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Exit Berlin: How One Woman Saved Her Family from Nazi Germany
The agonizing correspondence between Jewish family members ensnared in the Nazi grip and their American relatives
Just a week after the Kristallnacht terror in 1938, young Luzie Hatch, a German Jew, fled Berlin to resettle in New York. Her rescuer was an American-born cousin and industrialist, Arnold Hatch. Arnold spoke no German, so Luzie quickly became translator, intermediary, and advocate for family left behind. Soon an unending stream of desperate requests from German relatives made their way to Arnold’s desk.
Luzie Hatch had faithfully preserved her letters both to and from far-flung relatives during the World War II era as well as copies of letters written on their behalf. This extraordinary collection, now housed at the American Jewish Committee Archives, serves as the framework for Exit Berlin . Charlotte R. Bonelli offers a vantage point rich with historical context, from biographical information about the correspondents to background on U.S. immigration laws, conditions at the Vichy internment camps, refuge in Shanghai, and many other topics, thus transforming the letters into a riveting narrative.
Arnold’s letters reveal an unfamiliar side of Holocaust history. His are the responses of an “average” American Jew, struggling to keep his own business afloat while also assisting dozens of relatives trapped abroad—most of whom he had never met and whose deathly situation he could not fully comprehend. This book contributes importantly to historical understanding while also uncovering the dramatic story of one besieged family confronting unimaginable evil.
Just a week after the Kristallnacht terror in 1938, young Luzie Hatch, a German Jew, fled Berlin to resettle in New York. Her rescuer was an American-born cousin and industrialist, Arnold Hatch. Arnold spoke no German, so Luzie quickly became translator, intermediary, and advocate for family left behind. Soon an unending stream of desperate requests from German relatives made their way to Arnold’s desk.
Luzie Hatch had faithfully preserved her letters both to and from far-flung relatives during the World War II era as well as copies of letters written on their behalf. This extraordinary collection, now housed at the American Jewish Committee Archives, serves as the framework for Exit Berlin . Charlotte R. Bonelli offers a vantage point rich with historical context, from biographical information about the correspondents to background on U.S. immigration laws, conditions at the Vichy internment camps, refuge in Shanghai, and many other topics, thus transforming the letters into a riveting narrative.
Arnold’s letters reveal an unfamiliar side of Holocaust history. His are the responses of an “average” American Jew, struggling to keep his own business afloat while also assisting dozens of relatives trapped abroad—most of whom he had never met and whose deathly situation he could not fully comprehend. This book contributes importantly to historical understanding while also uncovering the dramatic story of one besieged family confronting unimaginable evil.
293 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 10, 2020
Enjoyed this read. I don't normally go for this type of book, historical and nonfiction, but I'm glad I read this one. Luzie Hecht/Hatch retained much correspondence from the WW2 era; letters to her German Jewish family after her emigration to America and her attempts to convince a wealthy American cousin to sponsor their exit from Germany to other parts of the world. I'm sure it felt different at the time and was very stressful, but cousin Arnold seemed a bit out of touch with what was going on and not bringing to America more of his relatives who we sadly found out later died in concentration camps. The book laid out all these letters and supporting background information in a mostly organized way and kept me interested in the story and invested in the Hatch family's outcome.
November 4, 2018
I well written and thoroughly researched look at one Jewish woman's experience in Nazi Germany. It's a microcosm of everything that happened during the Holocaust. The sheer amount of help that was asked of Luzie and Arnold by family, friends, and random people is truly amazing. I really liked how the author structured the letters in order to frame a cohesive story line. This method worked. Luzie tried to help everyone that she could, but ultimately several of her correspondents perished. This book is a sad reminder of the evils that transpired and a tribute to the resiliency of the human spirit.
October 8, 2015
This is a piece of history told in correspondence. Luzie, a German Jew, fled to the United States from Germany in 1938. Unlike most letters that have been found from WWII, Luzie has copies of the letters she sent as well as the responses, which has created a complete picture of one ordinary family's attempts to escape Nazi Germany. The complexities involved in gaining visas were something I'd never realized before.
I have many times wondered why the American community and government didn’t respond more immediately to the situation in Germany, but through Luzie's cousin's letters, I can see that his perspective simply couldn't have included such atrocities that came out later. Only those who actually left Germany could intuit what was going on. Highly recommend this quick read.
I have many times wondered why the American community and government didn’t respond more immediately to the situation in Germany, but through Luzie's cousin's letters, I can see that his perspective simply couldn't have included such atrocities that came out later. Only those who actually left Germany could intuit what was going on. Highly recommend this quick read.
February 12, 2020
A very interesting book and well worth reading.
It tells through letters of how a woman in Nazi Germany contacted a family member who she really didn't know and who lived in the U.S.
It follows her journey and tells of efforts to get other family and extended family members out of Germany.
Also interesting was the circuitous route some emigrants were taking to and through other countries.
During the depression there were few jobs for emigrants especially those who didn't speak English or the language of whatever country they were travelling to or through.
This is a different perspective of Nazi Germany and the policy changes that led Nazis at first to want all Jewish people to emigrate.
When other countries closed borders or cut back on the number of refugees,the policy changed to what we know as the holocaust.
It tells through letters of how a woman in Nazi Germany contacted a family member who she really didn't know and who lived in the U.S.
It follows her journey and tells of efforts to get other family and extended family members out of Germany.
Also interesting was the circuitous route some emigrants were taking to and through other countries.
During the depression there were few jobs for emigrants especially those who didn't speak English or the language of whatever country they were travelling to or through.
This is a different perspective of Nazi Germany and the policy changes that led Nazis at first to want all Jewish people to emigrate.
When other countries closed borders or cut back on the number of refugees,the policy changed to what we know as the holocaust.
September 19, 2021
Letters from a jew to another Jew seeking help during WW2. I was aware that the allies had closed up their doors ( the US set a quota of 27k in 1939) but I feel that the German Jews who had managed to get out could have been more helpful towards their own people at least by providing the necessary guarantees at least . This is indicated in pg 3 ..... why the American Jewish community did not respond more forcefully to the needs of its European brethren still pulls at the Americana Jewish community " .
Something I was not aware of was the China Shanghai route to escape from Germany
Something I was not aware of was the China Shanghai route to escape from Germany
March 2, 2023
Every book of this type adds a new level of humanity. Luzie Hatch, newly arrived from Germany in the US in 1938 thanks to her cousin Arnold, used all of her intelligence and resources to save family members from Nazi Germany. Cousin Arnold is a hero of this story. We hear his voice through his letters: so intelligent, measured and engaged.
April 19, 2022
Found this to be a very moving bit of non-fiction—the fact that it is all actual letters written felt very very real and really showed the impossibility of escaping Nazi Germany for the average Jewish person there. Recommend if you generally like WW2 historical fiction.
April 5, 2020
Sad book about found letters trying to get family out of Germany during the war.
October 17, 2014
I found this book poignant and very interesting. It gave me new insight and perspective about the plight of Jewish families in WW2 Germany and their fight to escape the atrocities. The personal letters of one extended family back and forwards across the Atlantic showed how difficult it was for the American part of the family to help and also to fully understand the situation of those left. iIt was both interesting and sad to read about the different routes that people had to take and the harsh conditions that they had to suffer. It did, however, show that the perserverance and generosity of those in America did help some family members to escape
September 28, 2014
The Second World War ended many decades ago, but wars and violence unfortunately still exist, this is why it is always useful to remember what happened in this black page of human history.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews