Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw
I will preface this review by saying that my father, who was underage when he joined the Canadian Army, marched through the Netherlands as part of the force that liberated the towns of Nijmegen and Groningen, and others. When I was a teenager, living in Europe with my family, we went to parades in these towns each year as the anniversary of the Liberation was celebrated, and much fuss was made over my father and all Canadians. This year my 94-year-old father was to have travelled to the Netherlands with a group of Canadian veterans to once again celebrate the Liberation of Holland. Of, course that trip has been cancelled, and it is most likely that the students from Parry Sound, and elsewhere, who were also to have taken part in the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Liberation, will also miss this event, if in fact it takes place.
On the website of Veterans Affairs Canada there is excellent information of the Liberation of the Netherlands. Use this link https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/historical-sheets/netherlands
We are all staying at home with our families, including those who have teenagers in the house, just as I have started my annual spring reading of new kids books, as I always do before summer. The book I read most recently, and strongly recommend is Wartime in Winter by Jan Terlouw. This novel was written in 1973, published in Dutch only at that time, an award winning book that has been in print ever since. It has now been published in English – perfect timing for those who are now “home schooling” high school students. It would be a perfect stepping-stone to the study of the life of a teenager during the Second World War.
The novel is closely based on the experience of the author who was born in 1931. The character at centre of the story is 16-year-old Michiel van Beusekom, who lives in a small village with his father, the Mayor, and his mother, older sister, and much younger brother. Life is difficult with the shortage of food, and the fear of the Nazi occupiers, but the family is doing relatively well. They know that some of their neighbours may be hiding Jews, and that others are not to be trusted. There are those that are in the resistance, and others who are collaborators with the Nazis.
When Michiel discovers a wounded British pilot in the woods he is suddenly, and reluctantly, drawn into a very dangerous situation. He must care for this man, keep him well, and keep it all a secret. And, when it appears that someone within the circle of his family and friends may be a traitor, things become very tense indeed.
I will say that this is a very true to life account of the time, and the danger. It is a novel suitable for teenagers, perhaps those 14 and older. Most things do turn out well, and the story takes place in the final year of the war. I found it absolutely riveting, and believe it should be on all high school reading lists.
And – as very strange things sometimes happen – the synchronicity of time and place - I received a notice that my father was the FACE OF FREEDOM yesterday in a post from Veterans Affairs Canada. Here is the link for the story of real person who fought for all of us so long ago.
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/faces-of-freedom/charles-goodman