Hello Everyone My name is Rod Merten, though I go by merpho. I am 61, admit to 50, and will be a grandfather in September. I'm retired for the last 8 years from social work. I spend most days writing for four hours, riding my bicycle or walking, going to yoga, and on-line. My newest book is based on a female protagonist who lives in Oberschwarzenberg, Austria. As a young teen, she meets Hitler in 1934 and becomes enamored of him. The story then follows her through until November 1989 when she dies. I'm doing research to find how events, particularly WWII affected Austrians. Until I started this book, I did not really consider Austria as having much of a role in WWII. I'm wondering if after the annexation if the common man thought of himself as Austrian or German or ? I have been interested in WWII since I was 6 years old and drew airplanes having dogfights. I am also intrigued by the Christmas Truce of 1914. I mostly see war as a failure of our civilization.
Welcome to the forums Merpho, I look forward to your completed work. There are plenty of resources and helpful members on this board so please help yourself.
Hi Rod, You should read the book - "Hitler's Gamble" by Giles McDonough. It focusses on the preparations by the Nazi party before they invaded Poland and started the world war. You can also find some information regarding the annexation of Austria and the impact the decision would have on various kinds of people like the Jews, the Nazis and the Austrian Germans. Have just started reading it and it looks good . Apart from the regular names of Goebbels, Goring, Himmler and Keitel who were quite renowned, it also focusses on older Generals and politicians who were in the lime-light in Nazi Germany and Austria in 1938.
