In the midst of World War II, a German-American family finds themselves stranded in Japan in this inspiring tale of an extraordinary family adapting to the hazards of fate, and finding salvation in each other. In the spring of 1941, seven-year-old Hildegarde Ercklentz and her family leave their home in New York City and set off for their native Germany, where her father has been recalled to the … has been recalled to the headquarters of the Commerz & Privat Bank in Berlin. It was meant to be an epic journey, crossing the United States, the Pacific, and Siberia–but when Hitler invades Russia, a week-long stay in Yokohama, Japan becomes six years of quasi-detention, as Hildegarde and her family are stranded in Japan until the war’s end. In this spellbinding memoir, Mahoney recounts her family’s moving saga, from their courage in the face of terrible difficulties–including forced relocation, scarce rations, brutal winters in the Japanese Alps–to their joyous reunion with their German relatives in Hamburg, and their eventual return to New York City in 1950. Richly detailed and remarkably vivid, Journey Interrupted is a story unlike any other–the inspiring tale of an extraordinary family adapting to the hazards of fate, and finding salvation in each other.
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A tragic, yet beautifully written story. The story was so captivating that I was able to overlook the many typos and punctuation errors throughout the book.
Very good historical story of a family during WW2.
I rather enjoyed the first part of the book, although there was a great deal too much “Telling, ” and not nearly enough “Showing.” But it was informative, and gave a good look at the life of a privileged family caught by bad luck in Japan for most of WWII. While life for them was not a bed of roses, they never suffered the same kind of deprivation that millions of others lived through. I was not at all interested in the life of the young Hildegarde after the war, when she became a Rheingold Beer spokesperson and beautiful star of ads and television. Very different from the early part of the story.
I found this book very informative. They are a German family living in America on the cusp of the Second World War. On their way back to Germany, they are stranded in Japan. Their story is of survival and of their long attempt to get back to America. The writer also wins post-war success as a model. Interesting memoir.
A family that did anything to keep their family together and adapted to adverse conditions and different cultures to survive the war without compromising their beliefs and moral values
what a journey!
Wow, to survive such hardship and come out such great human beings is Amazimg!
Couldn’t put it down
The book was interesting and shows how the war affected the ” upper ” class folks IMO. Although towards the end some of the writing boardered on becoming boring.
Written from the heart
You have to mine for the facts in between the tedius, unnecessary details.
One family’s trip home to Germany is derailed by war and instead of two weeks in japan they spend quite a bit longer when there are no ships to leave. Interesting story.
Fascinating and detailed slice of WW II history as it affected a German family who were traveling around the world from their home in New York City enroute to Germany in 1941. Trapped in Japan by global events, the family must survive the war before their journey can continue.