The Nolden Family

Frank’s mom is German.  She was a young child during WWII and she and her family suffered much due to the atrocities of war.  Frank’s parents recently wrote a book about her experiences.  It is called, “Escape from Hellfire to Freedom,”  and was recently spotlighted in Das Fenster Magazine (“America’s oldest and most popular German language magazine”).  The preface of the book says this:

“This book is an accounting of a German family and their struggle to remain in tact, to survive the hardships and destruction of war caused by the bombing of their home, and the city they lived in.  It is the story of two women, a grandmother and mother, and the two small children with them.

It tells of the death and destruction of thousands who lived in a  city that was completely destroyed by constant bombing by the British, and finalization of this destruction by creating fire storms with the final blow to the city by the Russian assult and capture of the city.

The story goes on recalling ship passage to Denmark, and the daily life and struggle of four years in a refugee camp.  Additionally the book describes the subsequent displacement to other camps to reach their final destination of Heilbronn, Germany, and the reuniting of the family.

It is the story of their plight to stay alive, remain together and find refuge with other sympathetic German families, foreign countries, other German cities and relocation after the war.”

CLICK HERE to Purchase the Book

Helga and Harley Nolden - taken on their 50th Wedding Anniversary (this year)