The Nazi Officer's Wife

How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust

By: Edith Hahn Beer, Susan Dworkin

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Edith Hahn was an outspoken young woman in Vienna when the Gestapo forced her into a ghetto and then into a slave labor camp. When she returned home months later, she knew she would become a hunted woman, so she went underground.

She emerged in Munich as "Grete Denner". There she met Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party member who fell in love with her. Despite Edith's protests and even her eventual confession that she was Jewish, he married her and kept her identity secret.

©1999 Pritchards Trustees Ltd. as Trustee of the Edith Hahn Trust. All Rights Reserved. (P)2003 Jewish Contemporary Classics, Inc.

Twists & Turns Which She Survived

I wish I had reviewed this just after I had finished listening. The story was so unique like so many from that era of those that survived. Edith takes us through her journey and how the connections she had helped her to barely manage to survive. She ended up in Germany, with a false identity, dating a German man, while hiding her Jewish identity. Eventually she reveals her identity to him and he accepts her. Once they have a child the dynamics change a bit. He also has an ex-wife and a daughter and this throws another wrench into their situation. Edith survives the end of the war with her Nazi officer husband in a Soviet Prisoner of War camp, from which she manages to help him escape. Edith, who had been very close to being a lawyer in Austria, where she was born and raised, becomes a judge in Germany. Ends up in England and finally Israel. Her life in Austria and Germany are the main story.

Awesome listen!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definitely a great way to spend some time! Loved the whole package, story, and narrator!

great narration, great story

The narration is extremely good and the story was very interesting and entertaining. Edith had unbelievable luck, intelligence, and mental stamina. I feel so lucky to have heard her story.

An amazing story that should never be forgotten

A must read! An amazing story that needs to be remembered. I read it maybe 7 years ago and then listened to it again in 2 days. I couldn’t put it down. The voice is easy to listen to and brings the story to life.

Powerful story of a determined spirit

A young woman who refused to be beaten by the Nazi regime and all that it stood for. An amazing story narrated in such a wonderful way that i found myself cheering for Edith and yet at the same time full of sorrow that anyone should have to go through what she and many other's had to just to survive.

Barabara Rosenblat is Best Performer I have heard

The narrator is outstanding . She conveys emotions in her voice and her performance makes one feel like we are sitting down with her in conversation. bravo!

Stunning, Compelling

Here is the story of a young Jewish woman from Vienna who, by what might well be divine intervention, survives the Holocaust as a "U-Boat," a term the author describes as living openly in Nazi-occupied Europe with no one knowing you're Jewish. She marries a German officer and Nazi party member. She survives the war, but this is still a life filled with very sad, and indeed tragic events. A compelling read: Once you start this audio book, you won't want to pause or stop it.

A good listen

This book is a curious blend of heartbreaking sadness, hope and a clever young woman who would not give up. Interesting viewpoint from a hidden Jew inside Nazi Germany at a time when all Jews were deported to workcamps, lost to deathcamps or fled...

Explains what Nazi Germany was really like.

I thought this was a pretty good story, but it did not explain some things very well. For example, when Edith's husband came back, it did not give his name. He just said, "It's me." It would have just taken a few seconds to tell his name. I had to look up her story on the internet to understand some of the details.

This story does explain what it was like to live under such tyranny. Edith and her friends had to frequently lie and hide just to survive. She thought it would be better with the communists, but it was actually worse. We should all try to prevent such horrible things from happening again. We shouldn't pretend that they didn't happen and wouldn't happen again. Evil can sneak up on you and trap you. We should remember that communists and Nazis are all basically autocratic socialists that cause the same kind of suffering and that we should appreciate the Judeo-Christian (non-socialist) governments that gave the Holocaust victims freedom. We should remember the lessons of history and avoid fascism, socialism, and communism. I listened to Nona Bannister's story after this one- they go together well.

Worthwhile, fascinating book

As a holocaust story with a slightly different twist, I would certainly recommend this book. Beer's story gives us much to ponder about the lengths she had to go to save her life in Nazi Germany. It is a fascinating story of the twists and turns of human nature.