Customer Reviews

The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II

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Steven Karras has followed his revealing documentary about young Jewish Nazi refugees who served in the WWII allied armies with an interesting 27 chapters of personal histories of these soldiers. By letting each tell his/her own stories the author lets the reader see common threads (such as eagerness to get even, self-conscious awareness that they were "different" and wanted to fit in) but also differences in their war experiences and reactions to "getting back" at their Nazi tormentors. That any Nazi victims (in fairly large numbers) were fighting back is still virtually unknown. How they did it and what resulted is the main thrust of this interesting book and makes it a worthwhile addition to the history of World War II.

The Enemy I Knew is a great and unique book. I came to this book through the great documentary that preceded it called "About Face" and also because my father in law is Bernard H. Baum - Chapter 13. There have been 100s of books about WWII, but this is yet a new unique look at the special dynamic of Germans Jews who managed to escape Nazi Germany returning as GIs with a double incentive to win the war. I highly recommend this book!

David Houle

We will not forgot: Not what happened nor the heroes who helped end Hitler's reign of terror. Many of these persons country of birth was Germany and they were Jews. Steve Karras, from the book's striking cover to the individual stories of heroism and devotion to country, (America), captures why. His frank, yet sensitive interviews with 27 of these German - American soldiers offer us a first hand insight into what they, (and their families), were feeling and thinking. The truth is I doubt any of these people of honor and integrity would ever consider themselves heroes. "The Enemy I Knew" is a book of historical and personal value and ought to be shared with our children. No question, well worth the read.

Throw away your commonly held heroes. Author Steve Karras has new targets for your admiration. The men (and one woman) featured in his book bring new meaning to what we have traditionally viewed as "brave" and "patriotic." So much has been written about what is believed to have been the Jewish experience in World War II--death, ridicule, persecution. And while so much of this was certainly experienced by a large number of Jews (and non-Jews) at the hands of the Nazi Germany, "The Enemy I Knew" reveals a less-discussed aspect of that same overall experience--that of German Jews who fled the country, only to return as soldiers in the Allied Army. These stories will inspire and engage, leaving readers anticipating the next turn of the page. A big 'thank you' is owed to Karras for bringing these stories to light. Almost as big as the 'thank you' that is owed to those covered in his book.

When I first saw this book, I thought, "This would make a greta documentary film." Then I read the back flap about the author and saw that this book is based on a documentary film he had already made on these men and women. Some of the profiles I found most interesting were those of Siegmund Spiegel (1st Infantry); Jerry Behhofer (938 FAB); Ms Adelyn Bonin (502 Mechanized Ambulance Corps ATS); Eric Hamberg (84th CMB); Bernard Friedberg (8th Air Force); Fritz Weinstein (293rd JSAC); Peter (Tischler) Terry (3 Troop 10 Commando in Normandy); William Hartenstein (505 Parachute, 82nd Airborne); Karl (Goldschmidt) Goldsmith (142nd Interrogation of POW group); Henry Kissinger (335th Infantry regiment, 84th Inf Div, G2 Intelligence); John Stern (100th Inf); Ralph (Rudolph) Baer (Intelligence); and Bernard Baum (66th Inf).
Karras interviewed 200 veterans for the film, but chose these few to represent everyone. SPeaking of Kissinger, ... when Karras interviewed Henry Kissinger for the book in Kissinger's Park Avenue office, it was the same week the Christopher Hitchens wrote a scathing attack against Kissinger. It helps you put events into perspective.

While the exploits these 27 brave men undertook were fraught with much danger, the opportunity they had to exact revenge on the cruel Nazis must have driven them at a fever pace. Out of the many dozens of books and films on World War II and the Holocaust which I have experienced, I regard The Enemy I Knew one of the finest. The
poignant stories of the courageous German Jewish refugees who returned to Europe are profoundly moving and provide me one of the deepest levels of
understanding of the terror and sadness which Holocaust victims experienced which I have ever felt. This book is a must read for the serious World War II history student!

It is my pleasure to know and work with one of the contributors to The Enemy I Knew, and to learn of his history and experiences beyond WWII. It is amazing and deeply moving to see his love and respect for America and his appreciation of our great country.