The peppermint train

Autoren

• Edgar E. Stern

Parameter

• Geschichte
• Weltgeschichte

Mehr zum Buch

Stern's personal quest for his past reflects a generation of survivors uprooted from their once-happy childhoods before the Nazis' onslaught. His narrative is clear, with a charming naiveté that contrasts with the insights of the trained therapist he has become. This sensitive memoir, penned by an American psychotherapist, recounts a pre-Holocaust refugee's return to Germany, transforming into a pilgrimage to his childhood and a search for understanding. Fleeing the Nazis in 1936 at age nine, Stern left behind a serene German village, relatives destined for the gas chambers, and buried memories. Forty-seven years later, he confronts these memories, leading to two painful visits to Speyer—one with his wife in 1983 and another with his son in 1985. Reunions with childhood friends and familiar places compel Stern to reclaim lost joys. The charming narrow-gauge railway to his grandparents' village symbolizes his ambivalence: while he cherishes the Peppermint Train, he acknowledges that for many, including relatives, trains meant death. This journey raises haunting questions about prejudice, mass violence, and the Holocaust. Through his therapist's lens, Stern reflects on his motives, gains insight into his parents, and finds a measure of peace with his cultural history. Edgar E. Stern is a clinical social worker with extensive experience in counseling and psychotherapy, having published numerous scholarly and popular articles on m

Mehr lesen

• Sprache: Englisch
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1992