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The Occupation In Holland

Bitter Herbs. By Marga Minco. Oxford. 115 pp. “Bitter Herbs” was originally written in Dutch, but it has already been translated into several other European languages and has been widely read. Indeed it is likely to remain as a minor classic of the last war. The story is simply told, but more than this it gives an impression of childish truthfulness that it would be hard to match anywhere. When the Germans invaded Holland in 1940, the bombing and the fighting brought with them the sense of catastrophe; but when the occupation was complete, there was for a time a lull. Life almost seemed to return to normal. The Jewish communities were left undisturbed. Little by little, however, the sense of impending disaster grew. Everyone was aware of it, but few can have felt it as ominously as Marga Minco, the writer of this book, who was still a schoolgirl in 1940. The first sign of the new state of affairs came when Jews had to wear the yellow star on their outer garments. Then there was the conscription of forced labour. Marga’s older brother, Dave, had to dose himself with a nauseous medicine so that the doctor would class him as useless for the labour camp. For a

i time this expedient served. Then the lorry loads of German soldiers began to ap- ' pear in the quarter. Whole : families were snatched away I and parents and children were separated. When this happened to Marga. she was 1 bitterly distressed; but for a s time was able to steal into . Amsterdam to see her father , and mother. All too soon, • however, they vanished, per- ! haps into Poland. Many tricks were devised . in an effort to escape the attentions of the Nazis. Jews bleached their hair with peroxide and had false idenl tity cards, so as “to seem , just like ordinary people,” ’ as Marga says. But gradually the rest of ■ the family began to be . broken up, and in the end 5 only Marga herself re- . mained, living half wild like [ a gipsy, with an uncle, who ■ had a gentile wife, somei where in the background. • At long last the war was • over, but Marga was now . alone. As she says, "They , would never come back—not > my father, not my mother, , nor Betty, nor Dave nor > Lottie.” “Bitter Herbs” is a modest ' title for a tragedy; but i nevertheless it suits the style - of the narrative. Everything . is described and discussed in • muted tones, though fear and ! foreboding are to be felt on > every page. “Bitter Herbs” is 5 likely to live when books • that tell stories more purs posefully harrowing are long i forgotten.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19610429.2.13

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
448

The Occupation In Holland Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 3

The Occupation In Holland Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 3

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