“‘In the four years the Lebensborn Society has been in existence, do you know how many girls have met one hundred percent of our criteria for genetic and aesthetic perfection?’ Dr Ebner paused, ‘One. One girl— you, Gundi.’”


This is a disturbing read.

Not because of the writing but because of the subject matter: Lebensborn Society circa WWII where the Germans sought to create perfect humans using a breeding process. It’s disturbing because of the indoctrination we know happened in Nazi Germany.

This book focuses on a unique facet of the war which differentiates it from so many other WWII novels and made it interesting to read, but unfortunately the ending left much to be desired.


Cradles of the Reich follows three characters who find themselves at Heim Hochland, one of the Germans’ centers to breed ‘racially pure’ babies for Hitler. Coburn indicates in her author’s note that she wanted to explore characters with three different attitudes a German citizen may have had.

- Gundi: the perfect German ‘specimen’ but is secretly part of the Resistance against the Nazis and wants no part of their program

“‘Gundi, If you want to do something, it can’t be because you want to help the Jews. It has to be because you understand, heart and soul, that we are all inextricable bound. We don’t need a savior. We need allies.’”

- Irma: the motherly nurse who hears the bad things that are happening but thinks it can’t be as bad as everyone says

“‘That’s the problem, Gundi, I don’t want to be in a world where helping one another survive is remarkable.’”

- Hilde: young and enamored with an SS officer, excited to do her part to bear children for the Reich

“She was a woman of substance who understood that the most important thing about a man was the kind of life he could provide for her.”


The chapters change perspectives between the three women as they find themselves at the house intended to ‘care for’ pregnant women who are bringing racially pure children into the world.

Gundi tried to run away and escape the program but was back and basically forced to remain there. Irma is just trying to do good in the world by helping bring life into it. Hilde is desperate to bear children in this program and will do whatever it takes to be successful and wanted.


Eugenics and Abortion

It’s pretty unreal to think about these kinds of centers existing. That the Nazis thought they could identify the perfect race and create a world like that— especially considering Hitler wasn’t even Aryan…

And yet, I can’t help but think about abortion in the United States.

We scoff and are disgusted by the practices contained in this book to create perfect humans, and yet culture approves and celebrates abortion which is essentially doing the same thing. Babies are killed if they are not perfect— they may have one ‘defect’ or another— or they are inconvenient, unwanted. We are lying to ourselves if we believe abortion in America is any different than the eugenics vision of Hitler.

All life is inherently valuable. It is simply a person’s human-ness that makes them worthy of life: not their skin color, their number of limbs, their number of chromosomes, the abilities of their minds, or the functioning of their senses.

Hopefully this book can remind us of the value of human life and stop us from trying to create ‘perfect’ families by keeping certain babies out of them.


The Ending

Why was the ending disappointing?

Because it was abrupt. And it was incomplete.

One of the characters makes an escape attempt but it’s at like 80% of the way through. And then the book is just over. We don’t even know what becomes of one of the characters. And even the woman who tries to escape we don’t get any information about her family or the father of the child or even what her future holds.

Considering the author creates a story where these three very different characters come together in the same house, you’d think we would get a fuller picture of how their attitudes change or influence one another.

I just needed so much more information at the end.


Recommendation

I would recommend this book if you enjoy all WWII books and love learning about more aspects of what happened during the war and how people endured different types of hardship. If you are interested in learning about the Lebensborn Society, you’ll probably enjoy this book.

If you like to have satisfying and complete endings, I wouldn’t recommend this one. I think you’ll be disappointed like I was.

It had so much potential and the ending really took away from it.

I also would not recommend this book if pregnancy or miscarriage is a sensitive subject for you. They are both major parts of the book and may be too much for some women.




[Content Advisory: 1 f-word, 0 s-words; one minor character is gay; considering the premise of the book there is frequent talk of sex and pregnancy; trigger warning for miscarriage]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

War changes people for the better, but also for the worst. In the face of danger the characters gave in, but a few grew stronger and more determined to survive and do what is right. A very thought provoking book about what war does to people. It was sad and hopeful at the same time. I recommend it often with a warning.

I enjoyed reading this historical story. This is a story that brings you to a dark part of history where three women that will prove to you that heros are just not men but great women as well. I found this book to be well written and hard to put down. I enjoyed how the author used their writing skills to not only pull you into the story but made it feel realistic. I enjoyed the characters and their determination. They are strong, supportive characters you don't want to miss. They add so much to the story. This is a fast paced, engaging story that is hard to put down. There is great growth of the characters as well as the plot throughout the story. I really enjoyed reading this story and I highly recommend it.

An interesting book with a part of WWII history previously unknown to me. The story was good, but the ending seemed rushed.

This is my review as posted on Goodreads:

I am grateful to the publishers for allowing me to read and review a copy of this book.

I remember reading about the Lebensborn Society project in passing in a few other novels set during WW2, but this was the first novel I have read set entirely in a maternity home. It was intriguing and horrifying all at the same time. I thought the way the author weaves together the stories of three very different women was brilliant. I also loved that she wrote a complex character from a different POV than most books by adding Hilde, who was so brainwashed by the Nazi party. It was all so fascinating!

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially WW2.

As with most Holocaust books, this is very disturbing, yet an important story to be told. I had trouble keeping track of the three different characters at times but this is a worthwhile story that will appeal to many and be popular with book clubs.

Going into this book I was a little nervous as I had never read anything by this author before and this is a portion of history that I don't know a lot about. This book is good and does show the realities of what women went through during WWII who were young and looked a certain way.

In the past, I have briefly heard about the young women who were being used to help create the next german generation during WWII but it is something that isn't really talked about when you mention this point in history.

“In the four years the Lebensborn Society has been in existence, do you know how many girls have met one hundred percent of our criteria for genetic and aesthetic perfection?” Dr. Ebner paused again, turning to Dr. Vogel, then Elsbeth. “One. One girl—you, Gundi.”

The young women who were being used and lied to in order to create the next generation of ideal German children is one that is heartbreaking for many different reasons. But as for this book, the author does the story justice. She is able to do this through the three different POVs and how they are each in different stages of this story. From the nurse (Irma) who ended up figuring out what was going on and was not okay with it, to the university student (Gundi) who ended up getting pregnant and lied about her child's true father in order to protect everyone, and then you have the german true believer (Hilde) who wants to become important by any means necessary.

"Irma had serious misgivings about how these young women were being used, but her love for the girls was absolute."

Overall this book was interesting and did bring light to a time in history that is very seldom talked about. I did have my favorites while reading this book and for the vast majority of the book that was Gundi because of all that she was giving up and just hoping and praying that it would all work out in order to keep everyone safe. I did slowly warm up to Irma as time went on and we saw more of her compassion showing. As for Hilde, I could never like her throughout any of the book, did I feel bad for her? yes at times I did because of how desperate she was, but I never cared for her portion of the storyline. It was important though to see all the different sides of what was happening at Heim Hochland to get a real feel of what they were all going through and what was expected of them.

"The Nazis were stealing from the Jews; they were robbing German girls of their innocence."

Because this is a little talked about portion of WWII, not a lot can be found on it due to records being destroyed and people not wanting to admit that they were a part of it in order to keep their families safe after the war. The author did a good job of putting the pieces together of what could have happened, while also making a fictionalized tale to show what the young women went through.

“If you want to do something, it can’t be because you want to help the Jews. It has to be because you understand, heart and soul, that we are all inextricably bound. We don’t need a savior. We need allies.

(Read a finished copy from the library.)

From the moment this book starts, it fills you with a real example of life under the Nazis.

I love how the characters are intertwined and woven together throughout.

I have read several historical fiction about WWII and this was a new topic I wasn't familiar with. It was definitely and eye-opening (and horrifying) concept.

I loved the fresh take. Definitely worth a read!

Different (and disturbing) take on this time in history. Character development was great. Love some, hate some.

I had no idea about the Lebensborn Society that Hitler created, so this novel was a page turner. I would’ve liked a little more at the end. It was a good read!

This is a book about three women with radical different reasons to be apart of this program. The nazis are trying to create a master race and these women are needed to help the cause. Each one has their own reasons and risks but will they support cause or fight it all the way?

I really wanted to get into this book because it is about a subject I knew nothing about. However, there were many disturbing scenes that made me uncomfortable. Therefore, it was not my cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark for accepting my request to read and review Cradles of the Reich.

Published: 10/11/22

One word: flabbergasted. I had for all intensive purposes given up on reading World War II fiction. The line between factually-driven historical fiction and a best selling fiction book had been breached. The subject matter that dominates a reasonable person with respect to WWII is concentration camps -- animal cruelty, inhumane living and death, as well as survival of one Jewish person savagely hurting another. Anne Frank reinvented -- she lived; I'm fighting vomiting in my mouth. I had read complaints and reviews that Anne Frank's Diary was 1-2 stars? People didn't see what the big deal was. Are you kidding me? Please, I can promise, you won't understand Renia's Diary: I choke up thinking about it -- don't bother. Then there are the glorifying Tattooists, etc. I just want to scream. Some topics are sacred.

A cover -- respectful with a calming color palate: Cradles of the Reich. I battled myself finally deciding the Germans needed homes for their children blah blah blah. Then I read the synopsis. Why didn't I see this coming? The Lebensborn Society maternity homes -- breeding camps. Jennifer Coburn has reiterated to me: never say never Mary. It took me a while to be in what I hoped was the right head space to finally pick it up for the last time. I tried a couple times over several months.

Tastefully written Coburn touches on an area that is not well known. There were homes with girls picked up to satisfy German soldiers while providing perfect babies as defined by Hitler. The angles she chose to share are disheartening. I appreciate the knowledge and the manner she presented another cruel chapter of World War II.

I'm giving this five stars. The historical importance is invaluable. These girls were chosen on hair, eye and skin color. They were picked up to breed, like puppy mills. These girls were not distracted with selfies or cell phones. They were going to school, etc.,and were aware that a war was pending. Today, sex traffickers pick up not for breeding but for entertainment, ages? toddlers through adults. Coburn gently told what happened in these houses to the babies and the girls.

Will the Coburn's of the future write the major role in aiding human traffickers was the cell phone or the self-centered user?

A great WW2 novel that covers the dark history of the Reich. Here we learn about 3 women involved in different ways with a maternity house that is set up to breed perfect Aryan babies.

Whew!!! I learned things about Nazi history that I still can't believe are true. it's insane that this all was going on and people were ok with it! This was a very interesting and at times very hard book to read. I kind of hope there is a sequel to it because I felt like it ended rather abruptly. I wanted further information on what happened next!

During World War II, the Lebensborn Society bred thousands of "racially fit" babies for the Nazi regime. These babies were then torn from their mothers and raised to be part of Hitler's vision of the new Germany. This story follow three women, with vastly different pasts, as they carry their infants through pregnancy knowing what the ending result will be.

One woman is part of the resistance.
One woman fully believes in the movement and cannot wait to give to the cause.
One woman is trying to build a new life for herself and forget her past.

This book can be a hard one to read for some due to the time period this historical fiction novel take place in. I enjoy novels (both nonfiction and fiction) that discuss or take place in the World War II era. With the interweaving of these three stories, there are multiple POV's to consider while reading. I found this book's pace to be inconsistent. I enjoyed the story but I found myself losing interest as I went throughout the story. This feeling is disconnection was inconsistent throughout the story. It would pick up for me then drop off. I wouldn't call this book suspenseful despite its subject matter. I feel that it did bring a part of history to light that many do not know.

Most of the time I do not read author's notes on the books I read, but I am glad that i read this one. She provided more information and insight on the subject of these maternity houses ran by the Nazi's.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC.

Great storytelling involving the Nazi war. I was emotionally moved by the oppression and cunning that took place at the time. This book is very much about the plight of women in the hands of the Nazis, which is quite alarming. I am amazed by the author who dared to raise the theme of this kind of story. In this book I also gained new knowledge about what the Lebensborn Society is.

A historical fiction that stirred my emotions while adding to my insight into the description of NAZI atrocities when this political organization was in power.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Cradles of the Reich by Jennifer Coburn.
A unique historical fiction novel that takes the reader into a Nazi breeding home during WWII. Told from the perspective of three women from varying backgrounds, Cradles of the Reich sheds light on how far the Nazi's went to solidify the Arayan race. I enjoyed learning new information about Germany under the leadership of Hitler.

A Nazi breeding program Lebensborn Society was designed to create a master race. Only certain girls were invited to receive pampering, fine dining and exercise in exclusive homes. Their babies were then adopted by dedicated German families.
This book tells the story of three women at the Heim Hochland in Bavaria. Aryan beauty Gundi secretly served in the resistance before becoming pregnant by her Jewish boyfriend and being recruited for the Reich. Hilde is a dedicated high school student willing to do whatever she can for the cause, including carrying a married officer's child. Irma, a 44-year-old nurse, has already seen war and is determined to avoid it, but she faces the truth about the Nazi's actions and must decide if she'll intervene or continue to follow party lines.
This novel is based on historical events. I appreciated the author's notes at the end and was struck by how she wrote Hilde's character, a woman who would have annihilated the author's family. And talking to men who were dedicated to Hitler's cause was also brave.
The reading group guide can also help readers identify their prejudices and decide who they want to be in our world. We will always face challenges, such as demoralizing women or navigating spaces with folks who think differently. We must decide how to live in these spaces with integrity and truth.
This book flows well. While some of the content is difficult to read, it tells an important story. I look forward to reading more stories by this author.

Engaging. The characters voices rang so true.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.