The German Wife
by Kelly Rimmer
Published June 28, 2022
★★★★☆
Told from two times 20 years apart from the POV of two women, this story talks about the deep prejudice felt during and after WWII, as well as the foundation of Operation Paperclip and the US engagement in the Space Race.
Sofie is a German wife and mother. She is married to Jürgen, a aeronautic engineer keen on getting a rocket to space. But the Nazis have other ideas and force him to help design the devastating V2 Rocket. After the war, Jürgen is recruited by the US during Operation Paperclip, and Sofie follows after suffering untold losses, and hides secrets that could impact her new life.
Lizzie is an American woman who was bred of the earth. Working the farm into her young adulthood, the Dust Bowl devastates her livelihood, kills her parents and forces her and her brother to escape to the city. Years later, she finds herself surrounded by German immigrants and her prejudice shines through as she copes with the aftermath of the war and the effect it has on her veteran brother, Henry.
This book is very different from other WWII books I’ve read. Typically you would see the war from the point of view of a soldier or a survivor. Seeing the points of view from those within the Nazi regime mixed with Americans sensitive to the landing of potential Nazi immigrants, it was clear to see the prejudice held by both. The author has a way of seeing from both sides. One side is Sofie and her close relationship with a Jewish friend, and watching her battle between loyalty to her husband and family, and loyalty to a targeted friend. On the other side, she is able to portray the jaded view of German immigrants (or krauts) from Lizzie’s perspective, while also witnessing her fierce protection of her mentally unstable brother.
The new perspectives were refreshing as well, as I haven’t read many (if any) books that are based in the Southern US in WWII, or witness the experience of a German wife so against Hitler's regime, but also loyal to her family's safety in 1930s Germany. At times I found the flip between time periods from both points of view a bit disjointed, and had to take a moment to calibrate myself to the when, where and who of the chapters.
The characters themselves were flawed - but aren't we all? I definitely did find that I looked forward to Sofie's point of view more than Lizzie's. Lizzie dripped in prejudice, and she seemed like an unlikeable person, especially with her interactions with her husband and other women in the community. Sofie was more relatable as a person. She was a mother who was looking out for the best interests of her family, and part of that interest was toeing the line of the Nazi agenda for the sake of their safety.
Overall, this is an incredible story that touches on heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, prejudice, and grief. This would be a great read for those that enjoy historical fiction, or those that want to have a bit more insight to the life and times of women during WWII.
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