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Anna's Bear: 5 Days of Moral Conflict And Pursuit, Nazi Germany, 1939
Germany. 1939. Young Inga Salzer hardens her heart and prostitutes herself to the Nazi Lebensborn program which drives toward the expansion of the Aryan race. Now pregnant by an SS officer, she proudly anticipates offering her "sacred child of good blood" to the Third Reich.
Fifteen year old Max Drexel immerses himself in the brutal sports of the Hitler Youth and absorbs its worship of the Fuehrer and of Nature.
To further his career ambitions, Steffin Lindeman drifts toward an embrace of Positive Christianity which mingles the traditional Gospel with an ardor for the ancient gods of Nordic mythology.
There is nothing that can bring such wildly different people together...or it there?
Two-year-old Anna Drexel comes down with meningitis and is taken by the family doctor to his special clinic. It is there that the agonizing battle for Anna's life expands into a raging war for the hearts and souls of Inga, Max and Steffin.
And threatening them all is Karl Zorn, Gestapo Chief in Max's hometown of Heidelberg, who describes himself as "a simple man with simple pleasures." The chilling fact is that foremost of his pleasures is hunting down and killing his favorite game--human beings.
So what would happen if a series of frightening events were to drive each of these people, each for his or her own particular purposes, on a five day mad journey into the depths of the Black Forest?
Based on years of research into the more bizarre aspects of Nazi Germany, Anna's Bear tells a story of moral conflict and fierce pursuit, with moments of surprising tenderness, high tension, and even hints of laughter in the midst of such darkness, finally leading to a totally unforeseeable ending.
Fifteen year old Max Drexel immerses himself in the brutal sports of the Hitler Youth and absorbs its worship of the Fuehrer and of Nature.
To further his career ambitions, Steffin Lindeman drifts toward an embrace of Positive Christianity which mingles the traditional Gospel with an ardor for the ancient gods of Nordic mythology.
There is nothing that can bring such wildly different people together...or it there?
Two-year-old Anna Drexel comes down with meningitis and is taken by the family doctor to his special clinic. It is there that the agonizing battle for Anna's life expands into a raging war for the hearts and souls of Inga, Max and Steffin.
And threatening them all is Karl Zorn, Gestapo Chief in Max's hometown of Heidelberg, who describes himself as "a simple man with simple pleasures." The chilling fact is that foremost of his pleasures is hunting down and killing his favorite game--human beings.
So what would happen if a series of frightening events were to drive each of these people, each for his or her own particular purposes, on a five day mad journey into the depths of the Black Forest?
Based on years of research into the more bizarre aspects of Nazi Germany, Anna's Bear tells a story of moral conflict and fierce pursuit, with moments of surprising tenderness, high tension, and even hints of laughter in the midst of such darkness, finally leading to a totally unforeseeable ending.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2014
44 people are currently reading
661 people want to read
About the author
O.W. Shumaker
1 book4 followers O.W. Shumaker, ex-steel worker, ex-waiter, ex-solo entertainer, ex-parole officer, ex-art director, ex-pastor, ex-database manager, ex-linguistics researcher, is a lover of history, especially the history of World War II. He is forever fascinated by the inner struggles, fears, passions, and temptations we all face, whether we live in Nazi Germany, 1939, or in America, 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 26, 2014
Reviewed on behalf of Readers' Favorite
Anna’s Bear: 5 Days of Moral Conflict and Pursuit, Nazi Germany, 1939 by O.W. Shumaker is a harrowing novel about five people crossing paths in an unlikely way. When Max Drexel’s two-year-old sister, Anna, becomes ill with meningitis, his family turns her over to an S.S. doctor. The doctor promises to cure Anna, but the truth is, he plans nothing of the sort. Max embarks on a daring kidnapping and escape plan with his little sister. Aided by Inga Salzer, a young woman who has given her virginity for the betterment of the Aryan race, the pair races to the Swiss border, closely pursued by Gestopo Chief Karl Zorn. Max and Inga receive the unlikely help of a pastor as they sprint for freedom and Anna’s life. Will they make it to the border in time or will the Gestapo win?
Mr. Shumaker certainly tells a fast-paced and exciting tale. I have a personal passion for learning about the Holocaust and Third Reich so I was especially interested to read his book. I was not disappointed. The story is complete with many twists and turns that will leave the reader wondering what will happen to our unlikely heroes. It is certainly a different kind of story, focusing on the questioning and change of belief during this dark period of history. I loved that the author kept with the historical aspect of the period while inserting his own characters into the mix. The ending certainly was not what I expected. Anna’s Bear is an amazing novel of people coming together to save the life of one little girl.
Anna’s Bear: 5 Days of Moral Conflict and Pursuit, Nazi Germany, 1939 by O.W. Shumaker is a harrowing novel about five people crossing paths in an unlikely way. When Max Drexel’s two-year-old sister, Anna, becomes ill with meningitis, his family turns her over to an S.S. doctor. The doctor promises to cure Anna, but the truth is, he plans nothing of the sort. Max embarks on a daring kidnapping and escape plan with his little sister. Aided by Inga Salzer, a young woman who has given her virginity for the betterment of the Aryan race, the pair races to the Swiss border, closely pursued by Gestopo Chief Karl Zorn. Max and Inga receive the unlikely help of a pastor as they sprint for freedom and Anna’s life. Will they make it to the border in time or will the Gestapo win?
Mr. Shumaker certainly tells a fast-paced and exciting tale. I have a personal passion for learning about the Holocaust and Third Reich so I was especially interested to read his book. I was not disappointed. The story is complete with many twists and turns that will leave the reader wondering what will happen to our unlikely heroes. It is certainly a different kind of story, focusing on the questioning and change of belief during this dark period of history. I loved that the author kept with the historical aspect of the period while inserting his own characters into the mix. The ending certainly was not what I expected. Anna’s Bear is an amazing novel of people coming together to save the life of one little girl.
November 1, 2015
Kept me interested from the start. Very nicely portrayed Nazi Germany, how it drew people into its cult, and how the characters finally broke free from the insanity, save for one villain. The ending was a bit abrupt and, I hate to say it, silly. But while some have knocked off a star or two for some of the minor weaknesses it has, the overall story line is very well done and brings to light key aspects of the time period. So since i can't give it 4 & 7/8's stars, it gets 5!
September 4, 2015
A really good novel for exploring Germany and the strange mindset of the nazi in that period. I didn't like the story itself, but I really like the research out and the introduction to many parts of the German world that I had never heard of it (gypsies and their bears for example).
Recommended as an entertaining informative piece. Not for the plot though.
Recommended as an entertaining informative piece. Not for the plot though.
September 2, 2015
Many cogent details of the period kept me reading, as well as the tense and poignant situation of little Anna. However, I am out of step with the acclaim this book has received; for me, the writing is rather wooden and simplistic. The author makes heavy use of internal narrative to tell us in great detail all the thoughts and motivations of the characters instead of nailing it down with drama.
May 5, 2016
Pretty good - enjoyed the story, although the writing was somewhat juvenile and not quite believable. The fact that there is truth in the Nazi's actions of murdering children (even German children...who were deemed weak or imperfect) will make one shudder. The Lebensborn program was equally horrifying - brainwashing young girls to have as many babies as possible for the Reich. Scary stuff.
July 1, 2021
This story is about how dedicated Nazi followers react when reality hits them in the face and they discover the horrible truth of Nazism as it relates to the health and survival of a sick child. They decide, each on their own, to do something drastic in order to save her.
In this novel we follow the lives of four central characters: the docile Pastor Linderman, who eventually has an epiphany of the meaning of real faith; beautiful Inga Salzer, the epitome of the Aryan race with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and incredible beauty, who has been selected for the Lebensborn Program and is now a breeder for the chosen SS soldiers and the future of the purity of the Aryan race; Max, a young military minded member of the Hitler Youth; and Anna, Max’s sister, who has contracted meningitis and has been selected to be placed into the Euthanasia Program for being impure.
Anna, age two, who speaks very little, is actually the pivotal character in the novel, for it is she who helps all of the other characters to find the true meaning of their existence, of compassion, and of loving one another. The story takes place over a period of five days in 1939 Nazi Germany.
In this novel we follow the lives of four central characters: the docile Pastor Linderman, who eventually has an epiphany of the meaning of real faith; beautiful Inga Salzer, the epitome of the Aryan race with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and incredible beauty, who has been selected for the Lebensborn Program and is now a breeder for the chosen SS soldiers and the future of the purity of the Aryan race; Max, a young military minded member of the Hitler Youth; and Anna, Max’s sister, who has contracted meningitis and has been selected to be placed into the Euthanasia Program for being impure.
Anna, age two, who speaks very little, is actually the pivotal character in the novel, for it is she who helps all of the other characters to find the true meaning of their existence, of compassion, and of loving one another. The story takes place over a period of five days in 1939 Nazi Germany.
August 21, 2019
I liked the story, but not the author's way of telling it. Too many actions were the result of coincidence, key people changed views (and their lives) at the right moment to make good things happen, information the reader might need was given via the hero talking to an unconscious two year old. About half way through I began trying to guess what new coincidence would the author use to trigger or solve the next event. Too much depended on pure blind luck and unlikely happenstance.
September 13, 2018
Heartbreaking and Inspiring at the Same Time
This book is well written and held my attention, and I had a hard time putting it down, despite the fact that it was hard to read at times knowing these atrocities actually happened in Germany. But there were also good and brave people, and in the end I was very glad that I finished the book.
This book is well written and held my attention, and I had a hard time putting it down, despite the fact that it was hard to read at times knowing these atrocities actually happened in Germany. But there were also good and brave people, and in the end I was very glad that I finished the book.
March 20, 2017
Just couldn't "bear" to finish this book.
Just couldn't "bear" to finish this book. I think the idea for the story was wonderful, but the finished work left me feeling like I was wasting my time. The characters were shallow and theorized too much. I know the author wanted to show their ambiguities and internal battles between good and evil, but I felt they were shallow characters , almost ideas rather than fleshed out people. I dragged myself halfway, never regretting having to put the book down or looking forward to picking it up again. I just couldn't connect with the people on any level, so I gave up and decided not to finish the book
Just couldn't "bear" to finish this book. I think the idea for the story was wonderful, but the finished work left me feeling like I was wasting my time. The characters were shallow and theorized too much. I know the author wanted to show their ambiguities and internal battles between good and evil, but I felt they were shallow characters , almost ideas rather than fleshed out people. I dragged myself halfway, never regretting having to put the book down or looking forward to picking it up again. I just couldn't connect with the people on any level, so I gave up and decided not to finish the book
July 14, 2018
Pelos pero
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2019
Great emotion!
An eye-opening story showing Nazism from both sides --those against and those so easily convicted by it. Good characterization. No bad language or explicit gore.
An eye-opening story showing Nazism from both sides --those against and those so easily convicted by it. Good characterization. No bad language or explicit gore.
February 10, 2016
Germany. 1939. Young Inga Salzer hardens her heart and prostitutes herself to the Nazi Lebensborn program which drives toward the expansion of the Aryan race. Now pregnant by an SS officer, she proudly anticipates offering her "sacred child of good blood" to the Third Reich. Fifteen year old Max Drexel immerses himself in the brutal sports of the Hitler Youth and absorbs its worship of the Fuehrer and of Nature. To further his career ambitions, Steffin Lindeman drifts toward an embrace of Positive Christianity which mingles the traditional Gospel with an ardor for the ancient gods of Nordic mythology. There is nothing that can bring such wildly different people togetheror it there? Two-year-old Anna Drexel comes down with meningitis and is taken by the family doctor to his special clinic. It is there that the agonizing b
attle for Anna's life expands into a raging war for the hearts and souls of Inga, Max and Steffin. And threatening them all is Karl Zorn, Gestapo Chief in Max's hometown of Heidelberg, who describes himself as "a simple man with simple pleasures." The chilling fact is that foremost of his pleasures is hunting down and killing his favorite game--human beings. . So what would happen if a series of frightening events were to drive each of these people, each for his or her own particular purposes, on a five day mad journey into the depths of the Black Forest? Based on years of research into the more bizarre aspects of Nazi Germany, Anna's Bear tells a story of moral conflict and fierce pursuit, with moments of surprising tenderness, high tension, and even hints of laughter in the midst of such darkness, finally leading to a totally unforeseeable ending.
attle for Anna's life expands into a raging war for the hearts and souls of Inga, Max and Steffin. And threatening them all is Karl Zorn, Gestapo Chief in Max's hometown of Heidelberg, who describes himself as "a simple man with simple pleasures." The chilling fact is that foremost of his pleasures is hunting down and killing his favorite game--human beings. . So what would happen if a series of frightening events were to drive each of these people, each for his or her own particular purposes, on a five day mad journey into the depths of the Black Forest? Based on years of research into the more bizarre aspects of Nazi Germany, Anna's Bear tells a story of moral conflict and fierce pursuit, with moments of surprising tenderness, high tension, and even hints of laughter in the midst of such darkness, finally leading to a totally unforeseeable ending.
February 19, 2017
Anna's Bear
Amazing story. Well done. Continue writing. The world needs to know what happened during these times and pray it never happens again!
Amazing story. Well done. Continue writing. The world needs to know what happened during these times and pray it never happens again!
March 26, 2023
Two and a half stars. I must read one book a year on Nazi Germany. While I’ve read of Germans who also suffered under Nazi rule, this was the first one to show the side of those who initially embraced everything the Nazis held up as ideals. It gave good insights into the beliefs and personalities that helped draw in certain individuals to the movement. I could (unfortunately) see correlation to some of today’s events and the defenders of a “new order.”
Of course, three of the main four characters have an epiphany half way through the story and do a 180 turn in their attitude and actions.
While the reasons are explained and the plot was thought out, there was something missing for me. I never became invested in the characters, never quite believed the plot.
I appreciated a new view point for Germany during WWII and reading filled the time while I waited in doctors’ offices.
I just came away from the book itself with a feeling of two stars (very unsure why). After sleeping on it, I’ll up it to two and a half stars because it did give insight into Germans who enthusiastically supported Hitler.
Of course, three of the main four characters have an epiphany half way through the story and do a 180 turn in their attitude and actions.
While the reasons are explained and the plot was thought out, there was something missing for me. I never became invested in the characters, never quite believed the plot.
I appreciated a new view point for Germany during WWII and reading filled the time while I waited in doctors’ offices.
I just came away from the book itself with a feeling of two stars (very unsure why). After sleeping on it, I’ll up it to two and a half stars because it did give insight into Germans who enthusiastically supported Hitler.
March 8, 2015
Anna's Bear shares the story of three Nazi party faithful, who each come to see the party and their devotion to it in a new light. For Max, a desperate attempt to save his little sister sets off a series of events that will change not only his life, but many lives around him. For Inga, a pregnancy has taken her from the limelight as a darling of the SS elite, but a violent assault changes her allegiances forever. Pastor Steffen has been comfortably balancing his faith with the party message, but his conscious challenges his faith and with a renewed purpose he attempts to right a wrong and help Max rescue his little sister Anna. From gypsies to underground resistance, this adventure unites each of these characters in a struggle for their very lives against the head of the SS, a brutal man focused only on their destruction. Although it seemed very dark and sinister at times, this was an engaging book, with adventure and unexpected warmth.
August 4, 2015
This book had me hook, line and sinker. It was so hard to put down. The only thing I didn't like was how it jumped from character to character, until I got to remembering exactly who they were. Wonderful book that warms your heart.
This book had me hook, line and sinker. The only thing I didn't like was how it jumped from character to character, at least until I remembered who they all were. Wonderful book that warms the heart.
This book had me hook, line and sinker. The only thing I didn't like was how it jumped from character to character, at least until I remembered who they all were. Wonderful book that warms the heart.
January 18, 2015
Excellent, thought-provoking work! If you've ever thought you had a problem making an ethical decision, this book is for you. Eye opening regarding WWII in Germany and what was taught to the citizens about what was really occurring. The truth was hidden by propaganda, and trying to convince others about the truth was a monumental task.
July 3, 2015
Absolutely amazing book!
This was an incredible book. A beautifully written tribute to God and the human spirit in awful circumstances. I've never been so uplifted by a book. Such power and truth in these words. I'm not very eloquent so please read it for yourself! I'm so glad I bought it.
This was an incredible book. A beautifully written tribute to God and the human spirit in awful circumstances. I've never been so uplifted by a book. Such power and truth in these words. I'm not very eloquent so please read it for yourself! I'm so glad I bought it.
September 24, 2015
Very improbable
Even though this is fiction it should have been more believable. It is basically the story of three people who are Nazi believers, then are enlightened. Two miraculously survive. Not sure of the third. Since I did skim to the end probably should have given it a two. But the five plus rating is not deserved.
Even though this is fiction it should have been more believable. It is basically the story of three people who are Nazi believers, then are enlightened. Two miraculously survive. Not sure of the third. Since I did skim to the end probably should have given it a two. But the five plus rating is not deserved.
March 15, 2015
A book with a lot of suspense and an interesting read. In addition, I learned a lot about Nazi Germany and life there. The story intermingles a few characters...Max and his sister, Anna, a nurse named Inga and a priest named Steffin. We see how the characters come together as the story unfolds.
May 31, 2015
I highly recommend this book.
Excellent character development, and it kept my interest from beginning to end. Beautiful story of courage and selflessness during Hitler's Third Reich.
Excellent character development, and it kept my interest from beginning to end. Beautiful story of courage and selflessness during Hitler's Third Reich.
August 24, 2015
Quite a good, exciting story but annoying Americanisms in a story set in Germany in WWII. I am sure they didn't have screen does to slam, for example, but maybe I am mistaken
Liked how the author drew the apparently disparate characters together.
Liked how the author drew the apparently disparate characters together.
Read
April 10, 2016New Twist on Nazi Germany
I cannot stop myself from reading historical fiction of WWII. This book described hidden atrocities we don't know much about and there effects on so many lives.
I cannot stop myself from reading historical fiction of WWII. This book described hidden atrocities we don't know much about and there effects on so many lives.
August 4, 2023
Anna's Bear
This book captured my attention immediately. I liked how the different threads of the story all merged together in the end. I highly recommend Anna's Bear to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
This book captured my attention immediately. I liked how the different threads of the story all merged together in the end. I highly recommend Anna's Bear to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
January 7, 2015
Great Read
This was an intriguing story with great characters. Very good plot. I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading historical fiction.
This was an intriguing story with great characters. Very good plot. I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading historical fiction.
Want to read
July 2, 2015Amazon book
July 4, 2015
Hard to believe
This author certainly did his research for this book. This was hard to put down. It is he to believe the cruelty and cold headedness those SS soldiers
This author certainly did his research for this book. This was hard to put down. It is he to believe the cruelty and cold headedness those SS soldiers
July 6, 2015
Horrifying and thought provoking
A hard book to put down, terrifying concepts. A very good story, characters well developed and easy to identify with.
A hard book to put down, terrifying concepts. A very good story, characters well developed and easy to identify with.
July 14, 2015
Very interesting book. So much happens in the 5 days. Truly portrays how an entire country can be persuaded to believe in things they formerly would have thought were abhorrent.
August 31, 2015
Good read.
This book is very intriguing. It takes the reader on a journey where the reader feels the fears of living in Nazi Germany. Very well written.
This book is very intriguing. It takes the reader on a journey where the reader feels the fears of living in Nazi Germany. Very well written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews