by
Hannah Naiditch
A most recent publication of “Memoirs of a Hitler Refugee. Activism and Issues Define my Life“ (Xlibris Publ.) by Hannah Naiditch records an important page in cultural history. The book is a riveting account of Hannah Naiditch’s unforgettable odyssey—from her tranquil childhood in Vienna, to her miraculous escape from the Nazis, to her politically active life in America. She relates how she endured early separation from her family; harrowing nights spent in London’s underground subway tunnels, as Germany ruthlessly tried to bomb England into submission; and the challenges of starting a new life in America.
During a time when women had limited political expression, Hannah’s experiences led her to a life dedicated to political activism—challenging the core foundations of American domestic and foreign policy with her many influential and controversial articles. In her fifties, she got an M.A. degree in social psychology and became an ardent op.-ed. writer. These political op-ed articles form a fascinating appendix to her book.
Hannah’s astute psychological observations offer a unique perspective of life and culture in Europe and America. As Hannah’s good friend and fellow political activist, Ed Asner, warns, “Any who choose to tilt in logic and reason with Hannah, had best rethink their fatal flaw. She will always enlighten and reward any listener. Heed and grow.”
Prof. Emeritus Lee H. Roloff of Northwestern University claims that “writing from the perspective of a richly lived professional and personal life, she documents the tragedy of a despotic time and the triumph of a personal spirit. What she shares of her life must not be forgotten, or, poignantly, misremembered. She has the capacity of putting into perspective the crisis of the mid-twentieth century.”
He goes on to say that “Hannah Naiditch is a survivor, but more, she has retained the vision necessary to overcome sentimentality for the portraiture of displacement and dislocation. Her story is a remarkable one and worthy of a greater public.“