Hans’ Journal by Hans H. Saltzwedel
Hans H. Saltzwedel Publisher, Vero Beach, FL, $19.95 USD, softcover (230p)
ISBN: 0-9774574-0-0
In a genre filled with books centering on the atrocities of WWII and the Jewish
experience, Hans’ Journal is a refreshing look at one man’s experiences growing up in
Eastern Germany during WWII, presenting the world of Nazi Germany through the
innocent eyes of a privileged young non-Jewish boy who comes of age at the height of
Hitler’s reign.
Born in 1928, Hans grew up in the capital city of Stettin, in the region once known as
Pomerania, and enjoyed a fortunate life. He was the only grandson of the wealthy and
politically-connected Hellmut Toepffer, co-founder of the prosperous vegetable oil
manufacturing company “Stettiner Oelwerke.” Hans had few cares outside his studies,
spending long summers vacationing with his mother, weekends at his grandfather’s
mansion, and pursuing his passion for anything to do with the Navy.
Protected by his family’s business and political affluence, Hans regards the increasing
power of the Nazi party as more of a nuisance than a threat during his early years. A
member of the compulsory “Hitler Youth” for seven years, Hans finds satisfaction in the
experience where he was taught the values of discipline, self-reliance, comradeship, and
following orders while also having fun and playing games.
Despite the increasing air raid warnings, enforced blackouts, and mandatory work details,
Hans’ life and studies continue much as normal and he remains completely unaware of
the enormity of the events occurring all around him. The author recalls, “The Jewish
question was not a major issue in the average German’s conscience… It was not part of
every day life.” However, it is only a matter of time before the bleak realities of war are
felt firsthand as Hans experiences the devastation of air attacks, the toil of forced manual
labor, and finally the frustration of imprisonment in a western allied P.O.W camp, while
his family is torn apart by forced evacuations.
Replete with photographs that vividly contrast the grandeur of what-once-was with what
remained after the devastation of his family’s empire, the great toll taken on the author
and his family’s stature is inarguable. However, the author does not seek pity in his
accounts; nor does he try to make himself a hero. He is simply recounting a personal
history for posterity’s sake; a history that endured and survived a war because of the
familial bonds that protected and guided the man he is today.
Though Hans’ Journal may not be the most adventurous or poignant of war tales, its
unfolding is intriguing and keeps the pages readily turning. This book is recommended
reading for anyone wishing to examine the Nazi experience from all perspectives.
Answered by
Suparna
at
12:53 AM on January 24, 2009
