"Fatherland", by Burkhard Bilger

A Memoir of War, Conscience and Family

10 years in the making “Fatherland” is a griping tale of encounters and discoveries. The author explores the life of his grandfather Karl Gönner who was posted as a school principal and Nazi Party official to the village of Bartenheim in the province of Alsace during WW11.

What follows is a suspenseful story of encounters and discoveries in dusty archives across Germany and France. He asked searching questions about the extent to which his grandfather was guilty of the war crimes he stood accused of. Arrested in 1946, was he guilty or innocent? Tracing one family’s path through history is a long task. Beautifully written this thought provoking book is not only a family memoir but a fascinating history lesson. The research is intricate, exhaustive and meanders through the recollections of acquaintances and witnesses who kept records. Told through the eyes of Germans it shows us that even among the Nazis there were decent people. There is another side of the coin, describing how the same war devastated the lives of millions of Germans.

I was totally captivated knowing the history of the Alsace how it switch from being part of France then part of Germany again back to France, back and forth they went through the times and by law changed their names and those of public places to conform to the new government they happened to be part of. Why change names of streets, topple monuments and harass people for speaking another language even another dialect....

A lot happens in this multi-faceted story. While the author did not mince his words he remained guarded through his narrative and gave us an excellent account. Well said, well done.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC