Twenty-five years after her passing, Audrey Hepburn remains the most beloved of all Hollywood stars, known as much for her role as UNICEF ambassador as for films like Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Several biographies have chronicled her stardom, but none has covered her intense experiences through five years of Nazi occupation in the Netherlands. According to her son, Luca Dotti, “The … “The war made my mother who she was.” Audrey Hepburn’s war included participation in the Dutch Resistance, working as a doctor’s assistant during the “Bridge Too Far” battle of Arnhem, the brutal execution of her uncle, and the ordeal of the Hunger Winter of 1944. She also had to contend with the fact that her father was a Nazi agent and her mother was pro-Nazi for the first two years of the occupation. But the war years also brought triumphs as Audrey became Arnhem’s most famous young ballerina. Audrey’s own reminiscences, new interviews with people who knew her in the war, wartime diaries, and research in classified Dutch archives shed light on the riveting, untold story of Audrey Hepburn under fire in World War II. Also included is a section of color and black-and-white photos. Many of these images are from Audrey’s personal collection and are published here for the first time.
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This is a book about Audrey Hepburn but not the movie star person who we got to see in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair Lady and many other Hollywood Films. This is the young Audrey who was a teenager during the years of the Nazi occupation of her homeland. It reads more like a history book of the war in the Netherlands than it does as a biography of a Hollywood icon and was a well researched look at how Audrey grew up and how it affected her later life.
When Audrey was 11 years old, the Germans began their occupation of the Netherlands. As a child, life didn’t change much for her but as time went on and the restrictions gotten worse her life began to change and she had to give up her much loved ballet lessons. In 1944, her life took a turn for the worse when the Allies started bombing the town that she lived in. She and her family spent much of their time in the cellar of their home hoping to survive while bombs exploded all around them. Following that came the ‘hunger winter’. There wasn’t enough food and many people starved to death. Audrey commented that this was the first time she had ever seen starvation of such a large scale. She had a lot of determination to go from a starving young girl to a Hollywood icon in such a short period of time.
The author of this book worked with the members of Audrey’s family plus did considerable research and found out things about Audrey’s early life that her family didn’t know – that her father was a Nazi agent and her mother was pro-Nazi for the first two years of the occupation. Audrey’s own reminiscences, new interviews with people who knew her in the war, wartime diaries, and research into classified Dutch archives shed light on the riveting, untold story of Audrey Hepburn’s life during World War II.
I found this book to be a very well researched and interesting book about a Hollywood icon and how her early life affected the rest of her life when being a UNICEF ambassador and visiting poor places in the world were more important to her than her life in Hollywood.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Born in Belgium and having spend the first 18 years of my life there I was always interested in actress Audrey Hepburn.
Reading this book made me even appreciate her more for the type of woman she had become. I’m so glad this book was researched at a time when some of the children having lived through that awful period under the control of the Nazis where still alive to be able to talk about it.
If you are looking for a glamorous story this book is not for you. This tells what is was like. Some readers find this is more about the war and life in that five year period under the Nazis then about Audrey. I think they are wrong because it very much gives back her life story at a time when her biggest worry should have been about dancing and to start thinking about boys.
The chapter notes beginning at page 321 gives a description of the sources consulted. A lot of work and research went into producing this book. Mentioning is made of some YouTube videos which are interesting to watch.
war-is-hell, world-war-ll, The Netherlands, ballerina, UNESCO *****
Who knows more about children’s troubles living in a country visited by war than a girl who lived in England and then was summarily moved to the Netherlands not long before it was occupied by the Nazis. Her later accomplishments allowed her to make a difference through UNESCO, but that frightened girl remained inside her forever.
This biographer had some real advantages in being vetted by Audrey’s son and also being able to have someone able to access classified documents in the Netherlands. At first the book spends an inordinate amount of time lauding her mother and later details some aspects of the War in Europe in excruciating military detail. However, even if the reader only reads half the book and skims whatever doesn’t suit, it is worth the full retail price.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Smith Publicity via NetGalley. Thank you!
Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II is a fascinating read. The author obviously did extensive research for this book. It was interesting to read Audrey’s early years growing up during the Nazi occupation. Especially, reading about her parents. Which I found to be unexpected and surprising. I believe many readers who like to read history would enjoy this book and want to learn more about Audrey Hepburn’s life. I give it five stars. Most definitely worth a read.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
There are a lot of us Americans who think we know poverty, we understand hunger, appreciate that life is hard and sometimes barren. Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II is a reality check for even those of us with memories of a rough childhood.
Most history’s and historical novels don’t more than touch on the effects of the Second World War on Holland. This biography by Robert Matzen brings to life the world of young wartorn Audrey, that remarkable actress of Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany’s fame, that gamine face on the big screen that we feel like we know and love. After you finish this book, you will have to watch those old films again and know that you really do love that pretty smile and honor the memory of that girl.
I received a free electronic copy of this biography from Netgalley. Robert Matzen, and GoodKnight Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this book. This is my honest opinion of this work.
While this book give in depth details of Audrey Hepburn during World War 2 it also tells of the Netherlands during the invasion of the Germans and Nazi Rule. Interesting to read how Audrey was influenced by the war. Well researched and documented about a sad part of history.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Interesting to understand the deprivations the Dutch people suffered in the war. I learned much about Audrey Hepburn and her enigmatic background.
This is one of the best books I have read recently!
Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen is a superb novel with impressive research in regards to the biography and true life-story of the adolescence of Audrey Hepburn-Ralston.
To finally have well-researched story to give a foundation of who Audrey was and how she became who she was later in life, is astounding.
To hear all the hurdles she overcame, to hear all the horrors that she had to endure, makes one fall in love with her all over again.
Audrey wasa strong, passionate, selfless woman who overcame it all to be a great mother, daughter, and family member. Her professional jobs later in life as an “actress” os just the smallest part of this puzzle.
This is a must read. Well done. 5/5.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem in return for my honest review. Reviewed 3/14/19.
I loved this book as much as I hated the details of how hard life was for the Dutch people (and so many others) during the German occupation. The details were so hard to listen to, but I felt that the blending of the details of the lives of Audrey and her family with the accounts of others and the timeline of events was very effective in giving a true picture and creating the feel that the author wanted to impart to the reader. Other reviewers didn’t like the combination, but it seemed necessary to me. It’s certainly not easy to regard Hepburn as just a movie star now. I had no idea she had been through so much in her lifetime.
If you don’t know much of what went on in the war, this will book will certainly open your eyes and make your heart ache. An excellent job by the writer. I listened to the audio version and the narrator, Tavia Gilbert, also did an outstanding job. I will not forget this book anytime soon.
This is a great biography about Audrey Hepburn and her family during the war. The book is extremely well researched and organized. Those who only know of her acting career will enjoy learning about her young life and the years she spend in the Netherlands during the war. These years obviously shaped her as a person and as a humanitarian!
The stories of her younger years during World War II. Are tense and sad with horrific crimes perpetrated by the Nazis against the Dutch and all of Europe. Our younger generation needs to read and realize what went on during that time. During these horrible time there is hope and love of family .
I loved Audrey Hepburn, so many things I never knew about her. Interesting
Great book to learn about a country that wasn’t at war in World War II but suffered terribly regardless!
IT was tedious to read. I gave up.
WW2, told through the eyes of Audrey Hepburn and her family. They lived through one of the most chaotic battles in Denmark. Not released until Audrey passed away. Her childhood was so influenced by her experiences, that she became a spokesperson for UNICEF for all countries and people suffering.
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Dutch Girl” “Audrey Hepburn and World War 11” by Robert Matzen, April 15, 2019
Robert Matzen , Author of “Dutch Girl”; Audrey Hepburn and World War 11″ has written an intriguing and intense biography with tremendous historical background on the life and times of Audrey Hepburn. Most of this centers around the 5 year period that the Nazis occupied The Netherlands. At that time Audrey lived with her mother and family in the Netherlands.
When I decided to read this book, I thought I would be reading more of Audrey Hepburn’s life , and it turns out I read about her Mother’s life. some of her father’s life and her family life, and much information about Germany and World War Two. I would have preferred to read more about Audrey Hepburn’s life.
The information provided by the author was interesting. Audrey had gone to school in England, and did speak English. She treasured dancing, and always wanted to be a ballerina. The five years of German occupation was traumatic and deadly for the Dutch people. Audrey did help as much as she could, and emotionally had the scars from this tragic timeline.
I appreciate that the author describes Audrey as a sympathetic and empathetic person who wants to do good in this world. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy reading about World War 11 and German History.