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Holocaust Survivor True Stories WWII #9
If Anyone Calls, Tell Them I Died
The Holocaust and its aftermath were not often discussed in families of second-generation survivors. In Tel Aviv of the 1960s, Emanuel Rosen grew up hearing the staccato of his mother’s typewriter, but had no idea about the battle she was fighting. This changed years later, when he found a box with letters that his grandparents had sent from a tragic 1956-trip to Germany and he decided to retrace their journey.
This book braids the stories of three generations—grandparents, daughter, and grandson. The grandparents, the lawyer Dr. Hugo Mendel and his wife Lucie, who were respected German citizens until the Nazis took away their livelihood and their dignity. Their daughter, Mirjam, who had fought for years to prove that those who forced her father out of his profession were responsible for his death. And their grandson, Emanuel, who discovered a shocking truth.
This true story demonstrates the devastating consequences of Nazi persecution, even for survivors who fled Europe before WWII and did not experience the horrors of the Holocaust. It is also a stark reminder of the heavy psychological toll of uprooting, still experienced by refugees and exiles today.
Written in a personal style brimming with love and wit, 'If Anyone Calls, Tell Them I Died' is a story of loss, strength, and triumph.
This book braids the stories of three generations—grandparents, daughter, and grandson. The grandparents, the lawyer Dr. Hugo Mendel and his wife Lucie, who were respected German citizens until the Nazis took away their livelihood and their dignity. Their daughter, Mirjam, who had fought for years to prove that those who forced her father out of his profession were responsible for his death. And their grandson, Emanuel, who discovered a shocking truth.
This true story demonstrates the devastating consequences of Nazi persecution, even for survivors who fled Europe before WWII and did not experience the horrors of the Holocaust. It is also a stark reminder of the heavy psychological toll of uprooting, still experienced by refugees and exiles today.
Written in a personal style brimming with love and wit, 'If Anyone Calls, Tell Them I Died' is a story of loss, strength, and triumph.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2021
264 people are currently reading
2725 people want to read
About the author
Emanuel Rosen
9 books27 followersEmanuel (Manu) Rosen is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into thirteen languages. His latest book is "The Life Machines: How Taking Care of Your Mitochondria Can Transform Your Health", which he coauthored with his wife, Daria Mochly-Rosen. His first book, "The Anatomy of Buzz," managed to generate quite a bit of buzz itself, as BusinessWeek noted. His third book, "Absolute Value" (with Stanford professor Itamar Simonson), won the 2016 American Marketing Association Best Book Award. Emanuel was previously vice president of marketing at Niles Software, where he launched the company’s flagship product, EndNote. He’s presented his work in numerous forums around the world, including at companies such as Google, Intel, and Nike. His work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Time, Advertising Age, and many other media. He is married to Daria Mochly-Rosen. They live in Menlo Park, California, and have four adult children and three grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 24, 2021
Emanuel Rosen – If Anyone Calls, Tell Them I Died – Reviewed 4/23/21 – Read 4/11-14/21
Even if you were not in the Holocaust camps, mental abuse can take you down.
In 1956 Hugo and Lucie Mendel decided to make a trip back to Germany. They also included the area where they grew up. Additionally, they wanted to meet up with any of their friends that were still around. They both had decided that it was finally time to face the past. The only thing is Lucie did not truly realize what her husband was looking for. Nor did she realize the fragile mental state that he was in. Five months after they returned from this visit Dr. Hugo Mendel jumped from a third-story floor to his death.
Emanuel Rosen takes us on a journey, visiting the same places that Hugo and Lucie had during their trip. Also trying to contact some of their surviving friends, looking to gain their insight. He shares with us the battle that his mother went through, trying to prove that his suicide was brought on due to the mental state that he was in, resulting from the holocaust. She believed that Germany should reimburse her mother and set her up on a monthly allotment. This amount should compensate her for the loss of her husband’s wages that could have been earned.
Join him on his trip through the past…
What did I like? This was a very emotional voyage that takes the reader through trying to learn the truth of what happened to his grandfather. Plus, we learn about all the work that his mother put in during her quest to take care of his grandmother. We see another version of what the holocaust did to many of the Jewish citizens, even if they did not end up in the camps. The mental anguish that they suffered from the hatred that was all around them. Hugo and Lucie visited looking for a place that no longer existed, because of Hitler and his madmen.
What will you like? I know that many of you have read different versions and accounts from survivors, but this one takes a look at a different outcome. It shows the results of what happened to so many educated men, what they went through when they could no longer work, and support their families. Displaced from their own country to other places that still hated them, and the fact that they were forced to even be there. How that hatred ate at one man and what happened when he could not face it anymore. It also gives us a look at what happened to the families of some of those men, and what they went through trying to live with the outcome of this same hatred. A journey of time for two, grandfather and grandson, and what the grandson learned while on his quest to understand. An excellent read that will capture your heart and will not let it loose.
• ASIN: B08SCL36BD
• Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
• Publication Date: 3/22/2021
• File Size: 5620 KB
• Print Length: 271 pages
• Genre: Biographies of Lawyers & Judges, Historical German Biographies, Lawyer & Judge Biographies
Even if you were not in the Holocaust camps, mental abuse can take you down.
In 1956 Hugo and Lucie Mendel decided to make a trip back to Germany. They also included the area where they grew up. Additionally, they wanted to meet up with any of their friends that were still around. They both had decided that it was finally time to face the past. The only thing is Lucie did not truly realize what her husband was looking for. Nor did she realize the fragile mental state that he was in. Five months after they returned from this visit Dr. Hugo Mendel jumped from a third-story floor to his death.
Emanuel Rosen takes us on a journey, visiting the same places that Hugo and Lucie had during their trip. Also trying to contact some of their surviving friends, looking to gain their insight. He shares with us the battle that his mother went through, trying to prove that his suicide was brought on due to the mental state that he was in, resulting from the holocaust. She believed that Germany should reimburse her mother and set her up on a monthly allotment. This amount should compensate her for the loss of her husband’s wages that could have been earned.
Join him on his trip through the past…
What did I like? This was a very emotional voyage that takes the reader through trying to learn the truth of what happened to his grandfather. Plus, we learn about all the work that his mother put in during her quest to take care of his grandmother. We see another version of what the holocaust did to many of the Jewish citizens, even if they did not end up in the camps. The mental anguish that they suffered from the hatred that was all around them. Hugo and Lucie visited looking for a place that no longer existed, because of Hitler and his madmen.
What will you like? I know that many of you have read different versions and accounts from survivors, but this one takes a look at a different outcome. It shows the results of what happened to so many educated men, what they went through when they could no longer work, and support their families. Displaced from their own country to other places that still hated them, and the fact that they were forced to even be there. How that hatred ate at one man and what happened when he could not face it anymore. It also gives us a look at what happened to the families of some of those men, and what they went through trying to live with the outcome of this same hatred. A journey of time for two, grandfather and grandson, and what the grandson learned while on his quest to understand. An excellent read that will capture your heart and will not let it loose.
• ASIN: B08SCL36BD
• Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
• Publication Date: 3/22/2021
• File Size: 5620 KB
• Print Length: 271 pages
• Genre: Biographies of Lawyers & Judges, Historical German Biographies, Lawyer & Judge Biographies
April 23, 2021
A courageous memoir of family, history, and a pursuit to make whole something fractured. Thank you for this gift Mr. Rosen.
April 5, 2021
Manu Rosen has a way of injecting a degree of black humor in chronicling the search into the death of his grandfather. Born in Israel into a German-Jewish immigrant family, Rosen tells us that "Opa" Hugo was once prominent attorney who lost his livelihood and reluctantly saved himself, his wife and two children by emigrating and settling in British Mandate Palestine. Rosen uses the device of short vignettes to introduce us to his widowed mother and grandmother, stereotypical "Jekke" women who tend to utter German phrases that no one other than other Jews with a German heritage would understand. While he digresses to many ancillary characters, the author's main objective is to paint the women in his family as strong-willed and resilient (notably more so than men like Opa.) It is only after both his widowed mother and grandmother have died that he delves into the mystery of his maternal grandfather's death, starting with a torrent of correspondence between his mother from Israel and her parents while they were visiting Europe during 1956.
While the book is lighthearted at the outset, the author turns serious when he unravels the mystery of his grandfather's death. Details of legal proceedings his mother had undertaken culminate in a German court's declaration that Hugo's death the direct result of the trauma he suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime, declaring that his by then elderly grandmother qualifies for compensation. This post-Holocaust is part of the emerging genre of literature by the children and grandchildren of the survivors and witnesses, whose ranks are being depleted by the passage of time.
While the book is lighthearted at the outset, the author turns serious when he unravels the mystery of his grandfather's death. Details of legal proceedings his mother had undertaken culminate in a German court's declaration that Hugo's death the direct result of the trauma he suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime, declaring that his by then elderly grandmother qualifies for compensation. This post-Holocaust is part of the emerging genre of literature by the children and grandchildren of the survivors and witnesses, whose ranks are being depleted by the passage of time.
June 19, 2021
Well written memoir and retelling of family history. It was not what I expected and I had to look up words (there is information in the back of book) to make sure I was understanding the information. I am not Jewish so I did have to look up some of the holidays and celebrations, it was an education experience over all.
May 25, 2021
A copy of this book was kindly sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. I read the book a month ago and wrote my review but I noticed today that my review was missing!
This is the first book I've read about Jewish people who left Germany before the war. I can understand Hugo's pain after leaving his home country and life as a lawyer, he never felt at home in his new country. After going back, traveling through Germany he found that he didn't feel at home anywhere.
I wasn't forced to leave Sweden 20 years ago. I came here to marry my American husband. But I left behind my life as a registered nurse and my home country. When I go back to Sweden to visit, it's not really home either.
This is the first book I've read about Jewish people who left Germany before the war. I can understand Hugo's pain after leaving his home country and life as a lawyer, he never felt at home in his new country. After going back, traveling through Germany he found that he didn't feel at home anywhere.
I wasn't forced to leave Sweden 20 years ago. I came here to marry my American husband. But I left behind my life as a registered nurse and my home country. When I go back to Sweden to visit, it's not really home either.
May 18, 2021
Outstanding book
As with many other people the Holacaust defined these people lives/future. And it is evident from your writings that yes there is all different kinds of persecution and suffering, and those who witnessed it first and secondhand. And the old adage of whatever does not kill us makes us stronger literally. It is plain how much loving and caring were apart of your family above everything else.
As with many other people the Holacaust defined these people lives/future. And it is evident from your writings that yes there is all different kinds of persecution and suffering, and those who witnessed it first and secondhand. And the old adage of whatever does not kill us makes us stronger literally. It is plain how much loving and caring were apart of your family above everything else.
August 4, 2021
If Anyone Calls, Tell Them I Died: A Memoir: Holocaust Survivor: True Stories World War II Book 9 is by Emanuel (Manu) Rosen. This is the story of a grandson trying to trace his family from Israel back to Germany to find out what happened to the family as well as to see if he could find out what happened on their 1956 trip back to Germany which led to his grandfather’s suicide.
Emanuel grew up in Israel with his sister, a single mom, and his maternal grandparents. His father had died of a heart attack when he was just a baby. The only male influence he had was his Opa and his Uncle Ralphi. His Opa died when Manu was still young. His Uncle traveled a lot in his job so wasn’t there much. Manu learned much of the “manly” things he needed to know from his friends and their fathers. He was very close to his Oma as he lived with them much of the time. He always knew they were victims of the Holocaust; but didn’t know any of the details. It wasn’t until after his mother died that he found a box of letters that Opa and Oma had written his mother while they were on a trip in 1959.
Emanuel had the letters translated and learned a little more about his parents and grandparents. In 1956, his Opa and Oma had traveled back to Germany. They visited several towns close to their hometowns. He followed their footsteps and went further by going back to their birthplaces. He met a few people who could tell him more about them.
This book is about his search into their past to learn more about them which will also help him understand his mother better. It is a search for self and a search for the reason behind his Opa’s suicide. It shows that the effects of the Holocaust do not die with those who were actively in it; but also the future generations
Emanuel grew up in Israel with his sister, a single mom, and his maternal grandparents. His father had died of a heart attack when he was just a baby. The only male influence he had was his Opa and his Uncle Ralphi. His Opa died when Manu was still young. His Uncle traveled a lot in his job so wasn’t there much. Manu learned much of the “manly” things he needed to know from his friends and their fathers. He was very close to his Oma as he lived with them much of the time. He always knew they were victims of the Holocaust; but didn’t know any of the details. It wasn’t until after his mother died that he found a box of letters that Opa and Oma had written his mother while they were on a trip in 1959.
Emanuel had the letters translated and learned a little more about his parents and grandparents. In 1956, his Opa and Oma had traveled back to Germany. They visited several towns close to their hometowns. He followed their footsteps and went further by going back to their birthplaces. He met a few people who could tell him more about them.
This book is about his search into their past to learn more about them which will also help him understand his mother better. It is a search for self and a search for the reason behind his Opa’s suicide. It shows that the effects of the Holocaust do not die with those who were actively in it; but also the future generations
October 11, 2021
True history
I enjoy reading about true history. There is such sadness it is hard to read about the Jews of WWII and yet I am drawn to their stories. Emanuel Rosen has given us the story of a family affected by these events although not having been in a concentration camp. We don't think about the effects continuing after the end of the war and on the next generations of these people.
I enjoy reading about true history. There is such sadness it is hard to read about the Jews of WWII and yet I am drawn to their stories. Emanuel Rosen has given us the story of a family affected by these events although not having been in a concentration camp. We don't think about the effects continuing after the end of the war and on the next generations of these people.
August 15, 2021
Fascinating
This was a fascinating family history! I really enjoyed reading it and it was a pleasure to be on this journey with Mr. Rosen. I stumbled across an advertisement for this book and I'm glad I did because it was a great book!
This was a fascinating family history! I really enjoyed reading it and it was a pleasure to be on this journey with Mr. Rosen. I stumbled across an advertisement for this book and I'm glad I did because it was a great book!
November 29, 2021
Excellent
The story of a German Jewish family that got out before WW2 began. How the horrors of the war still follows them and their families left behind. It follows their lives in Israel and beyond.
The story of a German Jewish family that got out before WW2 began. How the horrors of the war still follows them and their families left behind. It follows their lives in Israel and beyond.
July 3, 2021
Exceptional memoir. Captivating from the very first page.
July 31, 2021
Interesting story about people affected by the Holocaust yet from afar in Israel.
A book concerning a family who got away from Germany to Israel and the Holocaust and how life was changed forever because of it, very interesting story that illustrates how Nazi Germany affected so many people during the Holocaust
A book concerning a family who got away from Germany to Israel and the Holocaust and how life was changed forever because of it, very interesting story that illustrates how Nazi Germany affected so many people during the Holocaust
August 14, 2021
Very detailed
Interesting perspective to see how much the impact of the Holocaust had years after for survivors and next generation survivors.
Interesting perspective to see how much the impact of the Holocaust had years after for survivors and next generation survivors.
February 9, 2025
In this engaging memoir, the author tells the story of multiple generations of his family particularly his Jewish German grandparents. His grandfather was a lawyer in pre-Nazi Germany. When the Nazis took power in 1933, he was forced to leave Germany for Palestine. Although a Zionist when he arrived, he never really caught on in his new home. He isn't able to practice his profession and never becomes particularly proficient in Hebrew. After the war, he and his wife return to Germany but quickly realize they don't belong there either. Shortly after returning to Israel, he commits suicide. The author retraces the trip of his grandfather, trying to understand his past and what drove his grandfather to suicide. The final part of the book outlines the author's mom's quest to get reparations payments for her mother on the claim that her father was yet another victim of the Nazi genocide. This book is a quick and important read. Highly recommended.
July 19, 2022
Astounding.
Recommend this for further reading:
Author email interview with Professor Heinz Häfner, April 15, 2019. About Walter von Baeyer in the Biographical Archive of Psychiatry: https://www.biapsy.de/index.php/en/9-... Häfner H., “From the catastrophe to a humane mental-health care and successful research in German psychiatry (1951–2012)–as I remember it.” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2013. June; 127(6):415–32. doi: 10.1111/acps. 12061.
Recommend this for further reading:
Author email interview with Professor Heinz Häfner, April 15, 2019. About Walter von Baeyer in the Biographical Archive of Psychiatry: https://www.biapsy.de/index.php/en/9-... Häfner H., “From the catastrophe to a humane mental-health care and successful research in German psychiatry (1951–2012)–as I remember it.” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2013. June; 127(6):415–32. doi: 10.1111/acps. 12061.
February 29, 2024
Lovely book
This was different from a lot of books about the Holocaust. The story focuses much more on the aftereffects this time in history has on the survivors and their loved ones. I personally felt a connection with the author's mother, I loved her dry sense of humor and big heart. There are funny moments mixed in with the sad stories, which helps keep the book well balanced. Definitely a book worth reading!
This was different from a lot of books about the Holocaust. The story focuses much more on the aftereffects this time in history has on the survivors and their loved ones. I personally felt a connection with the author's mother, I loved her dry sense of humor and big heart. There are funny moments mixed in with the sad stories, which helps keep the book well balanced. Definitely a book worth reading!
September 14, 2021
Well Done
I do not think i am eloquent enough to do this review justice but I did not want to leave it unsaid.
This memoir gave rise to many emotions as I read. It was honest, sad, heartwarming, tragic, and uplifting. I've heard it said that so long as their stories are told, a person will live on - this author has done his family proud.
I do not think i am eloquent enough to do this review justice but I did not want to leave it unsaid.
This memoir gave rise to many emotions as I read. It was honest, sad, heartwarming, tragic, and uplifting. I've heard it said that so long as their stories are told, a person will live on - this author has done his family proud.
May 11, 2022
wonderful reading
I was involved from the beginning into the lives of a family that held themselves together in their unique lives.
I was involved from the beginning into the lives of a family that held themselves together in their unique lives.
June 13, 2022
excellent
A like everything and recommend it
It trapped me completely
Going to look more from the author
I’m already missing the story
I hate to finish a good book
A like everything and recommend it
It trapped me completely
Going to look more from the author
I’m already missing the story
I hate to finish a good book
February 26, 2024
shalom
This book is wonderful. Thank you so much for letting us get to know your family. Your family is wonderful
This book is wonderful. Thank you so much for letting us get to know your family. Your family is wonderful
July 26, 2023
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2022
Very interesting
I’m fascinated by this anthology of survivor stories from the Jewish communities after WWII. This was an interesting look at life of Jews who relocated to Israel.
I’m fascinated by this anthology of survivor stories from the Jewish communities after WWII. This was an interesting look at life of Jews who relocated to Israel.
January 6, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It addresses a deep subject with humor and insight
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews