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46th out of 87 books
—
5 voters
My Father's Country: Story of a German Family
by
Wibke Bruhns
On August 15, 1944, Major Hans Georg Klamroth was tried for treason for his part in the July plot against Hitler. Eleven days later, he was executed.
Wibke Bruhns, his youngest daughter, was six years old. Decades later, watching a documentary about the events of July 20, she saw images of her father in court suddenly appeared on-screen. “I stare at this man with the empty...more
Wibke Bruhns, his youngest daughter, was six years old. Decades later, watching a documentary about the events of July 20, she saw images of her father in court suddenly appeared on-screen. “I stare at this man with the empty...more
Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
May 6th 2008
by Knopf
(first published March 6th 2008)
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It was a really really good book, esp as an audiobook. It was well read. She made you really a part of the story.
The story is about one of the brave men who tried to kill Adolf Hitler on the 20 th July 1944. He was hanged. That is how the story begun and than the (youngest) doughter tells the story of him his wife his family. Using letters, diaries and historical facts. She never tried to bei objective, esp when she talks about his womenising.
It is a warm, loving, hatefull, horror-stricken, happ...more
The story is about one of the brave men who tried to kill Adolf Hitler on the 20 th July 1944. He was hanged. That is how the story begun and than the (youngest) doughter tells the story of him his wife his family. Using letters, diaries and historical facts. She never tried to bei objective, esp when she talks about his womenising.
It is a warm, loving, hatefull, horror-stricken, happ...more
1 like · like · see review
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Sep 09, 2008
Mike
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Mike by:
Claire MacGregor
The book has an unusual style, as Wibke takes us through the roots of her family via the extensive records kept by the various generations. The start is slow, but persistence pays off as you get an insight into the German side of the war, and really want to see what happens to her family through it. For me I learnt much more about both the world wars, which I imagine you can learn elsewhere, but the personal details that accompany it do make the history far more real. Fascinating, depressing and...more
I’m torn about this book: on the one hand, Ms. Bruhns doesn’t flinch in her attempt to understand how her parents and family fell under Hitler’s spell. On the other, the book doesn’t delve as deep as needed to fully convey the horror, and Ms. Bruhns (and readers) are left with, in some ways, more questions than answers (and not just because of the lack of historical documents).
Two things particularly bugged me. For one, the ending is too abrupt, and I feel like Ms. Bruhns missed a great opportun...more
Two things particularly bugged me. For one, the ending is too abrupt, and I feel like Ms. Bruhns missed a great opportun...more
Apr 02, 2011
Antof9
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
2011-read,
biographies-memoirs,
fathers,
for-realz,
jewish,
liberry,
made-me-think,
mothers,
historical,
germany,
made-me-cry,
principle-book
This is one of the most interesting books I've ever read, I think. From the poignant subtitle "The Story of a German Family" to the last lines of the book:
One of my first memories of the new era: I got slapped hard in the face. I can't remember who did it, whether it was Else or Barbara, I just remember flying through the kitchen. I had to become an adult before I understood why. Half-pint as I was, I had asked out of the blue, "Where did all the love for the Führer go? Why does nobody say Heil...more
one of the most exhaustive and detailed family histories i have ever read. covers a volatile and interesting period of german history from 1880 to 1944. surprisingly compelling and readable once you get the author's tone and style.
the intimacy of the portrait makes it much more than yet another account of german atrocities in WWII. this is about a woman's struggle to make sense of how her family came to be part of the war and what her father's role in it was. deeply personal, but told with typic...more
the intimacy of the portrait makes it much more than yet another account of german atrocities in WWII. this is about a woman's struggle to make sense of how her family came to be part of the war and what her father's role in it was. deeply personal, but told with typic...more
I found myself scanning over the first few chapters to get to the meat of the story. While I understand that the book is one woman’s exploration of wondering how her family could join in with the group hysteria of the time, I could have done without her inserted (!) within excerpts of her family’s diaries. I scanned over much of her commentary so that I could get to the history and actual memoir words.
The truly interesting part which contained the juxtaposition of her Mom’s pain of her husband’...more
The truly interesting part which contained the juxtaposition of her Mom’s pain of her husband’...more
Gives you a look at what was going on in post WWI and WWII Germany as seen by the daughter of one of the men who was charged with knowing about Hitler's assination attempt. Add concern for America's financial situation. With financial collaspe totalitarian rule is more likely with the masses just looking for any hope in any form.
Three generations of Germans from before WW1 and beyond WW2. A daughter's quest to understand and get to know the father she never really got to know before he was executed by by the Nazis for 'knowing' of the 20 july conspiracy. A deeply personal insight into Bürgerschaft, Nazism, Germany and relationships through nearly a century- Highly recommendable.
Bruhn’s family story is very well written. In order for her to write the book there was a perfect set of circumstances. She became a writer, her grandfather was meticulous about keeping the family history and stories, bother her parents kept a journal that survived after the war (except her mother's that she destroyed during the period of her father’s trial). All of this source material made the book possible. Initially, I thought this was just a story about a typical German soldier; but to my s...more
The subject matter is fascinating, the research is thorough, the perspective is wonderfully personal... and yet I didn't love it. For a start, it takes forever to get going. The introduction to why she's writing, then the very early history of her family, are all a bit too wordy. By around the time her parents actually get married, it picks up and is absorbing, and undoubtedly the earlier stuff is essential background to the central question of exactly *what was going on* with ordinary Germans,...more
Took me a long time to finish reading, but this is an excellent book thanks to the authors sincerity.
Autobiography of the daughter of a good Nazi who ends up trying to assassinate Hitler in 1944.
May 05, 2013
Helena Selkäinaho
added it
Tämä myös hyvä tarina tilaneesta yksilön näkökulmasta, joka toinen kuin Klempererillä.
Wibke Bruhns' family never discussed why her father, Major Hans Georg Klamroth, died in August 1944. The decorated WWI officer, wealthy industrialist and previously dedicated National Socialist had been party to an unsuccessful plot against Hitler's life, and he was hanged as a traitor. Bruhns, a journalist, reconstructs her family's early 20th century from letters, diaries and photographs, unsparingly examining their embrace of Nazism, casual Antisemitism and eventual turn against the Fuhrer, i...more
Fascinating.
I found the premise of this book incredibly interesting - the daughter of a man involved in the July 20 assassination attempt tracks through time to try to get to know the father she never knew.
That said, this wasn't the easiest book to slog through. I found the first half slow and tedious. The second half was more engaging.
That said, this wasn't the easiest book to slog through. I found the first half slow and tedious. The second half was more engaging.
Jul 07, 2010
Ian
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history-european,
library-loan
Interesting story from the daughter of a German officer executed by the Nazis for involvement in the plot to kill Hitler. A little too much on the history of the family before the First World War etc., but a different aspect of the effects of Nazism all the same.
This is a pretty good book for those who wonder how the Germans could have got into such a mess. A wealthy industrial family with good values gradually is sucked into the Nazi web, then redeems itself tragically.
impressively objective chronicle of a German family before and during both World Wars, told by a German woman, whose father was executed for collaborating in the Von Stauffenberg plot to kill Hitler.
Bruhns seeks to understand his father's generation during the war.
recommended by Barb
May 19, 2013
Amy Hustead
marked it as to-read
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Bruhns wurde als Tochter des Kaufmanns und Abwehr-Offiziers Hans Georg Klamroth und dessen Gattin Else als eins von fünf Geschwistern geboren. Da ihr Vater der Gruppe der Attentäter vom 20. Juli 1944 angehörte, wurde er am 15. August 1944 als Mitwisser zum Tode verurteilt und am 26. August 1944 hingerichtet. Ihre Mutter Else Klamroth, geborene Podeus, war die Tochter eines Fabrikanten aus Wismar.[...more
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