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For at least one Jew in Nazi Germany, the way to avoid persecution was to join the army under an assumed Aryan identity.

Nonfiction Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers: Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich Bryan Mark Rigg University Press of Kansas, 2009 320 pages Categories Holocaust History Buy Amazon Barnes and Noble IndieBound Purchasing through our affiliates helps support JBC. Nonfiction Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers: Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich Bryan Mark Rigg Review By Jane Wallerstein – January 9, 2012 For at least one Jew in Nazi Germany, the way to avoid persecution was to join the army under an assumed Aryan identity. Others in the army who considered themselves Christian had their military careers ruined or compromised by the disastrous revelation of their part-Jewish descent. In this intriguing work, the author, a military historian and former Marine officer, has collected the oral histories of Jews and part- Jews who served in the German armed forces during World War II. He presents his “heroes” in a candid and unbiased fashion. Did they have any qualms about fighting in support of Hitler while their relatives were in concentration camps or were otherwise threatened? No, they reasoned, how else could they have saved themselves? Several did, in fact, use their privileged position to help Jews in trouble.Skillfully written and carefully researched, the book is absorbing reading. Its controversial quality suggests using it as a basis for discussion groups interested in moral problems. Bibliography, list of abbreviations, list of SS and Wehrmacht ranks, notes, prologue, sixtyfour photographs. Jane Wallerstein worked in public relations for many years. She is the author of Voices from the Paterson Silk Mills and co-author of a national criminal justice study of parole for Rutgers University. More from Jane Wallerstein military Discussion Questions JBC Newsletter Get the latest reviews in your inbox each week! Invalid email address Jewish literature inspires, enriches, and educates the community. Help support the Jewish Book Council. Donate Related Reading Nonfiction Rescued from the Third Reich: How One of Hitler’s Soldiers Saved the Life of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Bryan Mark Rigg Nonfiction The Rabbi Saved by Hitler’s Soldiers Bryan Mark Rigg Nonfiction Conquering Learning Disabilities at Any Age: How an ADHD/LD Kid Graduated from Yale and Cambridge, and Became a Marine Officer, Military Historian, Financial Advisor and Caring Father Bryan Mark Rigg Nonfiction Lonely Soldier Adam Harmon

Lives of Hitler's Jewish Soldiers: Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich