The Radio Signal by Friedhelm Radandt Book Review

Growing up in bucolic Eastern Pomerania during the early years of World War II, young Friedhelm Radandt has listened with his family on the Volksempfänger (people’s radio) to the many victory news bulletins. At the same time, Elizabeth Jobs and her family have lived in urbane Warsaw as loyal citizens of Poland who cherish their ethnic German heritage.

As the war intensifies, the Radandts continue to hold worship meetings in their home and defy the pressure of local party leaders to send their sons to the notorious school for future Nazi leaders. Meanwhile, across the border, Elizabeth’s family must cope with the death sentence from the Polish resistance movement for her father, Ludwig, the researcher and developer of radio tubes. When both families are driven from their homes, each embark on harrowing, yet thrilling parallel escape routes across war-torn Germany. Amid the darkness and rubble, can the light of love emerge?

The Radio Signal captures the true story of two separate families who share a vibrant faith that imbues their actions with courage and trust. During the war, neither family knew of the other. Neither family knew that their paths would ultimately cross.

About the Author

Friedhelm Radandt served as a college president for a quarter of a century, first at Northwestern College in Iowa and then at The King's College in New York. After arriving from his native Germany as an immigrant, he earned graduate degrees at The University of Chicago and enjoyed a rewarding teaching career at that institution and at Lake Forest College.

My Thoughts:

The Radio Signal is a first person narrative. The story spans the years 1934-1960 of two families’ memoir who survives the tragedy of World War II. One family is in Poland and the other in Germany. The story is told from the view point of a child’s experience of living in the midst of war. The story goes back and forth between two families’ who have never met. Their lives come together eventually after the war.

This story opens your eyes to the events of honest God fearing families with the daily struggles of living through war. They both lost their homes, and all their material possessions. They had to relocate several times. They lived in the fear of being arrested. They endured hunger and even death throughout.

Friedhelm Radandt does a good job building up the story explaining the history of the families going back and tracing their families’ history of both Jobs and the Radandts.

The war hits closer to home when the Radandt family learns Russians are advancing on Neustettin. The Russian army was known to be ruthless when they arrived. They fled their home in the middle of the night on a winter snow-packed night.

In Poland Ludwig Job has been listening the war events on the radio and knew it was time to move his family back into his homeland of Germany as the Soviet army is moving quickly toward Poland.

The author does a good job explaining the history of the war and the things they experienced. The faith and courage of the families are amazing. It breaks my heart with churches and individuals turning a blind eye and not helping out others.

It’s amazing how quickly Hitler rose to power and how National Socialism was accepted. The thought of 14 year old serving as soldiers’ under Hitler in his Hitlerjugend (Hilter Youth) seems surreal.  

Just in case you’re wondering about the title the radio is an important resource in this story.

  

History intrigues me and I really appreciate the authors determination and research in this book I think of the quote, “Those who do not know history's mistakes are doomed to repeat them.” Every year on Yom Hashoah or better known as Holocaust Memorial Day we remember and say Never Again.

Truly a heartfelt account of tragedy, hope, and faith throughout the pages of this book told. Thank you for sharing your story it is truly inspiring.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this information accordance with the FTC Regulations.