"As it was 1938 to1954 Germany" is the captivating coming - of - age story of a boy during the most tumultuous period of the 20th Century on a farm near Berlin. As North Americans we have little opportunity to know about that period except from the Allied perspective. It is enlightening to learn about the human struggles of a farm family through and in the early years after the war. Readers will be rewarded by immersing themselves in Christians detailed memoir of his childhood years. The book is an easy read, both suspenseful and humorous. A most enjoyable and engaging read.

Robert McFetridge
Bowser, BC, Canada

Christian's book is an amazing collection of his childhood memories growing up during WW2. The incredible detail in which he recollects the many twists and turns made this book a real page turner. I couldn't put it down and it reminded me of the stories my father shared of his childhood during the same time period. Anyone who wants to understand how this generation learned how to make the best out of the most difficult situations and to never lose hope will enjoy Christian's book.

Michel Luhnau
Calgary, AB, Canada

Narrator: Heinz Friese

Born 14 February 1904 in Berlin, Heinz established a poultry farm in the mid-1930s in Rathenow/Brandenburg. In 1942 he was drafted into the German army where, with his farming background, he was put in charge of livestock which consisted mostly of pigs. Near the end of the war, he ended up a captive in both American & Russian prisoner-of-war camps. Here he was often on the lookout for a loophole to escape and often found one. Finally returning to his home in 1947, he became a successful supplier of day-old chicks to the region, despite encountering endless problems with the local communist authorities. In November of 1952 he secretly escaped with his family via Berlin to eventually find himself in South Africa. Heinz Friese died on 15 July 1993 in Margate, South Africa.