Friday 14 February 2014

Read in 2014 - 4: Forget-Me-Not

A book that has deeply touched me, creating a lasting impression like no other that I have read recently, is "Forget-Me-Not" by Ruth S. Ozan.


As an autobiography, it is far from complete: apart from pro- and epilogue, it spans only a few years in the life of the author, from 1939 to 1946. But those were crucial years in more than one way. Not only did they shape the attitude and character of young Ruth, but many of the events that formed our entire world took place in those few years, extending their influence from the past to the present and future of so many.

Ruth’s parents are German immigrants living and working in the US when she is born. In 1939, the family decide to go back to Germany because of a job offer from his old work place (the Krupp steel factory) her father can’t resist. At seven years old, Ruth is happiest where her parents are, but finds some things in her family’s country of origin hard to understand. She soon learns not to ask too many questions; her parents are often unable, sometimes unwilling, to answer them. But she is not stupid and notices things happening around her that should not be happening, such as an elderly lady being served last at the butcher’s because she is Jewish and wears a yellow star sewn to her coat.
Unfortunately, the family have chosen the eve of WWII for their return to Germany, something they were not aware of at the time, but which had consequences on every family member in a different way.

For Ruth, the outbreak of the war means the start of a period of instability in her young life. Time and time again, she is put into the care of more or less distant relatives, and at one stage even left at an orphanage. While the pushing about of the little girl from one place to the other is not always understandable (her parents had more children after her, so why was she sent away? Why did they have so many children if they were not able to look after them all?), it was not unusual – and obviously the most reasonable thing to do – for children from cities to be sent out in the country during the war, where they were safer from the bombings, and more food and fresh air was available.

The little girl gets so used to being separated from her family that she does not even want to go back with her mother when she has the opportunity. Instead, she really takes to country life and spends the happiest time of her years in Germany in a village with one of her aunts, who loves her very much and treats her like her own daughter. It is during that time that Ruth has the experience of sowing a field of wheat, which leaves a lasting impression on her young mind and heart:
"I am sowing a field of wheat! It will grow and when it is tall and golden, the wind will make it wave back and forth, and it will be my field, my crop. I'm making something live."

As the war comes closer to home and her father is drawn into the army, her mother and siblings come to live in a small country town together with Ruth. For the first time in years, she lives with them again. During the last terrible months of the war, all public life falls into disorganization. Regular schooling stops, and everybody just tries to get by and survive somehow. When finally the war ends and the Americans reach the small town, it is a new beginning for Ruth and her mother: They are among the few people who speak English; her mother’s help is enlisted for translating between the townspeople and the American military, and Ruth, now 13 years old, has her first kiss.

Various events and especially the attitude of people around her convince Ruth that there is no future for her in Germany. She wants to go back to America – this time, she is separated from her family on her own initiative.

Throughout the book, it is obvious that the author really lived through all the events described. The thoughts and ideas a little girl may have about the goings-on around her, with no understanding of politics, are very much like I would imagine a child really thinking at that age. Nothing suggests bitterness or trying to find anyone to blame for what certainly was not an easy, care-free childhood. I really came to care about Ruth and her siblings, and liked the way the book‘s title „Forget-Me-Not“ is explained by and by.

Mrs. Ozan is, to my knowledge, still alive. I have not found an author’s homepage for her, but wish I could write to her, letting her know how much her book touched me. It is available in German and in English. My mother, who was born the year before the war ended, read it in German and recommended this wonderful book to me. I, in turn, recommend it to all of you.

13 comments:

  1. This sounds like a book I would really like to read. I found a copy on amazon.com and ordered it....Have I mentioned that my mil and her children and her sister and her children were all refugees in Floss, in Bayern, after WWII? Her husband wanted to return to Hungary, so they all did. Not a great decision! But if they had stayed I would most likely never have met the love of my life.

    (Meike, please tell your Mom that my lovely new socks arrived yesterday and there was a darling tiny stone elephant in the toe of one of them. It is so sweet! Thank her for me a hundred times!)

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    1. I am sure you'll like this book very much, Kristi. I don't think you have mentioned the Floss-episode before. You are so right - their decision to go back to Hungary may have not been great under many aspects, but without it, you would not have met the love of your life.

      My Mum will hopefully read your comment, too, but I'll let her know anyway that the socks have arrived and you found the little surprise she added :-)

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    2. Hello Kristi,
      yes, I did read it and I am glad, the socks arrived and you like them and the little attached surprise.

      I do love this book, and I only can recommand it to everybody, who is interested on the latest past.

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  2. Interestingly I went to Amazon and saw that you have reviewed it there. Given your recommendation it is now on my list to read although I was a little surprised to see that it's the most expensive Kindle edition I've ever looked at and the paperback price in English is astonishingly expensive.

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    1. Nearly all the book reviews you find on my blog are also used for Amazon, with slight modifications (links to the author's websites or to older reviews etc. are taken out).
      My Mum also said that she found the English paperback edition rather expensive, but she still bought it, which goes to show that we don't really mind the price that much when we really want something.

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  3. Well, you MUST know that this is my kind of book! I wonder if you could write a letter to the publisher and ask that it be forwarded to the author. That is what I did years ago when I was so moved by Mr. Zamperini's book. I was truly thrilled to get a reply.
    Thanks for the great review of this book. If you like it and your Mom both like it, that is all you have to say!

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    1. Yes, Kay, I was thinking of you when I read this book, knowing that you'd love it!
      My uncle (who lives in one of the villages Ruth Ozan spent her childhood at and whose late neighbour was one of the relatives mentioned in the book) rang me the other night and told me he found Ruth Ozan's husband's email address on a website for an association of Turkish citizens living in Florida. Maybe I can write there and she'll get the letter, although her husband died some years ago.

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  4. Wow, what a story. And the connection with your uncle is amazing.

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    1. I don't know how he found out about the book in the first place, but he sent a (German) copy to my Mum because he thought she should read it. I am glad he did that!

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  5. Hi! Ruth Ozan, the author of Forget-Me-Not is my mother! This is truly her life...I grew up with these stories. Thanks so much for the review. The books are quite expensive, because she self published in English and, well, the German publication is just expensive. I'm sure my mom would love to write you a note.

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    1. Hi Deniz, How nice of you to pop in and leave a comment! In the meantime, your mother and I have started an email correspondence, and your cousin Susanne in Stuttgart has also begun to write to me. It is wonderful how a simple book review on a blog can cause people to connect across generations and countries!

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  6. I have searched and searched and cannot find anywhere I can buy a German edition of this book. If there were somewhere in Germany, I could pay for it and have it sent to my brother in Sachsenheim, then he could stick it in the next DHL 'Red Cross' parcel to me in Angola!

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    1. Hello Hippo, I only have the English version myself. Maybe your brother in Sachsenheim (which is really just "round the corner" from where I live, you know!) can find it on amazon.de or on booklooker.de?

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