The Nine by Gwen Strauss is a true story of WWII prison experiences. The author's great aunt Helene was one of the nine who escaped a German labor camp, near the end of the war. I usually put myself in stories, which is why these nine interested me. If you were escaping any prison, don't you think the chances of being caught would increase, the more people involved? Some wag once said that three can keep a secret if two are dead. This is why I am amazed that nine agreed to try to escape, never mind execute the escape and traipse across Germany. And the first thing I would do, once out, would be to scatter, and definitely not tell each other where you are headed. They did none of this. They stayed together as a group and would not let anyone fall behind, even when they wanted to. It worked.
The journey was a ten day walk from the Leipzig labor camp to France. Imagine what they looked like. Nine rag-tag women walking along, some still in prison uniform, some barefoot, dirty, smelly, skinny like walking dead. I'm surprised no one reported them to the Germans. I'm also surprised that people helped them. I can see helping one, but nine!! The people themselves hardly had food, how could they scrounge enough to feed nine! These women weren't Jewish. They were resistance fighters, from different countries. They met in prison, helped each other, and agreed to escape together.
The story made me cry. I am always amazed at the torture humans can inflict on each other. Death would be preferable. There were heartening moments in the prison camp. The women told each other their favorite recipes. They sang songs. They became a chosen family.
Surprisingly, after being home a few years, they were reluctant to tell their stories. Sometimes, someone would write about it, but relatives weren't interested. I found this very strange. But this is why the author, a grandniece, wrote the book. Gwen Strauss did extensive research. There are pictures, notes, acknowledgements, and a bibliography. It is a strong, powerful narrative.
The author's research took her to interview the few remaining women, their relatives and even some of the people they encountered on their trek from the prison to France. None of these women were happy or even had a good life afterwards. That damn war ruined everything. However, the story is true and an important part of history to never forget.
