CROSSING
OVER AN ORAL HISTORY OF REFUGEES
FROM HITLER'S REICH
Ruth Wolman
Twayne Publishers, 1996
ISBN 0-8057-4584-X
At the brink of the Holocaust, a number of German and Austrian Jews fled their homelands and settled in Los Angeles. A small group of these refugees met regularly to discuss literature, music, art and politics, so integral to their European heritage and identity. These newcomers were drawn together by similar backgrounds and experiences, and the mutual need to rebuild their shattered lives. Gradually, many frindships developed, children were born and the Gruppe became like an extended family.
CROSSING OVER is a collection of oral histories from eighteen members of this refugee group. Their stories tell of lives in transition, from the rise of Hitler to power in 1933, to the end of the War. They speak of persecution, the decision to flee, the search for refuge, and then the struggles to adjust to an often bewildering new homeland and the pain and joy of putting down new roots.
The histories go beyond a narrative of "what happened" to "how it felt." Various issues are explored, for example, shifts in identity - Jewish, German/Austrian, enemy alien, American, the psychological aspects of successful adaptation, significance of group affiliation in easing the transition, use of the German language, willingness to discuss the immigration period and return to the "homeland." An introductory chapter places the stories in historical and sociological context, both in Europe and California. Photographs are included throughout the book.
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