Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. This book has already been published and I’ve already purchased a physical copy! I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. It follows two young German girls and a middle aged German nurse during WWII. Gundi finds herself pregnant with her Jewish boyfriend’s baby. She is the ‘picture perfect’ German, blonde hair and blue eyed. Hilde becomes pregnant with a powerful Nazi’s baby. Both are sent to a German mother’s home. No one knows Gundi’s secret. What will she do to save her baby? Irma takes a position as a nurse at the mother’s home and soon realizes the atrocities of the Reich. I do wish there was more to Hilda’s story. I felt it was unfinished but overall a great historical fiction based off true events.

Beautiful, historical fiction at its finest! Will definitely read this author again! Heartbreaking but a story that really needs to be told!

I know this is a fiction book, but the author must have done incredible amounts of research to get us submerged in the historical period this took place. I had no idea about this side of WWII, and I've never read a book that mentioned or referenced it. I do think it was hard to read at times because of the content. You start to care about the characters and like them for their own reasons. I love reading from multiple points of view, so that was also a perk for this book.

Set in pre/early WWII era Germany, Cradles of the Reich tells the story of 3 different women with 3 different perspectives of the Nazi party regime's new mandates to help build what they believe will be a better, stronger Germany. Cradles of the Reich focuses on a part of this history that I knew little about, homes that served essentially as multipurpose puppy mills for the German leadership. At the heart of the story is Gundi, a German Resistance fighter who finds herself unexpected pregnant by her Jewish partner, Leo. Because of Gundi's textbook "Aryan" qualities, she is selected for the program. provided a place for SS leadership to allow their mistresses to go to be pregnant and deliver their children. They also served as brothels to groom girls ages 15+ on how to "be a good wife" which included making themselves sexually available to officers upon their visit. Just a few of the many other uses of these homes include creating propaganda for use in the propaganda ministry as well as screening babies for euthanasia programs due to birth defects. Cradles of the Reich is one part educational historical fiction, one part a love story, and one part a warning of what unchecked power can create.

The story opens in April 1939. Gundi Schiller, a twenty-year-old university student, and her widowed mother, Elsbeth, have gone to see their regular physician but find that he has summoned SS-Oberfuhrer Gregory Ebner (an actual historical figure who was the physician overseeing the Lebensborn homes) to participate in the consultation. Gundi’s heart drops when he confirms that she is in fact pregnant. In another time and place, Gundi would be overjoyed to carry the child of Leo Solomon, the young Jewish man she loves. But it is an increasingly treacherous time in Germany. Gundi and Leo are both members of the Edelweiss Pirates, a real resistance group, and Gundi has been able to use her Aryan beauty to clandestinely further their efforts. She knows the consequences if their activities are discovered. She is also cognizant of the law prohibiting relationships with Jews and what would likely happen to her, their child, and Leo – who has gone missing – if the Nazis learn Leo is the father. Anna Rath was a real German who was paraded through Nuremburg, after having her head shaved, for merely intending to marry a Jew. Gundi can only imagine how much worse the penalty would be for bearing the child of a Jew.

Gundi is humiliated and appalled when Ebner’s examination grows increasingly violative and includes racial screening methods such as assessing the color of her skin and eyes, and using calipers to measure her skull, the distance between her eyes, etc. Ebner delightedly declares that she is the first women to ever achieve a perfect score, and she will be sent to the real Heim Hochland, “a very special maternity home for German girls, where you will receive top-notch medical care.” Gundi quickly learns that declining an invitation from a Nazi officer is not an option. To protect both Leo and her mother, who has spent the last decade working as a file clerk at the Reich Chancellery and whose allegiance is unclear to Gundi, she names her homosexual friend, Erich, as the baby’s father. By doing so, she is extending protection to him, as well.

Author Jennifer Coburn says she found the character of Hilde Kramer the most difficult to craft. “I wanted to examine a young woman’s path to becoming a true believer without making excuses for her heinous acts.” But in order to do so, she had to “embody” a young woman who would have considered Coburn and her Jewish family “untermenschen” (subhumans). The fictional Hilde is based on Hildegard Trutz, a “Hitler Girl” who happily became pregnant by a German officer and enjoyed her stay at a Lebensborn home before voluntarily relinquishing her child to a German adoptive family. She later recalled her time as part of the Lebensborn Society “the best in her life.”

Indeed, Hilde is a largely despicable character. At eighteen years of age, her parents are pressuring her to find a husband. She wants desperately to be an actress but is aware that she is not considered beautiful by German standards. She has a figure “like a can of evaporated milk.” The middle child, she feels she falls short when her parents compare her to her successful older brother and deceased younger sister, who was a classic beauty. But Hilde is ambitious, if not very bright and incredibly naïve. Opportunity presents itself when her father, an SS officer who needs to build goodwill with his superiors, invites Obergruppenfuhrer Werner Ziegler, Himmler’s right-hand man, to dinner. In her Bund Deutscher Madel – the girls’ division of the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) – uniform, Hilde dominates the dinner conversation, including claiming to have participated in Kristallnacht, and manages to impress Ziegler enough to secure a secretarial position in the Frauenschaft, the National Socialist Women’s League. She is convinced she is on her way to greatness and fixated on Ziegler. She becomes intent on seducing him, but in her fantasy, she will have his baby and they will raise the child together. Her scheme succeeds in part. When Hilde does, in fact, become pregnant, she happily goes to Heim Hochland where she is convinced that if the other girls and staff knew the identity of her baby’s father, they would envy and revere her, and she would receive special privileges. She is haughty and lazy, frantic to see her plans come to fruition, and will do anything necessary to achieve her goals.

Finally, Irma Binz is a forty-four-year-old former nurse who served in battlefield hospitals during World War I and was left traumatized by her experiences. Since then, she has remained adamant about her nursing career being behind her. But her personal life implodes and the future she planned is no longer a possibility, so she accepts an offer from a fellow nurse, Marianne, to serve at Heim Hochland. For Irma, it represents not just a chance to start over. It is also an opportunity to use her skills again, but under happier circumstances, helping usher babies into the world rather than, in far too many instances, watch wounded soldiers depart from it. Coburn describes Irma as being like many other Germans who “decided to keep their heads down, focus on their lives, and assume that reports of persecution of Jews and other minorities were exaggerations from the Lugenpresse, the so-called lying press.”

The three women meet at Heim Hochland in a fascinating, but frequently horrifying tale. Gundi is terrified about the approaching day when she will deliver her precious baby, praying fervently that the child will bear no resemblance to Leo. She feels guilty about her desire to bear a child who shares her perfect Aryan features because she truly loves Leo and his family who welcomed her warmly into their midst, never judging Leo for loving a gentile woman. She learns that their circumstances have become quite dire, even though she has no idea of the extent of the atrocities taking place and worries that they will never be reunited so that Leo can know his child.

Hilde does not endear herself to the other girls or the staff, considering herself superior to them because she is carrying Ziegler’s child, and believes she will be able to convince him to leave his wife once the baby arrives. When her plans go awry, she deviously and ruthlessly plots an alternative way to remain at Heim Hochland. It requires deception and Hilde has no qualms about callously using anyone and anything to get what she wants. Will her conceit ultimately be her undoing?

And each day at Heim Hochland reveals to Irma just how maniacal and heartless the Nazi regime is. She is dismayed when she arrives and discovers that Marianne lied to her about the “apprentice mothers” residing there who are, rather, prostitutes, essentially. They accept gifts of jewelry and other items from the German soldiers and sneak into town to party on nights when there are no soldiers to entertain at the home. Marianne reveals herself to be a true believer in the program, which further causes Irma to consider her feelings about the work they are doing. She cares about the pregnant girls she cares for, especially Gundi, and is kind to them, unlike some of the other nurses. But her conscience prohibits her from embracing the Reich’s ideals, unaware that she will soon be given the chance to tangibly demonstrate just where her allegiance lies and what she genuinely believes in.

Cradles of the Reich is a gripping, well-paced story comprised of alternating narratives detailing the three main characters’ perspectives. Coburn intersperses scenes revealing how Gundi became involved in the resistance and her sweet, but dangerous romance with Leo. Likewise, Irma’s history and how she came to make one mistake she now regrets is described. Those interludes are deftly timed to hold readers’ interest and provide context to the events currently unfolding. Gundi and Irma are both likable and sympathetic, each caught up in situations they could not have envisioned in part because of their choices and behavior, but also because of the forces at work in Germany over which they have no control, but are intent upon not falling victim to. Hilde is thoroughly unlikable, yet pitiable because she is a product of her upbringing and the environment in which she was raised. She is fueled by deep-seated insecurities and feelings of inadequacy that drive her obsessive need for attention and validation. Understanding those aspects of her personality, however, does not render her sympathetic or excuse her narcissism and unrestrained desire for power and status. Readers will likely be satisfied with the manner in which Coburn wraps up her story. Coburn surrounds the three characters with an intriguing cast of supporting players, some of whom are instrumental in the surprising plot developments that Coburn cleverly injects into the story.

Historical fiction fans in particular will find themselves engrossed in Coburn’s illuminating and suspenseful tale. Coburn says she loves historical fiction because it provides a way to learn about history “through the more intimate lens of personal relationships” and that is precisely what Cradles of the Reich accomplishes. The Lebensborn program, although a lesser-known part of the Reich’s horrific legacy, was carried out in approximately thirty locations where approximately twenty thousand children were born. The details remain sketchy because when it became clear that they were losing the war, the Nazis burned the records. Accounts of what actually transpired are contradictory, but it is beyond doubt that the Nazis established a concerted effort to propagate a generation of German citizens they considered superior to all others while simultaneously murdering millions of innocent individuals who did not conform to their definition of worthiness to live.

Cradles of the Reich would be an ideal book club selection because of the themes it examines, including the many ways throughout history in which women and children have been targeted and victimized. Coburn hopes readers will think about and discuss the “social environments that allow women’s bodies to be politicized and commoditized.”

Jennifer Coburn’s Cradles of the Reich is a haunting and thought-provoking historical novel that sheds light on the Nazi Lebensborn program—a topic that is rarely explored in fiction. Set in a maternity home in Bavaria during World War II, the story follows three women—Gundi, Hilde, and Irma—who are brought together under vastly different circumstances. Through their intertwined stories, Coburn delivers a chilling yet empathetic narrative about an unimaginable chapter of history.

What stands out most in this book is the strength of the female protagonists. Gundi, a university student and resistance member, shows quiet defiance and courage in the face of her forced role in the program. Hilde, a naïve believer in Nazi ideology, is equally strong in her conviction, though her journey reveals the dangers of blind allegiance. Meanwhile, Irma, an older nurse seeking a fresh start, finds herself grappling with the moral dilemmas of her work. Each woman’s strength is unique to her situation, yet their resilience unites them in a powerful way.

Before reading this novel, I knew nothing about the Lebensborn project, but Coburn’s thorough research brought this horrifying piece of history to life. By presenting the program through the perspectives of Gundi, Hilde, and Irma, the book captures the complexity of this atrocity. The Author’s Note at the end is a standout feature, offering insight into the author’s research process and clarifying the blend of fact and fiction. It not only deepened my understanding but also reinforced the importance of remembering these dark moments in history.

While the novel is deeply engaging and informative, there are moments when the pacing slows or the character development feels secondary to the historical backdrop. However, the overall impact of the story makes up for these minor flaws.

Cradles of the Reich is both a cautionary tale and a testament to the resilience of women. It’s a gripping read that reminds us of the importance of solidarity and moral courage in the face of oppression.

I cannot sing enough praises for Cradles of the Reich. This historical fiction read checked all the boxes for what make an excellent read in the genre. It was atmospheric, had inspiring and strong characters, rich in history and things to learn and draw from, and a story that was powerful, poignant, and interesting. This WW2 story followed three women in various places in Germany, and through those lenses the reader experiences such a rich story of bravery and strength in such a dark and devastating time in history. I loved how there was even a little bit of mystery woven in here. I couldn't put this one down!

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the gifted e-copy!

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Really poignant story telling and writing, intriguing and surprising story, and fascinating to learn. This devastating history will stay with you.

Cradles of the Reich follow three women during WWII from ;3 different cities in Germany. All three are German and carry different beliefs about Hitler and his thinking. The story tells the background of each woman and how the all end up at Heim Hochland (a maternity home) . Each of the women question the reason behind the maternity home and wonder why they were there. From the beginning to the end the story was rich with characters and descriptions of what was happening in Germany. Part facts and part fiction I was pulled in. Ending was good but a little left out.

This story is based on untold historical events inside the Lebensborn Society maternity homes that existed during WWII. They had a "Program" to ensure that the German race is preserved and raised by good German families. Three women find themselves in precarious situations while trying to protect themselves and their unborn baby. Gundi Schiller is a university student who is pregnant and trying to keep the real identity of the father a secret as he is Jewish. Hilde Kramer is 18 years old who wants to be an actress but feels that her best chance for a good life is getting pregnant by a Nazi officer. She thinks that getting pregnant by high ranking Werner will secure a place within the regime. She happens to meet Gundi on the maternity ward. Irma is an older woman who works as a nurse who lives in a boarding house and engaged to Eduard who seems to be stalling moving forward with getting married. This is a view into the dark time in history where babies were being separated from their mothers due to their ethnicity.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks/Landmark for providing this book to me for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a great read! It's told from three different points of view and the women are all brave and amazing in their own way! Great story!

This was a great historical fiction novel. I actually learned so much that I didn't know. This story has multiple points of view and follows three different women's stories. We also follow get to know a nurse very well, once she finds out what is going on in Hitler's breeding houses she still stays to help the women, but in the end she changes their lives and really fights for what is right. Overall I gave this book a 4.25 stars. Great read.

For the most part this was a very written historical fiction. This is a part of history I’ve heard of but didn’t know too much about so it was interesting to read a book on it. I found the ending to be a bit abrupt, and would have liked to have more background on some of the characters

This book has everything I love--womens voices, interwoven time lines, a little mystery. It was a lot of fun to read and I'd recommend it to any lover of WWII fiction.

I just don't want to read any more WWII trauma p*rn books. couldn't get into this even if it is a slightly different area of focus than typical WWII fic.

This book is on a fascinating topic, and one I've been studying and writing about myself for the last three years. I was excited to read this novel and get another writer's take. I appreciated the three perspectives of very different women, which capture the indoctrination and also the casual acceptance of many German people of the time.

I was perplexed that the stories did not weave together. Two of the them do, but the third dangles, as if it's not part of the same narrative at all.

There were also some inaccuracies about Lebensborn, which very few people living today would catch. The biggest one is that misconceptions about the program are reinforced, that it was a place where girls came to learn how to woo SS men. In reality, women came there already pregnant, or to be employees. Both postpartum mothers and employees were. expected to become pregnant again as soon as possible, and Lebensborn made sure they came into contact with SS men, but there wasn't a herd of girls just living there for that purpose.

Also, one character mentions taking a pregnancy test, which did not exist until decades after the story takes place.

I both read and listened to the audio version of Cradles of the Reich and I was immediately drawn into young Gundi's story. It really is horrifying how they treated the Jewish people in Germany during World War 2. But I found it interesting and thought the narrator did a wonderful job!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 11 October 2022

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I could not finish this. The way the book jumped around between being third person and first person and the thoughts were not properly distinguished between the present. I loved the idea of the book but couldn’t not continue.