"Are you tough enough yet and do they know who you are?" This question from Joanne Intrator's father-posed to her while he is on his deathbed-is the spark that lights a fire under Joanne to seek restitution for property stolen from her German Jewish family by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Intellectually, she finds the challenge deeply appealing-she's always been fascinated with Nazi-era history. But she has also harbored profound and longstanding fears of anything and everything German all her life. Is she up to this task?
Joanne decides that she is, and over the nearly a decade that follows, she pursues justice for her family, traveling back and forth between New York and Berlin. As she gradually realizes that her German lawyers aren't advocating for her as they should, she draws on her training as a psychiatrist focused on abnormal behavior to consider Germany's situation before and after World War II and how it has shaped its citizens-including her attorneys. Through this lens she also considers her own damaged childhood, and that of her parents. But it's not until she hires a private investigator to assist her in her quest that she begins to get some real answers-about the past and the present. Part mystery and part poignant personal journey, packed with twists and turns, Summons to Berlin is an insightful and, ultimately, deeply satisfying tale of one woman's pursuit of truth and justice.
Industry Reviews
"A powerful and personal story that will interest many readers of history. . . . offers a deep understanding of how the Holocaust affected numerous families."
-Library Journal
“. . . Intrator debuts with a passionate memoir. . . a unique and memorable account of untangling inherited trauma.”
—Publishers Weekly
“When one person spends years fighting for justice against entrenched evil, maddening bureaucracy, and all but insurmountable odds, it makes for a riveting story. When the story is true, it becomes genuinely inspiring. The ‘summons to Berlin' came from countless victims of Nazi rule, as well as from a demand from history for justice . . . and Joanne Intrator answered that summons with rare resilience and courage. You will find yourself agonizing over her setbacks, cheering her victories.”
—Jeff Greenfield, award-winning television journalist and author
“Joanne Intrator has created a nonfiction book that reads like a well-scripted novel. But what makes this book so extraordinary is that the author takes a rather mundane topic—seeking the return of a building that was stolen by the Nazis—and uses it to enlighten the reader about how people (and their organizations) actually behave, and what motivates them to act in ways that many would describe as sociopathic. Telling the story as a psychiatrist—one whose ability to analyze conduct and demeanor is truly unique—sets this book apart from all other ‘restitution’ narratives.”
—David Hirshberg, author of Jacobo’s Rainbow and My Mother’s Son
“Dr. Intrator’s Summons to Berlin is unique in that it is laced through with her observations and insights as a well trained and experienced psychiatrist about the experiences she endured in her pursuit of justice for her family. I couldn’t put the book down . . . In fact, I opened this book late one afternoon and read without stopping for five hours, mesmerized by the shocking details of Dr. Intrator’s experience. I was astonished by her unflagging perseverance in solving the inevitable and novel obstacles put in her way . . . remarkable.”
—Dr. Marianne J. Legato, best-selling author of Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget
“Joanne Intrator’s Summons to Berlin is an important and engrossing book. Spurred by unsettling deathbed questions, the writer restlessly searches for answers in order that her father, Gerhard, should one day rest easy. This memoir reads with intense imagery that is really the stuff of novels. I had to keep reminding myself that the entire narrative is all too real. A remarkable accomplishment that fully honors Intrator’s family legacy while stimulating readers’ minds and touching their hearts as well.”
—Steven K. Baum, author of Antisemitism Explained and The Psychology of Genocide
“In her captivating Summons to Berlin, Joanne Intrator skillfully interweaves an immense knowledge of Holocaust-era history into a vivid, complex, tragic narration of the restitution conflict that for many years possessed her heart and soul. A triumph!”
—Dr. Ava Siegler, author of What Should I Tell the Kids?
“Joanne Intrator’s Summons to Berlin is a compelling confession full of intriguing questions and significant insights. In this absorbing book, the author is at once personal and objective, bringing together inner and outer realities in thoughtful, searching ways. Intrator rewards readers with a vivid feel for the complex, often disturbing events at the heart of her narrative.”
—Dr. Michael Eigen, author of The Sensitive Self and The Psychoanalytic Mystic
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