German Boy: A Child in War

Willie Morris Books in Memoir and Biography

by Wolfgang W.E. Samuel

As the Third Reich crumbled in 1945, scores of Germans scrambled to flee the advancing Russian troops. Among them was a little boy named Wolfgang Samuel, who left his home with his mother and sister and ended up in war-torn Strasbourg before being forced farther west into a disease-ridden refugee camp. German Boy is the vivid, true story of their fight for survival as the tables of power turned and, for reasons Wolfgang was too young to understand, his broken family suffered arbitrary arrest, rape, hunger, and constant fear.

Because his father was off fighting the war as a Luftwaffe officer, young Wolfgang was forced to become the head of his household, scavenging for provisions and scraps with which to feed his family. Despite his best efforts, his mother still found herself forced to do the unthinkable to survive, and her sacrifices became Wolfgang's worst nightmares. Somehow, with the resilience only children can muster, he maintained his youth and innocence in little ways–making friends with other young refugees, playing games with shrapnel, delighting in the planes flown by the Americans and the candies the GIs brought. In the end, the Samuels begin life anew in America, and Wolfgang eventually goes on to a thirty-year career in the U.S. Air Force.

Bringing fresh insight to the dark history of Nazi Germany and the horror left in its wake, German Boy records the valuable recollections of an innocent's incredible journey.

"I think German Boy has all the qualities of greatness. I love the book." -- from the Foreword by Stephen Ambrose

Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War II, Memoir, Germany, Biography, War

448 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

About the author

Wolfgang W.E. Samuel is a German-born American author. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC at the University of Colorado and is a graduate of the National War College. He served in the U.S. Air Force for thirty years until his retirement in 1985 as a colonel. His writing has been published in several military journals, including Parameters, the U.S. Army War College quarterly. He lives in Fairfax, Virginia.

Reviews

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book that so vividly opened my eyes to a whole new perspective of WWII. With all the literature available on the Nazis and their atrocities, we rarely get the chance to see the war through the eyes of common German people, not to mention a mere child. This book covers the fall of Germany, the waking from a shared delusion, and its impact on a boy and his family as they struggle to survive amongst a very diverse group of conquerors.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wolfgang Samuel was a 10-year-old boy when World War II ended for the fighting armies. As a German Fluchtlinge (refugee), however, his personal war continued for another six years - insufficient food, lack of clothing, terrible housing, etc. This vivid memoir is Wolfgang's tale of survival and gratitude to those who leant him a helping hand and saved his life. Wolfgang immigrated to the America he dreamt about for years with his Mutti (mother) and new American stepfather (an Air Force Sergeant) in 1951 at age 15. Wolfgang completed his education in Denver and served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years! I loved every page of this memoir for the unique perspective it provides.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not pull myself away from this story. I was mesmerized by the horrors Wolfgang and his family endured during WWII, even worse was what happened after. But more then that it is story of unconquerable human spirit and hope for a better future. It does deal with difficult subjects but it is not graphic. This story has had a profound affect upon me and the way I will look at and appreciate my surroundings. I recommend this book to everyone.

[Hannah Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent.

Thoughts:
-They could make his story into movie.

-Samuel really comes alive when describing the war scene from which he and his family fled. It's hard not to race ahead instead of slowing down and absorbing all the information.

-Bullying is bad. Period. But it also taught Wolfgang (and others) to stand up and defend themselves. What should be the role of a parent, counselor, teacher, whatever, as their child/student encounters bullying?

-It was interesting to see a real life perspective on war. It's not fictional, so this book isn't a political or historical analysis on Germany from 1945-1949. In 1945, Wolfgang is ten and is living in a small, poor village. He doesn't know the details of what's going on, but he is very much aware that he, Ingrid, and Mutti have to get out before the Russians come.

-COMMUNISM IS BAD. [After escaping from the Russian side of Germany to the American/English] "Of course, the barracks also had a Communist. For some reason he singled me out to tell me how wonderful it was to live in the Russian zone, in the people's paradise. For reasons he did not divulge, he never packed up and moved to live in the paradise of which he spoke so glowingly" (pg 304).

-How did Hedy turn from a borderline abusive mom into a woman who was willing to sacrifice her own body for her children? I guess that was her experiment in living--at a critical moment in 1945, she decided to be a sacrificial mother instead of abandoning her children.

-Silence is underrated right now. "Sometimes when I stood still and listened carefully, I would think I could hear the tranquil sound of absolute stillness. For that instant, only the forest, the heath, and I existed. Then the moment would be gone." Just like reading Helen Keller's autobiography inspired me to listen carefully and pay more attention to the sounds and smells of nature, this book is inspiring me to pay attention to all sounds--even the elusive sound of silence.

-I'm so, so grateful that sex is not American currency.

I can't believe that he was able to break his baker's apprenticeship contract

Recommend for 16+.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few months ago we went to visit Bacharach, a small town in Germany. While there, we met Herr Jung, a retired schoolmaster in his 70's. He took us on a tour of his town and told us stories of what it was like being a boy in Germany during WWII that moved us to tears. Then he recommended this book. How could I not read it?

This is a story of WWII, told from the point of view of a nine year old boy, Wolfgang, starting in January 1945 in the small German town of Sagan (now the Polish town of Żagań). The war is coming to an end in Germany and the Russians are moving in. He and his mother and younger sister must escape the Russians, the cold, rape, and starvation over and over again for six long years. For Wolfgang, the battle of his life didn't start until the war ended. The most amazing thing about this story is that it's all true. People really lived through times like this, and continue to do so all over the world.

My biggest issue with the book was that it was too long. It could've used some editing. Yes, he's hungry. Again. And cold. It grew slightly tiresome at times. But only slightly. The other thought that I couldn't get out of the back of my mind was that he wrote this at least 40 years after the fact, how could he remember everything in so much detail? He stated in his preface that when he started to write, it all just came back to him, but I had trouble getting over a bit of doubt.

Over all a very amazing story and I recommend it to everyone.

[Malini Prasad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a research project concerning Germany immediately after World War 2. Wolfgang Samuel takes you through his harrowing journey from a small town in East Germany to ending up in America towards the end of World War 2. Wolfgang recounts how his mother, sister, and himself left a small town in East Germany just as the Soviets were about to arrive and raze the city. They go from town to town depending on one another and the kindness of strangers in a war torn country. After the war, the hardships for the Samuel family do not stop. Wolfgang begs for and steals food from nearby farms and areas. His mother makes incredible sacrifices to feed her children and they all miraculously make it through the starving winter of 1946. He details his miraculous escape to the American/British Bizone where he meets and interacts with Americans for the first time. Throughout the book, Wolfgang is fascinated by Americans and their planes which he sees throughout the war. The book goes from 1944 until 1951, and the reader gets to grow with Wolfgang, from a child to a teenager who still manages to retain some of his innocence despite growing up in a war zone. Wolfgang’s dedication to his education and thirst for knowledge is inspiring. Above all, this book teaches us that war takes from everyone, uncaring of the innocent lives it steals, but that the human spirit is the most indomitable thing in this world.

[Elh52 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another history book that is too intense to ever be fiction. And my friends ask why I read history. If you pick up this book, or at least this edition, notice the kid on the cover; he's sitting on an unexploded mine, his feet on the detonators.

[Raghu Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the era of massive refugee influx across the world. Rohingya muslim refugees from Myanmar are trying to find a zone of safety in Bangladesh and India. Refugees from Syria and Iraq are trying to find shelter in Turkey, Jordan or Europe. Elsewhere, refugees from Afghanistan and Africa are trying to find a foothold in Europe or anywhere else in the western world. At the same time, the world has hardened its attitude towards this human tragedy. Except for Germany, Turkey and Jordan, most nations have decided to be indifferent or even hostile to accepting Middle-Eastern refugees. A compassionate nation like Canada would not take more than 20000 refugees from Syria, when the scale is of the order of nearly ten million. India, under a Hindu-nationalist regime, has abandoned its historic compassion for refugees and is hiding behind the ‘terrorist threat’ to accept a measly 45000 Rohingya refugees. Bangladesh, a nation of Muslims, is reluctant to find a place for half a million fellow-muslim refugees amongst its population of 120 million. ‘Superpowers’ like China and Russia are busy pretending as though they are living on another planet. In such a cold-hearted scenario, it is good to read a book such as this one to get some perspective on the refugee question. It is the real-life story of a ten-year old German boy in 1944, as he flees the advancing Russian troops, along with his mother and six-year old sister. It is the story of a young German family, rendered internal refugees, trying to escape to the ‘safety’ of the American, British or French zones of occupation. It is the incredible tale of survival of an innocent refugee child in the context of the final days of a most brutal war the world has ever known.

Young Wolfgang Samuel’s memoir begins in Sagan in Eastern Germany in the beginning of January 1945 when he had just turned ten. Ingrid is his six-year old sister, whom he adores. His mother is Hedy, a party-loving, short-tempered woman in her early thirties who is oblivious to the danger of Germany’s impending defeat in the World War and the even greater dangers of the advancing Russian army towards her town. Soon, Hedy comes to her senses and flees with her family to Berlin and then on to the Pomeranian town of Strasburg in a desperate bid to escape the Russians. They become unwanted refugees in their own homeland in the process. Tragedy strikes the family repeatedly. Wolfgang’s beloved grandfather remains behind in the Russian zone and is beaten to death by German communists. His aunt and cousin get raped by Russian soldiers. While his aunt dies of disease, his mother Hedy is raped and shot. Hedy survives, but is forced to sell her body to put food on the table for her children. Young Wolfgang observes that sex was the only currency for which one could get any goods because the German Mark was worthless and the family had no possessions worth exchanging for food. The narrative poignantly captures the innocence of Wolfgang as a ten year old boy, who does not really understand what exactly rape and sex are, even though he hears of these words all the time. We also see the the rapid growth of that little boy, still in his early teens, into a man prematurely, as life-changing events impact their lives one after another over the next four years. However, it would be wrong to see the narrative consisting only of hardships. Even in dire situations of danger at the hands of Russian soldiers, there is humor in the way the family survives. There are touching scenes when the family gets together with the grandparents and other relatives. We see what it takes to survive as a refugee and why survival is something they had to do again and again, as there was no assured safety or certainty about their future.

Though author Samuel has written the book as an adult much later in his life, it is written fully as the view of the German boy in his early teens. A lot of the writing is about the boy’s image of his mother during those years. Initially, he sees her as a stubborn, self-absorbed, attractive woman who does not show much love towards her children. Once the family is on the run, Wolfgang comes to realize how resourceful, strong and savvy his mother turns out to be in doing the best for her young family. So much so that he views her as his best friend by the time their travails as refugees approach an end. Apart from his mother, Wolfgang writes admiringly of his grandparents on both sides of his parents.

Naturally, a book such as this would make observations about the occupying soldiers and their attitudes, as seen by a German boy in his early teens. In the author’s experience, the American soldiers in Germany come off as humane, civil, kind and compassionate. The English soldiers are seen as a bit distant and cold but professional. Even the defeated German army soldiers are seen as helpful to fellow-German civilian refugees. Only the Russian soldiers and German communists come off as drunkards, rapists and seeking bitter revenge. Since the Third Reich’s military might and brutality was directed primarily at the Russians and secondarily at Britain and France, it is not surprising that the American soldiers may not have had that much hostility towards the German civilians. Given also Wolfgang’s future life in the US, it is not surprising that he remembers the American and English soldiers in very good light. To some extent, the reader could get an impression of the army of the democratic allied nations as humane and professional while that of the totalitarian state as brutal. However, literature and reality tell us that nothing can be farther from the Truth. War is inherently brutal and soldiers of all nations commit human rights abuses on hapless civilians. Wolfgang’s experience also reflects Alberto Moravia’s observation that it is ultimately women, who suffer as the biggest victims in wars. One has to only reflect on the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq to realize that democracy is no hedge for the innocent civilian against torture and violence. Tragically, the civilians and the military seem to operate in a symbiotic manner in the context of these wars and the refugee influx. Today, the civilians’ hostility towards the hapless refugees is mirrored by the soldiers in their treatment of suspects and prisoners.

Reading about the hardships faced by the Samuel family, it is easy to slip into an unsympathetic outlook that they, as German civilians, were just experiencing the horror and trauma that their country inflicted upon other people through its deadly war machine. It is as if Karma visiting them in the same lifetime. We see nowadays a similar argument raising its ugly head when it comes to Muslim Arab refugees or the Rohingya refugees. But Wolfgang Samuel’s account brings us the perennial historical truth that it is the innocent who always end up paying for the atrocities and crimes committed by their megalomaniacal leaders and armies. Fear, hunger, disease, exploitation, abuse, rape of women of all ages, either by force or circumstance, is the gruesome reality of refugees’ life. We need compassion towards their condition. As the contemporary German author, Souad Mekhennet, says, “a mother's screams over the body of her dead child sound the same, no matter if she is black, brown or white; Muslim, Jewish or Christian, Shia or Sunni. We are all buried in the same ground.”

A touching autobiographical work.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read.

This autobiography follows the account of Wolfgang Samuel and his struggles as a german boy between 1945-1950. The author's writing is excellent and the pacing of the book makes it a real page-turner. As you can imagine, a lot happened in those five years in Germany. Reading about that experience from the perspective of a young (10yrs) boy leads to some incredible, and at points harrowing, storytelling.

Samuel has a deep respect for the U.S.A, and it is encouraging to read such a flattering view of our country and soldiers at its best. Reading about how American troops handled themselves from the author's perspective gives a fascinating insight and an encouraging one. He writes about how the Russian soldiers treated him and his family vs. how the American soldiers did. The difference is astronomical. Yet, the context is important and it is a difficult thing to rationalize. The Nazis treated the Russians as sub-human, and the Russians repaid the favor when they took control. The Americans were not as harmed as Russia by the Nazis, so their gripe vs. normal Germans was much less. I am not giving excuses for any side, far from it, but the context is an explanation for the actions taken in this book. Still, it is a unique situation to read about and Wolfgang writes about it marvelously.

All in all, this is an amazing story told from a unique perspective. It is really easy to get into the story and read very quickly. Excellent!

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

An absolutely gripping narrative, very hard to put down. I must have read this in under 3 days. To even get the faintest sense of what it must have been like to be a young child thrown into 6+ years of genuine dislocation by war and reconstruction is difficult, and this autobiography does much to flesh out that picture. I think it could have been more, however, if it had stuck to the exact-if-vague memories that linger rather than attempting to fill in all the missing pieces with what *must* have happened. Samuel opts for the latter, and it too often reads as an astute individual reading postwar history (and opinion) into his primal experiences. The result is that you sometimes have a 10 year-old kid talking about the sins of Communism or emanating a polished conception of the Holocaust. I don't think either could have realistically have happened, especially because Samuel himself often pleads ignorance and naivete in preceding paragraphs. Long story short, well worth the read... but it's perhaps better considered as a retirees reflections upon his youth and its legacies rather than it is as an autobiography.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, was left wanting more. I have read a fair amount about the lives of British and German citizens during WWII, but I find the immediate postwar era even more interesting, as the living situation actually worsened at that time (not counting the lack of bombing). As bad as it was in Britain, it was worse in Germany. And as bad as it was in the west, it was even worse in the east. I did find myself wondering what kind of conditions the author's family left behind in the east struggled with after he fled to the west.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this memoir of Samuel's childhood most engaging...it was particularly interesting because his family lived in Sagan - the closest German/Prussian town to Stalag Luft III where my father was a POW...so as he described his evacuation in January of 1945, I could well imagine what my father was doing several kilometers away in POW camp.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book. I read it in a day and a half. I would have had it finished sooner but work interfered with my reading! This is a must read for everyone. The story is amazing, the perspective of all the characters is eye opening, and it is so clearly written that I felt like I was watching the entire story unfold in an oscar winning movie. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite a while

[Rose Thiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing first person account of WWII from the perspective of a young German boy. This book was written simply and detailed but deeply moving.

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was was a harder read than expected. The focus of the story is the end and post WWII years in Germany thru the eyes of a child. The war ended but suffering did not. The author recounts their struggle to find food. How the talk about being careful because the Russians were raping the German women as payback for the German invasion wasn't just gossip. What does it do to a society where nearly every woman has been a rape victim? What happens when money isn't worth anything and the only way to put food on the table for your children is to sell yourself for sex? These aren't hypothetical situations for people in this book. While there are terrible dark days things got better. The author talks about being near a base the American's set up for the Berlin airlift and his impression of the British and American servicemen there. While the author ends up moving to America that part of the book is brief and towards the end of the memoir.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous. I've recommended it to several people.

The author was a young German boy in East Prussia when WWII ended. His mother, sister, and other relatives tried to flee Prussia ahead of the Red Army. They get trapped, and try to survive for several years during terrible times. They were hungry, cold, barefoot (literally), and had an awful time.

It's a segment of history we rarely hear about: how the German civilian population fared after the war. The answer: they barely survived, and many did not. They couldn't even get shoes for several years.

[Adri Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! My mother, who was Dutch, was sent to Germany as part of a labor force. Although she was almost 10 years older than Wolfgang, his narrative gave me a lot more insight into what my mother must have experienced. Like Wolfgang's mother, she met, fell in love with, and married an American army officer, and this book brought me into their post war world. If you haven't read his other book, The War of our Childhood, you must. He interviews others who were children during one of the most horrible times in world history.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

We never really hear about the horrific survial stories that the people of Germany went through during WW 2. This innocent little boy, Wolfgang, who was only 10 years old at the time, paid for the sins committed by others. He somehow survives the evils the Nazi regime and the Russian communists have brought to Germany. Through his book, we see the war throough the eyes of a German child. It was an engrossing and horrific story, hard to read at times.

[Dani Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book!! I got the chance to meet the author in person, and I honestly wasn’t sure what I had just picked up. As a historical fiction lover, this non fiction book was told in such a story like way it felt fictional! I had never read or really learned about WW2 from the common German perspective. This story follows young Wolfgang and how the war for him lasted much, much longer after it ended.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read. Most of us have knowledge of the basics of what people went through in WWII, but this gives a unique, honest perspective from someone who lived through it all. Reading this book from so long ago changed the way I look at my life now. It is that powerful and well-written.

[Amanda P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

WWII memoir of a boy, his little sister, and Mutti (mother), as they try to survive the Russian occupation of Germany after the war. Rough times. Recommended by an older library patron who was a soldier in the war, and told me it was the most accurate representation he's ever come across - it was just like his life.

[Dana Creed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one that a friend told me to read which I had for ages before I picked it up. Absolutely excellent!! I'm going to buy this as a gift for someone I know will appreciate it. Very moving. This story makes my life seem so easy compared to those who have had to sacrifice so much.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the personal memoir of Wolfgang Samuel, a German boy who was living and experiencing World War II. At the end of the war, many German civilians fled their towns when the Russian front began approaching. Wolfgang tells about his flight with his Mother and sister and the friends that helped them along the way. His father was serving in the Luftwaffe as a Captain, so it was just part of his family. His paternal grandparents were in the West, but his mother chose to go East to her parents. His maternal grandmother wound up joining them in their flight after some other things happened to their family.

This book was really very interesting, and I was never bored reading it. It took me a while to finish because this was my car book, but it was extremely dramatic and engaging. I think people often refuse to separate German people from Nazi actions, and I know there is a fine line on some people...however, this child was certainly innocent of the wrongs committed by the German war machine. Children in Nazi Germany were subjected to Nazi teaching in their schools, and a lot of them had parents who were ardent believers in Nazi ideals. Children are not born hating, they are taught to hate. This particular boy noticed a lot of things and asked a lot of questions that could have gotten him in terrible trouble if his members of his family had been different. Children in wartime are absolutely victims. They are victims of their parents' choices and the choices of their governments. They experienced hunger, fear, death, rape, etc. They saw what their female members had to do to bring home food or find a place to sleep at night. War is a terrible thing for anyone, but children are so affected by big things that they have never experienced and have a hard time grasping. I am so pleased to see that at least this kid made it through the war and became a decent human being. I highly recommend this book for people interested in the German civilian war experience.

[Trevor Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trevor Bradley
Book Review
Ms. O’ Rourke
1/13/15



The title of my book is “German Boy” by Wolfgang W.E. Samuel, with a foreword by Stephen E. Ambrose. I chose this book first by the cover, because I had recognized the uniform the German soldier was wearing and it quickly got my attention. It was from World War two. I read the books details on the back and was immediately interested to hear Wolfgang’s story. I am very happy I chose this book, it was something new and got a life’s perspective like no other. If I were to summarize the book, without exposing the ending, it would start with a young boy named Wolfgang Samuel from the town of Sagan, Germany. He lives with a few other family members. It’s the mid 40’s and times are tough for the family like all other German citizens. This is because the people have to ration the food due to increasing need for the war effort. As the Russians begin to near from the east, the family makes a decision to move to Berlin, where it was safer for them. With major suspense in between moving this family has dodged multiple occasions with death. Some situations could’ve been avoided but Wolfgang’s words don’t mean much to Mutti, Wolfgang’s mother. He wants to try and express himself in some cases but doesn’t bother. I won’t go any further. The rest of the book is up to you. I would surely recommend this book to people who would be interested in a war refugee’s life or maybe someone who’s interested about war in general.
This book has many attributes to make it an interesting read. An example of a sensory image is concluded on many occasions. This one is sight. “In the square I saw the first sergeants motorcycle” (113, Samuel). German motorcycles were a valuable commodity when transporting reconnaissance troops or moving supplies to the front line troops. Sound is also a factor when it comes to wartime. “The guns fired continuously. Womp womp womp womp womp….I saw flames shooting from the ends of the gun barrels and smoke coming out of the breaches as the guns were reloaded” (104, Samuel). The Schmeisser or MP40 is the sub-machine gun of the German army that Wolfgang had described. These stylistic elements by Wolfgang maintained my attention and kept me interested until the end. The type of audience this would appeal to would be people who can handle violence or reading about a war setting and or plot. This authors writing style is very new to me which is the reason why I found it so interesting. It was a one of a kind. So far, I cannot recall a book with a similar setup as this.
I could never relate to Wolfgang’s experience. It was a time of crisis so long ago. Nothing like so has occurred in my lifetime. Not a world war at least. A war to this scale has never occurred on U.S. soil. Wolfgang was introduced into the story first by telling the time and the predicament he was in. It developed into a somewhat calm start into a tension filled plot. As the story went on Wolfgang began to adapt to his surroundings in the face of danger. I liked the majority of the characters in the book besides Mutti. This is because she had the inability to make quick, but thought out decisions. This may have led to the family to perish. I was able to judge characters on my own but she was the only one that struck me as a problem. On some occasions Wolfgang did get frustrated when it came to a hectic problem. Wolf gang described each character equally, both physically and mentally. He mentioned each character with there position in the family, age and gender. He seemed to go into more detail when things agitated him. “But my mother didn’t listen to anyone, least of all me” (6, Samuel). When I read this I saw Mutti as stubborn or a headstrong person. This would be a negative aspect of her. While Wolfgang was still in Sagan he got to see his fair share of soldiers. Some were friends, some were strangers patrolling the area. “The Lieutenant wore an oval, silver badge on the left breast of his pocket of his tonic – the Verwundetenabzeichen” (6, Samuel). In my opinion Wolfgang portrayed each character well, physically, giving me a good imagery look at what was going on.
The entire book kept my attention because I was always interested in war history and war stories. Especially from firsthand accounts like these. For me, the book never slowed down. What was going to happen next for next the family kept me reading. “I knew why the 88’s were there” (7, Samuel). The artillery pieces of the German army were insanely accurate and being able to relate to these occurrences was a bonus. Not just being able to relate knowledge wise, but confirming these accounts through family was an even greater. “We will stay with the loyal SS in the village, like good Germans” (113, Samuel). I can recount this section of the story since my grandfather had described the Germans in a similar way. Some were devoted to the Nationalist- Socialist party. Where they were going to go or what they would encounter on their journey to try and be as safe as can be. The plot seemed to sequence per move. If the Russians came further, the family in turn moved further. And each move was a different experience. The major theme of the novel was a family desperately trying to find a secure place to live and settle, in peace. I was very satisfied with the book. It was surely a learning experience. The life of a world war refugee is something I have never known. The culture and time period would definitely be something new. The technology of course was limited and it disinclined the basics we have today.
My final thoughts of this book were overall positive and was definitely worth it. I would recommend this book to a few of my friends. This book is not similar in any way to books I have read in the past. Which is another reason why some of my friends or family may enjoy the read. I would recommend this book specifically to my friend Randy. I may give this book on one of his book club days since her participates in reading with fellow classmates. A possible book I may read would be surely a book about some kind of war. Whether it be a book in 1st or 3rd person perspective.

[Hilary Blain · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Oma gave this book to me a few months before she died. She told me that it summarized her childhood. I wish I would have started reading it the day she gave it to me, because she passed unexpectedly a few months later. I wish I could have talked to her about this book and what experiences she shared. She didn’t like talking about those times, and only started telling me some of her stories a few years ago, in her eighties. I did the math and she was the same age as Wolfgang.

[Nate Temp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabs your attention and never lets up. From the first chapter until the end, you don't want to put this book down. Stephen E. Ambrose shares in his foreword to this book a similar feeling when he first encountered Wolfgang. Seeing the ending and the immediate aftermath of WWII from the perspective of a German family is a chilling glimpse into the humanity behind what quickly gets remembered only by history books and movies glorifying the sacrifices of soldiers and the rise of fall of empires. Reading this book shows hope's power in the darkest of human experiences. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys engaging narrative writing, suspense-filled storytelling, and compelling characters.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing fresh insight to the dark history of Nazi Germany and the horror left in its wake, German Boy records the valuable recollections of an innocent‘s incredible journey.
I had to cry a couple of times and had to put the book down because it was getting too intense

[Joe Spoto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating account of what it was like to be a young child during WWII in Germany.

[Paul DiBara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A first person narrative from the perspective of a young German boy who had to grow up way too fast during the final year of the war and the period immediately after Germany's crushing defeat. The author, Wolfgang Samuel, provides the reader with a realistic and stark description of the very dark days and nights of that traumatic period.

He focuses his attention on his immediate family, especially his mother, Mutti, and his grandparents - at this period of his life this is not surprising. What is surprising, and shocking, is his sharp intelligence and sensitivity to the people, conditions, and events of the time. His style of writing reveals the torment and horror that, I believe, still haunts him - which is not surprising but lends an aura of sorrow and pity that any youth has to live through such times and suffer such horror and traumas. So much of his youth is lost to the reality that was Germany at this period.

"War, war, what is it good for - absolutely nothing." I was reminded of The Red Badge of Courage as I read this book, except that the focus includes member of his extended family. Like the Red Bad of Courage this book should be read by young adults to counter the excessive nationalism that tends to permeate nations around the world.

[MaggyGray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein sehr verstörendes, aber auch tolles Buch, auf das ich in Washington aufmerksam wurde, weil der Autor eine Signierstunde gab. Samuel hat als ca. 8 Jähriger das Ende des Krieges und die damit einhergehenden Entbehrungen miterlebt: Flucht bzw. Vertreibung, Flüchtlingslager, die Schrecken, die mit den Siegermächten kamen.

Ich kenne solche Geschichten von meiner Großmutter und deren Schwester, die ähnliches erlebten, aber längst nicht so schlimm, weil die amerikanischen Soldaten - obwohl es auch da Ungeheuer gab - die (vorwiegend) Frauen und Kinder als Menschen behandelten, während die russischen Soldaten nach Kriegsende zwar die Menschen von den Nazis befreit haben, die Mädchen und Frauen aber nahtlos in den nächsten Alptraum schickten. Die Beschreibungen von Samuel, die die Vergewaltigungsorgien schildern, sind kaum zu ertragen. Solche "Vorgehensweisen" passieren ja auch heute noch in jeder kriegerischen Auseinandersetzung, und das Problem bei mir ist: ich verstehe es nicht. Ich verstehe generell nicht, wie man als Mann ein (sexuelles) Bedürfnis über das Leben einer Frau (oder eines Mannes) stellen kann. Und noch weniger verstehe ich es, wie man als Kriegsmittel so etwas einsetzen kann. Wie man in einem Krieg überhaupt "Lust" verspüren kann. Wie man eine ohnehin schon zu Tode geängstigte Frau, ein Flüchtling, eine vielleicht (schwer) verletzte Frau trotzdem immer noch benutzen kann (also einen hochbekommt), weil man geil ist.

Ich verstehe es nicht.

Samuels Mutter hatte Glück: nachdem sie die grauenhafte Behandlung der Russen überlebt hat, fand sie in einem amerikanischen Soldaten die Liebe ihres Lebens und ging mit ihm und ihrem Sohn nach Amerika. Die Schwester von Samuel, die noch eine Zeit lang in Deutschland bei ihrem Vater blieb, kam einige Zeit später ebenfalls nach.

Ein sehr berührendes, aber auch schwer zu lesendes Buch, das erst mal eine Weile zum Sacken-lassen braucht.