Years of Estrangement

This book contains two narratives, each of which offers a clear and moving portrait of how German Jews came to terms with the changes in their lives brought on by the Nazis. In Under the Nazi Regime, Erich Leyens reflects on the effects of authoritarianism on everyday Germans. By contrast, Lotte Andor's Memoirs of an Unknown Actress focuses on the absurdity of an exile's life, telling her story with unusual humor and an appreciation of life's unexpected joys. Both stories present a deep understanding of how human beings learn to cope in the face of evil.