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While Born During WWII
You were born in a hospital?" Hilde says as she lays down her black bread and cheese sandwich. She sits opposite me at my kitchen table.
Looking up from my salad, I nod. "Yes, I thought everyone by the 1940's was born in a hospital."
"Hell no." Hilde stares at me. "In Germany I was born at home, on the couch, delivered by a midwife."
Thus began the noontime conversations of an American housewife and a German cleaning lady about their contrasting lives during and after WWII.
My mother taught me that an important word in any language is while. While one thing is happening, so is another. "While I wash dishes, Peggy, you dry. While we are in nighttime, someone is in daylight. While one person dies, another is born."
While WWII began, two little girls were born and grew up in opposing countries and living in its aftermath.
With this word while, we started this book of extreme contrasts, startling discoveries and sometimes striking similarities.
Looking up from my salad, I nod. "Yes, I thought everyone by the 1940's was born in a hospital."
"Hell no." Hilde stares at me. "In Germany I was born at home, on the couch, delivered by a midwife."
Thus began the noontime conversations of an American housewife and a German cleaning lady about their contrasting lives during and after WWII.
My mother taught me that an important word in any language is while. While one thing is happening, so is another. "While I wash dishes, Peggy, you dry. While we are in nighttime, someone is in daylight. While one person dies, another is born."
While WWII began, two little girls were born and grew up in opposing countries and living in its aftermath.
With this word while, we started this book of extreme contrasts, startling discoveries and sometimes striking similarities.
228 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 27, 2024
A highly interesting take on 2 little girls growing up in WWII. The title 'WHILE' is so perfect as each now grown woman, shares her life, one in the US the other in Germany. The contrasts and yet the similarities I found an interesting study into our lives as we each live ours out WHILE someone else is living out their life. I found this book hard to put down and one that drew me in from the start. It truly was a random 'gem' of a story to read.
September 23, 2011
I enjoyed the contrasting memoirs in While...: Born During WWII. I found many similarities between Peg Hanna's upbringing in Pennsylvania to my mother's upbringing in New Jersey. My mother was born in 1938 and I've always enjoyed her memories of what growing up during WWII was like. Her first American Girl doll gift to my daughter was Molly, the girl growing up in the war years; she found so much in Molly's story that she remembered and wanted to share with her granddaughter.
I also connected to Hilde. My maternal grandmother was the daughter of German immigrants to Canada and I found a number of similarities between my grandmother and Hilde in their outlook and attitudes toward life that might be very much about being German. Hilde's disgust with things that were dirty and unclean certainly rang a bell -- my grandmother kept a very clean, neat house and expected everyone else to do the same!
The contrast between the two women's histories was striking. Hilde's traumatic upbringing, her abusive relationships, were a stark contrast to Peg's warm, supportive environment. Every time Hilde had another obstacle thrown in her way, I felt so sad for her; struggle after struggle seemed to leave her exactly where she started, occasionally even further behind. I admired her perseverance and commitment to doing the best job she knew how for her children.
I know Peg (Mrs. Hanna, in my mind!) personally: her adult son Lee is my neighbor. I have admired her wit and humor at the birthday celebrations where I have met her -- and I laughed out loud when she described herself at a formal wives tea party when she dropped the lid of the pot and swore. That didn't fit my experience of her at all!
What a treasure Mrs. Hanna and Mrs. Barron have given us: a first person record of a dramatic time in American and German history.
I also connected to Hilde. My maternal grandmother was the daughter of German immigrants to Canada and I found a number of similarities between my grandmother and Hilde in their outlook and attitudes toward life that might be very much about being German. Hilde's disgust with things that were dirty and unclean certainly rang a bell -- my grandmother kept a very clean, neat house and expected everyone else to do the same!
The contrast between the two women's histories was striking. Hilde's traumatic upbringing, her abusive relationships, were a stark contrast to Peg's warm, supportive environment. Every time Hilde had another obstacle thrown in her way, I felt so sad for her; struggle after struggle seemed to leave her exactly where she started, occasionally even further behind. I admired her perseverance and commitment to doing the best job she knew how for her children.
I know Peg (Mrs. Hanna, in my mind!) personally: her adult son Lee is my neighbor. I have admired her wit and humor at the birthday celebrations where I have met her -- and I laughed out loud when she described herself at a formal wives tea party when she dropped the lid of the pot and swore. That didn't fit my experience of her at all!
What a treasure Mrs. Hanna and Mrs. Barron have given us: a first person record of a dramatic time in American and German history.
June 5, 2011
A compelling comparative memoir of two vastly different lives. The story of great relationships, happy families, good friends and great love is contrasted against one of complicated relationships, broken families and a paucity of love. Notwithstanding that one of the authors is my Mom, this is a very good read.
June 6, 2011
This is a dual autobiography of two women. Their lives only touch near the end, and they are sometimes worlds apart though often in the same city.
Disclosure: One of them is my mom, and the parts I couldn't put down were about my family.
Disclosure: One of them is my mom, and the parts I couldn't put down were about my family.
September 5, 2011
It was interesting to write CONTRASTING memoirs. I didn't know how a little girl grew up on the other side of the war.
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January 29, 2016It's a very good book and fans of the magazine, Reminisce, (like myself) should very much enjoy reading it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews