The German Girl

The German Girl written by Armando Lucas Correa is the story of the privileged life of young Hannah Rosenthal, growing up in Berlin.  She is twelve years old in 1939.  She has lived a charmed life, going to school and meeting with her friend Leo Martin.  As the restrictions imposed on the Jewish citizens of Berlin her world is closing in on her.  Her parents are secretive and her mother stops leaving the house.  She sneaks out to hear their parents plans from her friend Leo.

Finally plans are made to leave Germany on the last ship sailing, the SS St Louis, a transatlantic journey to Cuba.  Everything has been sold to obtain passage on this ship for Hannah, Leo and many other families.  As history has recorded while the ship is our at sea, rumors start to circulate that Cuba will not be receiving the passengers, or the costs will increase to be able to land there.  Though life on the ship has all the trappings of a luxury crossing, the refugees future is uncertain.

Juxtaposed with this story is the life of Anna Rosen, living in New York City, who on her twelfth birthday receives a package of photographs of people she has never met.  Finally, after years of not having any connection to extended family, Anna is about to meet up with her father's past.  Anna and her mother fly to Havana, Cuba to meet Aunt Hannah and find out about the mysterious past of her father's family.

Tying together Hannah's story of leaving Berlin during World War Two, with her life growing up in Cuba at the time of its revolution, until Anna Rosen comes to hear the story of her family's history in New York City, after the September 11th tragedy.  All these events pulled together by the generations of one family, based on a true story.

Well written from the perspective of two young voices, really giving the reader the feelings of how young pre teen girls would interpret the deprivation they were experiencing and how it would affect their personal lives.