Gertruda's Oath

Gertruda’s Oath is an inspiring book about a woman who kept a promise to take care of a young boy during World War II.  She was a live in nanny to a Jewish couple in Poland.  The father went to Paris on business, and while he was gone, his wife, his son, and the nanny had to flee to Russia.  The father is unable to leave Paris to be with his family.  Then soon after they are in Russia, the mother has a stroke.  Before she dies Gertruda promises to raise the boy (three years-old at this time) as her own and take him to Palestine to live.  The author also tells of a man who joins the SS in Germany because he needed a job.  He was married to a Jewish woman.  His wife tried to tell him that the SS was really a terrible organization and that their goal was the destruction of the Jews.  He saw it as a government job until it was too late.  He did not participate in Krystalnicht when the Germans destroyed Jewish businesses.  He was with the SS that night, but he didn’t participate.  His boss noticed that he didn’t participate and told him that he needed to show allegiance to the organization by divorcing his Jewish wife.  He was told that he was being too sympathetic.  Soon his wife is gone.  He finds out later that she was murdered.  He hears of an organization that is sending Jewish children to Palestine, and he takes his daughter to them to rescue her.   Throughout the war he helps Jewish people when he can and comes to Gertruda’s aid as well .  I highly recommend Gertruda’s Oath.