Vän med fienden; En engelsk pojke i Nazityskland

by Paul Briscoe, Michael McMahon (coauthor), Claes Göran Green (Translator)

Sann och ovanlig historia om ett barns upplevelser under andra världskriget!

Under ett besök i Tyskland 1934 blev Norah Briscoe övertygad nazist. Två år senare lämnade hon sin sexårige son Paul hos en tysk fosterfamilj och reste tillbaka till England för att sprida nationalsocialismen. När andra världskriget bröt ut i september 1939 var Paul fortfarande kvar hos den tyska familjen och kom att vara så under hela kriget. Modern däremot greps när hon försökte smuggla ut hemlig information till tyskarna och hamnade i brittiskt fängelse för förräderi.

Den engelske pojken Paul växer upp i en vanlig familj på den tyska landsbygden. Han accepteras och älskas som om han är av familjens eget kött och blod. Han tänker på sig själv mer som tysk än som engelsk. På sin tioårsdag går han med i Hitlerjugend och är med i en tysk propagandafilm. Den blonde och blåögde Paul uppfattas som urtypen för det ariska barnet. Han längtar efter att få slåss för sitt land, Tyskland, och dö hjältedöden för Führern. Men 1945 slås hans dröm i spillror och han skickas tillbaka till ett krigshärjat England – till ett land som han inte längre känner till, till ett språk han inte längre talar och till en mor som han inte längre kommer ihåg.

Vän med fienden är en stark och ovanlig skildring av ett barns upplevelser under andra världskriget. Boken ger ett annorlunda perspektiv på krigets grymheter och barns speciella utsatthet. Vem som är vän och vem som är fiende är inte alltid så entydigt, framför allt inte i barnens värld.

Genres: War, History, World War II, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

221 pages, Hardcover

First published April 25, 2007

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book as Paul Briscoe taught me German at Grammar school. He had told us a little of his childhood in Germany but only as an adult was I keen to learn more. I found this book extremely interesting and very moving. It reminds us of the personal stories of the ordinary people on both sides of war and helps us to understand to some degree why people do what they do in times of conflict. I had no idea of the extent of Paul’s mother’s detachment from him both physically and emotionally as he had told us, his pupils, only that he had to stay in Germany when his mother went back to work in England. After reading this book I have total respect for the man who was,as I remember, one of the nicest kindest and most popular teachers in the school.

[Marion Roux · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an awful mother. Why did she ever have a child? And then to leave the little boy in Germany?
His good fortune this, because he was happy and loved there. But to then take him back to England was downright awful.
The book tells how he realises what the Germans did in WW2 and his mother's take on the situation too.

[Ginger Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

highly recommended book for those interested in real life history about an English boy who was left in Germany during WWII with a very heart moving ending.

[Gareth-Stuart Ogg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last three chapters is where the book should've began. The bulk of story focuses on his mother and as a result it makes it a less enjoyable read

[Jayce · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are only looking for a story about "an English boy in Nazi Germany," prepare for a slight let down since more than half the book is about the boy's mother and her interactions with various political groups in England. However, even though this book wasn't exactly what I expected it to be, it still gave an interesting and unique perspective of what it must have been like to live during the time of the second world war.

[Seb Wunderlich]

it provided several interesting insights into both life under the Nazi's in a small German town and of his mother and her experiences or attempts at being a spy or whatever.. it also showed what a poor mother she was to have left her child with strangers like that.
It is also good as the author wrote the book as is with out being apologetic about his involvements with his fellow HJ.