Table of Contents
About The Book
Featured in Entertainment Weekly, People, The Millions, and USA TODAY
“An unforgettable and resplendent novel which will take its place among the great historical fiction written about World War II.” —Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife
A young girl flees Nazi-occupied Germany with her family and best friend, only to discover that the overseas refuge they had been promised is an illusion in this “engrossing and heartbreaking” (Library Journal, starred review) debut novel, perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Berlin, 1939. Before everything changed, Hannah Rosenthal lived a charmed life. But now the streets of Berlin are draped in ominous flags; her family’s fine possessions are hauled away; and they are no longer welcome in the places they once considered home. A glimmer of hope appears in the shape of the St. Louis, a transatlantic ocean liner promising Jews safe passage to Cuba. At first, the liner feels like a luxury, but as they travel, the circumstances of war change, and the ship that was to be their salvation seems likely to become their doom.
New York, 2014. On her twelfth birthday, Anna Rosen receives a mysterious package from an unknown relative in Cuba, her great-aunt Hannah. Its contents inspire Anna and her mother to travel to Havana to learn the truth about their family’s mysterious and tragic past.
Weaving dual time frames, and based on a true story, The German Girl is a beautifully written and deeply poignant story about generations of exiles seeking a place to call home.
Reading Group Guide
Introduction
Hannah Rosenthal woke up one morning in the spring of 1939 to find that her charmed life had been completely shattered. Germany was on the brink of war, and all she and her best friend, Leo, could do was depend on each other.
Hope appeared in the form of the SS St. Louis, a transatlantic liner offering Jews safe passage out of Germany. But soon ominous rumors from Cuba undermined the passengers’ fragile sense of safety. From one day to the next, the ship that once was their salvation seemed likely to become their doom.
Seven decades later in New York City, twelve-year-old Anna Rosen received a strange package, which would lead her and her mother on a journey to Havana to learn the truth about their family’s mysterious and tragic past, and to help her finally understand her place and her purpose in the world.
Topics & Questions for Discussion
1. “I was almost twelve years old when I decided to kill my parents.” The book opens on a pretty dark scene in which Hannah believes death is the best way out of her current situation. Why do you think she feels this way? How does this set the tone for the rest of the book?
2. Consider Hannah’s reaction to being called “dirty” and then her reaction to being confused for an Aryan and ending up on the cover of Das Deutsche Mädel.
3. When Alma boards the St. Louis, she is wearing her best outfit and jewelry. Why is it so important for her to dress well as she leaves Germany? What message is she trying to send?
4. People praised The German Girl as “a timely must-read.” There are telegraphs and various news headlines interspersed throughout Hannah’s journey on the St. Louis, broadcasting the political climate and crises of the time. How do these compare to today’s headlines and crises?
5. Had you heard of the tragedy of the St. Louis prior to reading this book? How would those refugees have benefited from today’s social media exposure versus the newspaper coverage of the time?
6. Why does Hannah’s family feel betrayed by her brother’s involvement in the Cuban Revolution? How is it similar to their experience in Berlin prior to leaving Germany for Cuba?
7. There are many parallels in The German Girl. Among them are Alma’s and Ida’s reactions to grief, forcing their daughters to assume more responsibilities at a young age. What do you think of their insistence upon wanting to erase the past to make the present more bearable? Does this coping mechanism ever really help?
8. Compare and contrast Hannah and Anna and their reactions to loss. How have the tragedies experienced by the Rosenthals bound them together and affected the other?
9. The 907 passengers who were not allowed to disembark in Cuba—and were later also rejected by the United States and Canada—found refuge in Great Britain (288), the Netherlands (181), Belgium (214), and France (224), before all but those taken in by Great Britain were claimed by the war. What do you think happened to the passengers in the moments before they disembarked in those countries? How do you think the locals reacted to their arrival?
10. Hannah keeps the little blue box all those years without ever opening it. Why do you think she kept her promise? What did you expect Hannah to find in the little blue box?
11. What does Anna represent for the Rosen family? Why was it important for Anna to meet Hannah and finally bring closure to their family history?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. The German Girl has been compared to The Nightingale, Schindler’s List, and All the Light We Cannot See. Read those titles with your book club and compare it to The German Girl. Are there any similar themes that occur? In what ways do you think that the books are alike?
2. Through Hannah and Anna, the author ties together the events of World War II (1939–1945), the Cuban Revolution (1959), and the September 11 attacks (2001). Research these three time periods and events. Have you ever considered how these events would be connected in other ways? What are the differences and similarities between these moments in history and the conflicts that inspired them or that they inspired?
3. To learn more about Armando Lucas Correa, read reviews of The German Girl and find him on tour, visit his official site at www.armandolucascorrea.com and the book’s official site at http://thegermangirl.squarespace.com/.
About The Author
Armando Lucas Correa is an award-winning journalist, editor, author, and the recipient of several awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications and the Society of Professional Journalism. He is the author of the international bestseller The German Girl, which is now being published in seventeen languages and has sold more than one million copies; The Daughter’s Tale; and The Night Traveler, for which he was awarded the Cintas Foundation Creative Writing Fellowship. He lives in New York City with his husband and their three children. Visit ArmandoLucasCorrea.com.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (October 18, 2016)
- Length: 368 pages
- ISBN13: 9781501121241
Raves and Reviews
“Fascinating . . . a brilliant entrée into the souls, terrors, ardors, endeavors and hopeless valor of people who have been written off. . . . Now, in a new age of people in peril and adrift on the world’s seas, this magnificent novel—and the unexpected and intricate tragedies of its powerfully imagined characters—bespeaks this eternal injustice.”
– Thomas Keneally, Bestselling author of Schindler’s List
“An unforgettable and resplendent novel which will take its place among the great historical fiction written about World War II. Hannah Rosenthal will remain in your heart and her determination to tell the story of what she saw, lived, and lost will change the way you look at the world.”
– Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife
“powerful and affecting…that sheds light on a sorrowful piece of Holocaust history.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“I found myself unable to put the book down. I was able to identify with what my parents must have experienced first in Germany and later the St. Louis. . . . beautiful and heartbreaking.”
– Judith (Koepple) Steele, survivor of the St. Louis
"It was so true to our many life experiences… I became enthralled with the descriptions of the emotional turmoil that these characters endured.”
– Eva (Safier) Wiener, survivor of the St. Louis
“A vital tribute to liberty, love and justice…one of the most fascinating and extraordinary literary events of recent times.”
– Zoé Valdés, international bestselling author of The Weeping Woman
“Profound and moving … This novel touched me personally, especially because it is written from the point of view of a girl, just like me, on the ship. This tragedy, ignored for so many years, contains a lesson the world must learn and never forget: compassion for refugees.”
– Ana Maria (Karman) Gordon, survivor of the St. Louis
"A timely must-read."
– People
Awards and Honors
- Costco Buyer's Pick
- Paul's Pick
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The German Girl eBook 9781501121241
- Author Photo (jpg): Armando Lucas Correa Ciro Guitérrez(0.1 MB)
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