The School That Escaped the Nazis

The True Story of the Schoolteacher Who Defied Hitler

By: Deborah Cadbury

Narrated by: Julie Teal

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The extraordinary true story of a courageous school principal, Anna Essinger, who saw the dangers of Nazi Germany and took drastic steps to save those in harm’s way

By 1931, Anna Essinger had read Mein Kampf and knew that Hitler’s world view was violent, utterly destructive, and that many of her pupils in her small progressive school in Herrlingen, Germany were in terrible danger. She decided that in order to offer them a refuge, and a future, she must first move her school entirely out of the Nazis’ reach. So, she did just that, creating a safe haven in Kent, England. 

Anna and the first seventy children escaped Nazi Germany in 1933, but in time she would accept waves of increasingly traumatized children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and then Poland as the crisis spread. Some children had, by the time they reached Essinger, been violated by five years of escalating deprivations. For those who escaped the camps and ghettos, Essinger offered the only salvation that mattered, in the words of a student: “a great deal of love and determination to help us.”

Acclaimed writer Deborah Cadbury retells the remarkable story of Essinger, drawing on moving first-person accounts of the children who escaped and their reflections on the lives they created from the ashes of WWII. The School That Escaped from the Nazis is not just a Holocaust survival story–many of the students were Jewish–but an inspiring narrative of one woman’s refusal to allow her beliefs in a better, more equitable world to be overtaken by violent force and political extremism. Essinger’s determination to move her school becomes a triumph of humanism in a time of increasing violence and intolerance.

©2022 Deborah Cadbury (P)2022 PublicAffairs

Critic reviews

“What gives this book its immediacy and freshness is the fact that Deborah Cadbury has spoken to so many of the witnesses to a phenomenal story. The woman who brought an entire school to Kent from Germany, and saved so many children from the Nazis, was a completely heroic figure. This story is an uplifting reminder of how courage, high virtue, and intelligence can overcome even the most appalling odds. At many points, with tearful eyes, I cheered—it is a book which stirs up deep emotion, and high admiration, for the author as well as its subject.”—A. N. Wilson, author of The Mystery of Charles Dickens

“Anna Essinger’s wartime school for Jewish refugees reminds us of the lifelong impact which one person’s compassion and imagination can make on others—even in the darkest of times. Cadbury’s story packs a real emotional punch.”—Caroline Shenton, author of National Treasures

“A stirring account of a German schoolteacher’s efforts to build an oasis for children fleeing the Nazi advance across Europe. . . .  Impressively researched and vividly told, this is a captivating portrait of courage and resilience in the face of unspeakable horror.”—Publishers Weekly

“An inspiring, well-researched life portrait of a spectacularly heroic teacher.”—Kirkus Reviews

A Must Read

I couldn't recommend this book enough. It's a must read for everyone. It gives you a different outlook on what children went through during WW2 and tells a much-needed story of Anna Essinger, that must not be forgotten.

Rich, true story

This was an excellent read. The characters were well-defined and I found myself anxious to hear what had become of them.

Amazing story of triumph over evil.

I am always in awe of people who come through the holocaust with these sorts of stories. Although this isn’t totally uplifting, it is a true account and provides us with the information needed to, hopefully, avoid another catastrophe such as this.

Heartbreaking and beautifully read!

I was so very moved by this book. It often brought me to tears. These children that by all right deserved to feel self centered, we’re so selfless and courageous. I can’t say enough about the headmaster and her teachers, the individuals who looked after and coaxed the children to try things and to grow. Such courage and dedication to give the children another chance to have a life without fear and hopelessness is amazing! I highly recommend this audible book! Both for the storyline and the narrator who is fabulous in her tone and putting you on the edge of your seat!

Incredibly moving

While I have studied and read many texts on the Holocaust, this important book weaves together stories of personal suffering and survival in a complex yet accessible way. Beautifully written, the author’s narration is vivid and compassionate. Learning about the school in England was totally new and draws important parallels to today’s dangers.

Remarkable true story of heroism

We need more people of integrity and determination to do what is right like Tante Anna did.

Yes, mending the whole world!

Compassion, loving and caring in a lost world healing one wounded person st a time - so sorely needed today...