The German Girl
By Armando Lucas Correa
An interesting novel based on the true story of the St. Louis, a ship that took almost 900 German Jews from Germany to Cuba just before WWII, where they hoped to find refuge before going on to permanent residence in the U.S. After only a few days in the port, the ship was not allowed to dock and sets sail to try and find refuge for the Jews in other countries. They are turned away by the U.S. and by Canada. Eventually, they sail back to Europe, where some find refuge in England, Holland, France and Denmark. Many of the Jews end up being killed by the Nazis as WWII spreads.
The language in the novel at first seems very stilted and awkward, but then I realized that it's a translation, though not a very good one, from Spanish.
The novel begins in Germany and is told through the eyes of a young Jewish girl in 1939 alternating with a young American girl in 2007. Eventually, the two stories come together in Cuba, and the story of the St. Louis and the fate of the Jews is revealed.
An interesting read, once you get over the awkward writing.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
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