This is a very inspirational book of faith in action. Maria the mother is so concerned for her 4 children and husband as WWII breaks out in Germany. The family are Christian and they are against the NAZI party views. They continue to resisit joining even though it would make like easier as in more food etc.

This is a family who pray together each day and believe that God indeed hears and answers their prayers. Her worst fears start to come true as her husband is called to duty to serve the "Fatherland". With much prayer he is thankfully assigned to the Red Cross Hospital in their own town and he drives an ambulance. Much safer than a front line assignment.

Their oldest son Reinhold is drafted at the age of 17 and sent to training. He is then immediately sent to the infantry. He had at times during his life adopted some NAZI views as he and his brother Kurt were required to attend Hitler Youth. Things change along the way which I will not tell you all the details.

This family lives thru almost total destruction of the town. There are injuries along the way but God was faithful to protect them during the entire war.

The story is told by Helmut the youngest boy. His sister Ruth brother Kurt helped fill in the places and events before his birth.

I highly recommend this book. Although it takes place at one of the worst times in history it leaves you with a deeper faith and trust in God.

This is a timely book for today. Maria Ziefle was a strong Christian woman, and was very concerned about the Nazi influence on her family. As they dealt with the Hitler Youth, Nazi neighbors, the draft, horrors of war, pressures from "the Party", the heartache of seeing so much wickedness, and so much more, Maria prayed that their family would remain alive and faithful to God.

Today in America we do not live with the horrors the Ziefle family faced. But as our culture becomes more Godless, our children can innocently be drawn into it, just as Kurt was attracted to the Hitler Youth. Parents must be vigilant in prayer and in teaching their children what is good and right and honoring to God. This woman's story will be an encouragement for many parents. Especially as the book was written by her son.

Everything was not ideal in the Ziefle family. Georg was not the family's spiritual leader; his wife was. Everyone may not agree with certain stands they chose to make, but ideal families exist only in fiction, and to agree with everything in a book, we must write it ourselves.

Many photographs are included throughout the book of the people and places described. The story unfolds in an easy way, although the events make for less than easy thoughts as we comfortably read about the Ziefle's struggles. The war is not the focus, but rather the experiences of a Christian German family who did not support the Nazis. Readers of all ages will enjoy this biography, but parents in particular will be blessed by the account of a woman who fought for her family.

This vivid story of life in Germany during the worst part of its history is told by one who lived through it. Memories of that awful period in human history are fading fast as those who experienced it are dying. This page in human history should not be forgotten. The book is especially timely in the light of the war in Iraq. This is not a story of battles but of the day-to-day life of a Christian family during the time when Hitler and his minions ruled Germany. The Ziefle family held fast to their Christian faith in the face of danger and ridicule. The book recounts their walk of faith day by day. They suffered both physically and emotionally, especially during the five years Reinhold, the eldest son, was a prisoner of war despised for being part of Hitler's army. It is a reminder of how to live one's faith in the midst of opposition and threats. Sharing this family's experience is helpful in thinking about what is going on and will go on in Iraq as the people there learn to live with the effects of war.
Georg and Maria Ziefle had four children, Reinhold. Kurt, Ruth, and Helmut.
Both Reinhold and Kurt served in the German army. Ruth under took many daring adventures to care for the family and its needs. Georg was not forced into the army because of his work for the Red Cross and the fact that he was disabled from World War I. Maria and she narrowly escaped being forced into service of the German war machine. Their faith was tested many times but they all survived the war and lived productive lives after the war. Helmut, who wrote the account from his memories and with the help of his siblings, spent many years as a professor at Wheaton College.