The Wheels of Memory: Growing Up With a War on My Shoulders

The Wheels of Memory: Growing Up With a War on My Shoulders

Sonia KEMPLER

About this book

Sonia was nine years old when Kristallnacht ended her childhood. Her father and older brother escaped to Belgium and Sonia’s mother arranged for her two remaining children to escape to Antwerp by train. Sonia, in charge of little brother, Max, kept inspectors from checking their non-existent passports. Later, in 1940 she created a life for the two of them in France, then organised moving to Antwerp while her mother was hospitalised. She also lived as a Christian in a convent. Fortunately, there was Harry Kempler, with whom she shared a remarkable love story, though with a sudden, tragic ending.

Product details

Category

Survivor Biographies

Publisher

Makor Publications

Published

2015

ISBN

0980702720, 9780980702729

Country

Australia

Pages

225

Author

Sonia KEMPLER

Sonia was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1929. With rising antisemitism, the family was forced to escape, finding refuge in Antwerp, Belgium. Sonia and her little brother Max then fled to a small village in France. When the family reunited, they moved to Brussels where Sonia was sent to hide in a convent and Max to an orphanage. While the separation was traumatic, Sonia received a good education and was well cared for by the kind nuns. Following the liberation of Brussels in September 1944, the family was reunited. Miraculously they all survived.