I pedaled over the cobbled streets as fast as I could. The world was cracking in two. One world held boy soldiers who missed their sisters and longed to sit in cafés with girls. The other held men who wrapped girls’ heads in latrine filth, and sliced my family from me, and who would not let me pass into a park or a tram if they knew who I was.
The world was cracking in two, and I was falling into the void.
(from My Enemy’s Cradle, page 26)
The Lebensborn Organization was established by notorious Nazi Heinrich Himmler in 1935 in response to the declining birthrate in Germany after World War I. As part of the program, “racially pure” women and girls, regardless of their marital status, were urged to give birth to numerous children — and many did so with members of the SS — to create new citizens and soldiers for the Fatherland. During World War II, the program operated maternity homes in Germany and in the occupied countries, where many of the young women were turned out by their families. After giving birth, the babies often were adopted by Nazi families, but those left in Lebensborn homes or other institutions after the war were abandoned. The Lebensborn program also involved the kidnapping of hundreds of thousands of children from the occupied countries, and the fact that records from the Lebensborn homes were destroyed meant most parents could not locate their children after the war.
In My Enemy’s Cradle, Sara Young takes readers into a Lebensborn home, with many nail-biting scenes, given that the first-person narrator is half Jewish and hoping to hide that fact from the Nazis. When the book opens in 1941, Cyrla is living with her aunt, uncle, and cousin, Anneke, in Holland; because she looks Dutch, her father thought it was safer for her to leave Poland to live with her late mother’s family. With more and more restrictions on Jews being instituted by the Nazis, Cyrla’s aunt and uncle are worried about what would happen if their neighbors discovered her secret, and the whole situation becomes even more complicated with Anneke becomes involved with Karl, a German soldier.
When Anneke’s pregnancy is discovered, her father wants to send her to a Nazi-run maternity home, but a tragedy derails his plans. At the same time, it comes to light that the neighbors know Cyrla is Jewish, and to save her life, her aunt sends her to the Lebensborn in Anneke’s place. The fact that Cyrla and Anneke look so much alike they could almost be twins means the charade might actually work, but Cyrla would have to leave behind her beloved Isaak and completely assume Anneke’s identity. Cyrla soon finds herself in the midst of the enemy and face-to-face with Karl, the father of Anneke’s baby.
My Enemy’s Cradle was one of those books that hooked me from the first page, and Young’s easy writing style and use of the first person narrative made it a quick read. She paces the plot perfectly and does a great job building tension as the story progresses. I really liked the character of Cyrla, from her innocence when it came to love and relationships to her need to write poetry and especially her courage. Her loyalty was admirable, even going as far as visiting the nursery to watch over a baby ripped from her friend after delivery. I didn’t agree with a couple of her decisions, which had dramatic consequences, but they seemed believable. I think I would have found the story interesting regardless, but it was nice to feel a connection to the main character.
I appreciate how Young shows that war isn’t black or white; many Germans didn’t agree with the Nazi ideology and rebelled in their own way, such as Ilse, the nurse whom Cyrla befriended in the Lebensborn. And I applaud Young for helping to raise awareness of the Lebensborns and the children who suffered as a result, mentioning in the Author’s Note that the Lebensborn children struggle with higher rates of depression, alcoholism, and suicide.
My Enemy’s Cradle is part war novel, part romance; heartbreaking, yet hopeful; and difficult to put down. I didn’t know a lot about the Lebensborn program before reading the book, and it prompted me to do some research afterward. If you’re like me and learn a lot from historical fiction (understanding that it’s not all fact and serves as a starting point), and even if you normally shy away from war novels, I think you’d find the book an interesting and worthwhile read.
Disclosure: I purchased my copy of My Enemy’s Cradle. I am an Amazon associate.
© 2010 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
There were horrors everywhere, this sounds so heartbreaking, I have known about it, but no one really mentions it
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It sounds like another one of those things that people long to forget. So sad.
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This book sounds gripping and I’m going to have to borrow it at some point. I was not aware of this program until now. Fascinating.
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Just let me know when you want to read it.
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I too was unaware of this particular programme though I have read about the encouragement of racially pure blonde, blue eyed Aryans. However, the story sounds so very sad as well. I doubt I could get through it.
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The fact that the program was so organized is insane. Knowing what I know about the Nazi regime, it doesn’t surprise me, though.
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Wow, I wonder why I’ve never heard of the Lebensborn program – talk about scary! The book sounds very compelling.
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I hope you get a chance to read it. I think you’d find it very interesting.
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This book sounds FASCINATING and like one I would really get into. Thanks for mentioning it. I’ve not heard of it but, as I said, I think it sounds like a really thought-provoking and awesome story.
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Sounds like you should get your hands on a copy! I hope you give it a go.
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I’m one that usually avoids war stories, and to be honest I’d never heard of the Lebensborn program. Sounds heartbreaking.
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It is a heartbreaking story, but it’s worth giving a try.
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On the wishlist it goes….it sounds riveting.
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I do hope you get a chance to read it soon!
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Wow, this sounds intense. Wonderful review.
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Thanks, Naida!
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This was a riveting review. I watched a history show that talked about this program. Insane!!!! thanks for reviewing this one and bringing to light what occurred before and during WWII…sounds like a great read!
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Thanks, Staci! I’ve heard the program mentioned in other documentaries I’ve watched, but not in great detail. I think you’d like this one, so I hope you give it a try.
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Sounds very good! I read my first book about the Lebensborn program this year too and would love to read more about it. Thanks!
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It really is a fascinating, though heartbreaking topic. I’m sure I’ll read more about it, too, at some point. Hope you give this one a try.
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Yet another book I’ve never heard of that sounds really fascinating. I’m going to have to check into this one. Thanks for another great review Anna but you’re a danger to my tbr pile. lol.
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I love adding to people’s TBR piles. I don’t want to be the only one with a tower of unread books! 😉
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