Long Time Passing

The Holocaust was real. The Nazis wanted the Jews out, preferably exterminated. But some, recognizing their situation and/or being encouraged by others, managed to leave in time to build a new life elsewhere. This is the story of two people, Hans and Hilde, who found the courage to escape to the United States and settle into a good life. It is also the story of how they helped other family members to do the same. Joining the army in gratitude for the opportunities given to them, Hans found himself in the Philippines in the thick of the fighting. His letters home detailing his experiences in combat gives us a rare insight into life under fire. Soldiers returning home from a war rarely talk about their experiences; Hans certainly didn't. It wasn't until his letters came to light after Hilde's death that we had any idea what he had gone through. Despite the obvious personal orientation of this story, many nonfamily readers have found themselves drawn into the history and life of people they had never met.