Immigrant Soldier: The Story of a Ritchie Boy - Tapa dura

"In this debut historical novel, a young German Jew flees his homeland before World War II and is later drafted into the US Army, serving closely under the legendary Gen. George S. Patton. Lang-Slattery effectively mines family history to create a solid work of historical fiction from her uncle's real-life derring-do. . . . In the sunny glamour of the book's California passages, she effectively evokes the young immigrant's overflowing hope. . . . Overall, her uncle's fictionalized adventures never fail to interest, whether he's slipping behind the lines for Patton or simply attempting to romance the local girls. An often engaging tale of one man's involvement in the world's most horrific war."  Kirkus Reviews Lang-Slattery grounds the memories and stories of Lang, who was her uncle, with a great deal of research, and she tells those stories in vivid prose and very lively dialogue to make a memorable WWII-era coming-of-age story. "Lang-Slattery grounds the memories and stories of Lang, who was her uncle, with a great deal of research, and she tells those stories in vivid prose and very lively dialogue to make a memorable WWII-era coming-of-age story." - Joanna Urquhart, Historical Fiction Society This work of historical fiction closely follows the story of Herman Lang's WWII experience. Lang witnesses the rise of anti-Jewish sentiment and laws as a young teenager in Germany, eventually gaining passage to England as he awaits a hard-won U.S. visa. He succeeds, but is carried forward into the tides of war. . . . The plot follows Lang's service in the Third Army under General Patton as they battle eastward through France and Germany. Most of the characters are based on famous WWII personalities like Patton, with special focus on the G-2 Intelligence Service of the U.S. Army. . . . Lang succeeds in his mission through accurate character assessment and intellectual guile. . . . The author, Captain Lang's niece, has relied heavily on facts, only fleshing out conversations and internal thoughts of characters. A useful map and a short biography of the real Herman Lang is provided. The result is engaging and informative. - US Review of Books, Recommended "A captivating book, extremely well written. Thanks to the army's Camp Ritchie Military Intelligence Training Center for molding soldiers like Herman Lang and to the author for sharing his story with us." Ralph M. Hockley, Colonel, US Army (Ret); Career Army Intelligence Officer, 1952-1980; and a Ritchie Boy "K. Lang-Slattery has uncovered small but significant details that not only add to the fascination of her novel but also bring material before the public never hitherto disclosed. Beyond that, her brief character sketches bring us, in miniature, samples of the "Greatest Generation." And her style keeps the reader glued to the page!" Guy Stern, Distinguished Professor Emeritus; Director, International Institute of the Righteous, and Ritchie Boy "Written by Herman's niece, Immigrant Soldier, The Story of a Ritchie Boy, has an appealing personal touch. Interwoven through the story is a wealth of well-researched and often little-known information about World War II. Time reading this book is time well-spent, and anyone-from teens to adults, history buffs or not-will enjoy it." Marion Coste - Editor and award-winning children's book author of Kolea.

Immigrant Soldier, The Story of a Ritchie Boy, based on a true story, begins on Kristallnacht, the Nazi pogrom that marks the beginning of the Holocaust. Herman watches in horror as his cousin and a friend are arrested.  As a Jew, he realizes it is past time to flee his homeland.

Herman’s life is changed forever by the gathering storm of world events. He evades arrest and flees Germany to shelter in England until his US visa arrives. There he falls in love with Molly, an English girl. But all too soon, Herman must leave for America.  He travels to Chicago and then on to California, where he begins to make a golden life for himself. Thus begins a series of adventures, part coming of age story, part immigrant tale. But Herman's ideal California life is destined to end with the growing war in Europe and America's eventual entry into the conflict.

Secret orders send Herman to Intelligence Training School at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where he is surrounded by other refugees.  The days at Camp Ritchie are full of surprises, both mental and physical. After graduation, he returns to Europe as an intelligence officer. His experiences as an interrogator of German prisoners–some that make him proud and some that make him ashamed–bring him to an understanding of his values and his feelings about his homeland. His skills also bring him to the attention of General Patton.  Near the end of the war, he visits a concentration camp where the horror he sees shakes him to his core.

By the time Herman is ready to return to the US, he has evolved from a frustrated teenager, looking for a place to belong, into a confident U.S. Army Intelligence officer who has made his peace with hate and forgiveness.

This Second Anniversary edition contains Readers' Group Discussion Questions, perfect for use with book groups.