Written in diary form our author simply describes the events as Berlin falls to the Russians nearing the end of the war. The impact on the civilian population left in the city (mainly women, children and older people). In this harsh environment where food is a scarce resource, one must do what is necessary to survive. The Russians arrive and rape and pillage, those two pillars of a marauding army on a civilian population, becomes the norm. You do what you have to - if by finding a 'protector' you get an extra ration of food, is that so wrong? You survive however you must. To categorize the horrors that people survived and went through is not the purpose of this review, but as an eyewitness account of the degradation of a city and the inhumanity of man it is a profound and dispassionate book.
A number hadn't read the book in time for the meeting, I do urge you to do so. Also Cindy mentioned that another book closely related to this that should be read: The Past is Myself by Cristabel Bielenberg (obit)
Words used to describe it:
crisp, dispassionate, must read,
Marks out of 10 - 8 - 10
Next Book
Next Meeting
Wed 1 February at 115 Harbord St
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