"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."--Martin Luther King
Nine women break away from a death march and strike off across Germany to reach the front and the American line. This is their story. Six were French, two were Dutch, and one was from Spain. The author is a great-niece to Hélène, one of the French women. All were working for some wing of the Resistance in Paris when arrested and sent to Ravensbruck. Together they were sent to a Leipzig munitions factory and when that facility was evacuated, the women made their move. This book tells of the struggles they had throughout their lives, especially on that journey. Strauss includes a brief synopsis of each woman at the beginning and a map as well as a number of photos. She spent five years putting the book together, often filling in gaps about one of the women by consulting with a new lead in another woman's family. There are many brutal, uncomfortable details and the temptation is to look away, but the trauma remains. Highlighting the contributions of these women lifts us all up, but especially those who have been overlooked.
Nine women break away from a death march and strike off across Germany to reach the front and the American line. This is their story. Six were French, two were Dutch, and one was from Spain. The author is a great-niece to Hélène, one of the French women. All were working for some wing of the Resistance in Paris when arrested and sent to Ravensbruck. Together they were sent to a Leipzig munitions factory and when that facility was evacuated, the women made their move. This book tells of the struggles they had throughout their lives, especially on that journey. Strauss includes a brief synopsis of each woman at the beginning and a map as well as a number of photos. She spent five years putting the book together, often filling in gaps about one of the women by consulting with a new lead in another woman's family. There are many brutal, uncomfortable details and the temptation is to look away, but the trauma remains. Highlighting the contributions of these women lifts us all up, but especially those who have been overlooked.