D-Day 75th Anniversary Blog Tour: Amanda Barratt

Posted on June 7, 2019 | 31 comments

Welcome back, friends! Today, it’s my absolute honor to host author (and fellow “Amanda”) Amanda Barratt for her wonderful D-Day blog tour post. Welcome, Amanda!barratt

D-Day 75th Anniversary Blog Tour

June 3-11, 2019

Welcome to the D-Day 75th Anniversary Blog Tour! Seven novelists are commemorating the brave men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Thank you for joining us as we remember their heroism and sacrifice.

Our novels illuminate different aspects of the war—from the landing beaches of Normandy to Nazi-occupied Europe to the US Home Front. Each day, visit with a new author as we share about our stories, our research, and our unique settings. With each blog post, you’ll have the opportunity to win that author’s novel–plus a chance to win a packet of ALL NINE featured novels and a gorgeous signed hardback copy of Everything We Have: D-Day 6.6.44, the new commemorative book from the National World War II Museum!

Giveaway Details

For a chance to win ALL TEN books, please visit each blog, collect the answers to ALL SEVEN questions, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below or on the BLOG TOUR PAGE. The contest opens June 3, 2019 at 1 am PST and closes June 16, 2019 at 11 pm PST. The winner will be announced on Monday, June 17, 2019. *Note* Several of the titles will not be released until later—these will be mailed after the release dates.

To win the prize of ALL TEN books, you must have collected ALL SEVEN answers. The winner must be prepared to send ALL SEVEN answers within 48 hours of notification by email, or a new winner will be selected.

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Amanda Barratt

My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love

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A staggering love illuminating the dark corners of a Nazi prison…

 

Renowned German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer is famous for his resistance to the Nazi regime and for his allegiance to God over government. But what few realize is that the last years of his life also held a love story that rivals any romance novel.

Maria von Wedemeyer knows the realities of war. Her beloved father and brother have both been killed on the battlefield. The last thing this spirited young woman needs is to fall for a man under constant surveillance by the Gestapo. How can she give another piece of her heart to a man so likely to share the same final fate? Yet when Dietrich Bonhoeffer, an old family friend, comes to comfort the von Wedemeyers after their losses, she discovers that love isn’t always logical.

Dietrich himself has determined to keep his distance from romantic attachments. There is too much work to be done for God, and his involvement in the conspiracy is far too important. But when he encounters a woman whose intelligence and conviction match his own, he’s unprepared for how easy it is to give away his heart.

With their deep love comes risk–and neither Dietrich nor Maria is prepared for just how great that risk soon becomes.

Based on detailed historical research, this true love story is at once beautiful and heartrending. My Dearest Dietrich sheds new light on a world-famous theologian . . . and the woman who changed his life.

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An Unlikely Hero: Claus von Stauffenberg and the Plot to Kill Hitler

 

I know that he who will act will go down in German history as a traitor; but he who can and does not, will be a traitor to his own conscience.

The man behind these words was a thirty-six-year-old colonel in the Germany army. His family descended from nobility. He was a husband, a father to four young children, a committed Christian.

Above all, he was a man determined to wrest his country away from the evil engulfing it.

His name was Claus von Stauffenberg. 75 years ago, in July 1944, Claus and other like-minded high-ranking officers prepared to enact plans to seize control of the German government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. Prior to this, many attempts had been made to end Hitler’s life and rule over Germany, including two only a few months before. Both failed. Claus joined the resistance shortly thereafter. After witnessing the butchery of the SS against Polish prisoners of war in 1939, Claus’s belief in the Third Reich and the man behind it, which had been waning for many years, turned cold. After sustaining injuries as an officer in Africa, including the loss of his left eye, Claus returned to Berlin to recover. When he was placed on duty at the General Army Office in Berlin, he became connected with others who shared his drive to take action.

On July 20th, Claus flew to the Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), Hitler’s headquarters in East Prussia. In his black leather briefcase were two explosives which, in the underground bunker, would be lethal to all occupants. When Claus arrived, he discovered the meeting had been moved to a conference hut because of the extreme summer heat. Also, due to the loss of his right hand and two fingers on his left, Claus struggled to arm the bombs, and only managed to ignite one. He entered the conference room, placed his briefcase beneath the large oaken conference table, as close to Hitler as he could manage, then slipped from the room minutes later. As he drove away, “a deafening crack shattered the midday quiet and a bluish yellow flame rocketed skyward.” Claus flew back to Berlin convinced of Hitler’s death and determined to begin the next stage of the coup.

When Claus arrived, he discovered the steps his co-conspirators were supposed to have taken immediately had been delayed. Soon after, the grim word reached Claus at his office in Berlin.

Hitler had survived.

Hours fraught with tension passed as Claus fought to salvage the takeover. Now, the conspirators fought not only for Germany, but for their own lives. But it was too late. Loyalties crumbled and Claus was betrayed. On the morning of July 21st, Claus von Stauffenberg was marched into the courtyard outside his office at the Bendlerblock. He and his comrades were executed by firing squad. Standing proud, shoulders thrown back, Claus shouted his final words.

Long live our sacred Germany!

In the following weeks, everyone with the slightest suspicion of involvement was rounded up by the Gestapo. The numbers rose into the thousands. Claus’s pregnant wife Nina was arrested, separated from her children, and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Their children were taken to a foster home and given new names and identities. Nina survived her time in custody, gave birth to a baby boy, and was reunited with her children after the war. She never remarried.

While researching My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love, I discovered the stories of Claus von Stauffenberg and other Germans who risked their lives because, as Claus put it, “We took this challenge before our Lord and our conscience, and it must be done, because this man, Hitler, he is the ultimate evil.”

Though the July 20th plot didn’t succeed, and it took decades before the majority of Germans viewed Claus’s actions as anything but traitorous, he’s now remembered as one of the few of his countrymen who took action against a murderous regime. His office at the Bendlerblock now houses a memorial museum dedicated to the German resistance. A statue of Stauffenberg stands in the courtyard at the site of his execution, as tall and proud as he stood in his final moments.

The brave men and women of D-Day fought for freedom. It might be said that Claus von Stauffenberg, though his country stood on the opposite side of the conflict, fought with the same goal and aim. May we never forget the stories of heroism and sacrifice that sprang forth out of the horrors of World War II. All of them, however unlikely the heroes, deserve to be remembered.

 

 

 

 

 

About Amanda: ECPA best-selling author Amanda Barratt fell in love with writing in grade school when she wrote her first story—a spinoff of Jane Eyre. Now, Amanda writes romantic, historical fiction, penning stories of beauty and brokenness set against the backdrop of bygone eras not so very different from our own. Her novel My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love, released from Kregel Publications in June 2019.

Amanda lives in the woods of Michigan with her fabulous family, where she can be found reading way too many books, plotting her next novel, and jotting down imaginary travel itineraries for her dream vacation to Europe.

Connect with her at www.facebook.com/amandabarrattauthor and visit her online at amandabarratt.net.

 

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Question:

(Write it down, or enter it in the main Rafflecopter giveaway right away)

What was the name of Claus von Stauffenberg’s wife?

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Rafflecopter Giveaway

To enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below, enter your name and email address (we need these to notify the winner). Then select an author’s name and enter the answer to that author’s question. You only need to enter the Rafflecopter once to be entered in the giveaway, but you can earn up to seven entries by answering all seven questions in the Rafflecopter. But don’t forget…to win, you must have collected ALL SEVEN answers. You can enter the Rafflecopter each day, or you can enter all your answers at once any time before June 16, 2019 at 11 pm PST. US mailing addresses only, please.

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Bonus Giveaway:

For a chance to win a print copy of My Dearest Dietrich, please visit Amanda Barratt’s website at www.amandabarratt.net, and sign up for her author newsletter.

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Schedule for the D-Day 75th Anniversary Blog Tour

Be sure to visit each site for a chance to win ALL NINE featured novels, plus the commemorative D-day book!

Note: Links to specific blog posts will go live on the post date.

June 3: AMANDA DYKES, author of Whose Waves These Are

June 4: CATHY GOHLKE, author of The Medallion

June 5: LIZ TOLSMA, author of When the Heart Sings

June 6: SARAH SUNDIN, author of the Sunrise at Normandy series: The Sea Before Us, The Sky Above Us, and The Land Beneath Us

June 7: AMANDA BARRATT, author of My Dearest Dietrich

June 10: VALERIE LUESSE, author of Almost Home

June 11: MELANIE DOBSON, author of Memories of Glass

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31 Comments

  1. I loved reading about Claus von Stauffenberg. I had read many stories about the French resistance, but somehow I have never read about a German resistance until now. Thanks for sharing. I am thoroughly enjoying reading My Dearest Dietrich.

    • Thank you, Susan! The German resistance is deeply fascinating to me because, like you, I didn’t know it had existed until a few years ago. The German resistance is unique because, unlike occupied countries, those in Germany were working against their own country and government. It was much more popular, so to speak, to resist in countries like France and the Netherlands. So those in Germany were definitely standing alone.

  2. I subscribed! I really enjoyed this post; Having read (well, listened to) a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I learned about Dietrich’s romance, as well as the von Stauffenburg plot. It’s heartbreaking to know that things didn’t go the way we humans might have planned, but it’s comforting to know that God had a plan for it all, even if we can’t see it.

    CutePolarBear

    • Thank you so much! It’s definitely heartbreaking to read about the plots and their failures, especially when you know that many of the men behind them were earnest Christians who were only taking that action as a last resort.

      • Yes, it’s also a message to the church, because the German Church all but rolled over and let the Nazis take over their country. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Claus von Stauffenberg, and the others were some of the few who actually stood for righteousness.

        CutePolarBear

        • That is so true. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote a great deal about those topics, and sought to exhort the church to stand up in the face of injustice and take action. Sadly, most bowed under the pressure of the regime.

  3. I too enjoyed reading about your newest book and the two brave Christian men.

    • Thank you so much, Denise! So appreciate you stopping by and reading the post! 🙂

  4. I subscribed to your newsletter I think bedore this contest. I don’t know mich about the German Resistance, but it sounds very interesting.

    • Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the post, Perrianne!

  5. I’ve often wondered about Germans who didn’t believe what Hitler was doing. I’ve not heard much about them. This is so fascinating!

    • I’m so glad you found it fascinating, Erin! The more research I did, the more I was amazed by stories of courage and sacrifice among German citizens. Many were considered traitors for years following the war, unlike in other countries where those in the resistance were honored. I’m so glad we know some of their stories now, and can share them.

  6. This book sounds like a very good read.

    • Thank you, Violetta! That’s so kind of you to say! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to share Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s story with readers! He was such an amazing and godly man!

  7. I love reading about Claus von Stuffenberg. I have learnt some thing that I never know before.

    • Claus’s story is incredible! There is a movie about him called Valkyrie, starring Tom Cruise. I enjoyed the movie, and researched him more after watching it, which was when I discovered he was a Christian, something the movie didn’t delve into.

  8. Thank you, Amanda, for sharing about Claus von Stauffenberg. What an amazing and heart-touching account! Your book, My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love, sounds sooo good! I look forward to reading it! Thank you for the chance to win a copy!!

    I thought I was already signed up for your newsletter, but to be safe, I went to your website and tried to sign up. I kept getting this error message every time I tried to go back and sign up. “Subscription Error: An error occurred, please try later.” HELP! Can you please put me on your newsletter list? Thank you so much!

    • Oops! I forgot to give you my email address. It is: nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com

      • Hi Alison, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! Thank you also for your kind words about My Dearest Dietrich! 🙂 So thrilled you’re excited about the story!

        I’m so sorry you had that issue with my newsletter! I will definitely add you! I’m sending out a fun newsletter early next week, and you are on the list! 🙂

        • Thanks for your help, Amada! I really appreciate it!!

  9. I signed up for your Newsletter & followed you on all Social Media Sites. I know some about Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Seminary & other readings. I have read some but very little about German resistance to Hitler. Thank you for the intense research on Claus Stauffenberg as well as Bonhoeffer’s Love Story. Please allow me to share one insight I observed at Dachau. In January of 1979, I went with a group from College on a “Fast Pass” through Europe -10 -12 days. I will never be the same after walking through, seeing the displays & watching the documentary at Dachau! Once you’ve stood in the actual “showers” where hundreds of thousands of innocents were gassed, you will NEVER be the same! After we left, we stopped at a diner just down the road. It had the date it was established posted & it had been open long before the War. Being curious American College Students, we asked, “Didn’t y’all know what was going on in there?” They said, “We had suspicions but were afraid to ask. Every so often, there would be days when the sky was filled with (?) colored smoke & an awful smell. The smell was nauseating! It took a long time for the smell to go away. We were only told what they wanted us to know.” I can’t imagine the courage it would have taken to be a part of the German Resistance! lg(dot)hudson(at)yahoo(dot)com

    • Thank you so much for sharing this, Lisa! How incredibly moving it must have been to tour Dachau. I hope to someday travel to Germany and Poland and visit the concentration camps myself. It’s imperative that history be remembered, lest it be repeated.

  10. Amanda, Thank you for sharing about Claus! I subscribed to your newsletter.

    • Thank you so much Caryl! 🙂 Appreciate you so much! <3

  11. I loved reading your post, Amanda! Having read your wonderful book and so much about Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the past, makes it all seem like visiting old friends. The courage of those conspirators in the face of such darkness and danger is thrilling and inspiring. Thank you for bringing more of this history to light.

    • Thank you so much, Cathy! I too am deeply inspired by the stories of courage and hope that sprang forth out of the darkness of World War II. There’s so much we today can glean from the past, and I’m so thankful for authors like you who so compellingly bring that past to life through fiction. Truly, a gift!

  12. Hi Amanda!
    I signed up for your newsletter! 🙂

    • Thank you so much, Sabrina! 🙂

  13. Hello Amanda
    I subscribed to your newsletter.
    I’m looking forward to reading your book.

    • Thank you so much, Brenda! Blessings! 🙂

  14. Subscribed, thank you for the opportunity 💕

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