Years of Estrangement

by Erich Leyens, Brigitte Goldstein (Translator), Wolfgang Benz (Preface by), Lotte Andor

Overview

This book contains two narratives, each of which offers a clear and moving portrait of how German Jews came to terms with the changes in their lives brought on by the Nazis. In Under the Nazi Regime, Erich Leyens reflects on the effects of authoritarianism on everyday Germans. By contrast, Lotte Andor's Memoirs of an Unknown Actress focuses on the absurdity of an exile's life, telling her story with unusual humor and an appreciation of life's unexpected joys. Both stories present a deep understanding of how human beings learn to cope in the face of evil.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810111660
Publisher:	Northwestern University Press
Publication date:	12/02/1996
Series:	Jewish Lives
Edition description:	Translated
Pages:	115
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.50(d)

Editorial Reviews

This work is composed of two memoirs, previously published in Germany, of Jewish exiles from Nazi Germany. In "Under the Nazi Regime," Leyens describes the life of a patriotic German war veteran and businessman, born in 1898, who left Germany in 1935 to work in Italy. It is a fascinating study of a man trying to evolve a philosophical position about his life and experience. In "Memoirs of an Unknown Actress," Andor writes of her life as the daughter of a bourgeois family who decides to become an actress. After leaving Germany, she wanders through Europe until finally making her way to the United States. Her thoughtful tale of her family, husbands, and art is a testament to the spirit. These ennobling memoirs are both recommended for Jewish studies collections.Gene Shaw, NYPL

Library Journal

"Reading their works is like sitting over a glass of hot tea while listening to people you care about trying to remember, reconstruct and understand. An important work, Years of Estrangement is also intimate and quietly strong." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher