Title: Abandoned and Forgotten: An Orphan Girl’s Tale of Survival During World War II
Author: Evelyne Tannehill
Publisher: Wheatmark
Publication Date: January 15, 2007
Paperback: 440 pages
ISBN: 978-1587366932
Genre: Autobiography

About the Book:

Much has been written about World War II, but not often do we hear about the immeasurable suffering of the Germans who wanted no part of Hitler’s regime.

Abandoned and Forgotten is the memoir of a young girl growing up in the then-German province of East Prussia by the Baltic Sea. Orphaned at the age of nine and left to fend for herself in a hostile world, Evelyne Tannehill witnessed firsthand what happens when law and order break down and self-preservation becomes the only thing that matters. Her journey is a poignant example of how resilient the human spirit can be, even in the face of war’s greatest horrors.

My Review:

Abandoned and Forgotten is not a typical WWII memoir and once begun the reader will not be able to set the novel down, let alone forget. When WWII broke out Evelyne’s father had planned to take his wife and children out of Germany, to live in America, however his dream was not to be realised. According to Evelyne, life was not too altered one way or another in East Prussia until the later stages of the war due to how far removed they were in the country. Prior to being cut off from the main part of Germany, the Reich, Evelyne lived with her family and went to school as did her siblings. Evelyne writes lovingly of her family, even when she was in trouble as often the young find themselves almost unaware of the war moving closer and closer to her beloved home. By the time her family decided to flee their East Prussian home, it was too late; the Russians had closed in and cut off East Prussia from the Reich. Nine is an extremely young and tender age to witness war atrocities and yet Evelyne’s horrific experiences were just beginning. By nine Evelyne become an orphan in her beloved East Prussia, now occupied by Russian troops and was about to experience the best and the worst of humanity. Abandoned and Forgotten is brilliantly divided into four sections, which profoundly defined the times. Abandoned and Forgotten is a beautiful and at times emotionally heart-wrenching story of one young girls coming of age under the worst circumstances. Told as only one who lived it could tell, this historical autobiography is told fluidly, beautifully, and oftentimes with a wit that one does not expect. Abandoned and Forgotten is a novel not only worth reading once, but numerous times.

About the Author:

Evelyne Tannehill is retired and resides in Reno, Nevada. She has two children and four grandchildren.

I would live to thank AME, Inc. for supplying me with a copy of this book. My review was in no part influenced by my receiving a free review copy.