Synopses & Reviews
The disappearance behind the Iron Curtain of the American brothers Noel and Hermann Field in 1949, followed by that of Noels wife and their foster daughter, was one of the most publicized international mysteries of the Cold War. This dual memoir gives an intensely human dimension to that struggle, with Hermann narrating all that happened to him from the day he was abducted from the Warsaw airport to his release five years later, and Kate relating her unrelenting efforts to find her husband.
Thousands of potential victims of Hitlers dragnet were rescued in 1939 and during World War II through separate efforts of the Field brothers. Arrested in Czechoslovakia in 1949, Noel was taken to Hungary and used as an example of American perfidy in show trials. Hermann went to Poland primarily to find out what had happened to his brother. After Hermanns abduction, he was taken to the cellar of a secret Polish prison, where he was held for five years. He gives us a detailed account of his battle to survive, alternating despair and horror with mordant humor. Meanwhile, his family had no idea whether he was still alive and if so, where.
This moving story, based on detailed notes made by the authors during and shortly after the events described, presents an inside-outside counterpoint, as Hermanns chapters on his inward journey in his cellar world alternate with Kates efforts in London to find him by scrutinizing accounts of political events in Eastern Europe for clues and penetrating the diplomatic corridors of power in the West for help. Hermann had been arrested by a Polish security agent who later defected and became one of the Wests most important informants on Soviet operations in Eastern Europe. The search for the Field brothers was complicated by their history of leftist connections, for this tense period in the Cold War was also the era of McCarthyism in the United States. The book ends with an Epilogue that analyzes the events of fifty years ago in the light of what we know today, as the result of newly available archival material.
Review
"This remarkable document is a moving love story, a tale of sinister international intrigue, and a revealing probe of Cold War politics." Publishers Weekly
Review
"One of the most compelling memoirs to emerge from the dark days of Stalinism. It is a valuable contribution to history, and it is an impressive tribute to the unconquerable human spirit."Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
Review
"A 'political thriller' of breathtaking tension."Die Welt
Review
"The book is written from two different perspectives . . . interwoven with great skill, even elegance, and the reader is thus treated to a powerful and multi-dimensional narrative that is bound to become a classic. It will be required reading for anyone who has a serious interest in the origins of the Cold War."International History Review
Synopsis
The disappearance and imprisonment behind the Iron Curtain of the American brothers Noel and Hermann Field in 1949, followed by that of Noel's wife and their foster daughter, was one of the most publicized international mysteries of the Cold War. This dual memoir gives an intensely human dimension to that struggle.
Synopsis
The disappearance of American brothers Noel and Hermann Field behind the Iron Curtain in 1949 was one of the most publicized international mysteries of the Cold War. This personal memoir by Hermann and his wife Kate gives an intensely human dimension to the affair, which began when Noel Field was arrested in Czechoslovakia and taken to Hungary to be used as an example of American perfidy in show trials. Hermann was abducted in Poland while trying to find his brother, and efforts to free them were ironically complicated by their history of leftist connections in the eyes of the McCarthy-era USA. The memoir alternates between Hermann's fluctuating despair and mordant humour through five years in his Polish cellar prison, and his wife Kate's unrelenting efforts to find him, penetrating the corridors of Western diplomatic power for help. An epilogue reexamines the events in the light of newly available archival material.
Synopsis
“This remarkable document is a moving love story, a tale of sinister international intrigue, and a revealing probe of Cold War politics.” —Publishers Weekly
“One of the most compelling memoirs to emerge from the dark days of Stalinism. It is a valuable contribution to history, and it is an impressive tribute to the unconquerable human spirit.”—Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
Synopsis
Personal memoir of an infamous episode in Cold War history, illuminated by newly available archives.
Synopsis
The disappearance of American brothers Noel and Hermann Field behind the Iron Curtain in 1949 was one of the most publicized international mysteries of the Cold War. This personal memoir by Hermann and his wife Kate gives an intensely human dimension to the affair, which began when Noel Field was arrested in Czechoslovakia and taken to Hungary to be used as an example of American perfidy in show trials. Hermann was abducted in Poland while trying to find his brother, and efforts to free them were ironically complicated by their history of leftist connections in the eyes of the McCarthy-era USA. The memoir alternates between Hermann's fluctuating despair and mordant humour through five years in his Polish cellar prison, and his wife Kate's unrelenting efforts to find him, penetrating the corridors of Western diplomatic power for help. An epilogue reexamines the events in the light of newly available archival material.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [433]-437) and index.
About the Author
This remarkable document is a moving love story, a tale of sinister international intrigue, and a revealing probe of Cold War politics.” Publishers WeeklyOne of the most compelling memoirs to emerge from the dark days of Stalinism. It is a valuable contribution to history, and it is an impressive tribute to the unconquerable human spirit.”Arthur Schlesinger Jr.A political thriller of breathtaking tension.”Die WeltThe book is written from two different perspectives . . . interwoven with great skill, even elegance, and the reader is thus treated to a powerful and multi-dimensional narrative that is bound to become a classic. It will be required reading for anyone who has a serious interest in the origins of the Cold War.”International History Review