The Last Jews in Berlin
Written by Leonard Gross
Narrated by David de Vries
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
In this captivating and harrowing book, Leonard Gross details the real-life stories of a dozen Jewish men and women who spent the final twenty-seven months of World War II underground, hiding in plain sight, defying both the Gestapo and, even worse, Jewish "catchers" ready to report them to the Nazis in order to avoid the gas chambers themselves. A teenage orphan, a black-market jewel trader, a stylish young designer, and a progressive intellectual were among the few who managed to survive. Through their own resourcefulness, bravery, and at times, sheer luck, these Jews managed to evade the tragic fates of so many others.
Gross has woven these true stories of perseverance into a heartbreaking, suspenseful, and moving account with the narrative force of a thriller. Compiled from extensive interviews, The Last Jews in Berlin reveals these individuals' astounding determination, against all odds, to live each day knowing it could be their last.
Leonard Gross
Leonard Gross is a journalist and author. Much of his reportage was done for Look magazine, where he served for twelve years as senior editor, Latin American correspondent, European editor, and West Coast editor. Gross has authored, coauthored, or ghostwritten a total of twenty-two books, including both novels and nonfiction. He currently lives in Bend, Oregon.
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Reviews for The Last Jews in Berlin
45 ratings6 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a compelling and moving account. The narrator is excellent and does not intrude into the experience. The book explores the sheer horror of being 'on the run' because of ethnicity. Some readers found the number of characters confusing towards the end.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The ,sheer horror of being 'on the run' because of ethnicity made this a very compelling and moving account. Added to this is a narrator who does not intrude into the experience and is really excellent
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Was ok lost my way towards the end as so many characters
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such hatred. Sad times!! I would have been in on the resistance for sure
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very well researched and readable history of the heroic Jewish survivors of Berlin at the end of WWII. Their stories are gripping along with the German Gentiles and Swedish Church who helped hide and send them out of Berlin. Incredible stories of courage, fear and determination that was a literal life and death struggle. A very worthwhile book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jews of Berlin were shipped to death camps, starved to death, worked to death, committed suicide or were outright murdered. Only a handful of Jews managed to survive the entire war in Berlin. Leonard Gross has interviewed these people and compiled a book about their life and survival.
I thought this was an interesting slice of history. It was fascinating to read about how these courageous men and women survived. At times the names did seem to run together, but that is more my fault than the author's. Overall, well worth reading. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book covers in detail the stories of a dozen or so Jewish individuals who managed to survive the Holocaust hiding in plain sight in Berlin, in the very heart of Nazism. The author conducted extensive interviews with his subjects and, I expect, those that helped hide them, and he covers their stories almost day by day. It's very well-written and at times almost reads like a suspense novel -- I didn't want to put it down. Highly recommended.