Children Against Hitler: The Young Resistance Heroes of the Second World War

by Monica Porter

Readers of all generations have grown up on The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier's best-selling tale of children under wartime occupation, but few know the real life stories of the children and teenagers who went further and actually stood up to the Nazis. Here, for the first time, Monica Porter gathers together their stories from many corners of occupied Europe, showing how in a variety of audacious and inventive ways children as young as six resisted the Nazi menace, risking and sometimes even sacrificing their brief lives in the process: a heroism that until now has largely gone unsung.

These courageous youngsters came from all classes and backgrounds. There were high school drop-outs and social misfits, brainy bookworms, the children of farmers and factory workers. Some lost their entire families to the war, yet fought on alone. Often more adept and fearless at resistance than adults, they exuded an air of guilessness and could slip more easily under the Nazi radar. But as nets tightened, many were captured, tortured or imprisoned, some paying the highest price - a life cut short by execution before they had even turned eighteen.

These children were motivated by different ideals; patriotism, political conviction, their Christian beliefs, or revulsion at the brutality of the Third Reich. But what united them was their determination to strike back at an enemy which had deprived them of their freedom, their dignity - and their childhood.

• ISBN13: 9781526764287
• Publish Date: 3 April 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
• Imprint: Pen & Sword History
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 184
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Children Against Hitler is a historical look at the youngest members of the resistance during WW2. Released 30th April 2020 by Pen and Sword books, it's 184 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

I have always enjoyed reading history and found the stories of these young ww2 resistance fighters both touching and incredible. My father-in-law, born at the end of the war, in occupied Norway, was too young to make any substantive difference, but the stories his friends tell of stealing and destroying the boots from the occupying soldiers' barracks, hiding resources (several families hid and raised a pig together in the forest near Bergen), sabotaging vehicles, stealing materials and supplies, guerilla warfare, and more, are scary and sometimes funny/sad. A lot of kids were used as couriers since they were less likely to be stopped and questioned, but the ones who were caught were viciously punished. These stories are equally enthralling. There were only a few of these names which were previously familiar to me and I came away from the read with a renewed respect for the sacrifice and commitment of these children and their families.

I see more clearly than ever the danger we face in the current world-wide craziness and I can only hope and pray we're not doomed to repeat history. I can only wish all our kids could have the gift of an unencumbered childhood.

Five stars. Well worth a read. Deeply moving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.