"Wildflowers of Terezin", a novel by Robert Elmer

Wildflowers of Terezin, written by Robert Elmer.

Robert Elmer's parents, Danish born, used to tell stories of what they remembered of their homeland, Denmark. Using historic accounts of what transpired in Denmark during the Nazi occupation, the author creates a vivid tale of love and horror during that time.

Nurse Hanne Abrahamsen helps shield Lutheran pastor Steffen Petersen from the Gestapo, believing that he is part of the Danish underground, in reality it is his younger brother Henning, who is active in the underground. As the Nazis step up their anti Jewish campaign, the Danish citizens band together to protect their Jewish brethen and foil the Nazi plans.

Would a Lutheran pastor really fall in love with a Jewish nurse? Why not? So goes this story. Hanne and Steffen are about to escape to Sweden on a fishing boat , but their plans have been discovered by the Nazis and they are captured, and separated. Steffen sent to a prison in Copenhagen, while Hanne is sent to the prison camp in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Steffen is questioned and released, but not forgotten by the Nazis. Steffen finally steps ups and becomes even more active with the underground, and begins volunteering with the Danish Red Cross, in hopes of being able to visit the prison camp to see Hanne.

The author's afterword in this book states that most of the incidents he used in the book did, in fact, occur. Bispeberg Hospital does exist to this day, the incident involving the Jewish Directory did occur. Georg Duckwitz was an actual shipping agent and did warn his Danish friends what was going to happen. The Danish Bishop's speech is word for word accurate. The Danish Red Cross inspection of Terezin did occur. Countless Danish Jews were saved and smuggled out of Denmark by the Danish underground movement, and did use an ambulance, as described in the book, in their smuggling operations.

Hope that you will consider this book. Let me know what your thoughts might be.