Review of Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga
Posted: 28 Feb 2022, 08:32
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga" by Ernst Fischer.]
This book is history told excitingly. I like history. But let's face it; it can be boring when it's merely filled with lots of data. But when told in light of real people's experiences, it comes to life. This book tells us about the 18th-century migration of German-speaking people to the new lands and World War II.
Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga by Ernst Fischer tells the story of people trying their best to have a comfortable life. Karl lost his mother at birth, was abandoned by his father, and was raised by his grandmother. His grandmother also died, leaving him with an uncle whose wife resented his presence in their home, and he eventually had to leave to make a future for himself. In another region, Peter lost his father at sixteen and had to fill his shoes in catering for his mother and siblings. Life was hard for both young men. But there was hope for them in the new lands, with the government paying for their migration. After getting married, they moved out with their young families, searching for greener pastures. A problem arose during World War II, creating enemies among friends. With destruction looming over their heads, choices had to be made — choices with significant consequences.
Reading this book, I could see that the author did extensive research before writing it and was also passionate about the subject matter. For centuries, many people migrated from place to place, either in search of greener pastures or to escape from danger. Hence, where many people are settled today might not be where their ancestors originally dwelled. I had no idea that Germans had their share of migration problems till I read this book. Also, for the first time, I saw World War II and the role Adolf Hitler played from the perspective of the typical German. As much as the stories were fictional, it was apparent that actual people had these experiences. Ernst Fischer, through this book, taught history in a captivating and informative way that would not be easily forgotten.
A lot of books on war are often filled with profanity. That's because war tends to bring out the worst in people and is usually traumatic for those involved. But in this book, the author effectively portrayed the horrors of war with minimal profanity. This makes it less offensive and suitable for many who want to have a picture of what World War II must have been like. I recommend this book to Germans interested in understanding their history better, historians, and lovers of adventure and romance.
As much as I admired the author's detailed narratives, there were numerous errors in the book, which suggested that the book could use more thorough and professional editing. A few of the character names were mixed up. Though it seemed they were common German names and could be answered by many people, I felt it would be better for entirely different names to be used for different characters to avoid confusion. After all, this was a fictional narrative. Also, the book would be better if the narrative was made more active to reflect events better and add more suspense. With these in mind, I’d rate Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga 3 out of 4 stars.
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Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga
View: on Bookshelves
This book is history told excitingly. I like history. But let's face it; it can be boring when it's merely filled with lots of data. But when told in light of real people's experiences, it comes to life. This book tells us about the 18th-century migration of German-speaking people to the new lands and World War II.
Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga by Ernst Fischer tells the story of people trying their best to have a comfortable life. Karl lost his mother at birth, was abandoned by his father, and was raised by his grandmother. His grandmother also died, leaving him with an uncle whose wife resented his presence in their home, and he eventually had to leave to make a future for himself. In another region, Peter lost his father at sixteen and had to fill his shoes in catering for his mother and siblings. Life was hard for both young men. But there was hope for them in the new lands, with the government paying for their migration. After getting married, they moved out with their young families, searching for greener pastures. A problem arose during World War II, creating enemies among friends. With destruction looming over their heads, choices had to be made — choices with significant consequences.
Reading this book, I could see that the author did extensive research before writing it and was also passionate about the subject matter. For centuries, many people migrated from place to place, either in search of greener pastures or to escape from danger. Hence, where many people are settled today might not be where their ancestors originally dwelled. I had no idea that Germans had their share of migration problems till I read this book. Also, for the first time, I saw World War II and the role Adolf Hitler played from the perspective of the typical German. As much as the stories were fictional, it was apparent that actual people had these experiences. Ernst Fischer, through this book, taught history in a captivating and informative way that would not be easily forgotten.
A lot of books on war are often filled with profanity. That's because war tends to bring out the worst in people and is usually traumatic for those involved. But in this book, the author effectively portrayed the horrors of war with minimal profanity. This makes it less offensive and suitable for many who want to have a picture of what World War II must have been like. I recommend this book to Germans interested in understanding their history better, historians, and lovers of adventure and romance.
As much as I admired the author's detailed narratives, there were numerous errors in the book, which suggested that the book could use more thorough and professional editing. A few of the character names were mixed up. Though it seemed they were common German names and could be answered by many people, I felt it would be better for entirely different names to be used for different characters to avoid confusion. After all, this was a fictional narrative. Also, the book would be better if the narrative was made more active to reflect events better and add more suspense. With these in mind, I’d rate Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga 3 out of 4 stars.
******
Pioneers and Refugees: A Danube Swabian Saga
View: on Bookshelves