefcase behind. Unfortunately, the planned assassination failed and the conspirators were quickly captured, put to death and cremated.
But what about the families of the dead conspirators? Here is where Bausum shines a light on what is probably an almost unknown part of this story. The deadly fate of the conspirators wasn't enough for Hitler, who insisted on broadly applying a policy of Sippenhaft or family arrest to their "families, including spouses, children, siblings, parents and other relatives" (pg. 70) and put SS leader Heinrich Himmler in charge if it.
Over 700 family members were arrested, and then, children were separated from adults and taken to a former youth retreat called Borntal located in the secluded town of Bad Sachsa. There, they were traumatized even further. All family mementoes, including photographs and personal items, were removed from their suitcases, they were given new last names, and although they were marginally taken care of by staff, they were forbidden to speak to any outsiders.
What happened to these children, nicknamed the Ghost Children by the community around them, is really the main focus of this book. Using the diary kept by one of the children, Christa von Hofsacker, interviews with a number of the detainees still living, and extensive research, Bausum gives readers a detailed window into just what these children suffered without even knowing why it was happening to them.
As much as I know about Nazi Germany, the story of these Ghost Children was new to me. I did know about the Sippenhaft policy, but has just assumed it didn't involve children, who could have been re-educated the same way the Nazis re-educated Jewish children who looked Aryan from conquered countries. Instead, they followed a policy of erasure, isolation and harassment.
To help readers, Bausum includes a map of Europe on July 20, 1944, copious photographs, including many of the families of the conspirators before the assassination attempt, and extensive back matter. There is a timeline of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler, a list of the Borntal's Sippenhaft Families, a Resource Guide, A Note from the Author, and a detailed Bibliography, among other resources. Bausum also has a number of classroom suggestions to use in conjunction with this book, which you can find HERE.
Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair is a book for readers interested history, World War II, and/or Nazi Germany.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from Karen Wadsworth at Media Masters Publicity
*Here is an interesting fact I learned when I was writing about Fliegerinnen or women pilots in Nazi Germany. As part of the Sippenhaft policy, relatives of Count Claus von Stauffenberg were also arrested, including his older twin brothers Berthold and Alexander. Alexander, who was not part of the conspiracy, was married to Melitta Schiller, a half Jewish, half Aryan aviator. She had been awarded the Iron Cross in 1943, arrested in the 1944 Sippenhalf roundup, but later released. Melitta tested dive bombers for the Luftwaffe, and was shot down by an American fighter plane in 1945.
January 31, 2021
In the midst of Nazi Germany, a group of men attempt to assassinate Hitler. Their plan fails, and their families pay the price. Hitler is merciless in his revenge on the families and children of the men who tried to kill him. But a few of the children survive, and they are nicknamed the Ghost Children.
I appreciate this clear look at a complicated time in history, and how the nuances of the political climate in Germany were so much more complex than we can understand today. I think history tends to remember all Germans as being evil people who were complicit with Hitler's plans, but so many of the German people were actively fighting against him from within.
I love that this story explores so many aspects of living in Germany during the war. Some of the spies were being forced to fight in the German military, or even worked as government officials in the Nazi party. They had to navigate treachery and terror, in order to get close enough to Hitler to try to kill him and other high-ranking officials. And of course, we follow the children and their families at home as civilians, going to school, working at jobs, and living ordinary lives... until they weren't.
The men who acted against Hitler were heroes, and it is heartbreaking to read the story of their children and spouses and brothers and sisters who were arrested, imprisoned without trial, sent to concentration camps, murdered, and even tortured for information.
The writing style is excellent, and really brings the history to life. The photographs and maps help the reader to visualize each person and what is happening in the history. Seeing the faces of each little child will just break your heart.
This can be a disturbing book to read. It talks about people being tortured and hanged, and others being murdered in cold blood. However it is so important that stories like these be told, so that we can learn from the atrocities of history and never repeat them.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I appreciate this clear look at a complicated time in history, and how the nuances of the political climate in Germany were so much more complex than we can understand today. I think history tends to remember all Germans as being evil people who were complicit with Hitler's plans, but so many of the German people were actively fighting against him from within.
I love that this story explores so many aspects of living in Germany during the war. Some of the spies were being forced to fight in the German military, or even worked as government officials in the Nazi party. They had to navigate treachery and terror, in order to get close enough to Hitler to try to kill him and other high-ranking officials. And of course, we follow the children and their families at home as civilians, going to school, working at jobs, and living ordinary lives... until they weren't.
The men who acted against Hitler were heroes, and it is heartbreaking to read the story of their children and spouses and brothers and sisters who were arrested, imprisoned without trial, sent to concentration camps, murdered, and even tortured for information.
The writing style is excellent, and really brings the history to life. The photographs and maps help the reader to visualize each person and what is happening in the history. Seeing the faces of each little child will just break your heart.
This can be a disturbing book to read. It talks about people being tortured and hanged, and others being murdered in cold blood. However it is so important that stories like these be told, so that we can learn from the atrocities of history and never repeat them.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
May 6, 2021
An excellent introduction to a little known moment in German/WWII history, the role people played in resisting Hitler, and the sacrifices they suffered as a result of his insane behavior.
February 14, 2021
Another well researched book by this award winning author of outstanding non-fiction. Even though I knew there had been an unsuccessful plot to kill Hitler I had no idea of how broad the plot was (not just his death but the round up of top Nazi officials and the quick creation of a new government) and the aftermath for the families of those who were part of the plot. Along with the details the book is full of photographs of participants and gives a sense of the life of Nazi officials during the war.
An untold fascinating story.
An untold fascinating story.
March 23, 2021
Really fascinating piece of history that I didn't know before. It was a little hard to keep all of the names straight (there were a lot of people involved in the plot to kill Hitler), but the essence of the story always came through clearly. The images - photographs, maps, etc. - were well chosen and well presented and supported the story, as did the backmatter. Altogether, a very thoughtful work that was well written, well researched, hard to put down, and will intrigue readers. Highly accessible and highly recommended.
February 10, 2021
I love historical accounts. I am a believer in understanding the past to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. This book was incredible! It mainly focuses on the impact that WW2 had on children. It gives more insight into what they saw and how they interpreted what was going on around them. And how a nation could be so blinded by Hitler's regime.
March 22, 2021
A great book for young people to learn about this episode of history. I had never heard of the ghost children, and it was enlightening for me to learn about them.
September 9, 2025
Interesting book about a little-known incident from history. The round-up & summary executions of the Valkyrie conspirators, plus many others, is well-known. But lesser known is how Hitler exacted revenge on the family members by incarcerating women, children, & elders in various prisons & camps. This book focuses on the group of children who were sent to an area previously used as a youth camp. They were kept there against their will, had their surnames changed, were given no explanations & no education opportunities. They endured the trauma of displacement & abandonment. The author had interviews with some of the survivors.
April 7, 2025
Nothing in all the history I’ve read of WW2 covered the story of the valiant courage of Germans who tried to derail Hitler in his increasingly insane dictatorship in hopes to show the world that not all Germans were behind the millions of innocent humans killed. Hitler’s vengeance on those who had plotted against him extended to their entire family line, last names and more. Shocking and well researched with an extensive bibliography.
June 1, 2021
This is a book for teens, but I found it a little sparse on information. There were so many players and family members with long German names - Ulrich-Wilhelm Graf von Schwerin von Scwanenfeld - it was difficult to keep track of who was who. The book is 115 pages long and filled with photographs, and there are so many details to cover that I felt as though everything was skimmed over. If someone wants a very basic overview of events, this would be a good book to read. For anyone looking for more in-depth information, I would go elsewhere.
Book Description:
"I've come on orders from Berlin to fetch the three children." --Gestapo agent, August 24, 1944
With those chilling words, Christa von Hofacker and her younger siblings found themselves ensnared in a web of family punishment designed to please one man—Adolf Hitler. The furious dictator sought merciless revenge against not only Christa’s father and the other Germans who had just tried to overthrow his government. He wanted to torment their relatives, too, regardless of age or stature. All of them. Including every last child.
Book Description:
"I've come on orders from Berlin to fetch the three children." --Gestapo agent, August 24, 1944
With those chilling words, Christa von Hofacker and her younger siblings found themselves ensnared in a web of family punishment designed to please one man—Adolf Hitler. The furious dictator sought merciless revenge against not only Christa’s father and the other Germans who had just tried to overthrow his government. He wanted to torment their relatives, too, regardless of age or stature. All of them. Including every last child.
May 23, 2021
From the diary of Christa von Hofacker her recollection of her father and Hitler’s rise to power is what this book shares. At the young age of twelve she writers about her experiences, during World War II.
History shows us that Hitler was a brutal man which is how he maintained his authority. Within Hitler’s organization were some who felt he shouldn’t have this power and secretly met to stop him. The lead on this coup to devise a plan was Clause von Stauffenberg. They disquised their activity by pretending to update a military mssion known as Valkyrie. It was difficult for them to reach Hitler in his Wolf’s Lair, but several opportunities did present themselves. With complications and confusion that undercut their effectiveness, they lost support from the general public.
Author Ann Bausum traveled to visit with Christa and other survivors to get their stories. We’ve seen the movie and documentary and read many stories of the battle during World War II. This book presents details and photos of the people, and soldiers during the Hitler regime. Parents and teachers can shre this book with their young history enthusiasts.
History shows us that Hitler was a brutal man which is how he maintained his authority. Within Hitler’s organization were some who felt he shouldn’t have this power and secretly met to stop him. The lead on this coup to devise a plan was Clause von Stauffenberg. They disquised their activity by pretending to update a military mssion known as Valkyrie. It was difficult for them to reach Hitler in his Wolf’s Lair, but several opportunities did present themselves. With complications and confusion that undercut their effectiveness, they lost support from the general public.
Author Ann Bausum traveled to visit with Christa and other survivors to get their stories. We’ve seen the movie and documentary and read many stories of the battle during World War II. This book presents details and photos of the people, and soldiers during the Hitler regime. Parents and teachers can shre this book with their young history enthusiasts.
May 13, 2021
Ann Bausum illuminates for children a little known aspect of World War II, the failed plot to kill Hitler by Nazi insiders and the far-reach of Hitler's subsequent revenge on their families that extended even to their children. The number of people involved made it challenging at times to keep track of who was who but the list of the families at the back of the book and the plentiful pictures throughout helped a great deal. Extensively researched with valuable first-person accounts from the children, this is an important book for detailing the insidious rise of fascism when emotions overcome reason and propaganda dominates all publicly disseminated information. It also directly addresses the difficulty for the German people in coming to terms with what happened and the importance of acknowledging and sharing the history for personal accountability and healing.
March 31, 2021
During World War II, as the war dragged on, a plot was hatched to assassinate Hitler and overthrow his government. This plan was named Valkyrie. Ann Bausum tells the story of the major players in the plot and their families. Despite careful planning and strict secrecy, the plot failed, Hitler survived and the coup fell apart before it could get going. Hitler's rabid desire for revenge led to the deaths of many conspirators and the punishment of many others, including the families of those found guilty. The first half of the book focuses on the development of the plot and those who led the way. The second half of the book tells of the consequences suffered by both the guilty and the innocent. While I had heard of this plot to kill Hitler, I didn't realize just how elaborate it was and how many people were involved. Bausum does a great job of summarizing the major events and people connected to the plot. The heart of the book is the accounts of several children who were separated from their families for months because of what their fathers had done. Interviews and diary accounts helped Bausum tell this tale of heart-break and confusion. The included photographs help convey the reality of the historical setting and individuals involved. The photographs of the children with their families are especially impactful. Bausum has done an excellent job of researching and sharing this important piece of history.
February 5, 2021
Christa von Hoffaker wrote a diary that is every bit as important as Anne Frank’s. Anne wrote from the perspective of a Jew being hidden away, hoping against hope that she and her family would survive Hitler’s evil. Christa, too, wrote of a hope for survival, but as a German girl whose only crime was being the child of a German officer who realized Hitler would be the downfall of their country and conspired with others to assassinate him in a plan known as Valkyrie. Ann Bausum is know for her well-researched works and Wolf’s Lair couples years of study with interviews of survivors of a little known Nazi practice called Sippenhaft where family members of enemies of state are punished and labeled as traitors. In “Wolf’s Lair,” Bausum covers the rise of Hitler, the growing realization of many that the Nazi regime was not only hateful and vicious, but would be the downfall of Germany, the failure of their attempted coup, and the subsequent killing and imprisonment of their relatives, including even the smallest children. Photographs, newspaper articles, reproductions of primary sources fill the pages and back matter includes a timeline from 1918-1952 as well as a list of Valkyrie leaders and their families. Readers in grades 7 and up with a strong interest in Germany during the WWII era are likely the target audience for this riveting book.
January 29, 2021
I won this book on Goodreads. This book first lays out a general overview of WW II and then the plots to assassinate Adolph Hitler and the consequences to the family members after the failed attempts. This book overall is told in a broad and general way without getting into too many minor details. (If the reader is interested in that rather than a deep detailed scholarly work) It is engaging and interesting and filled with a lot of pictures during the times. These heroes sacrificed everything including their own lives to right a wrong. A lot of lessons to be learned here.
February 7, 2021
Bausum's ENSNARED IN THE WOLF'S LAIR is a fascinating and fast-moving history of the rise of Nazism, German resistance to Hitler, and the fate of the children of the brave men who tried to assassinate Hitler in a desperate bid to end WWII. Although the book doesn't stray from WWII, the events will bring to mind modern parallels such as disinformation campaigns involving victimization and villification, and separation of children at the border as a way of punishing their parents. Although written for young readers, adults will also find this an engaging read. Highly recommended.
September 21, 2021
I received an ARC of this title from School Library Journal in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Bausum has written a compelling account of the Valkyrie plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler in 1944 and the brutal aftermath of the plot’s failure. Beginning with an overview of how Hitler utilized a blend of personality, propaganda, and fear to assume total control of the German state after the death of Chancellor Hindenburg in 1932, Bausum depicts how the majority of those living under Hitler’s regime who objected to his rule were terrified to act based on his policy of retaliation. When prominent military men attempted to assassinate Hitler at his retreat known as the Wolf’s Lair in the Valkyrie plot and failed, Hitler’s retaliation was particularly brutal. The German word Sippenhaft, which literally means “clan arrest” but is usually translated as “family punishment,” epitomizes the scale of Hitler’s revenge on the Valkyrie participants and their families. Forty-six children from 19 high-ranking Nazis families who survived the beginnings of the Sippenhaft were sent to a tourist town in central Germany called Bad Sachsa. There the children were forbidden to use their family names, to enroll in school, to go to church, or even to speak when outdoors. The locals began to call the children ghosts as a result.
A well-researched and detailed account of a part of World War II that remains unknown to many today. For those who enjoyed The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. The presumed ethnicity of the vast majority of the people in the book is Caucasian. Includes timeline, a list of the Sippenhaft Families, resource guide for further study, and a note from the author and research notes.
Bausum has written a compelling account of the Valkyrie plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler in 1944 and the brutal aftermath of the plot’s failure. Beginning with an overview of how Hitler utilized a blend of personality, propaganda, and fear to assume total control of the German state after the death of Chancellor Hindenburg in 1932, Bausum depicts how the majority of those living under Hitler’s regime who objected to his rule were terrified to act based on his policy of retaliation. When prominent military men attempted to assassinate Hitler at his retreat known as the Wolf’s Lair in the Valkyrie plot and failed, Hitler’s retaliation was particularly brutal. The German word Sippenhaft, which literally means “clan arrest” but is usually translated as “family punishment,” epitomizes the scale of Hitler’s revenge on the Valkyrie participants and their families. Forty-six children from 19 high-ranking Nazis families who survived the beginnings of the Sippenhaft were sent to a tourist town in central Germany called Bad Sachsa. There the children were forbidden to use their family names, to enroll in school, to go to church, or even to speak when outdoors. The locals began to call the children ghosts as a result.
A well-researched and detailed account of a part of World War II that remains unknown to many today. For those who enjoyed The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti. The presumed ethnicity of the vast majority of the people in the book is Caucasian. Includes timeline, a list of the Sippenhaft Families, resource guide for further study, and a note from the author and research notes.
August 22, 2021
In 1944, a group of men who were trusted by Adolf Hitler created and carried out a plan to kill him via explosive. The only problem was that while four of Hitler's men died, he did not. As you can imagine, the egomaniac German ruler was incensed at knowing people close to him had tried to kill him, so he did what he did best; he enacted revenge. But his revenge didn't stop at the perpetrators. Oh no. He had his secret police and various government rulers reach out and make the lives of everyone connected to those who had risen against him; wife, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt, and uncle, made miserable. The story of the assassination plot, its actors, and their families are told in Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge. But, instead of ending with the deaths of the brave men who tried to overthrow Hitler, this book tells what happened to their families. And those stories are sadly fascinating....
Read my full review here: http://agoodreid.blogspot.com/2021/08...
Read my full review here: http://agoodreid.blogspot.com/2021/08...
June 8, 2023
Being a WWII daughter of a Veteran who served under Patton’s 3rd Army, my father would at times mentioned some of the things he encountered while serving overseas. Some of the things he predicted and mentioned to to our family have come true, even tho some people we knew laughed at him and said he was crazy. I wish he was alive today to reply to those people!
With that, I am going to recommend this book who think they are struggling with social injustice in Our Country and read about how it was under Hitler. Those who opposed Hitler, he demanded revenge. The result was a systematic rampage of punishment that not only affected those who not only tried to topple the regime, but included their family members and relatives. Gestapo agents had taken as many or more of 200 relatives from their homes, separating adults and children. They were tormented regardless of age or stature. All of them. Including every last child.
This is true history, not fiction, and well-written and researched. I hope to God that now and in the future it doesn’t happened again!
With that, I am going to recommend this book who think they are struggling with social injustice in Our Country and read about how it was under Hitler. Those who opposed Hitler, he demanded revenge. The result was a systematic rampage of punishment that not only affected those who not only tried to topple the regime, but included their family members and relatives. Gestapo agents had taken as many or more of 200 relatives from their homes, separating adults and children. They were tormented regardless of age or stature. All of them. Including every last child.
This is true history, not fiction, and well-written and researched. I hope to God that now and in the future it doesn’t happened again!
January 21, 2022
This children's nonfiction book focuses on the attempted and failed coup and assassination of Adolph Hitler in July of 1944. Hitler not only wanted the traitors rounded up and killed but their family members as well. This was called the Sippenhaft policy and several children and grandchildren of the conspirators were taken from their families and hidden away and given new names and were not allowed to speak in public. They were eventually reunited with surviving family members nearly a year later. Bausum used primary sources to tell this tale of another Nazi atrocity. She has numerous photographs and it is well researched but the narrative is a bit overwhelming at the beginning as there are so many conspirators that its hard to keep them straight and her tone throughout is a bit staid and tweens reading this may get bored. Recommended to 12 year olds and older who like WWII nonfiction books.
April 21, 2025
An extremely well-researched and well-written book about a little known piece of history tied to Hitler and World War II that was NOT directly related to the Holocaust. As the subtitle states, this is a detailed history, told at a tween / teen level, about the 1944 plot to kill Hitler, the revenge that he took, and the Ghost Children that were the direct result of his revenge.
"It is now time for something to be done. But he who has the courage to do something must do so in the knowledge that he will go down in German history as a traitor. If he does not do it, however, then he will be a traitor to his own conscience."
Throughout the book are drawings, maps, b&w photos, newspaper headlines, and more. At the end of the book is a Timeline, information about the Borntal's Sippenhaft Families, a Resource Guide, a Note from the Author, Research Notes & Acknowledgments, Citations, a Bibliography, Text Permissions, and an Index.
A heart-wrenching read!
"It is now time for something to be done. But he who has the courage to do something must do so in the knowledge that he will go down in German history as a traitor. If he does not do it, however, then he will be a traitor to his own conscience."
Throughout the book are drawings, maps, b&w photos, newspaper headlines, and more. At the end of the book is a Timeline, information about the Borntal's Sippenhaft Families, a Resource Guide, a Note from the Author, Research Notes & Acknowledgments, Citations, a Bibliography, Text Permissions, and an Index.
A heart-wrenching read!
July 12, 2025
Fascinating. A WWII maneuver that I knew nothing about. Interesting that we still don’t hear very much about how the German people suffered during the war. The atrocities committed by the Nazis far outweigh the suffering of German families. But can you really equate the two? Suffering is suffering. Bausum recounts the Sippenhaft detentions of family members of German officers who opposed Nazi ideology and worked to kill Hitler while maintaining the facade that they were loyal to the regime. After a failed coup of July 20, 1944 at the Wolf’s Den in Northern Germany, several children were ensconced in the countryside with no outside contact for that last year of the war. When they were finally released, following Germany’s surrender, they learned that their fathers, grandfathers, uncles and sometimes aunts and mothers had been executed. They had to restart and reimagine their lives and in many cases grow up under the care of distant relatives.
May 17, 2025
I'd actually rate this a 3.5 instead of a 3. It seemed very well researched and I learned a lot. The 2nd half of the book was "better" than the first part - mostly because the first part was full of unfamiliar names to me & a little slow. However, Bausum had to give details of what lead up to this horrible situation.
I hadn't heard of the "ghost children" before in all the books I've read about the Nazis. It seems the more books I read the more gruesome the Nazis' behavior becomes. I can't imagine holding families - especially small children responsible for "crimes of the parents". Sick. Also I didn't realize that the Nazis also beheaded some of their victims.
Sadly, this is probably a book people should read to understand the depth of cruelty people/war can inflict on others.
I hadn't heard of the "ghost children" before in all the books I've read about the Nazis. It seems the more books I read the more gruesome the Nazis' behavior becomes. I can't imagine holding families - especially small children responsible for "crimes of the parents". Sick. Also I didn't realize that the Nazis also beheaded some of their victims.
Sadly, this is probably a book people should read to understand the depth of cruelty people/war can inflict on others.
September 24, 2025
Ann Bausum's "Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair: Inside the 1944 Plot to Kill Hitler and the Ghost Children of His Revenge" is a well written account for a younger audience of the revenge exacted by the Fuhrer upon the plotters of Operation Valkyrie. The Sippenhaft motive (collective punishment) by Hitler extended to entire familes of the coup plotters. The children were taken away by the Gestapo to a remote village who were then separated and forced to disown their surnames. This attempt included children as young as five in village of Bontal.
This is a excellent introduction into a little known facet of Nazi Germany in English. There is more literatue on the Geisterkinder (ghost children) in Germany including a major untranslated work titled "Hitler's Rache" (Hitler's Revenge).
Highly recommended.
This is a excellent introduction into a little known facet of Nazi Germany in English. There is more literatue on the Geisterkinder (ghost children) in Germany including a major untranslated work titled "Hitler's Rache" (Hitler's Revenge).
Highly recommended.
June 21, 2021
I’ve been reading books about WWII for 50 years, but have never before learned about the “Ghost Children,” family members of the conspirators in the failed 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler. This surprising and well-researched book reveals the lengths to which the Nazi regime went to exact revenge and maintain the illusion of control in the war’s waning days. Clear writing combined with many photos from the era bring the story alive and even generate suspense, despite the forgone conclusion. A quick read that history buffs will appreciate.
May 16, 2022
I suppose it would be helpful to know that you are reading a book written for young teens before reading a book written for young teens. I somehow missed the memo. I suppose the 144 pages should have been a clue. But "Ensnared in the Wolf's Lair" popped up in a search of our local library's database of books related to Operation Valkyrie, so this middle-aged history fan acquired it and read it.
As I read it, I kept coming back to the same general impression, that this was a fascinating story that was told in a bizarrely boring and lifeless way. It read like an extended Wikipedia page, rather than an compelling book-length treatment of an important, if largely unknown, segment of Third Reich tragedy. As I finished the book, my conclusion was that the book was fine but simply wasn't all that it could have been.
Having discovered that the target audience is kids, I imagine that is part of the explanation for my uninspiring encounter with this book. But I've read books with my kids that were written for them that were still fully engrossing to adults. "Ensared in the Wolf's Lair" wasn't one of those books for me. It wasn't terrible, just too much like an extended term paper for my liking and not one that I'll recommend to others.
As I read it, I kept coming back to the same general impression, that this was a fascinating story that was told in a bizarrely boring and lifeless way. It read like an extended Wikipedia page, rather than an compelling book-length treatment of an important, if largely unknown, segment of Third Reich tragedy. As I finished the book, my conclusion was that the book was fine but simply wasn't all that it could have been.
Having discovered that the target audience is kids, I imagine that is part of the explanation for my uninspiring encounter with this book. But I've read books with my kids that were written for them that were still fully engrossing to adults. "Ensared in the Wolf's Lair" wasn't one of those books for me. It wasn't terrible, just too much like an extended term paper for my liking and not one that I'll recommend to others.
September 22, 2024
When I think about WWII, I think about the Holocaust, concentration camps, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the actual war. Time and time again I’ve heard about civilians taking a passive role in resisting the Third Reich, like hiding Jews or falsifying papers for them, but I’ve never gone much into how top German officials took action against Hitler and the Nazi Party. Bausum presents these noble actions in an easy to digest book with a fascinating primary source. Definitely a must read for all history lovers!
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