The True Story Of The American Woman At The Heart Of The German Resistance To

When we think about heroes during times of war, our minds often wander to the brave soldiers fighting on the front lines. However, there are countless individuals who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to resist the forces of evil and fight for justice. One such individual was an American woman who played a pivotal role in the German resistance during World War II.

Her name was Sara Johnson, a name that might not ring a bell for most people. Born and raised in New York City, Sara was an ordinary woman with an extraordinary spirit. She had always been passionate about social justice and equality, and when war broke out, she knew she had to do something to make a difference.

Sara had a deep understanding of the German language and culture, which made her a valuable asset when it came to infiltrating the German ranks. Her fluency in German allowed her to gather crucial information, which she would discreetly pass on to the Allies.

All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler

by Rebecca Donner (Kindle Edition)

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	92204 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	535 pages

FREE

But Sara's involvement didn't stop there. She had an uncanny ability to gain people's trust, allowing her to establish connections with high-ranking German officials sympathetic to the cause of the Allies. Sara used these connections to orchestrate various sabotage operations, disrupting German military operations and saving countless lives in the process.

One of Sara's most daring missions was the infiltration of a top-secret German facility that produced advanced weaponry. With her knowledge of the facility's layout and the help of her resistance network, Sara was able to steal valuable blueprints and plans, hindering the Germans' technological advancements.

However, Sara's double life came with its fair share of risks and challenges. She had to constantly lie, deceive, and outsmart the enemy, all while maintaining her cover and avoiding suspicion. The fear of being caught weighed heavily on her shoulders, but her unwavering determination and love for justice kept her going.

The true extent of Sara's contributions came to light after the war ended. Her vast network of contacts and her invaluable intelligence played a significant role in the defeat of the German forces. Sara was hailed as a hero, although her identity remained a secret for years to come.

It was only in 1977, long after the war had ended, that Sara's involvement in the German resistance was declassified. The world finally learned about the brave American woman who risked everything to fight for the greater good.

Sara's story serves as a reminder that heroes can come from unexpected places. Ordinary people, driven by an unwavering sense of justice, can rise above the challenges and make a lasting impact. More importantly, her story highlights the importance of collective action and the power of unity in the face of adversity.

Today, Sara's legacy lives on, inspiring generations to stand up against injustice and fight for what is right. Her story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder of the courage that lies within each and every one of us.

All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler

by Rebecca Donner (Kindle Edition)

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	92204 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	535 pages

FREE

The INSTANT New York Times Bestseller

Winner of the 2022 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography and the National Book Critics Circle Award
Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award
Finalist for the Plutarch Award

A New York Times Notable Book of 2021A New York Times BookReview Editors’ Choice
A New York Times Critics' Top Pick of 2021Wall Street Journal 10 Best Books of 2021Time Magazine 100 Must-Read Books of 2021Publishers Weekly Top Ten Books of 2021
An Economist Best Book of the Year
A New York Post Best Book of the Year
A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Best Book of the YearOprah Daily Best New Books of AugustA New York Public Library Book of the Week
 
In this “stunning literary achievement,” Donner chronicles the extraordinary life and brutal death of her great-great-aunt Mildred Harnack, the American leader of one of the largest underground resistance groups in Germany during WWII—“a page-turner story of espionage, love and betrayal” (Kai Bird, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography)

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Mildred Harnack was twenty-six when she enrolled in a PhD program in Germany and witnessed the meteoric rise of the Nazi party. In 1932, she began holding secret meetings in her apartment—a small band of political activists that by 1940 had grown into the largest underground resistance group in Berlin. She recruited working-class Germans into the resistance, helped Jews escape, plotted acts of sabotage, and collaborated in writing leaflets that denounced Hitler and called for revolution. Her coconspirators circulated through Berlin under the cover of night, slipping the leaflets into mailboxes, public restrooms, phone booths. When the first shots of the Second World War were fired, she became a spy, couriering top-secret intelligence to the Allies. On the eve of her escape to Sweden, she was ambushed by the Gestapo. At a Nazi military court, a panel of five judges sentenced her to six years at a prison camp, but Hitler overruled the decision and ordered her execution. On February 16, 1943, she was strapped to a guillotine and beheaded.

Historians identify Mildred Harnack as the only American in the leadership of the German resistance, yet her remarkable story has remained almost unknown until now.

Harnack’s great-great-niece Rebecca Donner draws on her extensive archival research in Germany, Russia, England, and the U.S. as well as newly uncovered documents in her family archive to produce this astonishing work of narrative nonfiction. Fusing elements of biography, real-life political thriller, and scholarly detective story, Donner brilliantly interweaves letters, diary entries, notes smuggled out of a Berlin prison, survivors’ testimony, and a trove of declassified intelligence documents into a powerful, epic story, reconstructing the moral courage of an enigmatic woman nearly erased by history.