Review of "Sky: A True Story of Courage During World War II," by Hanneke Ippisch

 Review of

Sky: A True Story of Courage During World War II, by Hanneke Ippisch, ISBN 0816745242

Five out of five stars

Another story of great bravery during WWII

 Hanneke Ippisch was fifteen years old when the Germans invaded Holland in 1940. Up to that time her childhood was a normal one, her father was a pastor, so his family was known throughout the region. At first, the German occupation was fairly mild, and the war damage was localized, so little changed. However, as the war continued the Germans began their process of removing what they considered undesirables and confiscating materials they needed for their war effort. This included conscripting men to work in jobs supporting the Wehrmacht.  As the German grip on Holland tightened, Ippisch began working for the Dutch underground in opposing the Germans.

 Her actions put her at great risk, for the Germans reacted very harshly to any action they deemed as anti-German. For some time, she was able to carry out her actions, but late in the war she was captured and thrown into a dank prison. Fortunately, she was able to survive her incarceration and was released when the Germans were defeated.

 When a country is invaded and occupied, there is a brief interlude where both sides take a pause and tolerate each other. Then, the people of the occupied country split into what are essentially three groups. Those that collaborate for personal gain, those that do all they can to stay neutral and those that engage in actions of brave resistance.

 This is the story of a young woman that chose the path of resistance and lived to write about it once the horror of the war was over. It is a tale of courage in the face of great danger.

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