Sisters in Science

by Olivia Campbell

The extraordinary true story of four women pioneers in physics during World War II and their daring escape out of Nazi Germany

In the 1930s, Germany was a hotbed of scientific thought. But after the Nazis took power, Jewish and female citizens were forced out of their academic positions. Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer, and Hildegard Stücklen were eminent in their fields, but they had no choice but to flee due to their Jewish ancestry or anti-Nazi sentiments.

Their harrowing journey out of Germany became a life-and-death situation that required Herculean efforts of friends and other prominent scientists. Lise fled to Sweden, where she made a groundbreaking discovery in nuclear physics, and the others fled to the United States, where they brought advanced physics to American universities. No matter their destination, each woman revolutionized the field of physics when all odds were stacked against them, galvanizing young women to do the same.

Well-researched and written with cinematic prose, Sisters in Science brings these trailblazing women to life and shows us how sisterhood and scientific curiosity can transcend borders and persist—flourish, even—in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Science, Biography, Feminism, Audiobook, World War II

384 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2024

About the author

Olivia Campbell is the New York Times bestselling author of WOMEN IN WHITE COATS and SISTERS IN SCIENCE. A regular contributor to National Geographic, her essays and journalism have also appeared in The Atlantic, The Guardian, Washington Post, New York Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Scientific American, and History.com, among others. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, three sons, and two cats.

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen were pioneers in physics and the first three women were granted habilitation in Germany which means they were able to teach at university level and Hildegard Stücklen worked at the University of Zurich with a chemist and a physician.

All four women lost their academic positions, because they were female and Jewish and it wasn’t safe for them to stay in Germany. With the help of friends and fellow scientists they tried to obtain visas and this wasn’t easy and at one stage over 140,000 people were in the queue.

Hedwig Kohn, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen fled to the United States and taught in colleges and universities and Lise went to Sweden, where she made a breakthrough in nuclear physics.

All the women struggled with having to leave Germany and family and friends behind, discrimination for being female and their male counterparts got first opportunity for vacant positions and were paid more, the cultural differences, language barrier and people didn’t understand how they felt, they were safe and others weren't.

I received a copy Sisters in Science from Edelweiss Plus and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Author Olivia Campbell has thoroughly researched these four remarkable scientists, not only were they brilliant physicists but they all persevered and never gave up hope of getting out of Germany and it saved their lives.

I did struggle at times reading this book, despite being an interesting topic and subject and for some reason it dragged on for me and maybe it should’ve been shorter. However I do acknowledge female scientists today owe so much to these four academically brilliant and brave ladies and three stars from me. Please read this book for yourself and makeup your own mind and maybe it was wasted on me!

[Annie J (The History Solarium Book Club) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Disjointed Dive into Four Female Scientists Who Fled Nazi Germany

While delving into an extraordinary topic and uncovering the stories of four women who were almost lost in Nazi Germany, Sisters in Science fell flat for me. Unfortunately, Campbell’s writing didn’t just dabble, but fully embraced, a couple of transgressions of historical writing. First, there was a significant amount of projection that happened throughout the book. Too often, Campbell described how the women must have felt and thought. The only places I see this working is in an author’s note or epilogue. When the sources and evidence aren't there to back it up, leave it alone or to the purview of historical fiction. Secondly, there were several instances of unnecessary commentary from the author. Her addition of rhetorical questions were simplistic and sought to lead the reader to a particular line of thinking. My last major criticism is the use of first names. Almost exclusively the author referred to women by their first name and men by their last. There needs to be one choice that is followed consistently for both. As a historian, I appreciated the context chapters, but had a difficult time following the organization of the book. It wasn’t chronological and it didn’t just follow the story of one woman and move on to the other. It just felt disjointed and haphazard throughout.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Park Row for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Olivia Campbell’s Sisters in Science.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subject of this book, women scientists who escaped Nazi Germany, intrigued me. However, this was simply not the book for me. I was hoping for more emphasis on their escape and unfortunately, I instead got a ton of physics information (none of which I understood, somehow having managed to avoid ever taking a physics class). Given that I was listening to the audiobook version, skimming those sections was not really an option. This is no knock on the narrator, but more of an issue for this listener.

Sadly, I decided to DNF Sisters in Science. It just wasn’t the right audiobook for me. I’m sure it will find an appreciative audience, however.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Edit: Got the ebook from my library and managed to finish it

[Lesa Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

How four women physicists escaped Nazi Germany and made scientific history. A fabulous read.

[CatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia Campbell is a writer who previously published Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine in 2021. In her follow-up, 2024's Sisters in Science, Campbell continues her pattern of researching historical females in historically male-dominated professions who lived through challenging times. This book focuses on four German scientists whose lives and careers were interrupted by World War II:

Hedwig Kohn (1887-1964), a Jewish physicist
Lise Meitner (1878-1968), an Austrian nuclear physicist who was of Jewish heritage but converted to Catholicism (though she was still regarded as Jewish per the Nazi regime)
Hertha Sponer (1895-1968) and Hildegard Stücklen (1891-1963), two German physicists who were not Jewish, but whose careers were undermined by Nazi's attitudes toward academic women

Luckily, all four managed to survive the war (though some had immediate family members who did not) and continue their careers in some capacity afterwards, though several were dissatisfied of where and how they landed.

Similar to Campbell's prior book, I found Women in Science to lean too heavily into:
1) applying today's moral standards on historical figures (my #1 nonfiction pet peeve)
2) overly sympathizing with the four heroines, without considering that we all have flaws and make mistakes and taking the broader sociocultural perspectives into account (see the prior point)
3) conjecturing

Further reading: World War II stories from a female lens
The Counterfeit Countess: The Jewish Woman Who Rescued Thousands of Poles During the Holocaust by Elizabeth White
GI Brides: The Wartime Girls Who Crossed the Atlantic for Love by Duncan Barrett and Nuala Calvi
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger
The Dragon from Chicago: The Untold Story of an American Reporter in Nazi Germany by Pamela Toler
Fierce Ambition: The Life and Legend of War Correspondent Maggie Higgins by Jennet Conant
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II by Liza Mundy
The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Katherine Sharp Landdeck
Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen
The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler by Lynne Olson

My statistics:
Book 41 f0r 2025
Book 1967 cumulatively

[Olivia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book may be even better than my last one 🤩

[Sara (lequazionedeilibri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo libro mi ha ricordato perché amo essere una STEM girl ma mi ha anche ricordato perché non dobbiamo smettere di combattere per i nostri diritti tutt’oggi.

Mi ha ricordato quanto alla crudeltà umana abbia distrutto un intero popolo ❤️‍🩹

Ma soprattutto, mi ha ricordato che forza della natura siamo noi donne.

Bellissimo il lavoro bibliografico di questo libro.

[Meghan Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This came up on my spotify recommended audiobooks and I decided to listen to it because I was hating research and my life at that moment. It ended up being such a great listen and I really enjoyed it! I learned so much about the women in STEM who were working with people like Bohr Einstein Oppenheimer but they are of course never mentioned because the men get the credit. Lise Meitner discovering nuclear fission but her male co-scientist getting the credit and winning the noble prize was infuriating!!! Made me appreciate the work I do more especially hearing about everything they had to do in order to get their PhD and have a career. Working UNPAID for years and years just to get out of Nazi Germany and receiving no credit was so sad. It’s a pretty heavy science book so I would only recommend it if you find that interesting. Definitely can tell the author did immense research since it was so detailed. Overall really liked this book and i’m glad I took the time to read it!! Love learning about the unsung heroes of the field I work in

[Sara Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo libro è un saggio un po’ biografico e un po’ storico e sociale che racconta la storia, irta di ingiustizie e difficoltà, di quattro brillanti fisiche tedesche, che videro improvvisamente venir meno il loro diritti (come donne, studiose, lavoratrici e scienziate) durante l’inizio del regime nazista in Germania e la seconda guerra mondiale.
Un libro interessantissimo, che offre scorsi storici precisi e dettagliati ed è caratterizzato da una narrazione scorrevole alla portata di tutti. L’autrice per scriverlo si è affidata a tantissime fonti ufficiali e ha fatto ricerche per anni. Oltre a far riflettere su un'epoca non distante dalla nostra, rende finalmente giustizia a queste donne che con le loro scoperte contribuirono a fondamentali progressi nella fisica, ma i cui meriti non vennero riconosciuti abbastanza.

[Deacon Tom F. (Recovering from a big heart attack) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

I very much enjoyed this book. Although it had a wee bit of science, it did not interrupt the flow of the story.

Above all, it is a story of women at the beginning of the 20th century and the incredible prejudices they encountered. Sad!

I highly recommend!

[Michael Hays · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an incredible part of history that you never hear about! This true story of courage, determination, dedication and perseverance is definitely a story that anyone that loves history or science should read. If you happen to love history and science both? Well, this will be your dream books!

I definitely developed a true appreciation for these women along with the other scientists who had to try to flee Germany to stay ahead of the Nazis as well as all of the other sacrifices and trials that they lived through. This is not a part of WWII history that I have heard much about other than general references to Einstein and I found it very intriguing to learn more about. For me personally, the book got a little too into the science at times which took away from the story. I realize that it would be virtually impossible to tell the story of a group of groundbreaking scientists without spending a fair amount of time discussing the actual science, but at times I felt like I was reading a science textbook. Other than that I feel like it is an excellent addition to my collection and I want to thank the author, publisher and anyone else involved with the giveaway on Goodreads where I won my free copy. Thank you all!

[brianna maphis · Rating 4 out of 5]

so fascinating. and frustrating bc why nazi germany remind me of america rn LOL. some parts of the book i was just like Huh but overall it was good

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for an ALC of this book to listen to and review.

I like to learn about history around the WWII era, I like to read about strong, intelligent women and I like stories that end with hope, so I thought this book would be right up my alley.

The narrator was good, no complaints with her. I liked to learn about the four MC women scientists and everything that they did, but the writing didn't quite work for me. The book was very science heavy and while I am sure there are many readers out there smarter than me who would be able to follow it all, I was not interested in it.

Also, the structure of the book felt disjointed, as if the timeline was a little skewed. Since I was listening to this, I wasn't able to page back and forth to confirm if this was the case or not, so it could just be I wasn't listening very well.

This is a book I would recommend in real, tree book form as opposed to audio or ebook. I would have liked to have been able to skim the science bits that got too much for me and to be able to see the timeline of it better. It's not a bad book, but I think the format in which I experienced it affected my enjoyment of the book. As it is, 2.5 stars, but rounded down. This is an important topic, but it didn't move me the way I was hoping for.

2, not bad but I expected more, stars.

[Aine Lucido · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but I had to DNF. Those of you who know me know I HATE to DNF a book and can count on one hand the number of books that I have. I was drawn to this book as a science teacher that likes to point out the under representation of female scientists in history. However, I couldn’t make it through. I think the premise of this book is very powerful, it really just needed a better editor.

This book follows four female scientists that fled Nazi Germany. It goes very in depth with upper collegiate level physics descriptions that are a slog. The layout of the book was also confusing- it didn’t follow one woman at a time, and it also wasn’t chronological, just confusing. I didn’t like some of the things the author assumed that the individuals are feeling either. While I love that this details the work of four trailblazing women in science, it really was difficult and I tried to stick with it, I really did. It was well researched, but a bit overdone in what should’ve been scaled back.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and the author for my ARC copy in exchange for my review. Also shoutout to Libby for the audiobook since I didn’t download it in time.

[Jacklyn B · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book, I was immediately interested in reading it. I love reading untold stories of women throughout history and especially in STEM. This book goes back into the 1930s and we meet four women scientists. We follow them as they struggle to even be allowed at universities, and eventually must flee Germany and go to Sweden and the US.

“Silly girl. Didn’t she know that universities were for men? That math was for boys?”

These four women were brilliant scientists and their stories deserve to be told. They were strong and brave and their journey was so difficult.

I thought this book was really well researched and very detailed and the author doesn’t shy away from the horrors these women experienced. Some parts are hard to read, but I believe understanding our history (even the ugliest parts) is important.

If you enjoy reading about history and science, I would check this book out. This book does dive into the actual science behind their work, so you’ll probably learn a little something too!

[Samantha Gagen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

“This book is dedicated to all the women academics murdered by the Nazis. Their absence haunts this book; the rippling impact of their loss affects us all. May their memories be a blessing and remind us of the importance of fighting fascism and unfettered hatred in all its forms.”

Though I’m not an expert, I thought I knew a lot about Nazi Germany, WWII, and the Holocaust, but I learned so many things from this book! As my one and only nonfiction read/review of the year, this was a great pick.

It had lots of primary sources and was clearly very well-researched. It’s incredibly informative and paints a very detailed picture of what women academics were facing in the 1930s-40s, worldwide but particularly in Germany. These extraordinary women already faced so much discrimination and challenges merely due to misogyny and sexism, but of course everything became that much worse once the Nazis took power. The book specifically follows the stories of Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer, and Hildegard Stücklen, who all had to eventually flee Nazi Germany and eventually settle in the United States due to being Jewish (or having Jewish ancestry), simply being women in academia, or being anti-Nazi. They lost their personal and professional connections, at least to a certain degree, and all experienced setbacks in their careers due to this forced exile.

I would love to read more about these women’s lives and accomplishments, because while this book did make me interested to know more, it wasn’t always the easiest to follow. While trying to do justice to all four biographies, it jumps around a bit, repeats things already discussed (which makes some sense because it’s now providing context for another person’s story, but still), and pads the four main women’s stories by jumping almost randomly to other people briefly and then jumping back. Especially with three of the four biographies following women whose names start with H, it was hard to keep things straight.

I also think I went in with unclear expectations. With a subtitle of “How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History,” I expected a bit more…excitement, I guess. Olivia Campbell starts by providing backstory on the women and the historical climate, which is necessary I’m sure, but that means we don’t actually get to the real rise of the Nazis until a quarter of the way through the book. While it was fascinating and heartbreaking to read all the great hardships these women suffered and all the many hoops they had to jump through to enter academia, build their careers, and then ensure their own survival, we don’t get to the real nail-biter I was expecting from a book about “escaping Nazi Germany” until almost halfway through.

Then there’s the scientific parts. I guess I didn’t realize going into this how much actual science would be discussed, which is probably silly on my part since it is about women making *scientific* history. Truly, it makes sense that Olivia Campbell would need to explain the science behind their discoveries and accomplishments to truly demonstrate just how brilliant and groundbreaking the four women’s work was. But…it was really dry. I like science. I was pre-med for two years of university (long story, don’t ask). But I found myself only barely skimming a lot of those parts to get back to the more biographical sections.

So while this book wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I do think someone who enjoys scientific talk and the history of science, as well as is interested in WWII history and feminism, but who can taper their expectations regarding the “escape” parts of the book, I do think others would really enjoy it. And if nothing else, at least I now have lots more facts to whip out when I’m feeling a bit of feminine and/or antifascist rage coming on, like why I’m mad about the Nobel prize they gave Otto Hahn for nuclear fission and why I’ll never buy a Ford.

Read if you’re interested in:
History nonfiction
History of science
Physics
Nazi Germany & WWII
Feminism
Women in academia

[Arianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo libro affronta temi incredibilmente importanti, ho apprezzato poter scoprire dell'esistenza di una serie di donne che hanno fatto la differenza in campo scientifico.
Mi ha fatto riflettere su quanti passi siano stati fatti per l'emancipazione femminile, ma anche quanti ancora ne manchino per raggiungere una completa uguaglianza.
Nonostante ciò ho scelto di dare solo tre stelle in virtù dei vari errori di traduzione di questa edizione e per i continui salti temporali che mi hanno impedito di capire pienamente l'ordine degli eventi.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up

The concept of this book was awesome, but the execution didn’t do it. It felt like it jumped at times, sometimes it was too in depth about the actual physics of their work, and I didn’t really enjoy the narrator who read it. She didn’t do enough to keep me intrigued.

[Katia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good history-meets-feminist-revolution book. This was such a great story.

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

Powerful stories of strong women, surviving attrocities.

Lots of physics and some chemistry, easy to get lost if one doesn't have a minimum of background understanding.

It is scary to see the similarities between the first few years of Hitler's presence in politics and the curent state of affairs in the US. Scientists' exodus has started....

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to get through this, especially since it was on my TBR and my book club. But it was very Science-heavy, to the point that you almost felt like reading a textbook, while also very preachy. The highlight of this story is obviously the way that history glossed over these women's accomplishments and continued to do so in modern times, but the way it was written was an aggressive reminder that everyone hates women and their accomplishments. It made me wonder, why is a feminist book written so the reader feels bad? I'm already aware of the issues or I wouldn't be interested in this book in the first place. Couldn't finish.

[Arianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Godibilissimo, una storia che ha il giusto mix di divulgazione storica e biografia (anche se, immagino, spesso un po' romanzata).

Peccato per i molti, troppi, refusi :(

[Donna Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know very little about physics as I only had a 10-week course in college so this was really interesting book about female physicists. I recognized some of the male scientists mentioned just because they have things named after them (i.e. Planck's constant). It focused on the 1930s and 1940s, in particular, the war years about which I've been trying to read more nonfiction. I love when books pair science and history together. Read my full review at Girl Who Reads.

[Cathy Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book on women scientists in Nazi Germany and their escape.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

SISTERS IN SCIENCE details the lives of Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer, and Hildegard Stücklen, four women who were forced to leave their homes, their research and livelihoods due to Hitler’s regime. It wasn’t enough that these four intelligent physicists were already facing sexism and working below their educated talents, but now with Hitler’s takeover, they were also being discriminated against because they were Jewish.

Many scientists and foundations from all over the world had to band together to get these four women to safety and it wasn’t easy. At times, this book reads like a thrilling novel as you are taken along on Lise’s train ride to Sweden or Hedwig’s numerous roadblocks to her leaving Germany. However, as thrilling as it was in spots, it does take a bit to get into this story.

Since I am the farthest thing from a scientist, I have to admit that a lot of the physics conversations in the book went WAY over my head. I didn’t understand much of what these women were working on, but what I did understand was the constant sexism and semitism that they faced as well as the fear and uncertainty that each of them had if they couldn’t find a way out of Germany. Unfortunately, these are things people are still facing in the workplace today nearly 100 years later. These scientists were paid drastically less, weren’t allowed to be professors (only high school teachers), and couldn’t have their own labs (they had to work under a male scientist). But, without their research and perseverance to continue their work, many scientific problems would not be answered today.

“‘What will our soldiers think when they return to the university and find that they are required to learn at the feet of a woman?’ the faculty demanded.”

Aside from the story of the women’s lives, WWI and eventually WWII are raging in the background. The author creates a timeline of sorts of Hitler’s regime and the creation of the various concentration camps interspersed with the lives of these female scientists to create an urgency to their situation. While trying to save these scientists seemed like such a monumental task, male Jewish scientists like Einstein were easily transported to safer places like the US. Especially, when these women were coming up with solutions to just as important problems as the men were, sometimes alongside them.

“Just as the goal of the darkness is to snuff out the light, the goal of the Nazis was to snuff out anyone who wasn’t a straight, able-bodied member of their invented master race-as well as anyone who stood in the way of that goal…The Nazis considered your ancestry in their calculations of intolerance, not your religious practices. So, while making scientific history, Lise was also frantically searching for a way to make it out of Nazi Germany alive.”

Olivia Campbell’s extensive research and attention to detail make sure that the lives of these women and their struggles are remembered and honored. Her extensive bibliography and end notes are proof of her diligent fact-checking which must have taken years to collect and write. I think these women would be proud to know another woman took the time and effort to record their history.

These four brilliant scientists never lost hope even when they were forced to rely on friends, acquaintances, strangers, and other countries to save them. Each of their situations was desperate and if not for the monetary interventions and monumental plans to save them, they would not have made it out of Germany alive. I won’t try to explain their contributions to science but know that their discoveries made a huge difference. If you can wade through the extensive scientific details, this is a fascinating book.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters in Science is the historical and scientific account of 4 women, Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen who were pioneers in physics. All four of these women were living and working in Germany during the rise of Hitler. They were either Jewish or Jewish sympathizers, in danger if they couldn't leave the country and find work elsewhere. With the help of friends and fellow scientists they tried to obtain visas, but this wasn’t easy. They were all able to flee eventually with Hedwig Kohn, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen ending up in the United States and Lise Meitner going to Sweden. Their story doesn't end there. At this time in history, men ruled, and misogyny was rampant. Many women scientists did not survive, they could not escape Germany due to not procuring jobs elsewhere, so not allowed to emigrate (escape). Even though these four women were able to leave Germany, they worked for a pittance compared to men, and their discoveries were attributed to men, or even non-Jewish women, even missing out on a Nobel Prize. It was Lise Meitner's work that paved the way to the atomic bomb, but she refused to work on Oppenheimer's team. She had worked at a hospital during WW1, and couldn't support a weapon of mass destruction. She often wondered what would have happened without her discoveries.

I love when I learn about people, especially women, who I don't know anything about. I found it interesting that is was Lise Meitner that actually discovered nuclear fusion, but I had never heard of her. That time in history was a very misogynist time. Women were lucky to be able to study at University, let alone teach and do research. Even while doing remarkable research, the women were often recognized as assistants only and the men they worked with got all the accolades. Not only did they have to fight for recognition because they were female, but being Jewish made it twice as bad. Germany was advanced in physics and chemistry in the 1930s, but once Hitler came to power they regressed due to all Jewish professors, male and female, were let go. The US wasn't much better and these women bounced around from University to University. My big complaint about this book was how several sections were very dry. There was a lot of scientific jargon in the book, and I understand why some had to be included, but at times, she almost lost me. I loved learning about the women's personal life and fight to work in their fields. Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would, but be prepared for large portions that might be dry and drag a bit. I listened to this book, narrated by Cassandra Campbell. Her voice brought the book to life in degrees and I'm sure that listening to this one was how I was able to enjoy it as much as I did. If you want to learn about women in STEM, women forgotten or ignored heroes, and historical fiction when it deals with the issues Jewish professors had to deal with to survive, then I recommend you pick this one up.

[_conlatestafrailibri_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

LE RAGAZZE DELLA SCIENZA

Una lettura di cui non sapevo di aver bisogno e che voi dovete assolutamente recuperare.

Negli anni Trenta, la Germania era un centro nevralgico del pensiero scientifico. Tuttavia, con l’ascesa al potere dei nazisti, le donne e le cittadine ebree furono costrette ad abbandonare i loro incarichi accademici. Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer e Hildegard Stücklen erano scienziate di spicco nei loro campi, ma a causa delle loro origini ebraiche o delle loro posizioni antinaziste furono costrette alla fuga. Il loro esilio non fu solo una battaglia per la sopravvivenza, ma anche una corsa contro il tempo per salvare la propria ricerca e il proprio futuro.

Germania tra gli anni 20 e 40 del '900. La storia dietro a questo periodo storico è tristemente nota, anche se poco studiata, e questo libro ci porta uno spaccato del periodo inedito. La Germania in quegli anni fu una potenza scientifica in ambito fisico e chimico, ma cosa successe alla scienza in quel periodo? Cosa è successo a tutti gli scienziati ebrei tedeschi che non si portano dietro la fama di Einstein? Ma soprattutto, cosa è successo alle donne scienziate tedesce che iniziavano solo in quel momento a vedersi riconosciuti i proprio diritti in quanto donne? Questo libro narra la storia di quattro scienziate, il loro percorso accademico, la fuga e la successiva salvezza, costellato da momenti di gioia, sofferenza e profonde ingiustizie. È una lettura intensa, a tratti difficile da affrontare, ma necessaria. Racconta di donne pioniere, spesso relegate nell’ombra di colleghi uomini, ma che hanno lasciato un segno indelebile nel mondo scientifico. Nomi dimenticati – o volutamente cancellati – che in questo libro trovano la loro rivalsa, offrendoci una preziosa occasione per comprendere, ricordare e non ripetere gli errori del passato.

Lo stile è straordinario: a metà tra la narrativa e il saggio, alterna il racconto delle vicende personali delle protagoniste a spiegazioni scientifiche che contestualizzano il loro lavoro e ne fanno emergere il valore. Anche le parti più tecniche non risultano mai pesanti, grazie a un perfetto equilibrio con momenti di riflessione e narrazione. Il risultato è una lettura scorrevole, coinvolgente ed emozionante.

Un libro meraviglioso, che vi consiglio con tutto il cuore.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shares the stories of four German scientists from the start of their careers to their escape from Nazi Germany and their lives after the war. To put it simply, each story is a remarkable read. From blatant misogyny to actual legal obstacles, achieving a degree in any scientific field as a woman in the early 20th century was a feat in itself. When the Nazis took power, even more restrictions are put on the women forcing all four (two of them Jewish) to flee. These stories offer hope as these are the women who survived thanks not only to their own strength and courage but also hundreds of people who worked together to give these women the job offers, money, and transportation arrangements needed to escape. Even though the story of these four women ends with their survival, it makes the dedication even more poignant:

“This book is dedicated to all the women academics murdered by the Nazis. Their absence haunts this book; the rippling impact of their loss affects us all. May their memories be a blessing and remind us of the importance of fighting fascism and unfettered hatred in all its forms.”


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[E. Kae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an inspiring story about four female physicists who escaped from Nazi Germany and went on to live fulfilling lives in other countries making groundbreaking discoveries in their respective fields of study.
My only problem with this book was that its strong feminist overtones. It was a hard time for women in academia. However, we as humans do not believe in replacing evils with equal and opposite evils, and that is what feminism does. It replaces misogynism with the belief that all men are evil simply because they are men.
That said, Ms. Campbell does have a point. She points out that “Einstein, Bohr, Planck, Schrodinger – these men’s names are used as shorthand for scientific genius and physics progress.” Before this, I had no idea that Lise Meitner had theoretically discovered nuclear fission. I assumed it was just another male achievement.
The key takeaway for me from this book is the recognition that women should have equal opportunities in science – and that the women who excel in these fields are absolutely brilliant.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I don't pretend to understand all of the theoretic physics mentioned in the book, I am trying to understand the inhumanity that humans shown toward their fellow men, and that, too, remains unfathomable to me.

This is testimony to the spirit of human resilience against such powerful adversity. It is heartbreaking at times to hear how society treated women (we've come aways, but lots left to do) and people with other viewpoints, and, of course, those perceived to have "tainted" blood lines. I keep recalling the quote (I'll paraphrase) that "we are judged by a society on not how we praise our heroes, but on how we treat the downtrodden." The four women scientists highlighted in this book were, at least intellectually, among the highest echelon of their time, and yet they were marked for shunning if not death.

Lots to consider here, including in today's climate, how far away is our thinking now?