Everybody Loved Anna: A German Family's Story of Confronting Social Normalcy Paperback - 2012

From the publisher

"Anna Haman experienced an extraordinary life and writes with surprisingly clever perception of her people and her times - ranging from Eastern Europe under the thumb of Nazi and Soviet interlopers, to a wild understanding of Astrology, and life in the American West.She casts her own net of personal recollections and reflections, while inviting the reader into worlds they may have only seen on the surface.Get ready for quite a ride - at times you may find it a little hard to keep up with Anna, but stay with her and you will come to know a very rare and rich personality and several of her worlds."By Richard Polese previous president of New Mexico Book Association, Santa Fe, New Mexico USA"Everybody loved Anna, a beautiful, precocious and strong - willed girl. Anna Haman grew up during the 1950s and 1960s in an ancient grist mill operated by her family in a German village. Her memoir vividly details growing up in a loving, extended family. Yet it is also a history of a family stalked by multiple tragedies-personal, collective and social-that shaped Anna's life. Some derived from World War II; others were of unrelated and mysterious origins.Anna's mother's family had a liberal Christian tradition. When helping local Jews being deported, they ran afoul of the Nazis. Her wealthy father's family was from Russia but was forced to move to a farm in Poland that had been confiscated from its Jewish owners. He was conscripted by Hitler's army and later imprisoned by Stalin, which manifested later in family deprivation and violence."By Constance Albrecht senior grant writer for Native American Reservations"The protagonist was a great lady with a splendid soul. May she rest in peace. I read every word (of chapter 3) - it was that interesting and extremely well written."By Raymond Haber, devout Jewish man of 89 years old, retired taxi cab owner New York CityThe last chapter of the book is a about Anna participating in a Native American Long Dance in America."Reading her words about growing up in post war Germany easily places you by her side, observing silently, what she does and what she thinks. You the reader, are on a journey you do not want to end. You want more."By Dr. Bob Worthington, President of United States Pilots Association