The follow-up book on When Does It End? About the rescue of Jews from Occupied Europe
(Published here with permission from the authors)
Description:
Sapphire, a Jewish Army operative, and her lover, Granola, a British SOE operative, join forces and land in Toulon, which is still occupied by the Nazis, to find hiding Jews. Once found, they must bring them out to a waiting merchant ship which may or may not be there. The predicament here is that the Jews are a large group. There are more than 180 men, women, and children that cannot stay in Occupied France. Death would be a certainty if arrested and taken to the concentration camps. Then, even if they are smuggled to the waiting ship, they will still need to get to Palestine and safety.
A journey that must be done against the will of the British Empire. The Royal Navy intercepted many ships that were bringing Jews to safety. Sapphire and Granola face the prowling Gestapo, traitors in their own ranks, and much uncertainty. Some say it will be an impossible mission, that it cannot be done successfully. A book that will stir the reader’s conscience. A lot more happened outside the available history books – this story is one of them. Where Does It End? follows on the first book, When Does It End?
A few background words from the authors
Jacobus Kotze:
This is the second book in the series. How many more will there be? I just do not know. It depends on many things, all of which are outside of my direct control. I doubt if more than a handful of folks will ever read these books. Without well-known author names or publishing houses behind them, it is not easy to spread the word. That seems to be the way of it in this business. Be that so, as I stated in the first book, “When Does It End?,” that researching the Jewish World War Two history touched something deep inside my roots. I explained that I had never met my Jewish grandmother but her story is one of escape from Nazi Germany to the then Union of South Africa. There she met my grandfather on my father’s side and the rest is family history, even though I am Protestant and will stay Protestant. I suspect that the history inside it may be worth much to someone somewhere. If so, contact us, my wife and I, and tell us. It would be appreciated.
I discovered quite a few links in this book that I did not know existed. Like many others, I used the services of Michel Thomas to learn to speak French (not that I am a fluent speaker yet). Imagine my surprise to find out that M Thomas was operating as a Resistance member right inside Lyon at that same time as when the previous book played off. Then I found out that he was held at Camp des Milles, the same internment camp that plays such a large role in this book. I never knew of his Resistance and Nazi hunter background. Few of his students do. How strange and what a small world. A surprising coincidence that delighted me.
The story in “Where Does It End?” is about the rescue and smuggling of 187 Jews from the Provence area of Occupied France to the promised land, Palestine. The smuggling is something that was done against the will of the British Empire on top of the efforts of the Nazis and their collaborators. A sad period in history, the Royal Navy intercepted many ships that were bringing Jews to safety. Those Jews so arrested were kept in internment camps under dreadful conditions. Some reports say it was worse than how the German POWs were kept, and the German POWs were not treated well at all.
In fact, their treatment and change from POW status to “Disarmed Enemy Forces” (DEF) is discussed in the first book. I am not interested in the silly (in law and in ethical behaviour) “you did the same” justification known as the Waggoner Principle/Unclean Hands/Tu Quoque legal defense. Note please that it was utterly rejected at the Nuremberg war crimes trials. Let us keep one standard, the highest possible, for all involved in war.
The Jews/Zionist’s dream to have their own country, finally triumphed in 1948. No more smuggling was needed unless required for operational reasons – see Operation Magic Carpet – and others. Any Jew that arrives in Israel is welcomed and given a chance to live, to excel, or to die in peace. They do have a safe haven or at least a place to go to. It certainly was not like that before 1948 when they died because no one wanted them without the correct paperwork (virtually impossible to comply with).
Regarding Zionism, a despised term today, used with contempt by many that ought to know better, there is nothing wrong with the desire to rule yourself or to be master of your own fate. Especially not when you are being murdered simply because you are Jewish. We might also say that a dream is not always reality and reality is never the dream. Outside influences play a role in life, whether you like it or not. How far is Israel from the Zionist dream today, I will leave to the reader to decide. I personally will always support the boundless idealism that the Zionists’ exhibited whilst chasing their dream and destiny. Despite their many mistakes, they went all the way. How many of us today can honestly look back and claim the same? How many of us have succeeded in reaching a dream never mind an impossible one?
Since history repeats itself, today the entirely logical and righteous desire to rule yourself is once again derided. This time the “wise” call it “Nationalism” - the latest swear word among the elite that live in a dreamworld above practical realities and problems that they cause for mankind. It also just happens to be so that “Nationalism” is totally the opposite of “Globalism.” And Globalism is the present favourite word among the world leaders which all seem to want this. But their detractors have another word for “Globalism.” Yes, some call it a “New World Order” as once defined by George HW Bush in a speech to the US Congress. The only known time that a member of the elite used that description in public. Who knows what term it will be tomorrow. History is a fluent concept. But I must ask, where does this end? How many will die?
In this book, we also look at the unjustified attack, on the direct orders of Winston S. Churchill, by the Royal Navy on the anchored and neutral French Fleet at Mers-el-Kébir, 1940. This appalling incident is not something that ought to be swept under the carpet as the Churchill supporters tend to do. You will read a different history here, not the whitewashed one. You may be shocked to find out that more than 1,300 French sailors died. But we also know that history always has more than one viewpoint. Yours might be different than mine, I respect that.
Because I boast of substantial knowledge of history, more than most people, I oversaw the historical side of this book as well as anything military, strategic, tactical, and religious. Those views are mine and mine alone. I take full responsibility for their historical accuracy.
I hope that you enjoy this book. It was easy to write during the Coronavirus lockdown enforced upon the world. I even added three addendums to explain more relating to the story. Please take the time to read them. This is, after all, a history book for history lovers. Enjoy.
Rebecca Kotze:
This is of course a fictionalized history. And this is not intended as a spoiler to anyone, but there are no deaths involved. I am personally grateful for this.
The chances of a large group of Jews, as described in this book, being able to make it out of Occupied France would be close to impossible. That there was no interaction at any point with the Germans is also something that most would wonder about. But there is good reason. This is where the writer has an ability that those that lived through these situations didn’t. The power to limit suffering. Being from a Jewish family, the story touched me deeply. As far as I am concerned, and I hope you, I acknowledge that the situation of the Jews in World War 2 is horrible enough. And that, I believe, is an important message that comes across without more fear and drama being added. Should there have been such an operation it could have played out as described.
Perhaps it is not accidental that this book was born “now” between March and July 2020, during the time of the Corona Virus/COVID-19 Pandemic (Round One). Followed by all sorts of major “changes” that appear to be, in the end, NOT caused by “natural” causes but by manmade causes.
My husband is a history machine, his abilities are beyond ordinary. He can remember names, dates, incidents, and is constantly “doing research.” He then links it together and says the book writes itself. I know no other like him.
Wishing you an interesting read.
Where Does It End? is available in paper and Kindle formats at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CD43YYW.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this blog!
Comments