A German in a Foreign Land
by
Book Details
About the Book
Over three hundred years, the story of the family of Stefan Fritz begins its trek with a land grant from Maria Theresa for Germans to settle in the Banat area of Hungary. Through joys and hardships the family grows and members of the family settle in Vienna and Berlin. The family witnesses the revolutions in 1848, the Great War, and World War II. As musicians they meet Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert. During The Great War one member is an officer on the Italian Front and another an enlisted soldier on the Western Front. In World War II members of the family enlist and are conscripted in an SS Division under Heinrich Himmler. After the war most of the family is destroyed by the genocide of ethnic German in Central Europe by the Russians and Tito. One member survives and escapes to Berlin.
About the Author
Lucinda Heck holds degrees in vocal performance from the University of Illinois. She has soloed with orchestras and choruses and her credits included Verdi's "Requiem", Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony". and Mozart's "Requiem". Her performance of Hugo Wolf's "Moerike Lieder" to rave reviews citing it as one of the top ten performances of the decade by the Omaha World Herald. Ms. Heck taught at the university level for twenty-five years specializing in interdisciplinary courses. She has lectured nationally on Beethoven and Schubert.