Customer Reviews

The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt: War Through a Woman's Eyes, 1939-1940

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Rulka Langer's "The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt" is a rip-roaring page-turner, easy to read, spine-tingling, and entertaining. It is also deeply profound. I'm going to buttonhole friends, insisting that they read it; I'll buy copies to give as gifts. "The Mermaid" is not just as delicious to read as a mass market bestseller. It is also essential reading on vital questions of what it means to be a human being, what war is like on a day-to-day basis, and how the Holocaust happened.

Rulka Langer, the heroine and author of "Mermaid," is very much like Katharine Hepburn, the Golden-Age, Hollywood film star. Langer is beautiful, brisk, no-nonsense, and a born heroine. Her very likable presence accompanies the reader through what would otherwise be unbearable scenes. "Mermaid" is so vivid, so cinematic in its details, that I kept seeing it as a Hollywood film.

Langer is a young wife, mother and Vassar grad living in Poland in 1939. Her grandfather was a landed nobleman. Her focus in life is her proud and loving family, parties, fashion, thoroughbred horses, and her fun job for an American advertising firm. In many ways, Langer is very much like a potential American reader for this book - someone who has no idea that within days of a pleasant summer picnic she will confront the greatest evil the world has ever known in her own home - and that the only weapon she will wield in that confrontation is her own sense of honor. World War Two began in Poland, when, on September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded. The Holocaust would take place largely in Poland.

The book opens with sprightly, appealing scenes of Langer's family. You get to like Langer, her brother, her mother, and her children, the characters who will be with you throughout the book. Langer's quick yet detailed style shines in a delightful description of the pleasures of traveling by a horse-drawn carriage through the Polish countryside. You feel as if you are next to Langer as she observes a peasant woman in a red kerchief, and a little black dog, as she calls out, "God's blessings," and field laborers answer back, "May the Lord give it." You wonder, though - is this author a frivolous woman? Will she really be able to write about the German carpet bombing of Polish civilians? Never fear, reader. She will. She will.

In that late Polish summer, straws appear in the wind: rumors of invasion by Nazi Germany. At first, Langer's greatest concern is that Hitler's plans will interfere with her summer vacation. One of the truly stunning strengths of "Mermaid" is its style. Langer's writing is vivid, immediate and frank. It's as if you are her best friend and it's 1939 and you are reading telegraphic updates. Though Langer wrote this book after she'd found safety in America, she doesn't exploit the luxury of hindsight to manage her image, or to make herself out to have been a prescient student of world history fully prepared for blitzkrieg.

"Mermaid" offers a time capsule of world historical events as those events were happening. World War Two and the Holocaust are so vast and so evil that their narrative management is a full time obsession. Today, vocabulary guardians debate whether or not Polish Catholic concentration camp inmates can be said to have been victims of "The Holocaust." Langer wrote her book while World War Two was still occurring, before its immensity had been grasped. She offers a raw, eyewitness view of history's minute-by-minute unfolding, before the narrative managers arrived on the scene.

She tells us that September 1, 1939 (like one September 11, decades later), was a frustratingly beautiful late summer day. Langer devotes the same brisk, vivid sentences to descriptions of starving people butchering horses on Warsaw streets that she had previously devoted to describing her handsome husband.

Langer's style does not change even after, in search of provisions to feed her starving children, she traverses bombed streets flooded with the human blood of her fellow Varsovians, even after Nazis literally walk into her home as she is undressing. You realize that her previous descriptions of leisurely family life were not the fruit of her trivial nature or her sheltered existence. Rather, you realize that Langer's ability to pen a loving, detailed description of the pleasures of carriage rides in the country is the product of supreme self-discipline. This author has been to hell and back. Her aristocratic pose is her heroic resistance to the enemies of civilization.

Langer's descriptions of the madness of war are unforgettable. A seal escapes from the zoo ... a man takes over an apartment complex and demands that all pet dogs be shot ... beautiful young heroes and heroines materialize from the blood, smoke, and chaos, bond, and are snuffed out ... mothers silently resent going without food in order that children be fed.

The Nazis' genocidal plans twist Poles' lives. Evil rumors turn Pole against Pole. Every time resisters kill a German, dozens of Poles are killed in retaliation. A girl is executed for defacing a Nazi propaganda poster.

In recent years, there has been a scholarly and media effort to shift blame for the Holocaust from German Nazis to Poles. Poles, it is said, did not do enough to help Jews during the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Gunnar S. Paulsson's "Secret City" is an antidote to such talk, but so is "Mermaid." Langer, a survivor, makes excruciatingly clear how the Nazis terrorized all Poles, paving the way for Nazism's heinous crimes against Jews.

Part of what makes this book bearable is its "happy ending." The reader knows that Langer will get out of Nazi-occupied Warsaw and write and publish this book. Langer's escape is similar to that of Maria von Trapp of "Sound of Music" fame; in fact, von Trapp and Langer became friends. Others of Langer's family and friends were not so fortunate. For example, Langer's husband's father, her children's grandfather, was Jew. He was beaten to death.

Secret City: The Hidden Jews of Warsaw, 1940-1945

Bieganski: The Brute Polak Stereotype in Polish-Jewish Relations and American Popular Culture (Jews of Poland)

This rare eyewitness account of the early, chaotic days of World War II stretching from the relatively halcyon days prior to the onset of World War II, through the Nazi invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, and the siege of Warsaw to the first few months of the Nazi occupation is told from the perspective of a young working mother. The book has already scooped the 2010 Benjamin Franklin Silver Award in the nonfiction category of the Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book, as well as being a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, the History Book Club, and the Military Book Club. This second edition of the work includes over 100 black-and-white photos, maps and illustrations (some never before published) and other supplemental material not included in the original, which was published in 1942.

Rulka Langer came from a family of distinguished Polish intellectuals, writers and statesmen. After surviving the first five months of the war in Poland, Rulka fled the Nazi-occupied country together with her young son and daughter, aged 8 and 3, in early 1940 to join her husband, who was at that time a member of the Polish diplomatic corps posted in the United States. Having a background in political and economic writing, as well as in research for the Bank of Poland, she soon became a popular lecturer, writing The Mermaid (the official symbol of Warsaw) and the Messerschmitt in 1942 in an attempt to explain to Americans the devastation wrought by the War for ordinary human beings caught up in it.

Written from a young fashion-conscious woman's angle, it is all the more poignant, as it reveals how the average civilian had their world literally dug up from under their feet by the unexpectedness of the onslaught of one of the mightiest forces that has ever besieged Europe. Who can, for example, forget Rulka's initial embarrassment, on first volunteering for air raid shelter digging: "I felt rather silly with my high heel shoes, a pert hat cocked over my right eye, and a spade on my shoulder. I was also at a loss how to handle my red handbag and gloves." Soon all personal concerns are lost, though, as Rulka becomes caught up in the heroic, though relatively short-lived, attempt made by the Varsovians to defend their city from the invading militaristic might of one of the cruelest powers ever to dominate large portions of Europe.

All those who enjoyed the adventures of the von Trapp family in The Sound of Music are likely to enjoy Langer's writing, which has much in common with the former work, in terms of descriptions of loving relationships and noble deeds of outwitting the enemy despite all odds. Although there are undertones of the savagery and brutality of the war, these are not the major concern of the work, which is generally upbeat in tone, telling more about the daily trials and tribulations experienced by those living in an urban environment under siege. A wonderful, heart-warming read, which, nevertheless, does not try to cover up the harshness of the conditions to which the average civilian was subjected during World War II. [Reviewer for BookPleasures.com]

This is a very readable account of the terrible invasion of Poland in first year of World War II, told from a very unusual perspective. It is packed with information and presented with feeling that can only come from having lived through the invasion. The description of the destruction caused by the German bombing and the cannon fire were brought to life with the photographs. I recommend the book, written from a woman's perspective, to anyone with an interest in Poland and the war.

This is an amazing book. I've read a lot about World War II and the experiences had by people who lived in Europe at that time but few books have struck me quite as much as this one has.

Mrs. Langer's story is amazing. Warsaw was destroyed, hundreds of thousands of its citizens killed but Mrs. Langer and her family survived. Mrs. Langer was an incredibly brave woman who did everything from standing in long lines for food to trying to cross Warsaw during air raids. She did her best to protect her family and help her friends and neighbors and participated in the defense of Warsaw. Although she acts brave, she makes no attempt to hide her fears and misgivings in this book.

I cannot describe how amazing I found her story. It was beautifully written and really made me feel like I was there with her. It gives a great picture of what life was like for the average, albeit lucky, citizen in Warsaw at the time. It inspired me and made me appreciate what I have.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history or personal accounts of historical events!

Originally published in 1942, Aquila Polonica has reprinted this in a stunning new edition. The first thing that jumps out at you is pictures! Lots and lots of pictures, particularly focused on the Siege of Warsaw, which is the focus of the book. In addition, maps and timelines assist in understanding the events before and during WWII.


First off, the female author adds a unique voice to the usually male-dominated subject of wartime. She also explains immediately why her story is different from what a war correspondent for the news might write. Her presence as a mother with an extended family gives her a different viewpoint:

"A war correspondent, when he runs to that gigantic fire (her example), does not leave his own children behind in his hotel room. When caught in an air raid, he doesn't tremble for the life of his own old mother. His brother has not vanished somewhere on the crowded roads...it isn't his own house, the house in which he was born and has lived for years, that has been set on fire by an incendiary. And if he himself goes through the agony of mortal fear, none of his readers will ever know about it."

As a narrator of the horrors, Langer is ideal. For a time before all this occurred, she had lived in the United States and had attended Vassar, and then became a copywriter for an advertising agency. After marrying and having a child, her husband became the Commercial Attache at the Polish Embassy. Eventually he resigned and they went back to Poland, but in 1938 he had another opportunity to work in the US. She remained in Poland, on a temporary basis, planning to rejoin him. However, as WWII heated up, she ended up in a small town with her mother and extended family, hoping to wait out the storm.

The book goes on to detail the fears that residents had, as well as the thread of suspicion that wove through daily life. At one point, when she travelled to try and find a way to get to Warsaw, she was arrested by a band of women with pitchforks who assumed she was a German spy (her missing passport didn't help her case). While many Warsaw residents had fled the city, Langer and her mother actually decided to return there, because the refugees who fled were equally endangered, and the prospect of travelling with small children seemed questionable. They returned to an apartment thoroughly shelled, without windows, and with its contents turned to rubble. Here they tried to reclaim their life and wait out the Siege.

It's this personal aspect that makes the book most involving. As a mom, hearing how she attempted to feed her children and create some semblence of normalcy, no matter how fragile, was amazing. Entertaining them, distracting them from their fears, and still maintaining a sense of calm is hardly imaginable. When a fire began on their roof, it took 48 hours to get help. Without panes of glass in the windows, they nearly froze in their apartments. Small details jump out the most: how a copy of Gone with the Wind seemed to inspire her to hold on to her old clothes lest she have to use the drapes for fabric. How rumours and gossip made fear escalate even more. And how, even in extreme danger, women will still bicker over the price of produce!

Another intriguing part of the book involves her creation of a new business to try and make money. Since newspapers no longer circulated, and the Poles desperately needed items that would normally be offered in the classified ads, Langer used her advertising background and a friend's help to create posters of small items for sale. Despite interference from the German's occupying Warsaw, they still found a way to post these and make a small amount of money.

In all, her family suffered greatly during the Siege and family members was tragically killed. But Langer and her children survived and were able to get to Vienna. Soon after, they left for America. I'm most amazed at how readable this is compared to other books about the war experience. Suitable for all ages, it would make an excellent resource in a classroom and a stepping stone to further study on the Siege of Warsaw. Hearing from a survivor about the human capacity for resilience and inner strength is motivating, especially in a time when nothing made sense.

Rulka Langer was visiting her family in Poland when Germany invaded in 1939, setting off World War II. Her husband was in America, where they had been living, but she had taken their two children back to Poland to visit her mother, her brother, and other relatives. She and her children remained in Poland through the German siege of Warsaw, before finally escaping back to America in 1940.

Langer's account of the German invasion and siege was first published in 1942. The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt has now been re-issued with fresh editing; more than a hundred new photographs, maps, and other supplemental documents; and a new Epilogue written by her son.

This is an incredible book. It reads like a novel, dragging the reader through the burning streets of Warsaw as German bombs drop on the city, on perilous train and cart trips through the war-scarred country-side, and through the treacherous and increasingly evil post-siege German administration. Her writing is crisp and honest - revealing her prior experience as a journalist.

Most often when I think of Warsaw during WWII I think of the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto, but Rulka Langer reminds me how severe the conditions were throughout the city. Her particular story is so compelling because despite daily bombings and confronting death all around her, she kept working the angles to protect herself, her family and her neighbors. Nonetheless, this is an extremely enjoyable read which kept me engaged throughout.

I recently read the book The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt a novel written from a woman's point of view during world war two in Poland. The novel begins with your average home setting, a family, friends and kids. As the time progresses you can see how things begin to stir and how the war begins to descend on the lives of those involved in this story. It is vividly detailed and a book I would recommend others to read. The photos contained are actually dated photos from the wars destruction. The environment is portrayed so that as the reader you can feel the terror of those bombs dropping. Throughout the story there are conflicts of war as well as conflicts for those living in this war. They are forced to leave there homes and seek shelter elsewhere. Families are separated and life becomes something that is unrecognizable to the characters involved. Throughout the days of war we learn how those involved are impacted and are able to understand in more detail how traumatizing war is. This book is one that I couldn't put down. There are references to traditional Polish and German language that have been translated so you can see exactly how these "refugees" were treated. For anyone who is interested in the impact of war on a society this book is a must read.
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Disclaimer / Disclosure: I received this book for free from [...] for reviewing purposes. This post reflects my personal opinion and experience with the product which may differ from yours. No monetary compensation was provided for this post.

This is a significant book not only because it is a compelling first-person account of the Nazi siege of Warsaw, but for what it says about the response of the Polish people to their occupiers. Rulka Langer's narrative is amazing; most people would want to forget the terrible details of what she experienced, yet her story keeps you mesmerized and wanting more.

An excellent history of how a woman coped with the invasion of the Nazi's in her native Poland. It is inspiring to read how she kept her children safe and provided for them during that horrific time. Well worth the time to read it