A Vanishing Act
My Flight From Germany
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On a winter day in 1939, eleven-year-old Gert and his sister Ilse board a train from Hamburg to Antwerp to flee Nazi Germany. Not only must Gert leave his parents, but he must also abandon a childhood shaped by the rich traditions of a large family. In Belgium the Nazi racial laws seem remote at first, yet after Germany invades, Gert and Ilse are in great danger again. Now they must perform . . . a Vanishing Act!
Gert Koppel was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1927. This is his story of persecution and survival, separation and reunion, narrow escapes, lasting friendships, and ultimate freedom. He describes vividly, from a child’s perspective, descent into the horrors of Kristallnacht and the Holocaust, fragmentation of his close-knit family, exposure to Christianity, courage of the families who shelter him, and his joy when the Allies liberate Belgium.
A Vanishing Act spans the years 1933 to 1944. The first-person coming-of-age narrative is interspersed with historical background and family photos. A Vanishing Act is appropriate for middle school readers but is also intended for adults who can learn from one man’s experiences and personal triumphs over great adversity.