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Over the Hedge
During one of the darkest times in history, at the height of the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1943, members of the Dutch resistance began a mission to rescue Jewish children from the deportation center in Amsterdam. Heading the mission were Walter Süskind, a German Jew living in the Netherlands, Henriëtte Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew, and Johan van Hulst, principal of a Christian college. As Nazis rounded up Jewish families at gunpoint, the three discreetly moved children from the deportation center to the daycare across the street and over the backyard hedge to the college next door. From the college, the children were transported to live with Dutch families. Working against irate orders from Hitler to rid the Netherlands of all Jews and increasing Nazi hostilities on the Resistance, the trio worked tirelessly to overcome barriers. Ingenious plans were implemented to remove children’s names from the registry of captured Jews. To sneak them out of the college undetected past guards patrolling the deportation center. To meld them in with their new families to avoid detection. Based on actual events, Over the Hedge is the story of how against escalating Nazi brutality when millions of Jews were disposed of in camps, Walter Süskind, Henriëtte Pimentel, and Johan van Hulst worked heroically with the Dutch resistance to save Jewish children. But it is not just a story of their courageous endeavors. It is a story of the resilience of the human spirit. Of friendship and selfless love. The love that continues on in the hearts of over six hundred Dutch Jewish children.
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Published July 31, 2021
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About the author
Paulette Mahurin
13 books249 followersPaulette Mahurin is a best selling literary fiction and historical fiction novelist. She lives with her husband Terry and two dogs, Max and Bella, in Ventura County, California. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Science.
Her first novel, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, made it to Amazon bestseller lists and won awards, including best historical fiction 2012 in Turning the Pages Magazine. Her second novel, His Name Was Ben, originally written as an award winning short story while she was in college and later expanded into a novel, rose to bestseller lists its second week out. Her third novel, To Live Out Loud, won international critical acclaim and made it to multiple sites as favorite read book of 2015. Her fourth book, The Seven Year Dress, made it to the top ten bestseller lists on Amazon U.S., Amazon U.K. and Amazon Australia. Her fifth book, The Day I Saw The Hummingbird, was released in 2017 to rave reviews. Her sixth book, A Different Kind of Angel, was released in August, 2018.
Semi-retired, she continues to work part-time as a Nurse Practitioner in Ventura County. When she’s not writing, she does pro-bono consultation work with women with cancer, works in the Westminster Free Clinic as a volunteer provider, volunteers as a mediator in the Ventura County Courthouse for small claims cases, and involves herself, along with her husband, in dog rescue. Profits from her books go to help rescue dogs from kill shelters.
Her first novel, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, made it to Amazon bestseller lists and won awards, including best historical fiction 2012 in Turning the Pages Magazine. Her second novel, His Name Was Ben, originally written as an award winning short story while she was in college and later expanded into a novel, rose to bestseller lists its second week out. Her third novel, To Live Out Loud, won international critical acclaim and made it to multiple sites as favorite read book of 2015. Her fourth book, The Seven Year Dress, made it to the top ten bestseller lists on Amazon U.S., Amazon U.K. and Amazon Australia. Her fifth book, The Day I Saw The Hummingbird, was released in 2017 to rave reviews. Her sixth book, A Different Kind of Angel, was released in August, 2018.
Semi-retired, she continues to work part-time as a Nurse Practitioner in Ventura County. When she’s not writing, she does pro-bono consultation work with women with cancer, works in the Westminster Free Clinic as a volunteer provider, volunteers as a mediator in the Ventura County Courthouse for small claims cases, and involves herself, along with her husband, in dog rescue. Profits from her books go to help rescue dogs from kill shelters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 22, 2021
A gripping story that is based on historical events. We follow three people doing everything they can to save Jewish children during WWII and the obstacles they faced while doing this. I would recommend even if you have read many books on the subject that this one is thought provoking and well written.
August 10, 2021
NEEDS TO BE TOLD
While some in the world are now denying the holocaust ever took place, stories like this need to be told. This is the story of three brave and selfless people who rescued children from certain death in the gas ovens. Johan, Henriette and Walter put their lives on the line in this heart-warming and heart-stopping book. While the story of Ann Frank is well known, it is easy to forget how active the Dutch Resistance was during the Second World War and how many Jewish people owe their lives to their unspoken deeds.
While some in the world are now denying the holocaust ever took place, stories like this need to be told. This is the story of three brave and selfless people who rescued children from certain death in the gas ovens. Johan, Henriette and Walter put their lives on the line in this heart-warming and heart-stopping book. While the story of Ann Frank is well known, it is easy to forget how active the Dutch Resistance was during the Second World War and how many Jewish people owe their lives to their unspoken deeds.
September 29, 2021
The Holocaust was one of the darkest times in all of human history when a small minority dispersed throughout a continent suddenly had no protections and were rounded up and slaughtered. Out of fear, cowardice, and cruelty, few even long-time neighbors or in-laws lifted a finger to help the Jews when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. Yet, if you ever have a chance to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Israel, you will find that among all the darkness, there were some pinpoints of light, rays of hope for the future, commemorated in the Righteous Among the Nations, those who risked all, like Oskar Schindler, to do what is right. It is just these pinpoints of light in a world gone mad that offers some hope for our future. Indeed, Johan van Hulst is listed in the database of the Righteous Among the Nations.
In this fictionalized account of a true story, we learn about a few pinpoints of light in Amsterdam where a few people risked their lives on a daily basis to rescue Jewish children from being sent to the death camps. The main three people involved in the rescue were Walter Süskind, a German Jew living in the Netherlands, Henriëtte Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew, and Johan van Hulst, the principal of a Christian college, but there were others involved, both Jews and non-Jews. It is called “Over the Hedge” because the children were passed over the back hedge separating the day care center where the children were taken from the Christian College. Records were altered and the children, who no longer officially existed, were carried away often, drugged to keep them quiet and still, in small baskets on bicycles. They were then placed in the countryside with Dutch families, often never reuniting with their families, who were taken away in the cattle cars to the death camps. Many of the Christian students at the school knew what was going on and never said a word.
What works so well in this book is that the fictionalized account offers us a day by day view of the terror that these people felt and how even families were torn apart by the fear with brothers turning brothers out into the streets with no protection. It illustrates how thin the veneer of civilization is and how easily it can be ripped apart by terror.
In this fictionalized account of a true story, we learn about a few pinpoints of light in Amsterdam where a few people risked their lives on a daily basis to rescue Jewish children from being sent to the death camps. The main three people involved in the rescue were Walter Süskind, a German Jew living in the Netherlands, Henriëtte Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew, and Johan van Hulst, the principal of a Christian college, but there were others involved, both Jews and non-Jews. It is called “Over the Hedge” because the children were passed over the back hedge separating the day care center where the children were taken from the Christian College. Records were altered and the children, who no longer officially existed, were carried away often, drugged to keep them quiet and still, in small baskets on bicycles. They were then placed in the countryside with Dutch families, often never reuniting with their families, who were taken away in the cattle cars to the death camps. Many of the Christian students at the school knew what was going on and never said a word.
What works so well in this book is that the fictionalized account offers us a day by day view of the terror that these people felt and how even families were torn apart by the fear with brothers turning brothers out into the streets with no protection. It illustrates how thin the veneer of civilization is and how easily it can be ripped apart by terror.
November 16, 2023
The first time I read this was in 2021. I was fascinated, and misty-eyed, reading about the brave men and women who risked everything to save as many Jewish children from deportation as they could during WW2. These precious children were smuggled over bushes, through forests, often in bags, boxes, hidden under trash, etc. Quite often, under the very noses of the Nazi guards who were watching for such activity. Over 600 children were saved through the efforts of these resourceful adults, who were determined that the “Jewish race” would NOT be eliminated, not on their watch.
**I re-read this upon returning from a trip to Amsterdam. Our tour guide, a wonderful, learned man, had taken us all around the city, including a stop in front of the building that housed Jews before they were transported. It was formally a theater, and across the street was the building where the children were kept. These two buildings are now in the process of being turned into Holocaust museums, to be opened in April of 2024.**
A must-read for any historical fiction lover.
**I re-read this upon returning from a trip to Amsterdam. Our tour guide, a wonderful, learned man, had taken us all around the city, including a stop in front of the building that housed Jews before they were transported. It was formally a theater, and across the street was the building where the children were kept. These two buildings are now in the process of being turned into Holocaust museums, to be opened in April of 2024.**
A must-read for any historical fiction lover.
May 6, 2022
This is one of those reads that sticks with you because it’s hard to overlook the fact that it’s based on true events. In this story, we are introduced to three Dutch citizens, members of the Dutch resistance, who put their entire lives on the line in order to save hundreds of Jewish children from facing cruel fates at the hands of the Nazis.
The three main characters were written in a way that made me want to root for them. Their situation was harrowing, and their cause was good, but the battles they were up against seemed so impossible that I couldn’t put the book down until I found out their fate. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions: victory and betrayal, hope and despair, happiness and sorrow, good and evil.
The three main characters were written in a way that made me want to root for them. Their situation was harrowing, and their cause was good, but the battles they were up against seemed so impossible that I couldn’t put the book down until I found out their fate. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions: victory and betrayal, hope and despair, happiness and sorrow, good and evil.
October 9, 2021
3.5 stars
Over The Hedge is a fictional story set around historical facts from the Netherlands during World-War-Two. The story focuses on a trio of individuals who helped smuggle Jewish children to safety.
Set in Amsterdam, this is a tale of a theatre taken over as a sorting station, where Jewish families were held before being sent East by train to the internment camps. Opposite the theatre was a child day-care centre where some of the young children were sent as they were separated from their parents. While the intention was still to send the children to the camps after a night in the care-centre, this was supposed to keep them out of sight of the guards.
Next to the care-centre was a school and a resistance network set up where children were literally handed over the hedge and spirited away to new families. Although true records were never kept, it was believed that between 500 and 1000 children were saved in this way from the Holocaust.
The author has used her extensive research into the subject to create this fictional account which is peppered with interesting factual snippets. At times, this made the writing feel clunky and it flowed less smoothly making it harder to engage with the storyline.
Overall an important subject matter, but the style of writing needed a bit more tweaking, with fact being woven into fiction throughout.
Over The Hedge is a fictional story set around historical facts from the Netherlands during World-War-Two. The story focuses on a trio of individuals who helped smuggle Jewish children to safety.
Set in Amsterdam, this is a tale of a theatre taken over as a sorting station, where Jewish families were held before being sent East by train to the internment camps. Opposite the theatre was a child day-care centre where some of the young children were sent as they were separated from their parents. While the intention was still to send the children to the camps after a night in the care-centre, this was supposed to keep them out of sight of the guards.
Next to the care-centre was a school and a resistance network set up where children were literally handed over the hedge and spirited away to new families. Although true records were never kept, it was believed that between 500 and 1000 children were saved in this way from the Holocaust.
The author has used her extensive research into the subject to create this fictional account which is peppered with interesting factual snippets. At times, this made the writing feel clunky and it flowed less smoothly making it harder to engage with the storyline.
Overall an important subject matter, but the style of writing needed a bit more tweaking, with fact being woven into fiction throughout.
August 14, 2021
A tribute to humanity in the most terrible of times
A story of brave people and saved Jewish children, Over the Hedge is a real page-turner.
Walter, Henriëtte, and Johan were the real people who risked their lives to save children, not their own. In the words of the author, “All for the greater good. Neither seemed fearful for self but only afraid for those in their charge. Neither ever said, “I can’t.” Rather, when encountering the seemingly insurmountable difficulties responded, “There has to be a way.”
Snippet after snippet of horrifying events unfold on the page: families torn apart, children smuggled to safety, yet not every outcome ending in a saved life, resistance workers murdered or betrayed. It is impossible to read this story without being overcome by sorrow.
The regular mentioning of how many children were taken “over the hedge” beats like a metronome: two hundred…three hundred…over six hundred… Still the ever-agonizing question tortures the resistance workers, more like a demand, self-directed: “What about all the ones we didn’t help?”
This is a remarkable tale. Beautifully written, heartfelt for every single character—admirable or vile, important in its message: “We must not forget for the great of our own future.”
I would highly recommend the book not only for adult readers but especially for young adult and teenagers as a history lesson they probably don’t get in the curriculum.
A story of brave people and saved Jewish children, Over the Hedge is a real page-turner.
Walter, Henriëtte, and Johan were the real people who risked their lives to save children, not their own. In the words of the author, “All for the greater good. Neither seemed fearful for self but only afraid for those in their charge. Neither ever said, “I can’t.” Rather, when encountering the seemingly insurmountable difficulties responded, “There has to be a way.”
Snippet after snippet of horrifying events unfold on the page: families torn apart, children smuggled to safety, yet not every outcome ending in a saved life, resistance workers murdered or betrayed. It is impossible to read this story without being overcome by sorrow.
The regular mentioning of how many children were taken “over the hedge” beats like a metronome: two hundred…three hundred…over six hundred… Still the ever-agonizing question tortures the resistance workers, more like a demand, self-directed: “What about all the ones we didn’t help?”
This is a remarkable tale. Beautifully written, heartfelt for every single character—admirable or vile, important in its message: “We must not forget for the great of our own future.”
I would highly recommend the book not only for adult readers but especially for young adult and teenagers as a history lesson they probably don’t get in the curriculum.
September 25, 2021
When I saw the blurb of this book, I knew I had to read it. I am fascinated by books set during periods of war and am especially interested in how war impacts on the civilian populations in war torn countries.
Over the Hedge is a book that explores the horror of WWII and how the Nazi occupation impacted on the population of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It explores the psychology of various people and demonstrates how fear can tear societies apart and cause women fearing for the lives of their own children to perform the heinous act of handing Jewish relatives, including small babies, over to the Nazis, knowing they were destined for deportation to camps. I think this aspect of this book is closest to my heart as I consider the internal conflict of such women and wonder what I would do in a similar situation. I hope I would behave better than they did, but it eats at my mind.
The story centres around the true facts of a trio of members of the Dutch resistance who worked with other brave men and women to save 600 small children from the concentration camps. These three people from vastly different backgrounds were Walter Süskind, a German Jew living in the Netherlands, Henriëtte Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew, and Johan van Hulst, the principal of a Christian college.
Walter works for the Hollandsche Schouwburg deportation centre for Dutch Jews which is situated across the street from the daycare operated by Henriëtte. The Christian college is located next door to the day care. The Jewish families arriving at the deportation centre are separated from their children who are sent across the street to the day care for the night. Walter finds a way of altering the arrivals records of selected small children who are then smuggled 'over the hedge' to the college where they are taken, at great personal risk, by various students and other resistance members to Dutch families willing to care for these children. The author provides some details on a few of the children and the sad state they arrive in which makes the drama and emotion of the story much more intense.
One such child was Aviva, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl who is deaf and mute. This is a short extract:
""Aviva ...," Johan let out a chuckle, "laughed."
"Laughed? But she's mute-"
"Yes. She's quite expressive with bodily motions. Silent laughter, a new one on me. Kaat too."
"Well, that's good, she's adjusting, but ... it seems unusual she didn't act fearful."
"The affectionate dedication of a good mother can do wonders," said Johan. "The mother must have been an extraordinarily loving women."
Walter is a scared, worn-out shell of a man, whose own wife and daughter are in hiding in a Dutch resistance member household. He has to deal with the Nazis who are fearful of their own positions and lives and take their anger out on the Jews in the deportation centre, and later anywhere they find hidden Jews. Despite his own personal fear, Walter manages to bring some comfort to the Jewish mothers and fathers in the centre and ask their permission to help their babies. Walter lives for the babies he is able to help save. The strain on him in his untenable position as part of the conduit between life and death for the deportees wears him down over the course of the book, but Walter shows extraordinary determination and tenacity in helping save the children.
Henriëtte is also an extraordinary woman, who does a lot to uplift the spirits of the Jewish workers at the daycare and also Walter. She is a woman of excellent insight and is able to judge character when Walter's abilities falter. Her kind and loving nature made her story all the more sad and poignant.
Johan was a brave man, who put himself at risk to help save others. I think this is the height of bravery; to act when you are afraid and do what you believe to be right. Without all three of these dedicated and selfless people, the 600 children who were passed 'over the fence' would have died.
Aside from Johan, there were many other Dutch people who contributed to the rescue operation and their actions gave me some comfort that even in the most terrible situations, the good in many people still comes to the fore and all is not lost because of it.
This is a very compelling story and is one that everyone should read to ensure that mankind remembers and takes steps to ensure this history is never repeated. Congratulations to the author on an excellent and well researched book.
Over the Hedge is a book that explores the horror of WWII and how the Nazi occupation impacted on the population of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It explores the psychology of various people and demonstrates how fear can tear societies apart and cause women fearing for the lives of their own children to perform the heinous act of handing Jewish relatives, including small babies, over to the Nazis, knowing they were destined for deportation to camps. I think this aspect of this book is closest to my heart as I consider the internal conflict of such women and wonder what I would do in a similar situation. I hope I would behave better than they did, but it eats at my mind.
The story centres around the true facts of a trio of members of the Dutch resistance who worked with other brave men and women to save 600 small children from the concentration camps. These three people from vastly different backgrounds were Walter Süskind, a German Jew living in the Netherlands, Henriëtte Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew, and Johan van Hulst, the principal of a Christian college.
Walter works for the Hollandsche Schouwburg deportation centre for Dutch Jews which is situated across the street from the daycare operated by Henriëtte. The Christian college is located next door to the day care. The Jewish families arriving at the deportation centre are separated from their children who are sent across the street to the day care for the night. Walter finds a way of altering the arrivals records of selected small children who are then smuggled 'over the hedge' to the college where they are taken, at great personal risk, by various students and other resistance members to Dutch families willing to care for these children. The author provides some details on a few of the children and the sad state they arrive in which makes the drama and emotion of the story much more intense.
One such child was Aviva, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl who is deaf and mute. This is a short extract:
""Aviva ...," Johan let out a chuckle, "laughed."
"Laughed? But she's mute-"
"Yes. She's quite expressive with bodily motions. Silent laughter, a new one on me. Kaat too."
"Well, that's good, she's adjusting, but ... it seems unusual she didn't act fearful."
"The affectionate dedication of a good mother can do wonders," said Johan. "The mother must have been an extraordinarily loving women."
Walter is a scared, worn-out shell of a man, whose own wife and daughter are in hiding in a Dutch resistance member household. He has to deal with the Nazis who are fearful of their own positions and lives and take their anger out on the Jews in the deportation centre, and later anywhere they find hidden Jews. Despite his own personal fear, Walter manages to bring some comfort to the Jewish mothers and fathers in the centre and ask their permission to help their babies. Walter lives for the babies he is able to help save. The strain on him in his untenable position as part of the conduit between life and death for the deportees wears him down over the course of the book, but Walter shows extraordinary determination and tenacity in helping save the children.
Henriëtte is also an extraordinary woman, who does a lot to uplift the spirits of the Jewish workers at the daycare and also Walter. She is a woman of excellent insight and is able to judge character when Walter's abilities falter. Her kind and loving nature made her story all the more sad and poignant.
Johan was a brave man, who put himself at risk to help save others. I think this is the height of bravery; to act when you are afraid and do what you believe to be right. Without all three of these dedicated and selfless people, the 600 children who were passed 'over the fence' would have died.
Aside from Johan, there were many other Dutch people who contributed to the rescue operation and their actions gave me some comfort that even in the most terrible situations, the good in many people still comes to the fore and all is not lost because of it.
This is a very compelling story and is one that everyone should read to ensure that mankind remembers and takes steps to ensure this history is never repeated. Congratulations to the author on an excellent and well researched book.
August 23, 2021
I love reading stories set during WW2, especially when they tell of the bravery of ordinary people resisting the Nazis. This is one of my favourite authors and she has delivered another gripping story based on true events. This is a story set in Holland and tells of the attempts of the Dutch resistance to save Jewish children before they are sent to the concentration camps. The subject matter is shocking and you are left pondering how the Nazis could have such disregard for human life. The resistance workers reveal their humanity by risking their own lives to save children they don't know simply because it is the right thing to do. A book I finished in two sittings and thoroughly enjoyed despite the realistic, dark episodes described. Highly recommended!
September 3, 2021
Reviewer’s Note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Plot in Brief: This is the fictionalized story of the rescue of Jewish children from Amsterdam, saving them from deportation to the camps and almost certain death.
The Characters: The three main characters in this novel are based on real people; Walter Suskind, a German Jew, Johan van Hulst, a Christian and Henriette Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew. Mahurin does a good job of fleshing out their personalities, motivations and conflicts. Suskind works in a Nazi processing center, sending his fellow Jews to their deaths. Johan, principal of a teachers college, risks his life to save the children of a different faith and Henriette, who runs a day care must choose which children will live.
The History: This is a very moving story, hard to read and easy to stand in awe of the brave acts that could and did result in the deaths of some of the characters. I thought the author did a super job building the story and setting the scene for what was an amazing scheme to sneak children to safety right under the noses of the Nazis.
The Writing: The book is well edited with a good flow, but I found the writing a bit lacking in descriptive details. This is a terrible story, all holocaust stories are, and they deserve to be told with respect and dignity, and let’s face it, they are painful to read. But, as a reader, I need to feel connected to the author’s story not just the characters. To me, this book came off a bit cold and dry as if the author was just telling the story without any attempt to build tension, suspense or drama. Other, readers may well appreciate the spare telling of this powerful story.
Overall: I thought this was an important story, well told. I appreciated the history and felt I learned more about the Nazi occupation of Holland and the treatment of the Jews of Amsterdam. Books like these are not fun to read, they are painful, but necessary, reminders that humans are capable of the basest of cruelties, even towards innocent children.
The Plot in Brief: This is the fictionalized story of the rescue of Jewish children from Amsterdam, saving them from deportation to the camps and almost certain death.
The Characters: The three main characters in this novel are based on real people; Walter Suskind, a German Jew, Johan van Hulst, a Christian and Henriette Pimentel, a Sephardic Jew. Mahurin does a good job of fleshing out their personalities, motivations and conflicts. Suskind works in a Nazi processing center, sending his fellow Jews to their deaths. Johan, principal of a teachers college, risks his life to save the children of a different faith and Henriette, who runs a day care must choose which children will live.
The History: This is a very moving story, hard to read and easy to stand in awe of the brave acts that could and did result in the deaths of some of the characters. I thought the author did a super job building the story and setting the scene for what was an amazing scheme to sneak children to safety right under the noses of the Nazis.
The Writing: The book is well edited with a good flow, but I found the writing a bit lacking in descriptive details. This is a terrible story, all holocaust stories are, and they deserve to be told with respect and dignity, and let’s face it, they are painful to read. But, as a reader, I need to feel connected to the author’s story not just the characters. To me, this book came off a bit cold and dry as if the author was just telling the story without any attempt to build tension, suspense or drama. Other, readers may well appreciate the spare telling of this powerful story.
Overall: I thought this was an important story, well told. I appreciated the history and felt I learned more about the Nazi occupation of Holland and the treatment of the Jews of Amsterdam. Books like these are not fun to read, they are painful, but necessary, reminders that humans are capable of the basest of cruelties, even towards innocent children.
August 4, 2021
As with so many of the stories about WWII, this one is heartbreaking, especially as it focuses on saving children. It's such a small number that the heroes in the story saved, compared to the millions murdered, but each one who was allowed to continue his/her life is precious. People need to read stories like this one to continue to be reminded of the sacrifices others have made in the name of freedom.
April 16, 2022
“Over the Hedge” is based on actual events and takes place at the height of the German occupation of the Netherlands in 1943 and recounts some of the atrocities that occurred in Amsterdam at the time. The focus of the story is on the heroics of a few brave souls who did what they could to save who they could. Overall, this story was horrifying, hopeful, and important. The author does an amazing job of twisting the most terrible of horrors with the optimism of chance and hope to relay a rainbow of emotion. It’s not a fun read! But it is thought-provoking, reflective, and inciteful. It’s the kind of book that people should read to forever prevent the same kinds of horrors from ever happening again. The full blog post can be found at heatherlbarksdale.com
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
August 12, 2021
It is May 1940 and the German army has invaded the Netherlands. In the years that follow, over 50% of the Jewish population would be hunted down and sent to concentration camps. But in the city of Amsterdam hundreds of Jewish children (estimated between 500 and 1000) would escape such a fate thanks to the efforts of ordinary people with extraordinary courage.
The Plantage Middenlaan Trio as they became known- Johan van Hulst, Protestant deputy principal of a Teacher Training College, Henriette Pimentel, a Sephardic Jewess in charge of a children’s daycare centre, and Walter Süskind, a Jewish theatre manager- devised a scheme to smuggle to safety children under four years old. These small vulnerable ‘parcels’ (weighing less than 13 kilos) were passed from the holding centres in the theatre and daycare over the hedge to the college, then hidden in bags and boxes and taken to willing foster families.
It was audacious and terribly dangerous. The members of the group would have to operate their illicit scheme right under the noses of the German guards. Who could they trust? Who might be ready to risk their lives by lending a helping hand? Who were the unseen enemies, those ready to denounce and betray?
As the first batch of infants is ready to be smuggled out, the tension rachets up. Mahurin draws us in to the plot, fleshing out her protagonists and building up a nail-biting picture of each different stage. Outdoors, the violence of the oppressors is echoed in the elements, driving rain and thunder-flashes. Indoors, in the sombre pewter tones of the Dutch masters, the author paints scenes of bedlam and confusion as group after group of terrified prisoners is horded into the former theatre to wait deportation in appalling conditions.
Walter, on the front line, is forced to feign sympathy with his Nazi masters, his mind and body gradually breaking down under the effort of witnessing their sneering contempt and savagery. ‘A rash broke out on the back of his neck…soon weeping sores drained yellow pus on his collar.’ Henriette is faced with the painful task of overseeing the pitiful child prisoners. Among these are those who will be passed over the hedge – sick, malnourished babies, terrified toddlers unable to comprehend what is happening and why they have been torn from their parents. In the college, Johan and his team organise the logistics for the children’s physical transportation out of the city via bicycle or truck, each courier haunted by the threat of being stopped and searched by Nazi guards. The physical and mental toll on all the participants is heavy.
Meanwhile the general situation worsens. Sabotage attacks by the Dutch resistance result in brutal civilian reprisals by the Nazis. Hitler’s growing obsession with racial hygiene leads to orders to get rid of more and more Jews. The occupying army cracks down. Families and friends break under the pressure, turn on each other or sell out to the authorities: ‘ Seven and a half guiders per Jew’
What I found particularly impressive was the way the author got inside the heads of two of her main characters, Walter and Henriette, so that we become caught up in their inner turmoil. Forced to witness day after day the suffering and distress of the victims and the hatred of their tormentors, Walter concludes the world has literally gone mad. His stupefaction at what is happening will strike a familiar chord with many readers. How can such evil have come about? How have millions of seemingly civilised human beings allowed themselves to be brainwashed into condoning the mass murder, the systematic elimination, of millions of others, the non-Aryan ‘untermensch’ ?
Henriette, trying to save the babies that are given to her and not to become too attached before she must say goodbye, is also struggling to make sense of a nightmare world. In a series of movingly written episodes, Mahurin shows Walter emerging from the depths of despair and finding the courage to go on, remembering ‘the other two sides of his triangle, Henriette and Johan’. Similarly Henriette forces herself not to become overwhelmed by the sheer misery of it all and to think instead ‘One baby at a time,’ - to remember the individual babies and toddlers, the Alims, the Rose-Golds, the Avivas and Ariels ,whom she has nursed back to life and delivered to a new future over the hedge.
This is the author’s fourth historical novel about the Holocaust, illustrating through remarkable personal stories and fuelled by a strong moral sense, the best and the worst of humanity. Today, more than seventy years after ‘the dark curse of Hitler’, the number of living survivors able to bear testimony is dwindling while anti-semitic incidents are on the rise. We need powerful and empathetic storytellers like Paulette Mahurin to keep the flame alive and to remind us ‘Never again.’
The Plantage Middenlaan Trio as they became known- Johan van Hulst, Protestant deputy principal of a Teacher Training College, Henriette Pimentel, a Sephardic Jewess in charge of a children’s daycare centre, and Walter Süskind, a Jewish theatre manager- devised a scheme to smuggle to safety children under four years old. These small vulnerable ‘parcels’ (weighing less than 13 kilos) were passed from the holding centres in the theatre and daycare over the hedge to the college, then hidden in bags and boxes and taken to willing foster families.
It was audacious and terribly dangerous. The members of the group would have to operate their illicit scheme right under the noses of the German guards. Who could they trust? Who might be ready to risk their lives by lending a helping hand? Who were the unseen enemies, those ready to denounce and betray?
As the first batch of infants is ready to be smuggled out, the tension rachets up. Mahurin draws us in to the plot, fleshing out her protagonists and building up a nail-biting picture of each different stage. Outdoors, the violence of the oppressors is echoed in the elements, driving rain and thunder-flashes. Indoors, in the sombre pewter tones of the Dutch masters, the author paints scenes of bedlam and confusion as group after group of terrified prisoners is horded into the former theatre to wait deportation in appalling conditions.
Walter, on the front line, is forced to feign sympathy with his Nazi masters, his mind and body gradually breaking down under the effort of witnessing their sneering contempt and savagery. ‘A rash broke out on the back of his neck…soon weeping sores drained yellow pus on his collar.’ Henriette is faced with the painful task of overseeing the pitiful child prisoners. Among these are those who will be passed over the hedge – sick, malnourished babies, terrified toddlers unable to comprehend what is happening and why they have been torn from their parents. In the college, Johan and his team organise the logistics for the children’s physical transportation out of the city via bicycle or truck, each courier haunted by the threat of being stopped and searched by Nazi guards. The physical and mental toll on all the participants is heavy.
Meanwhile the general situation worsens. Sabotage attacks by the Dutch resistance result in brutal civilian reprisals by the Nazis. Hitler’s growing obsession with racial hygiene leads to orders to get rid of more and more Jews. The occupying army cracks down. Families and friends break under the pressure, turn on each other or sell out to the authorities: ‘ Seven and a half guiders per Jew’
What I found particularly impressive was the way the author got inside the heads of two of her main characters, Walter and Henriette, so that we become caught up in their inner turmoil. Forced to witness day after day the suffering and distress of the victims and the hatred of their tormentors, Walter concludes the world has literally gone mad. His stupefaction at what is happening will strike a familiar chord with many readers. How can such evil have come about? How have millions of seemingly civilised human beings allowed themselves to be brainwashed into condoning the mass murder, the systematic elimination, of millions of others, the non-Aryan ‘untermensch’ ?
Henriette, trying to save the babies that are given to her and not to become too attached before she must say goodbye, is also struggling to make sense of a nightmare world. In a series of movingly written episodes, Mahurin shows Walter emerging from the depths of despair and finding the courage to go on, remembering ‘the other two sides of his triangle, Henriette and Johan’. Similarly Henriette forces herself not to become overwhelmed by the sheer misery of it all and to think instead ‘One baby at a time,’ - to remember the individual babies and toddlers, the Alims, the Rose-Golds, the Avivas and Ariels ,whom she has nursed back to life and delivered to a new future over the hedge.
This is the author’s fourth historical novel about the Holocaust, illustrating through remarkable personal stories and fuelled by a strong moral sense, the best and the worst of humanity. Today, more than seventy years after ‘the dark curse of Hitler’, the number of living survivors able to bear testimony is dwindling while anti-semitic incidents are on the rise. We need powerful and empathetic storytellers like Paulette Mahurin to keep the flame alive and to remind us ‘Never again.’
October 9, 2021
Gripping Heartbreak.
This is a story that will keep you gripped throughout the plight of three people who joined the Dutch Resistance and in 1943 began a rescue mission in Amsterdam to save however many Jewish children as they could from being sent to their deaths.
Walter, Henrietta and Johan's mission at the deportation center was to move the young children who were deported from their homes to the daycare center next door, a ploy to keep the children calm while the adults were being accounted for, beaten and awaiting the trucks to take them to the trains that would ultimately land them at Auschwitz. What the SS and fellow nazis didn't know was that the children were methodically moved from the daycare and passed 'over the hedge' to a college campus next door. From there, Henrietta would take care of the children and prepare them for transport by other resistance members to be taken to new homes by good Dutch people who adopted them. Humanity at its best during a dark time of history.
Walter worked in the deportation room where the rounded up Jews were first sent to 'register' for their 'next journey'. Walter worked hard and secretly to remove the children's names off the rosters, always fearing being found out. He would try and save as many children as he could by first approaching the parent(s) and offering them to save their children. Devastated parents with fear, starvation and broken hearts were elated to give Walter their children for a chance for them to live and survive, as they knew what was waiting for them ahead.
The three worked diligently, secretly and methodically to do their part in saving Jewish lives. Intrinsically timed plans were carried out to bypass guards to smuggle the children over to the daycare, and once cleaned and fed, transported by inconspicuous vans and bicycles by other helpers, often placing the children in a suitcase or the like, with a small dose of drug to make them sleep so they wouldn't get scared and cry. The fact that these three earth angels worked tirelessly right under the noses of the German SS patrol killers and got away with saving the lives of those meant to be killed, is astounding in itself.
Sadly, this story was written on true events. Walter and his friends managed to save the lives of over 600 Dutch Jewish children at a time when helping Jews was a crime punishable by death by the nazis. And if you are wondering what happened to these three heroes after their selfless, heroic efforts, you're going to have to read the book.
This is a story that will keep you gripped throughout the plight of three people who joined the Dutch Resistance and in 1943 began a rescue mission in Amsterdam to save however many Jewish children as they could from being sent to their deaths.
Walter, Henrietta and Johan's mission at the deportation center was to move the young children who were deported from their homes to the daycare center next door, a ploy to keep the children calm while the adults were being accounted for, beaten and awaiting the trucks to take them to the trains that would ultimately land them at Auschwitz. What the SS and fellow nazis didn't know was that the children were methodically moved from the daycare and passed 'over the hedge' to a college campus next door. From there, Henrietta would take care of the children and prepare them for transport by other resistance members to be taken to new homes by good Dutch people who adopted them. Humanity at its best during a dark time of history.
Walter worked in the deportation room where the rounded up Jews were first sent to 'register' for their 'next journey'. Walter worked hard and secretly to remove the children's names off the rosters, always fearing being found out. He would try and save as many children as he could by first approaching the parent(s) and offering them to save their children. Devastated parents with fear, starvation and broken hearts were elated to give Walter their children for a chance for them to live and survive, as they knew what was waiting for them ahead.
The three worked diligently, secretly and methodically to do their part in saving Jewish lives. Intrinsically timed plans were carried out to bypass guards to smuggle the children over to the daycare, and once cleaned and fed, transported by inconspicuous vans and bicycles by other helpers, often placing the children in a suitcase or the like, with a small dose of drug to make them sleep so they wouldn't get scared and cry. The fact that these three earth angels worked tirelessly right under the noses of the German SS patrol killers and got away with saving the lives of those meant to be killed, is astounding in itself.
Sadly, this story was written on true events. Walter and his friends managed to save the lives of over 600 Dutch Jewish children at a time when helping Jews was a crime punishable by death by the nazis. And if you are wondering what happened to these three heroes after their selfless, heroic efforts, you're going to have to read the book.
January 12, 2022
Over the Hedge by Paulette Mahurin
This is a WWII novel. It tells the story of a group of people who helped to save hundreds of Jewish babies that were surely going to die after their families were rounded up by the Nazis. Mothers were quietly asked if they wished to save their small child by allowing Walter to take them to the daycare. Walter doctored the books so no child appeared missing. Once at the daycare, Henriette and her crew made sure they were taken care of and made ready to smuggle to a non-Jewish family who was willing to take the child and raise it as their own. Henriette would quietly pass a child over the hedge of the daycare in the dead of night to Johan who somehow managed to get hundreds of children past the Nazis and to safety. Hundreds of children escaped certain death by the courageous acts of their parents and these heroes. These heroes risked their own lives so that others might live.
This is their story. One of courage, faith and resilience. It is a touching story that will make you cry and have a renewed faith in humanity. God bless these people and the children who escaped to live a life.
This is a WWII novel. It tells the story of a group of people who helped to save hundreds of Jewish babies that were surely going to die after their families were rounded up by the Nazis. Mothers were quietly asked if they wished to save their small child by allowing Walter to take them to the daycare. Walter doctored the books so no child appeared missing. Once at the daycare, Henriette and her crew made sure they were taken care of and made ready to smuggle to a non-Jewish family who was willing to take the child and raise it as their own. Henriette would quietly pass a child over the hedge of the daycare in the dead of night to Johan who somehow managed to get hundreds of children past the Nazis and to safety. Hundreds of children escaped certain death by the courageous acts of their parents and these heroes. These heroes risked their own lives so that others might live.
This is their story. One of courage, faith and resilience. It is a touching story that will make you cry and have a renewed faith in humanity. God bless these people and the children who escaped to live a life.
September 3, 2021
This is a heartwrenching, riveting story of three courageous members of the Resistance who risked their lives to save Jewish children during the Nazi Occupation of Holland. Although I am familiar with similar stories of Dutch citizens, most notably that of Miep Gies, who helped the Frank family in hiding, I wasn't aware of the efforts of this heroic trio. (One of them later served as Senator from the Netherlands and was also a European Parliament member.) Without hesitation and under extreme duress, they secretly moved children at risk of deportation to Nazi concentration camps, first to a daycare center, then across a hedge to the neighboring college. From there, they were taken in by Dutch families, although tragically, never saw their parents again.
This is a difficult read due to the extreme and senseless violence and abuse inflicted on innocent Jews. It's also painful to read how the Occupation turned family members and friends against one another in order to make 7,5 guilders, or the price on a Jewish head. The author does a good job of keeping each of the story threads open and intriguing. It's a suspenseful read which you'll want to continue to the end because you hope against all hope that all three—and the 600-plus children they saved—will survive. I won't give away the ending but will admit I needed a tissue or two.
Kudos to the author for this engaging book on a tough subject. Her research was very thorough, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she has a personal connection to someone in the story, perhaps one of the children who survived.
This is a difficult read due to the extreme and senseless violence and abuse inflicted on innocent Jews. It's also painful to read how the Occupation turned family members and friends against one another in order to make 7,5 guilders, or the price on a Jewish head. The author does a good job of keeping each of the story threads open and intriguing. It's a suspenseful read which you'll want to continue to the end because you hope against all hope that all three—and the 600-plus children they saved—will survive. I won't give away the ending but will admit I needed a tissue or two.
Kudos to the author for this engaging book on a tough subject. Her research was very thorough, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she has a personal connection to someone in the story, perhaps one of the children who survived.
September 25, 2021
First, I’d like to thank Goodreads and the author, Paulette Mahurin, for the free Kindle copy of this book. It was a wonderful book!
I am so happy that I read this book. In the current tumultuous times we live in, it gave me HOPE! Albeit, the hellacious crimes against humanity and the hatred of certain races and religions happened nearly 80 years ago, today it is very important and relevant for us to learn from them.
I was moved by those who worked so hard to save the next generation instead of themselves. God has truly blessed them. Of that I am certain.
This book is the first that I’ve heard of the ‘over the hedge’ rescue. I have to wonder if any of the children were made aware of their stories and came forward to talk about their lives?
Thank you fir the opportunity to read this book!
I am so happy that I read this book. In the current tumultuous times we live in, it gave me HOPE! Albeit, the hellacious crimes against humanity and the hatred of certain races and religions happened nearly 80 years ago, today it is very important and relevant for us to learn from them.
I was moved by those who worked so hard to save the next generation instead of themselves. God has truly blessed them. Of that I am certain.
This book is the first that I’ve heard of the ‘over the hedge’ rescue. I have to wonder if any of the children were made aware of their stories and came forward to talk about their lives?
Thank you fir the opportunity to read this book!
August 31, 2021
A Ray of Hope in a Dark, Human Tragedy
Over the hedge is a heartfelt account of the members of the Dutch Resistance saved nearly a thousand Jewish children during the German Occupation. Mahurin’s brilliant storytelling and characterization brings to life Walter Suskind, Johan van Hulst, and Henriette Pimentel as they risk their own lives to smuggle Jewish children to safety even as their parents are shipped off to Auschwitz.
It is not always easy to read a historical about these times; but it is necessary if we are to remember what happened and learn not only of mistakes made, but also of heroes who helped overcome the evils of war. Paulette Mahurin has a wonderful way of humanizing these historical figures and putting us in the story. This is one of her best.
Over the hedge is a heartfelt account of the members of the Dutch Resistance saved nearly a thousand Jewish children during the German Occupation. Mahurin’s brilliant storytelling and characterization brings to life Walter Suskind, Johan van Hulst, and Henriette Pimentel as they risk their own lives to smuggle Jewish children to safety even as their parents are shipped off to Auschwitz.
It is not always easy to read a historical about these times; but it is necessary if we are to remember what happened and learn not only of mistakes made, but also of heroes who helped overcome the evils of war. Paulette Mahurin has a wonderful way of humanizing these historical figures and putting us in the story. This is one of her best.
September 24, 2021
Another moving story from a talented writer
Over the hedge is the incredible story of three brave Dutch citizens; Walter, Henriette & Johan, who saved Jewish children during a dark period of history. They weren’t soldiers or diplomats, just regular people who knew right from wrong and were unwilling to put their own safety ahead of their morals.
Their plan was clever and made use of the tools that they had access to as members of their community. A college campus, a daycare.
Over the hedge is a brilliant piece of writing and a very human gaze at the horrors of the that time. It’s a must read for any interested in history and the human condition.
Over the hedge is the incredible story of three brave Dutch citizens; Walter, Henriette & Johan, who saved Jewish children during a dark period of history. They weren’t soldiers or diplomats, just regular people who knew right from wrong and were unwilling to put their own safety ahead of their morals.
Their plan was clever and made use of the tools that they had access to as members of their community. A college campus, a daycare.
Over the hedge is a brilliant piece of writing and a very human gaze at the horrors of the that time. It’s a must read for any interested in history and the human condition.
April 1, 2022
An intensely tragic tale from Nazi occupied Netherlands. Its a story of the discrimination that the Jewish people faced and the brave work of the resistance workers to make a difference to the kids that would otherwise be sent to death camps. Over the hedge is based on true facts. The characters are well knit and the story at times becomes too tragic.
I am in awe of the author who has such a keen Knowledge of history and the way she weaves it into the plot is simply amazing.
As the larger picture unfolds in history books and in movies, this is a small story that needs to be told.
The end is not exactly unexpected but makes you stop and think.
I am in awe of the author who has such a keen Knowledge of history and the way she weaves it into the plot is simply amazing.
As the larger picture unfolds in history books and in movies, this is a small story that needs to be told.
The end is not exactly unexpected but makes you stop and think.
April 6, 2022
I actually read this twice in one day. The first time, I read it for the plot, racing through to see which of the resistance members might survive. Then, I read it again to see how this amazing author was able to make me feel such a powerful range of emotions in a relatively short book. I think it is because both her resistance heroes and victims of the Nazis were just regular folks. That is exactly what most of us are so I quickly related to all of them, feeling what they felt. I knew nothing about the resistance activities in the Netherlands but I plan to find out, thanks to reading this remarkable book.
August 22, 2021
This is a story that simultaneously highlights both the very best and very worst of human nature. Prior to reading this, I knew very little about the German occupation of the Netherlands, and Paulette Mahurin immerses us in this heartbreaking era, in which Jewish children were torn from their parents and, for the lucky few, saved against all odds. What I loved most about this book, as in all of this author's work, is the way she so cleverly brings to life real-world heroes who should never be forgotten. This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time to come.
August 30, 2021
Powerful, important history,
I’ve read other Mahurin historical novels. Her research and commitment to accurate details bring to past into the present, teaching us of the horrors and the love that paved the way to this day. Over the Hedge is a story of both compassion and pain, of impossibility and the unimaginable, impossible to put down. This is an important book for WWII historians and for those who understand the connections between the past and the present. Well written and timely…
I’ve read other Mahurin historical novels. Her research and commitment to accurate details bring to past into the present, teaching us of the horrors and the love that paved the way to this day. Over the Hedge is a story of both compassion and pain, of impossibility and the unimaginable, impossible to put down. This is an important book for WWII historians and for those who understand the connections between the past and the present. Well written and timely…
August 2, 2021
Review
A captivating story based on real events highlights the heroic actions of three Dutch citizens: Walter, a German Jew, transported to the Netherlands; Henreitte, a Safardic Jew, and Johan the principal of a Christian college. Working together, facing Nazi hostilities, the three managed to rescue hundreds of Jewish children in a few short months. This is a remarkable story that shines a very bright light on a very dark time in history. It’s a story of deep abiding friendship and loyalty to a cause greater than any one individual. Where this author shines is in her character development. We care about the three main characters and what they have to overcome to help the children. We worry about their fate. What will happen if discovered as they operate discreetly under Nazi rule. There is also dept given to the antagonists in the story; in particular one of the Nazi officers whose past comes forth causing the reader to gain an understanding of how the vile dictator Hitler cast his web and enlisted his “loyal victims.” This was a remarkable read that kept me up through the night. Knowing that real people lived the actions portrayed in the story made this all the more a riveting read. One that I highly recommend.
A captivating story based on real events highlights the heroic actions of three Dutch citizens: Walter, a German Jew, transported to the Netherlands; Henreitte, a Safardic Jew, and Johan the principal of a Christian college. Working together, facing Nazi hostilities, the three managed to rescue hundreds of Jewish children in a few short months. This is a remarkable story that shines a very bright light on a very dark time in history. It’s a story of deep abiding friendship and loyalty to a cause greater than any one individual. Where this author shines is in her character development. We care about the three main characters and what they have to overcome to help the children. We worry about their fate. What will happen if discovered as they operate discreetly under Nazi rule. There is also dept given to the antagonists in the story; in particular one of the Nazi officers whose past comes forth causing the reader to gain an understanding of how the vile dictator Hitler cast his web and enlisted his “loyal victims.” This was a remarkable read that kept me up through the night. Knowing that real people lived the actions portrayed in the story made this all the more a riveting read. One that I highly recommend.
August 31, 2021
This is based in truth. That is the most important thing to know. In the times we are living in when hate is again rising, we need to remember that some people did all the good they knew how under threat of death. This is a story of the triumph of good over evil. It's good to be reminded of this. Great book on a terrible time in history.
September 28, 2021
Review by
Diana B, Reviewer
Last updated on 28 Sep 2021
My Recommendation
I read as many stories about the horrendous time in Germany and how badly the Jews, among others were treated. They are all heartbreaking, this is one of the better ones. Maybe if more people were to read the history of the holocaust there would be less wars today. Maybe that is wishful thinking.
Diana B, Reviewer
Last updated on 28 Sep 2021
My Recommendation
I read as many stories about the horrendous time in Germany and how badly the Jews, among others were treated. They are all heartbreaking, this is one of the better ones. Maybe if more people were to read the history of the holocaust there would be less wars today. Maybe that is wishful thinking.
September 21, 2021
Another WWII book showing the bravery, courage, generosity, and fearlessness to save strangers in a chaotic world. Heroes, they were true heroes!! The ending brought tears and was so emotional. Sushhh, be brave.
High 5 stars.
High 5 stars.
February 17, 2025
The novelized story of a group of real people who rescued and smuggled up to 1000 Jewish children out of the Netherlands right under the Nazis noses. It is a pretty exciting read and reminds me that there are heroes among us even in the worst of times.
March 28, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Paulette Manhurin for allowing me to read this riveting story, Set in Amsterdam during WWII the year was 1943 and the Germans were rounding about all the Jews. Hilter was keeping track of how many were sent to the staging post and he was not happy with the numbers. At the staging post was Walter who was Jewish but was allowed to help the Germans with keeping track of and sending the Jews to work camps. Walter was part of a group that was saving the children from being deported. Walter would get permission from the parents of the children and then would take the children across the street to the nursery that was run by a Jewish nurse. Behind the nursery was a "hedge" that the children would then be sent over to the college next door. At the college the children would be sedated and put in anything that could be found to be transported out and sent to Dutch families that agreed to help the Jewish children. I was hooked on the story and did not want to put the book down. I am appalled with what happened at that time and can only compare it to what is happening now with Russia invading. I recommend this book as it was an eye opener to happenings during WWII
January 19, 2022
940: Johan van Hulst, Deputy Principal of the Reformed Teachers’ Training College in Amsterdam, decided he couldn’t sit on the fence. Every day, across the road at a converted theatre, he watched truckloads of Jews arrive. People were beaten and traumatised, families separated, and then trucked out to unspeakable destinations.
Next door to the college was a Jewish kindergarten; the Nazis turned it into a holding pen for young children before shipping them out to the camps with their parents. Christian Johan at the college, Jewish Walter at the theatre, Jewish Henriëtte at the kindergarten and other associates, colleagues and students of all faiths became part of a secret network to smuggle the smallest children away to safety. Think of the anguish of each parent, hoping against hope that a stranger somewhere would cherish their beloved child, otherwise heading to a certain death.
How they did it under the noses of the watching Nazis, and the price many of them paid for their bravery, is inspiring. It is estimated they saved the lives of between 500 and 1,000 tiny babies and children, whisked away in baskets, parcels and other secret methods.
You’ll hold your breath in fear as the story shares the events of this dark period of Dutch history and the sacrifices made by people who daily put their lives on the line.
However, at times the writing style gets a bit bogged down on description, rather than being a well-paced narrative - I have to be honest, the story-telling gets a little hard-going at times because of the somewhat inflexible writing style but...it is a short read, only 176 pages, is free to download on Kindle Unlimted or less than£1/$1 to buy, the true-life events are dramatic enough to keep you reading and this story of courage and sacrifice does need to be told and heard. So overall, I give it 4 stars.
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
Next door to the college was a Jewish kindergarten; the Nazis turned it into a holding pen for young children before shipping them out to the camps with their parents. Christian Johan at the college, Jewish Walter at the theatre, Jewish Henriëtte at the kindergarten and other associates, colleagues and students of all faiths became part of a secret network to smuggle the smallest children away to safety. Think of the anguish of each parent, hoping against hope that a stranger somewhere would cherish their beloved child, otherwise heading to a certain death.
How they did it under the noses of the watching Nazis, and the price many of them paid for their bravery, is inspiring. It is estimated they saved the lives of between 500 and 1,000 tiny babies and children, whisked away in baskets, parcels and other secret methods.
You’ll hold your breath in fear as the story shares the events of this dark period of Dutch history and the sacrifices made by people who daily put their lives on the line.
However, at times the writing style gets a bit bogged down on description, rather than being a well-paced narrative - I have to be honest, the story-telling gets a little hard-going at times because of the somewhat inflexible writing style but...it is a short read, only 176 pages, is free to download on Kindle Unlimted or less than£1/$1 to buy, the true-life events are dramatic enough to keep you reading and this story of courage and sacrifice does need to be told and heard. So overall, I give it 4 stars.
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews