Trauterose, A Memoir Of Resilience And Redemption In Post-Hitler Germany, Receives 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award

Haggblade's eyewitness account will likely be regarded as one of the best accounts ever written about post-World War II Germany.

There have been many memoirs written about WWII and the Holocaust. Perhaps none are as interesting as 'Trauterose: Growing Up in Postwar Munich' by Elisabeth Haggblade. Her remarkable memoir is certain to become one of the definitive accounts of post-Hitler Germany, not only for its exquisite prose and the author's intimate encounters with notable figures but also for the sweeping global perspective that Haggblade brings to her narrative. ‘Trauterose' was awarded the IndieReader Discovery Award in the Memoir category. In addition, the cover was awarded First Place Non-Fiction in The Authors Show 2024 Book Cover Awards.

'Trauterose' is the compelling first-person account of Elisabeth Haggblade, who was orphaned at birth at the height of World War II and spent the first eleven years of her life under the care of a former S.S. officer and his family.

Like many she knew and met during her formative years, Elisabeth was marked both physically and psychologically by the traumatic events of the war and its aftermath, where negotiating daily life during the most tenuous time in Germany's history often felt like a balancing act. Yet through it all, faith and the help of others prevailed.

"The late Pope Benedict XVI, known then as Mr. Ratzinger, taught catechism in our fourth-grade elementary school in Munich for a short while," Haggblade stated. "I wrote to him after he left because we missed him. He wrote back a long letter admonishing us to start our lives right. Even as Pope in Rome, he always wrote back.

"Christine Kaufmann, the German actress, was a student for a little while in our elementary school, making a glamorous impression before leaving for more acting and later marrying Tony Curtis.

"My foster father was dismissed from the S.S. He wanted out, but one did not resign from the S.S. One was shot. As he told me, while serving as a door guard for a special S.S. officers' function, my foster father confronted a man trying to enter in civilian clothes who refused to show his ID. A futile exchange of words ended in my foster father grabbing him and tossing him onto the sidewalk. The man filed a complaint with the highest orders to which he belonged. It put the S.S. in a dilemma, so they decided to eject my much lower-ranking foster father from the party.

"He was incarcerated in Dachau by the American Allies, where the Jews had been before him. He stood trial, where Jewish people defended him, verifying that he let their mail pass without inspection. My foster father was freed.

"Today the jog of American athletes entering the stadium brings back seeing a newsreel showing participants in the Hitler assassination attempt in 1944. They entered a cellar in Berlin in a jog, wearing only warm-up pants (which were later pulled off), lining up below iron hooks before being strung up with piano wire to hang.

“My mother's house was in a village near Garmisch-Partenkirchen (the Winter Olympics took place there in 1936), where I spent some time helping her with her B&B business and came away with not very good memories.

"Mine is perhaps not so much a Holocaust book, as I describe the long reluctance of the public and businesses to confront past atrocities; e.g., the employment of slave laborers. I write about the present recovery of stolen art during the Hitler era and Germany’s efforts to educate the young about the Holocaust."

In short, 'Trauterose' is the account of one person's search for humanity in existence—a cautionary tale on the inherited guilt created by rampant nationalism, and a painfully honest and often humorous view of the world through the eyes of a young woman who found her way to freedom and purpose.

Readers and reviewers have expressed praise for Trauterose. Craig Jones of IndieReader wrote, "TRAUTEROSE (Growing Up in Postwar Munich) by Elisabeth Haggblade offers an uncompromising, moving, and elegiac memoir of a deprived childhood in postwar Germany." Midwest Book Review said, "Libraries seeking powerful, personal memoirs that hold political and social lessons and insights will find Trauterose a study in adaptation, survival, and growth. It also deserves attention from young adult and adult book clubs seeking memoirs that reflect not just individual experience, but a sense of the culture and times."

One Amazon review stated, "The book is extremely well written, and I would recommend it highly." Another said, "I highly recommend this book. It will touch your heart." Another wrote, "It offers an unforgettable window into a time and place that few Americans know about."

Elisabeth Haggblade is available for media interviews and can be reached at don@freepublicitygroup.com. 'Trauterose' is available in both print and ebook forms at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Elisabeth-Haggblade/author/B0CTRXLF9G?. More information is available at her website at https://www.trauteroseauthor.com.

About Elisabeth Haggblade:

Elisabeth Haggblade holds a B.A. in German, a B.A. in Russian, a Master's in Linguistics from California State University, Fresno, and a PhD in English Philology from the Freie Universität Berlin. She retired from teaching part-time English and Linguistics at California State Universities and the Freie Universität Berlin. Her publications began with academic articles and book reviews as well as book reviews of fiction in The Los Angeles Times. She resides in California.

Contact:

Elisabeth Haggblade
don@freepublicitygroup.com
https://www.trauteroseauthor.com

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Antisemitism – Holocaust Years in Scandinavia, Jewish Question During World War II Provided By The Yellow Star That Wasn't, New Historical Memoir By Award Winning Author Cami Ann Green, PhD

Cami Ann Green is an award-winning author of human interest stories. Green has authored observations of life in America for several Scandinavian publications, both in Finland and the US, including face-to-face interviews with legendary novelist James Michener, and iconic feminist Betty Friedan.

Usually, the World Happiness Report and wartime Jews of Scandinavia don’t appear in the same sentence but 2021 is an unusual year. For the first time in its history, the Report measured the relationship between happiness and Covid-19, putting Scandinavia in the top eight countries where happiness was determined by people’s confidence in their governments and trust in each other, two factors that played a major role in Jewish survival in this part of the world.

In this special contribution to the genre(s) of World War II history and 21st century memoir, ‘The Yellow Star That Wasn’t; Scandinavia, Miami, And Me’ (Wartime Jews in Scandinavia; From Helsinki to a Miami Beach Obsession), Cami Ann Green introduces a geographic area that’s not a common part of Jewish history during World War II: the often-forgotten Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

The newly released historical memoir brings out little known historical facts, such as Finnish-Jewish soldiers worshipping in a portable synagogue at the Russian front while fighting alongside German Nazis, and that Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway on the same day in 1940 with Finland and Sweden being left alone. Without over-whelming readers with mind-numbing information, often typical of the previous literature about the years 1940-1945, Green includes more commonly known events (such as the heroism of Raoul Wallenberg, and Swedish Count Bernadotte rescuing camp inmates with his White Busses) to show readers how history and culture continue to affect the way we still view human relations, specifically in the area of tolerance and the fight against antisemitism.

Traditionally, teachers have relied on textbooks on the general history of WWII to fulfill their states’s mandate on Holocaust studies, but one professor doesn’t think the subject should be taught just as history, because then it becomes easy for students to say, “It happened then, it happened there, it has no relevance here.”

Education that engages students is the antidote to antisemitism, and to that end, connecting the topic with everyday people is essential. ‘The Yellow Star That Wasn’t; Scandinavia, Miami, And Me’ comes with biographical snapshots and anecdotes highlighting real characters and events that inspire anyone interested in stories to broaden their understanding of antisemitism and the Holocaust years in Scandinavia.

The book takes readers from the author as a Swedish, Protestant girl in the homogenous society of Helsinki (Finland) where Jews and Catholics were intriguingly exotic, through a marriage to a Catholic-American and then falling in love with a Jewish man in Miami Beach who gives her a sense of belonging in his Jewish community where she’s repeatedly asked about the fate of wartime Jews in the four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden), all with their own unique experiences.

Among Green’s unique qualifications for ‘The Yellow Star That Wasn’t; Scandinavia, Miami, And Me’ are her proficiency in the Scandinavian languages, and her ability to make the personal into the universal – particularly as it relates to history – by her focus on the human experience. Much of the material, told with a wry sense of humor, has evolved from the interest expressed by listeners at her ongoing speaking engagements.

Among the praise for ‘The Yellow Star That Wasn’t; Scandinavia, Miami, And Me’:

One reviewer said, "(the book) successfully weaves the writer's personal story into a narrative of acceptance/intolerance/resilience of the Jews in Scandinavia before, during and after the events of World War II. Ultimately it's an inspirational story on several levels."

Another noted, "The history of the Scandinavian Jewish experience of the Holocaust was full of information that was new to me. The comments the writer's lectures stimulated reveals the great connection to victims and survivors that lives in the generation that grew up right after WWII. This connection inevitably will fade in the following generations - to their peril."

Another stated, "I learned history not found in any of my history books in high school."

Cami Ann Green is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at info@seagreenpress.com. 'The Yellow Star That Wasn't: Scandinavia, Miami and Me' is available from Amazon and other quality booksellers. More information is available at the website at http://www.seagreenpress.com.

About Cami Ann Green:

A European and U.S.-educated lawyer, Cami Green has a PhD in Educational Leadership, and certificates from the University of Geneva (International Organizations) and the Hague Academy of International Law (Diplomatic Law). In spite of a sizeable body of academic writings (most recently, Modern Consuls, Palgrave Macmillan, July 2020), her love for human interest stories has remained a constant through her life. She’s been a peer reviewer (university press) of a book on Jewish identity that combines humor with scholarly research, while also being the winner of a humor contest herself.

Throughout her career, Green was committed to international education and was active in many organizations that shared the goal of preparing coming generations for the new global community. Among them: AALS (Association of American Law Schools) Section on Graduate Programs for Foreign Lawyers (founding president; newsletter editor); Florida Commission on International Education (University of Miami School of Law Representative); Florida State Commission on International Education; and NAFSA: Association of International Educators (national Parliamentarian). She was also a member of the Consular College, Washington, D.C. and a member and secretary of the Consular Corps of Miami.

Contact:

Cami Ann Green

info@seagreenpress.com

http://www.seagreenpress.com

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Antisemitism – Scandinavian Holocaust History Provided By The Yellow Star That Wasn’t: Scandinavia, Miami And Me, New Historical Memoir By Award Winning Author Cami Ann Green, PhD

Cami Ann Green is an established academic writer and an award-winning author of human-interest stories. She is in several Scandinavian publications, both in Finland and the US, with such pieces as face-to-face interviews with legendary novelist James Michener, and iconic feminist Betty Friedan.

According to a first-ever 50-state survey on Holocaust knowledge, 63% of American Millennials and Gen Z did not know six million Jews were murdered (additionally, 41% said the number was 2 million or less) and 11% of survey respondents believed Jews caused the Holocaust.

On a positive note, 80% said it is important to continue teaching this part of history, partly so it is not repeated again.

Among the nationwide population, the AJC: American Jewish Committee found that 24% of Americans know "not much" or "nothing at all" about the Holocaust, with 90% of those who responded believing it is important for schools to teach the history of the Holocaust.

Traditionally, school districts have heavily relied on textbooks on the general history of World War II to fulfill their state’s mandate to teach Holocaust history, with teachers continually looking for engaging ways to teach a uniquely terrifying period of history. Since the adoption of a new federal law, the Never Again Education Act, signed into law by President Trump in 2020, teachers may apply for grants to assist them with curriculum materials for the history of the Holocaust and its relevance to growing antisemitism today.

A Maryland teacher believes that her students relate to the Holocaust period when she talks about the exclusionary laws targeting Jews in Germany in the 1930s because “middle schoolers are all about who’s in the club and who’s not in the club.” Meanwhile, a professor of Holocaust and genocide studies does not think the subject should be taught just as history, because then it becomes easy for students to say, “It happened then, it happened there, it has no relevance here.” He maintains that connecting the topic with everyday people is essential.

A recently released historical memoir The Yellow Star That Wasn’t: Scandinavia, Miami And Me introduces a geographic area that is not a common part of the Holocaust-related writings: the often-forgotten Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. The book combines stories with historical facts into a mesmerizing personal narrative that makes students of the Holocaust relate on a more personal level while letting them see how history and culture continue to affect the way we still view human relations, specifically in the area of tolerance and the fight against antisemitism.

Readers get important historical facts (for instance, that Hitler occupied Denmark and Norway on the same day in 1940 while Finland and Sweden were left alone) without being over-whelmed by mind-numbing information, in a way that the previous literature about the years 1940-1945 has not done. Often misunderstood or ignored, the Scandinavian situation has long been the focus of Green’s ongoing speaking engagements where much of the material evolved as an expression of the interest of listeners.

Among praise for The Yellow Star That Wasn’t:

"(the book) successfully weaves the writer's personal story into a narrative of acceptance/intolerance/resilience of the Jews in Scandinavia before, during and after the events of WW-II. Ultimately it's an inspirational story on several levels."

Another said, "The history of the Scandinavian Jewish experience of the Holocaust was full of information that was new to me. The comments the writer's lectures stimulated reveals the great connection to victims and survivors that lives in the generation that grew up right after WWII. This connection inevitably will fade in the following generations - to their peril."

"While it was the title that intrigued me (so contrary to the history I thought I knew), it was the personal story that kept me mesmerized. We are all products of the people who raised us!"

One reviewer stated, "I learned history not found in any of my history books in high school."

Cami Ann Green is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at cami@chofstadter.com. The Yellow Star That Wasn’t: Scandinavia, Miami And Me is in paperback or Kindle from Amazon and other quality booksellers. More information is available at the website at http://www.seagreenpress.com.

About Cami Ann Green:

A European and U.S.-educated lawyer, Cami Green has a PhD in Educational Leadership, and certificates from the University of Geneva (International Organizations) and the Hague Academy of International Law (Diplomatic Law). In spite of a sizeable body of academic writings (most recently, Modern Consuls, Palgrave Macmillan, July 2020), her love for human interest stories has remained a constant through her life.

Among Green’s unique qualifications for The Yellow Star that Wasn’t: Scandinavia, Miami, and Me are her proficiency in all Scandinavian languages, and her ability to make the personal into the universal – particularly as it relates to history – by her focus on the human experience. Through ongoing lectures and writings, she understands what Americans want to know about her own personal journey to an obsessive interest in the part of Holocaust history that involves the four Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden), all with their own unique experiences. She has also presented at the Holocaust Teacher Institute, University of Miami.

Throughout her career, Green was committed to international education and was active in many organizations that shared the goal of preparing coming generations for the new global community. Among them: AALS (Association of American Law Schools) Section on Graduate Programs for Foreign Lawyers (founding president; newsletter editor); Florida Commission on International Education (University of Miami School of Law Representative); Florida State Commission on International Education; and NAFSA: Association of International Educators (national Parliamentarian). She was also a member of the Consular College, Washington, D.C. and a member and secretary of the Consular Corps of Miami.

Contact:

 

Cami Ann Green

Cami@chofstadter.com

http://www.seagreenpress.com

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Surviving The Nazi Holocaust - A First Person Account By Author Alice Rene In 'Becoming Alice, A Memoir'

Though many years have passed, we have not forgotten the Holocaust. ‘The Diary Of Anne Frank’ became one of the best selling books ever written. ‘The Mascot’ is currently a very popular book. Now we have the opportunity to hear the story of a young Jewish girl who survived the Holocaust - directly from that young girl herself

Words can never describe the horrors the Nazi regime brought down upon the human race. Words will never do justice to the suffering imposed upon millions of Jewish victims and their families. Words can, however, show us how to move beyond hatred and death. They can show us how to go beyond survival to acceptance, and how we can learn to apply the lessons learned from such circumstances in our own lives today. Alice Rene has written those words in her memoir, 'Becoming Alice'.

"I wrote this book," stated Ms. Rene, "because my grandson chose to write about the holocaust to fulfill a school assignment and interviewed me as an expert on the subject. He knew I was born in Vienna and survived Nazi oppression, but not much else since I hardly ever spoke about it. I didn't want my children and grandchildren to feel themselves victims because they are Jewish. I wrote 'Becoming Alice' to show them and others how I, despite my background, came to consider myself just like any other person who can enjoy life to its fullest."

‘Becoming Alice, A Memoir’ is a true story in which a child tells us how she survives the holocaust. Overcoming horrific hatred, life threatening danger, and a harrowing escape, Ilse must choose her life's path.

Ilse's odyssey ends in Portland, Oregon. Traumatized by these events and being different from other children as a refugee, she struggles to fit into the American landscape. She suffers even more distress because of the discord between her troubled family: an overbearing father, a stressed mother, and a rebellious brother. Ilse, now called Alice, refuses to become a victim of the holocaust and takes a path to a better place.

Writer’s Digest Magazine called the book ‘ . . . a magnificent memoir and an impressive, courageous piece of work.’ Midwest Book Review stated that ‘Becoming Alice” is ‘. . . a deftly written memoir that will hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end.’ Saginaw Valley State University is using the book as part of the curriculum in an intercultural communication and identity course.

"'Becoming Alice'", Ms. Rene continued, "is a book which will appeal to readers who come from all different walks of life. It has found meaning for adolescents who feel they don't fit in and aren't accepted by their peers. It is an inspiration for people who have problems they think they cannot overcome. It illustrates that there is a positive life for them once they have survived their problems."

In the tradition of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’, ‘Becoming Alice’ is destined to become more than just a book. For while it is a story of one Jewish girl's journey from darkness to light, the lessons it offers apply to all of us. It is a tale that will inspire anyone to take the path beyond survival to be able to enjoy life's bounty.

Alice Rene is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below, or by email at alicerene1@aol.com. ‘Becoming Alice, A Memoir’ is available at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com and at BooksAMillion.com as a paperback and also as Kindle and Nook book. More information is available at Alice Rene's website at www.AliceRene.com.

Profile:

Alice Rene grew up in Portland, Oregon and attended Reed College before moving to California where she received a Master’s degree in Social Welfare from the University of California at Berkeley. She worked as a Medical Caseworker at UC Hospital in San Francisco, teaching the house staff the importance of social and emotional issues in understanding and treating patients.

She began writing seriously after a grandson interviewed her for a high school history assignment. She realized then that her story might be of interest to a wider audience. After studying the art and craft of writing for several years, she wrote her memoir, ‘Becoming Alice’. She now lives in southern California with her husband and is working on her next book.

Contact:

Alice Rene
Email: alicerene1@aol.com
Web: www.AliceRene.com

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