The Inner War

A German WWII Survivor’s Journey from Pain to Peace

By: Gerda Hartwich Robinson

Narrated by: Susannah Tyrrell

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

It is sometimes difficult to remember that in war there are innocents on all sides who suffer. German citizens who had no connection to the atrocities committed by their countrymen nonetheless endured great hardships because of them.

In The Inner War, author Gerda Hartwich Robinson narrates her story as a German survivor of World War II. She tells how her life's journey included hunger, fear, neglect, and physical and emotional abuse and how she carried these injustices in her mind and body for many years, leading to debilitating back pain, headaches, panic attacks, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. In this touching memoir, Robinson shows that the tragedies of war don't end when the last bomb is dropped or the last prisoner freed; they continue in subtle but devastating ways.

Like many German citizens during and after the war, Robinson was simply trying to survive a terrifying situation she had nothing to do with. She describes how her spirit was devastated by hopelessness and how she entertained thoughts of suicide. The Inner War shares lessons she learned at a chronic pain rehabilitation center that allowed her to start on a path to peace and love.

©2013 Gerda Hartwich Robinson (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

I think everyone should read/listen to this

It is an amazing story to listen to and I think it has a lot of practical applications to people today. I think everyone should hear the story of the children who lived through the war and it doesn’t matter what side they were on. The generations of today don’t understand the pain and suffering of the people of the past and that is very sad because it would make them appreciate it even more. I hope everyone who reads this book can understand where she’s coming from and how everything would have been through the eyes of a young child growing up in that time

Love, Love, Love

Had no idea what the book was about when I began other than thinking “it’s a WWII novel.”

Well, it’s so much more & then some…it’s a book for the heart, mind & soul.

White immigrants suffer too

As a brown Hispanic man having lived the immigrant’s story in the US, it’s fascinating to hear a white immigrant go through similar self-imposed shame over not feeling worthy to be an American.

Cry Me a River…

It is hard to feel an ounce of compassion for the author when she bellyaching about how “horrible” her life continues to be after WWII.
Yes, she was only born in Germany during the war, but her lack of awareness to the suffering that occurred not only when she was a child, but as an adult, is just simply awful. For every Jewish life that was lost, that would have traded a concentration camp uniform for a maid’s uniform in a heartbeat, this book should never have been written, let alone published.
Her lack of humility is truly astounding.

Ignorant

I understand her hard childhood and her family problems, after a certain age she had lots of support and opportunities.
The childhood traumas were very personal
She shouldn’t have mentioned that she wants to show the other victims of war. She was a victim of messed up family issues. She could just talk about that, and that would be a better book to read.
Feels like she was trying so hard to make herself look as miserable as the real victims of war to convince the reader of the suffering she endured because of war.
The most hilarious line was ‘I was sooo tired of pan cakes’ seriously!!!!!!!
And how is that fair comparison to people dying of starvation, literally.
The story line was ok for a child who grew up in an abusive home.
The narrator was very monotonous or very excited at some parts.