My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past [Hardcover]

When Jennifer Teege, a German-Nigerian woman, happened to pluck a library book from the shelf, she had no idea that her life would be irrevocably altered. Recognizing photos of her mother and grandmother in the book, she discovers a horrifying fact: Her grandfather was Amon Goeth, the vicious Nazi commandant chillingly depicted by Ralph Fiennes inThe Haunting and unflinching . . . . A memoir, an adoption story and a geopolitical history lesson, all blended seamlessly into an account of Teeges exploration of her roots. A stunning memoir of cultural trauma and personal identity. Unforgettable. . . . Teeges quest to discover her personal history is empowering. An important addition to narratives written by descendants of war criminals. A gripping read, highly recommended for anyone interested in history, memoirs, and biography. [A] journey of self-discovery. [An] amazing story of horror and reconciliation and love. [Jennifer Teeges] memoir has much to teach us about the ordinary, intimate conditions in which political violenceand the reckoning that followstake place. The high quality of the writing helps to convey this incredible but amazingly true story. This book is not for the faint of heart, but it is fascinating and fair. There are no easy answers to the issues raised in this book, but they exist for both groups of descendants. Readers will be challenged to think about a major event in world history from a perspective that is rare but surely significant. A powerful account of Teeges struggle for resolution and redemption, the book [is] itself a therapeutic working-through of her history, as well as a meditation on family. Courageous. . . . the memoir invites rereading to fully absorb Teeges painful search for answers, for a sense of identity and belonging and for inner peace. Readers wont help but feel for her. Teege discovers, however, that historys shattering truths have the potential to make us more whole. [Teeges] message is an important lSQ