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Geh fort, wenn du kannst
There is something different about Angelina. She is a passionate and headstrong young woman, German on her father's side, Italian through her mother. She is also an ardent communist and an outspoken atheist. With Europe embroiled in World War II and her father missing in Russia, Angelina journeys alone to seek out her mother's family in Italy. Instead, she finds Giulia, a kindred spirit.In the summer of 1943, with Fascist Italy reeling under repeated defeats, Angelina and Giulia decide to fight for the socialist world revolution. Setting out alone through the wartime chaos, the two join an Italian partisan group led by the dashing Antonio. The partisans are soon in action against the Nazis and Angelina's courage and devotion to the cause earns her Antonio's admiration -- and his love. But when Angelina is injured during a battle, she finds herself locked in a spiritual struggle every bit as daunting as her physical battle against the Nazis. Originally written in German in 1959, Leave If You Can explores the challenge of God's mystical call versus the overpowering allure of the world, set against the backdrop of wartime Italy and the bombing of the abbey at Monte Cassino.
148 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1959
About the author
Luise Rinser
150 books12 followersLuise Rinser (30 April 1911 in Pitzling, Landsberg am Lech, Upper Bavaria – 17 March 2002 in Unterhaching, Munich) was a German writer.
Luise Rinser was born on 30 April 1911 in Pitzling, a constituent community of Landsberg am Lech, in Upper Bavaria. Her birth house still exists. She was educated in a Volksschule in Munich, where she scored high marks on her exams. After the exams, she worked as an aide in various schools in Upper Bavaria, where she learned the reformed pedagogical style of Franz Seitz, who influenced her teaching and writing. During these years, she wrote her first short stories for the journal Herdfeuer. She refused to join the Nazi Party, but after 1936 belonged to the NS-Frauenschaft and until 1939 she also belonged to the Teacher's Association. In 1939, she resigned from teaching and was married. In 1944 she was denounced for undermining military morale, and imprisoned; the end of the war stopped the legal proceedings against her, which probably would have concluded with a death sentence. She described her experience in the Traunstein women's prison in her Prison Journals (Gefängnistagebuch) of 1946. She described herself in an ode to Adolf Hitler as opposed to the Nazis. Her first husband, and the father of both her sons, the composer and choir director Horst Günther Schnell, died on the Russian Front. Afterward, she married the communist writer Klaus Herrmann, but this marriage was annulled about 1952. From 1945 to 1953, she was a freelance writer for the New Daily News (Munich), and she established her residence in that city.
In 1954, she married the composer Carl Orff and they divorced in 1960. She formed a tight friendship with the Korean composer Isang Yun, with the abbot of a monastery, and with the theologian Karl Rahner. In 1959, she lived in Rome, and then in 1965 in Rocca di Papa, near Rome, where she was recognized as an honored resident in 1986. Afterward, she lived until her death at her apartment in Munich.
Rinser kept herself active in political and social discussions in Germany. She supported Willy Brandt in his 1971/72 campaign, and demonstrated with the writers Heinrich Böll, Günter Grass and many others against the retrofitting of Germany with Pershing rockets. She became a sharp critic of the Catholic Church, although she never left it and she was an accredited journalist at the Second Vatican Council. She also criticized, in open letters, the prosecution of Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin, and others, and wrote to Ensslin's father: "Gudrun has a friend in me for life.". In 1972, she traveled to the Soviet Union, the USA Spain, India, Indonesia, South Korea, North Korea, and Iran – she saw the Revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini as "a shining model for the states of the Third World." – Japan, Colombia and many other countries. She engaged herself for the abolition of the Abortion paragraph § 218 in its current form. She served as a leading voice for the Catholic Left in Germany.
In 1984, she was proposed by the Grünen as a candidate for the office of federal president.
Luise Rinser was born on 30 April 1911 in Pitzling, a constituent community of Landsberg am Lech, in Upper Bavaria. Her birth house still exists. She was educated in a Volksschule in Munich, where she scored high marks on her exams. After the exams, she worked as an aide in various schools in Upper Bavaria, where she learned the reformed pedagogical style of Franz Seitz, who influenced her teaching and writing. During these years, she wrote her first short stories for the journal Herdfeuer. She refused to join the Nazi Party, but after 1936 belonged to the NS-Frauenschaft and until 1939 she also belonged to the Teacher's Association. In 1939, she resigned from teaching and was married. In 1944 she was denounced for undermining military morale, and imprisoned; the end of the war stopped the legal proceedings against her, which probably would have concluded with a death sentence. She described her experience in the Traunstein women's prison in her Prison Journals (Gefängnistagebuch) of 1946. She described herself in an ode to Adolf Hitler as opposed to the Nazis. Her first husband, and the father of both her sons, the composer and choir director Horst Günther Schnell, died on the Russian Front. Afterward, she married the communist writer Klaus Herrmann, but this marriage was annulled about 1952. From 1945 to 1953, she was a freelance writer for the New Daily News (Munich), and she established her residence in that city.
In 1954, she married the composer Carl Orff and they divorced in 1960. She formed a tight friendship with the Korean composer Isang Yun, with the abbot of a monastery, and with the theologian Karl Rahner. In 1959, she lived in Rome, and then in 1965 in Rocca di Papa, near Rome, where she was recognized as an honored resident in 1986. Afterward, she lived until her death at her apartment in Munich.
Rinser kept herself active in political and social discussions in Germany. She supported Willy Brandt in his 1971/72 campaign, and demonstrated with the writers Heinrich Böll, Günter Grass and many others against the retrofitting of Germany with Pershing rockets. She became a sharp critic of the Catholic Church, although she never left it and she was an accredited journalist at the Second Vatican Council. She also criticized, in open letters, the prosecution of Andreas Baader and Gudrun Ensslin, and others, and wrote to Ensslin's father: "Gudrun has a friend in me for life.". In 1972, she traveled to the Soviet Union, the USA Spain, India, Indonesia, South Korea, North Korea, and Iran – she saw the Revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini as "a shining model for the states of the Third World." – Japan, Colombia and many other countries. She engaged herself for the abolition of the Abortion paragraph § 218 in its current form. She served as a leading voice for the Catholic Left in Germany.
In 1984, she was proposed by the Grünen as a candidate for the office of federal president.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 2, 2025
WILD
Alright now that I'm on my computer and can write an actual review:
To begin with, this book has some very incorrect moral theology espoused by the main character so I really can't in good conscience recommend it because although she is not necessarily touted as a theological authority, the book is touted as "Catholic fiction" so I think people might get the wrong idea if they're not already well-formed. Anyway.
There's that, then there's the very odd choices about what words to italicize, and what things to add footnotes to. Admittedly, it's a translation so perhaps I should give more grace there - still. Was weird. Protagonist is irritating and unlikable, deuteragonist is just sort of there and not particularly redeeming, the whole thing is, well, it was not my cup of tea. And wasn't interesting enough to make up for the solidly mediocre writing. Sorry.
Alright now that I'm on my computer and can write an actual review:
To begin with, this book has some very incorrect moral theology espoused by the main character so I really can't in good conscience recommend it because although she is not necessarily touted as a theological authority, the book is touted as "Catholic fiction" so I think people might get the wrong idea if they're not already well-formed. Anyway.
There's that, then there's the very odd choices about what words to italicize, and what things to add footnotes to. Admittedly, it's a translation so perhaps I should give more grace there - still. Was weird. Protagonist is irritating and unlikable, deuteragonist is just sort of there and not particularly redeeming, the whole thing is, well, it was not my cup of tea. And wasn't interesting enough to make up for the solidly mediocre writing. Sorry.
September 1, 2022
This was a good, easy read about World War 2 Era Italy and two girls who are a part of the socialist revolution and the spiritual struggles and journeys they make. It would be a good read for around abouts middle school readers through adults wanting a quick historical fiction book to read set in this timeframe.
July 28, 2024
Nowadays, there are so many options for reading Christian fiction. However, it seems that finding fictional books for Catholics is a bit harder to do. So, I relished the opportunity to review a book which does just that.
Leave if You Can was written in German back in 1959 by Luise Rinser. The author drew from her personal experience living through World War II, including her refusal to join the Nazi Party and imprisonment at Traunstein for undermining military morale.
About Leave If You Can
Set in wartime Italy, Leave if You Can is basically one long letter relaying the journey of two young women as they struggle with the direction God is calling them to go. The letter is written to Angelina's father who was surprised to find his daughter in a convent after the war. Given her previous proclamation of alliance with the communist movement and declarations of being an atheist, this is not an unexpected reaction on his part. It is her friend, Giulia, who followed her into the convent after the war and feels it important to explain how the events during the war led them to this new life.
One sentence on the book's back cover describes the novel as exploring "the challenge of God's mystical call versus the overpowering allure of the world." I'd add that it not only takes on the challenge to head God's call when the world is pulling us in other directions, but also how someone might feel the draw to religious life. In a culture where self is made more important than others, choosing a vocation as religious rather than marriage or single life goes against the norm.
Angelina's story reflects this struggle. She had the double whammy of both realizing there IS a God and he was manifested through her experience in the nearly destroyed convent. There she found only a Benedictine breviary and spent her nights reading it by candlelight. Through the reading, she begins to hear God and eventually starts to argue with him in an effort to deny her reality.
During Angelina's discussions with Guilia, you find the reason for the book's title. Angelina spotted an archway that leads from the convent to the outside world. Engraved on the arch were the words "Egredere si potes" which translates to "leave, if you can." The longer she remained in the convent, living a life of solitude (where she could not easily run from God's call) where she tended the garden and began to say the Hours (The Monastic Office, prayers at set hours of the day and night) the more she realized that she could NOT leave. Instead, she was were she needed to be at that moment.
By the end of the letter, you find that both Angelina and Guilia realize that they are called to live their lives in the community of sisters. Neither envisioned that for their lives, but find peace in their decision.
Overall, this was a book that provided an excellent example of someone answering God's call to pursue the vocation He has laid before them. For the primary characters in this story, the vocation was to become nuns in an order. For some of us it is to married life (with or without kids) or life as a single. Whichever vocation we enter, God's call needs to be heard before we can follow the path he has designed for us.
Disclaimer ~ I was provided with a copy of Leave if You Can for the purpose of doing this review. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own.
Leave if You Can was written in German back in 1959 by Luise Rinser. The author drew from her personal experience living through World War II, including her refusal to join the Nazi Party and imprisonment at Traunstein for undermining military morale.
About Leave If You Can
Set in wartime Italy, Leave if You Can is basically one long letter relaying the journey of two young women as they struggle with the direction God is calling them to go. The letter is written to Angelina's father who was surprised to find his daughter in a convent after the war. Given her previous proclamation of alliance with the communist movement and declarations of being an atheist, this is not an unexpected reaction on his part. It is her friend, Giulia, who followed her into the convent after the war and feels it important to explain how the events during the war led them to this new life.
One sentence on the book's back cover describes the novel as exploring "the challenge of God's mystical call versus the overpowering allure of the world." I'd add that it not only takes on the challenge to head God's call when the world is pulling us in other directions, but also how someone might feel the draw to religious life. In a culture where self is made more important than others, choosing a vocation as religious rather than marriage or single life goes against the norm.
Angelina's story reflects this struggle. She had the double whammy of both realizing there IS a God and he was manifested through her experience in the nearly destroyed convent. There she found only a Benedictine breviary and spent her nights reading it by candlelight. Through the reading, she begins to hear God and eventually starts to argue with him in an effort to deny her reality.
During Angelina's discussions with Guilia, you find the reason for the book's title. Angelina spotted an archway that leads from the convent to the outside world. Engraved on the arch were the words "Egredere si potes" which translates to "leave, if you can." The longer she remained in the convent, living a life of solitude (where she could not easily run from God's call) where she tended the garden and began to say the Hours (The Monastic Office, prayers at set hours of the day and night) the more she realized that she could NOT leave. Instead, she was were she needed to be at that moment.
By the end of the letter, you find that both Angelina and Guilia realize that they are called to live their lives in the community of sisters. Neither envisioned that for their lives, but find peace in their decision.
Overall, this was a book that provided an excellent example of someone answering God's call to pursue the vocation He has laid before them. For the primary characters in this story, the vocation was to become nuns in an order. For some of us it is to married life (with or without kids) or life as a single. Whichever vocation we enter, God's call needs to be heard before we can follow the path he has designed for us.
Disclaimer ~ I was provided with a copy of Leave if You Can for the purpose of doing this review. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own.
March 17, 2018
Will somebody please make a movie of this book?
It would lend itself incredibly well to the cinema, methinks. How could anything set in Italy during WWII do otherwise? The characters are vivid, the plot is fast-paced, and the theme is a ringing challenge to greatness. On top of it all, the scenery is gorgeous.
At least, I assume the scenery is gorgeous. For that matter, I assume the characters are vivid and the plot is fast-paced. You see, Luise Rinser didn't really take me back in time to WWII Italy and let me experience it for myself--she just told me about it, in such a way that I wished I could have seen the things she'd seen. I kept wanting to beg her to slow down--to let me get to know Angelina and Giulia instead of being told "they became good friends over that month," to let me know the chill of fear before a coming battle instead of being told, "there was a surprise attack that fall and we lost a third of our men." It got frustrating sometimes, knowing all this drama was there and not being able to get to the heart of it.
However. To be fair, that bald-faced way of reciting facts was realistic, given that the book was supposed to be a letter written from Giulia to Angelina's father. You don't devote ten pages to an incident, even a very exciting incident, when you're writing a letter. Still. This story had the potential to be a novel of at least 300 pages, and I couldn't help but wish it weren't a novella. Which is the main reason I wish it would be made into a movie.
But somehow, at the end of it all--which is when it counts--I closed the book and was satisfied. Or rather, as I mentioned before, I was challenged. The conclusion is perfect, no matter how imperfect is the book. Luise Rinser's writing might not do justice to her story--but her story is strong enough to shine by itself.
It would lend itself incredibly well to the cinema, methinks. How could anything set in Italy during WWII do otherwise? The characters are vivid, the plot is fast-paced, and the theme is a ringing challenge to greatness. On top of it all, the scenery is gorgeous.
At least, I assume the scenery is gorgeous. For that matter, I assume the characters are vivid and the plot is fast-paced. You see, Luise Rinser didn't really take me back in time to WWII Italy and let me experience it for myself--she just told me about it, in such a way that I wished I could have seen the things she'd seen. I kept wanting to beg her to slow down--to let me get to know Angelina and Giulia instead of being told "they became good friends over that month," to let me know the chill of fear before a coming battle instead of being told, "there was a surprise attack that fall and we lost a third of our men." It got frustrating sometimes, knowing all this drama was there and not being able to get to the heart of it.
However. To be fair, that bald-faced way of reciting facts was realistic, given that the book was supposed to be a letter written from Giulia to Angelina's father. You don't devote ten pages to an incident, even a very exciting incident, when you're writing a letter. Still. This story had the potential to be a novel of at least 300 pages, and I couldn't help but wish it weren't a novella. Which is the main reason I wish it would be made into a movie.
But somehow, at the end of it all--which is when it counts--I closed the book and was satisfied. Or rather, as I mentioned before, I was challenged. The conclusion is perfect, no matter how imperfect is the book. Luise Rinser's writing might not do justice to her story--but her story is strong enough to shine by itself.
December 6, 2010
Leave If You Can was originally written in German -''Geh fort wenn du kannst''- by author Luise Rinser and translated into English by Margaret Stevens. Ms. Rinser tells the story of Angelina and of her spiritual awakening after the devastation of Italy in World War Two. We learn about the courageous young woman's struggles as her friend Giulia writes a letter to Angelina's father.
Angelina and Giulia have been best friends since childhood and their religious beliefs are about to be affected by the terrors of the war. These two idealistic women embrace communism and leave home without a plan, but with big hopes of protecting the defenseless and fighting the oppressors. On their journey, they find a brave young boy named Tommaso who got lost while secretly trying to follow his older brothers, who have set off to Rome. After hearing Tomasso's story and seeing his courage, the three travel together to look for his brothers.
Upon arrival at Rome, sensing that he can trust Angelina and Giulia, Tomasso leads them to a trattoria, a secret meeting place for the Partisans, a well-organized underground communist resistance group fighting the Fascist regime. They are unable to find Tomasso's brothers, but are introduced to Antonio, one of the Partisan group leaders stationed near the trattoria. The three of them become active members of his group, L'Altalena. During one of the Partisans heated fights against German troops near Santa Maria del Monte, Angelina is separated from her group and thought to be missing in action. Giulia's intuition helps her find Angelina and their reunion marks the beginning of their spiritual awakening and transformation.
Angelina is strong-willed and determined. These attributes make her a great leader and a trustworthy companion. Giulia is a loyal friend who unquestioningly follows Angelina. Together they suffer, laugh, cry, and strengthen each other in times of despair. This co-dependence makes them stronger and prepares them for a greater cause by enabling them to find peace under the most unexpected circumstances.
“Leave If You Can'' is not your ordinary love-and-war story with villains, heroines, family feuds, and romance. It is the remarkable story of Angelina, who was first blinded by fanaticism and shaken by the injustices and atrocities of the War. After suffering and losing so much during her political and spiritual struggles, Angelina discovers that the fight for justice and human rights is found at a higher level with God as the Supreme Commander.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy war stories entwined with religion and politics while remaining faithful to history.
Angelina and Giulia have been best friends since childhood and their religious beliefs are about to be affected by the terrors of the war. These two idealistic women embrace communism and leave home without a plan, but with big hopes of protecting the defenseless and fighting the oppressors. On their journey, they find a brave young boy named Tommaso who got lost while secretly trying to follow his older brothers, who have set off to Rome. After hearing Tomasso's story and seeing his courage, the three travel together to look for his brothers.
Upon arrival at Rome, sensing that he can trust Angelina and Giulia, Tomasso leads them to a trattoria, a secret meeting place for the Partisans, a well-organized underground communist resistance group fighting the Fascist regime. They are unable to find Tomasso's brothers, but are introduced to Antonio, one of the Partisan group leaders stationed near the trattoria. The three of them become active members of his group, L'Altalena. During one of the Partisans heated fights against German troops near Santa Maria del Monte, Angelina is separated from her group and thought to be missing in action. Giulia's intuition helps her find Angelina and their reunion marks the beginning of their spiritual awakening and transformation.
Angelina is strong-willed and determined. These attributes make her a great leader and a trustworthy companion. Giulia is a loyal friend who unquestioningly follows Angelina. Together they suffer, laugh, cry, and strengthen each other in times of despair. This co-dependence makes them stronger and prepares them for a greater cause by enabling them to find peace under the most unexpected circumstances.
“Leave If You Can'' is not your ordinary love-and-war story with villains, heroines, family feuds, and romance. It is the remarkable story of Angelina, who was first blinded by fanaticism and shaken by the injustices and atrocities of the War. After suffering and losing so much during her political and spiritual struggles, Angelina discovers that the fight for justice and human rights is found at a higher level with God as the Supreme Commander.
I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy war stories entwined with religion and politics while remaining faithful to history.
July 3, 2012
It was a nice short book. I found the main character's transformation to be very inspiriational. The main character was easy for me to relate to because she has many traits that are similar to my own.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews