Cradles of The Reich discusses the little known Lebensborn society where German women were coerced into a breeding program during nazi rule. Their children were given up for adoption to high ranking officials as the women were made to believe it was their “patriotic duty”. The story is told from three women’s POVs and kept me hooked the whole time. I also enjoyed reading this with a group led by @wellred.bookclub!

In an overcrowded WW2 historical fiction space, this was a unique and little known element of the further atrocities the nazis committed. I definitely recommend this book to continue to learn how to recognize the signs of indoctrination, fear mongering, and what happens when we don’t stop charismatic dictators from taking power.

Set during WWII Bavaria, Cradles of the Reich is based on the true and lesser-known Lebensborn Society maternity homes story. With the goal of racial purity, Heinrich Himmler strongly encouraged SS officers to breed with pure Aryan women to create a perfect Nazi-Aryan nation. Many women were ecstatic and proud to be part of the program. They were housed in better rooms than many had, were fed well and had a sisterhood of sorts. Over a quarter of a million babies were also wrenched from their families and taken away to "Germanize". Some were raised by SS couples, others were deemed not good enough and killed.

In this heartbreaking but beautiful book, three women with unrelated lives meet at a breeding hospital, Heim Hochland. Deceit abounds as Nazi propaganda is rife including that of "mothers-in-training" which sounds much nicer than the reality. Middle-aged nurse Irma with life experience saw the goings on at the "maternity hospital". Pregnant teen Hilde was over the moon happy about carrying the racially pure baby of a high-ranking Nazi official. Prized Aryan Gundi was part of the Resistance. Readers are privy to the fascinating viewpoints of these and other characters. Interesting to read but also extremely sad and disturbing to know that this happened to real people.

My favourite aspects about the book are the unique storyline, the perspectives of the women involved in various ways and the gorgeous and emotive writing which swept me away into a completely different world.

Historical Fiction fans in particular ought to pick up this book. Well worth your time. It compelled me to do further research to educate myself.

My sincere thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this difficult yet captivating book. My heart broke as I learned more about the horrendous Lebensborn tragedy and kidnappings which ended in incomprehensible devastation for the children who had no voice. Books like this are important.

This story Is about three vastly different women during a dark time in history. The Lebensborn Society was a maternity house for a breeding program to create a “master race” in Germany under Hitler’s rule. The three women in the story end up at this house for different reasons and they have very different ideas of what is right and what is hideously wrong. The subject was well researched and well told. Often times in these retellings only focus on the people who opposed Hitler. The author did a good job of exposing those who enabled the type of thinking that allowed these atrocities. Thank you to NetGalley and Sorcebooks Landmark for the ARC. This is my unbiased review.

Pub date: October 11, 2022
Pages: 320

Cradles if the Reich by Jennifer Coburn tells the story of Irma a nurse, Gundi unwed and pregnant and Hilde a Reich mistress and how they all came to be at an estate that is now a birthing center for the Reich. Each girl had a different story and a very different personality which made the book interesting and kept me reading. I was very surprised at the sudden and abrupt ending. I had to think about it and did each girl have an end to their story. Thank you NetGalley for letting me review this book.

3.25 – 3.5 STARS

Set against a WWII backdrop, “Cradles of the Reich” is a fictional story based on historical events, unfolding to the harsh realities of the Nazi breeding program through the entwined stories of 3 fictitious women who form a connection at Helm Hochland--a Lebensborn Society maternity home.

While I found the historical elements horrifying and disturbing, it really opened my eyes to atrocities that I was previously blind to. But it’s the individual stories of Gundi, Irma, and Hilde that felt a bit flat to me. Told in alternating POV’s, I found their unique stories interesting, but they were not as powerful or emotionally-charged as I had hoped. Therefore, the overall story ultimately fell short of my high expectations.

In this historical fiction story set during the rise of Hitler in WWII, we catch a glimpse into the ideology of Hitler’s program for creating a Superior Aryan race through the establishment of homes for pregnant mothers representing the most perfect Germanic qualities – fair skin, blond, and blue eyed. Pregnant young girls were highly selected to take part, whether pregnant or not, where upon birth their children were then adopted into German families to become indoctrinated into the Reich. I found it pretty creepy and actually horrifying for these exploited women as this wasn’t voluntary and many were tricked. And how terrifying that those whose children born too dark or not meeting the criteria of the perfect German race, were destroyed. Gundi seems to be the perfect German girl but in reality, she sympathizes with the Resistance and the hides the fat that her baby’s father is Jewish. Hilde is a true “Hitler Girl” in hopes of having a baby with an officer in hopes of showing her devotion and importance. Irma is a retired nurse, but looking for purpose in life and agrees to work at the home, unaware of its true origins. I liked that the narration varied between these women so as to gain a different perspective and to empathize with their plight. This well researched story seemed to move quickly and was heartbreaking to read about more atrocities that were committed by such misguided people. It’s not a book that I would say is enjoyable to read, but it is history that is important to not ignore less we repeat.
Many thanks to #netgalley #sourcebookslandmark #jennifercoburn for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Cradles of the Reich follows three very different women who are brought to Heim Hochland Estate in Bavaria. This home is used as part of the German Lebensborn Program where some young pregnant German women were brought during their pregnancy. Other young, unwed “racially pure” women were also brought to these homes where German officers would visit in attempts for them to become pregnant. The babies would then be offered up for adoption to high-ranking German Officers. The Lebensborn Program is one of the Third Reich’s lesser-known programs but equally as horrible as they endeavored to build the perfect Aryan Germany.

I really loved how Jennifer took three very, very different women and shared their very unique experience at Heim Hochland. From the woman working for the resistance, who epitomizes the Aryan look, who is secretly pregnant with a Jewish baby, to the older nurse who is trying to figure out how she feels about what is really going on in this home. And lastly, you have Hilde who is the picture of a perfect Nazi supporter, pregnant with a high-ranking officer’s baby.

This story is well-researched, educational, and such an interesting read! I couldn’t put it down. Also, that ending! My heart was racing for the last 50 pages. I loved how Jennifer added in that element of that high stakes ending that I was not expecting. It’s a shocking and dark tale, as most are from this time in history, but I was educated by a story I couldn’t put down. If this is a genre that speaks to you, be on the lookout for this one to hit shelves next month.

Coburn has crafted an intriguing story taken from the secrets of the Nazis. She weaves together the stories of three very different women that could have been bleak but she manages to actually give the reader hope. It is a long book but you don't realize that while you're reading it. You are swept away in the emotions and danger. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it for a great historically accurate read.

Such a shocking revelation. Had no idea that the Nazis had breeding home for the "benefit" if their soldiers. Unbelievable. Can not believe this has not been public knowledge, but of course the Natzis would want it hushed up.

These poor young women. How horrifying.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher,and author for granting me a copy in return for my honest opinion

This book seriously needs an epilogue. With all the drama and excitement that literally had me holding my breath, it just suddenly ended and went to the Author's Notes, which are worth reading, by the way.

The whole book is a powerhouse that addresses the darkest part of modern history, the Nazis and the Third Reich, and their efforts to create a master race. Of course, I knew that was one of their major objectives from my time spent in history classes and reading on the subject myself, but until I read this book I had never heard of the Lebensborn Society , which was essentially a bunch of "perfect" young German girls who were breeding "perfect" children for Hitler and the Reich. Some of them were already pregnant by "perfect" German men. Others were bedding down with SS officers, who were strangers. Yes, the Reich was running brothels; breeding operations. I was stunned when I discovered this and I wanted to know more.

The story centers on Gundi, who is pregnant by her Jewish boyfriend and is being cared for at Heim Hochland, a maternity home for unwed mothers who show physical traits of being members of this master race. The nurses there all assume that the father of her child is also Aryan and she's not at liberty to correct them.

The second character is Hilde. How I wanted to slap her for being such a suck-up and thinking she deserved special privileges because of who the father of her baby was. I wanted her to get her comeuppance so bad. Anything bad that happened to her she deserved and then some. I'm not sure I'd actually call her an antagonist, but she was young, foolish, and unlikable. Her conniving, lying, and manipulative ways knew no boundaries. She was the poster child for the Reich. The sad part of it was she just wanted to be loved and accepted. We all do. Right? She just went to extremes to get it and sacrificed too much, which made her a totally believable character.

Then there was Irma. She surprised me more than any of the other characters in the entire book. I wasn't too keen on her at first, but then I saw another side of her that made me step back and rethink her. What a conundrum she was in as the story progressed. She was a nurse at the Heim Hochland and part of her orders were not to get close to the girls. How does one do that?

The story is based on facts. The author definitely did her homework and presented what she'd learned in a way that horrified yet informed me at the same time. I was drawn into the lives of these three women and hoped for the best for Gundi and Irma. I didn't care what happened to Hilde, since I didn't like her, but it would've been nice to know what happened to all of them one year, two years, three years, or even after the war. I wanted to know what happened to Leo and Sister Dorothea. I wanted to know more about Renate and Gisela and even Hannah. We were left hanging with no sort of wrap up, which is why I'm giving this book four stars.

It was wonderfully written and tackled a subject that is dark, grisly, inhumane, and not known to everyone. But it needed an epilogue. Still a great read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

‘Cradles of the Reich’, was my first Jennifer Coburn book. The story follows three women in Germany during the 1930’s and their experiences with the Lebensborn Society, a maternity home and breeding facility to help ensure racially fit children are part of the New Germany. This historical fictional novel, shows us the lengths that were taken to try and facilitate a “superior race”. Ms. Coburn has done an excellent job of researching this dark period in history.

I read a lot of WWII fiction and it always amazes me that there are still parts of the war that have never been written about in popular fiction. Jennifer Coburn did extensive research of Nazi state supported homes where unwed mothers who were deemed to be perfectly Aryans could be pampered until they had their children and then the home arranged for the children to be adopted mostly by SS members. Many women volunteered for the 'breeding program' to do their part for Germany in the war. She tells this unique story using three women who were at the home at the same time but had totally different backgrounds and views of the Nazis. Two of the women are patients at Heim Hochland, a real Nazi breeding home in Bavaria, where they are awaiting the birth of their children and one of the women is a nurse working at the maternity home.

Gundi is a pregnant university student from Berlin. She is beautiful and deemed a pure Aryan but the authorities don't know that she is a member of a resistance group. She is also hiding a big secret about the father of her baby and knows that when the truth comes out, it will likely cause her death and the death of the baby.

Hilde, only eighteen, is a true believer in the Nazi regime and knows that if she gets pregnant with the child of a Nazi official, her life will be wonderful. She is assertive and difficult and feels like she is superior to the rest of the women at the maternity home.

Irma, a 44-year-old nurse, is desperate to build a new life for herself after she breaks up with the love of her life. She had worked as a nurse in WWI and saw so much death that she was excited to work in a maternity home and see beautiful births.

This well researched book about a little known subject gives the readers a look at a very dark time in WWII history. Women were only appreciated for their ability to have babies and women who had four babies were given The Cross of Honour of the German Mother.

This is a book about hatred and the need to breed perfect children but the underlying theme is that there is always a light of good - no matter how small - even in the darkest times.

If you enjoy WWII fiction, you don't want to miss Cradles of the Reich.

Fantastic book - well researched but not an overload of detail, and a fascinating story. I would highly recommend this book!

Cradles of the Reich follows three women living in Nazi Germany whose lives intersect at one of the Nazi Lebensborn facilities. Each protagonist captures a different attitude towards the Nazi party at the beginning of the story: Gundi is part of a resistance group inside Germany; Irma is ambivalent about the Nazis’ anti-Sematic rhetoric; and finally Hilde, who wants nothing more than power and attention, and believes in everything the party says. Gundi and Hildeare both unwed expectant mothers, sent to the Lebensborn facility to carry their children who will then be adopted by high status families.

Irma's initial indifference is hard to read through. Hindsight may be 20/20, but her lack of concern or understanding is highly off-putting. Where Irma's character experiences growth, Hilde is despicable from beginning to end. Her complete naivete when it comes to her short-lived position as an officer's mistress is perhaps the most likeable feature about her, and I found it to be incredibly annoying. The chapters where Hilde was narrating limited my enjoyment of the novel, and my willingness to engage with it. The other story lines were solid, and I would have enjoyed the book more had they been the only voices. Women like Irma did exist, and we shouldn't forget how simple it may seem to just go along with evil. But, for me at least, giving Hilde a leading role was a mistake. If you don't need your narrators to be good (or just decent) people, you may have better luck than I did.

Overall, a good novel, but not for me.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

This is an engrossing story about three women in German on the cusp of World War II who are part of little known piece of Nazi history - the Lebensborn Society. The three women are Irma, a 40-something nurse who lived through the horrors of the Great War; Hilde, a teenager who is mistress to a high ranking Nazi officer and is excited to fulfill her duty to her country and the Nazi party by bearing his child; and Gundi, a 20 year old university student that fits the Nazi party's definition of a perfect Aryan beauty, is pregnant with her Jewish boyfriend's child and secretly working with the resistance. These three women come together at a maternity home in Bavaria to bring forth the next generation of Aryan children for the new Germany under the Third Reich.

This story kept my attention and I loved the different perspectives of the three women and how their stories interact and become entwined. I love that the author, in her notes at the end, cites that she got this idea from watching the tv show, Man in the High Castle, which I have watched and also sparked my interested in the history of the Lebensborn Society

My only critique is that I would have liked one of the main characters to be one of the apprentice mothers - young unmarried women who volunteered to have sex with SS officers to have, by their definition, racially pure children "for the Fuhrer" that would adopted by high-ranking Nazi families.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Coburn, and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cradles of the Reich by Jennifer Coburn takes the reader to a dark part of Nazi Germany at the Lebensborn Society maternity homes. I became familiar with these homes when I read Sara Young’s My Enemy’s Cradle many moons ago. Both books did a stellar job of bringing these homes to life, yet the circumstances are entirely different.

Coburn uses three characters’ experiences to show the how and why they came to be in a maternity home for Aryan bred children. Hilde wanted to be a high-ranking German wife, Gundi was sent there as the perfect German woman, but she hides a looming secret, and Irma is there as a nurse until she learns the awful truth about the home. I liked that the characters met one another but sometimes I was yearning for a first person POV.

Watching the newest season of The Handmaid’s Tale made think of the similarities between the sci-fi birthing rooms/homes and what happened in WW2 at these homes. When the high-level commanders came to the homes to hopefully impregnate some of the girls, I was sickened. It was painful to read at some points, but equally important because we can learn from these atrocities in order to stop them from happening again.

I think book clubs will have a lot to discuss while fleshing out the characters, their motives and how each character fared by the end.

3.5 stars, rounded up. A chilling novel that reads more like horror than the historical fiction it is. This story focuses on three women involved in the Nazi's Aryan supremacy breeding program, The Lebensborn Society. The Society provided maternity homes for racially desirable pregnant young women, groomed other young women as sexual partners for officers of the Reich, and kidnapped Aryan babies and children from other countries for adoption schemes. Gundi, a young woman active in the Resistance and pregnant with her Jewish lover's baby, is sent to a maternity home. The other two women in this novel are less likable and sympathetic. Hilde, pregnant by a high-ranking married SS officer, is slavishly devoted to the Reich and engages in horrendous behavior over and over. And finally, Nurse Irma, who is caring for the young mothers-to-be, is somewhat rehabilitated throughout the novel but it felt like too little, too late for my liking. Overall the history is fascinating (in a gruesome way), and it's clear Coburn did a great job researching. The writing is a little rough and the characters didn't really come to life for me, but I still think it's a book worth reading. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital review copy.

Three women, strangers to each other find themselves in Heim Hochland, a Nazi breeding home in this interesting fact based novel. I found the book to have a very slow beginning but did pick up the pace. The characters were believable and the story heartbreaking because events like portrayed happened. The naive girls led to become birthing vessels for the Reich was astonishing. It's hard to believe people were so cruel to others. I encourage readers to not miss the author's note.

This well-researched dive into the human breeding program of the Third Reich may well give you nightmares that a supernatural thriller can't match. The horrors of the Nazi regime extended to motherhood: young women trafficked and impregnated to produce "Aryan" babies for adoption by highly placed members of German society; sufficiently light-skinned babies torn from their parents, who were then sent to the work camps or perhaps summarily executed; said babies who didn't match the desired ethnic profile tossed onto the garbage heap. Coburn competently delivers this horrifying tale through the eyes of three German women: a young adult who has her eyes opened to the reality of fascist brutality and joins the resistance; another who closes her eyes to that brutality and becomes a cheerleader for the Reich; and a third, a nurse who initially thinks that if so many people are following along, it must be OK--until it's not. The afterword from the author makes clear that Coburn has carried out meticulous research, only altering minor details. The true extent of the Nazi Lebensborn program will never be known, as records were destroyed while the regime was collapsing. But Coburn has thankfully brought these atrocities to light in a compelling narrative. A must read for fans of historical fiction and those interested in social injustice, as well as resistance in the shadow of tyranny. Recommended for all libraries. Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing the ARC for my review.

I appreciate NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review Cradles of the Reich. I've read a lot of books set during World War II, but so few are written from the German point of view. Hilde, Irma and Gundi all find themselves at the Heim Hochland, a home for unwed mothers ensuring that their Aryan babies are adopted by good German families to enhance the new Germany. Neither the home, nor the three ladies who find themselves there are what they seem. I really enjoyed the book and went on to learn more about these types of homes that did in fact exist.