Hanna and Walter A Love Story

by Hanna Kohner, Frederick Kohner, Walter Kohner

Hanna and Walter met in a small Czech town in 1935. They fell in love. Nazi Germany was far away--but before they knew what was happening, their world was torn apart and they were forced to flee, seemingly separated forever. This is the powerful and heartwarming story of what they went through--and how they found each other again.

Genres: Nonfiction

210 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 1984

Reviews

[Danielle]

This is the story of Walter and Hanna, who meet in 1935 in a small town in Czechoslovakia. She is fifteen and he is twenty. What follows is how they survive the next decade. Walter has family in California and is able to leave Europe in 1938 (before Kristallnacht).

The chapters alternate between them, and Hanna's are to hard to read. She is not able to leave, and is instead caught up in transports and camps along with her family. I've read a number of Holocaust memoirs, but I don't think any Czech ones, and certainly none including a German-speaking Jewish refugee's experience getting drafted into the US army.

I wish there'd been more after they found each other again, but stories always seem to leave it there, and tie it up with a barely sufficient epilogue.

[Roxy]

Very good quick read - I'd almost give it a 5.

[Mark Reynolds]

An excellent insight into two different Jewish experiences in WWII. One, who was able to emigrate to the US, and the other who had to struggle and suffer and eventually survive Auschwitz. The writing was very simplistic, in fact, it read like a young adult novel. But that was overcome by the power of the story. Sam Pivnik's "Survivor" is also about Auschwitz, but much better written.

[Shelby]

I read this book in high school. I’ve always been intrigued by this part of history and the people.

[Ariel Uppstrom]

My dad gave me this book after hearing about it on NPR (greatest radio ever!). It describes the real story of two young people who fell in love in Czechoslovakia just prior to WWII and how their lives were separated and then rejoined after the war. Each chapter alternates between Hanna and Walter's points of view. Walter's life takes him to America just in time to avoid the tragedy that ensues for Hanna. Hanna experiences a number of camps including Auschwitz.

This book was really good. I enjoyed seeing the war from a refugee in America because that's a perspective I've never read before. I'm also very interested in learning how individuals survived in the concentration camps. Hanna's ability to be honest and personal about her struggle with suicidal thoughts is very powerful. It was very sweet how their lives remained connected after the war and how they never forgot about each other. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Holocaust literature or romantic stories.

[Kate]

It's the true story of two people who meet and fall in love. Walter goes to America and promises to send for Hannah–and then WWII starts. It was a really good book, and such an unbelievable story that if I didn't know better, I would have thought it was fiction.

[Alyssa]

One of my all time most favorite books ever! Give me a love story - I love it. Give me a WWII love story - it's wonderful. Give me a TRUE WWII love story - best book ever.

[Eleanor]

True story, holocaust survivors. Good!

[Jo]

read this book a long time ago but it is still fresh in my mind it shows the power will and of commitmant and the hope that hanna and walter had that they would survive and find each other again

[Erin]

One of my favorite books of all time...

[Dianne]

I didn't find it suspenseful as stated in the review. But, it's well told and is another reminder of how luck played a role for so many.

[Bryan]

Such a different time than one would expect of a Holocaust survival story. Using for that very thing in my frosh lit course. Very inspirational ending -even for those who don't like romantic stories.

[Diane Wachter]

RDC-M V 5 1984, 11/85. True story of 2 people who met and fell in love in 1935 Czechoslovakia, torn apart by the horrors of WWII and finding each other again. Good.