A tale of great enterprise and great fortitude, and of wonderful female solidarity and nobility of spirit, in the bleakest of circumstances.
For decades after World War II, histories of the French Resistance were written almost exclusively by men and largely ignored the contributions of women. Many current overviews of the subject continue to underplay the extent and importance of women's participation in the Resistance, treating the subject, in the words of one historian, as 'an anonymous background element in an essentially male story'.
The Sisterhood of Ravensbru?ck corrects that omission, surveying the bond between four women - Germaine Tillion, Anise Girard, Genevieve de Gaulle, and Jacqueline d'Alincourt - who fought valiantly against Nazi oppression. While the women belonged to different Resistance movements and networks, they were united by a common thread: they were arrested by the Gestapo, underwent merciless interrogations and beatings, were jailed - and, most significantly, survived, if just barely, the hell of Ravensbru?ck, the only concentration camp designed specifically for women. In an institution designed to dehumanise and kill, the sisterhood maintained their sense of self and joined together to face down death.
Remarkably, in the aftermath of World War II, the women once again joined forces to find a way to transcend the horrors of the war and turn it into something good for themselves and the world. The Sisterhood of Ravensbru?ck is an illuminating, inspiring account.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
'This illuminating narrative history spotlights the bravery and strength of a tight-knit group of Frenchwomen imprisoned during World War II in the all-female forced-labor concentration camp Ravensbrueck.' * The Washington Post * 'Olson's book explores not just the bond between courageous women united in a battle to survive hell, but also the long-overlooked contribution that women made to the resistance movement.' * The Canberra Times * 'Agents of the French Resistance find life-lasting, soul-saving, history-changing friendships in an all-female concentration camp ... The author's portrayal of the women's postwar work, relationships, and notoriety inspires even greater awe at their widespread, ongoing positive impact. Both devastating and galvanising, an account of how the best of humanity can rise to oppose the very worst.' * Kirkus Reviews * 'Historian Olson takes a piercing look at the Ravensbrueck concentration camp through the experiences of four female French Resistance fighters imprisoned there ... Crisp, visceral prose makes this moving, heartwrenching, and powerful testament to the power of chosen sisterhood and found family a true standout.' -- <i>Booklist</i>, starred review 'Alternately chilling and inspiring, Sisterhood takes us into Nazi Germany's notorious concentration camp for women, Ravensbrueck, as a band of captive French partisans struggles to survive and bolster one another against unimaginable cruelty. Olson demonstrates yet again that she is a master not only of deep and difficult research, but also of gripping nonfiction narrative.' -- Erik Larson, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>The Demon of Unrest</em> and <em>In the Garden of the Beasts</em> 'The Sisterhood of Ravensbrueck follows Caroline Ferriday's beloved French friends, from war-torn Paris to the notorious all-female concentration camp Ravensbrueck and beyond. At once heartbreaking and beautifully told, it's a masterwork of nonfiction, a must-read for anyone who wants more of the incredible true story behind Lilac Girls.' -- Martha Hall Kelly, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Lilac Girls</em> 'Filled with the detailed, comprehensive research Olson is celebrated for, her latest delves into the ingeniousness and fury that drove a band of French female political prisoners to not only survive their time in Ravensbrueck, but, once freed, force the rest of the world to take a hard look at the horrors perpetrated by the Germans at a time when so many preferred to "move on." A stunning achievement.' -- Fiona Davis, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>The Stolen Queen</em> 'Once again, Lynne Olson has retrieved for us a remarkable group of women largely obscured by history. Olsen's portrait of four Frenchwomen of breathtaking courage and resourcefulness comes at a time when we most need such inspiration. This book will lift your spirits and restore your faith in the power of human agency.' -- Kati Marton, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Enemies of the People</em> 'Olson combines meticulous research and accessible storytelling with a deep understanding of hope and the urgent need to tell the world. The result is an intricately woven tale of many lives, and a superb account of the French experience in the women's concentration camp at Ravensbrueck. Riveting, shocking, and beautiful.' -- Elizabeth Wein, #1 <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Code Name Verity</em> 'With this remarkable book, Lynne Olson cements her standing as the premier World War II historian of our time. The Sisterhood of Ravensbrueck is a searing, soaring account of indomitable courage rising up to defeat unspeakable horror. In defiance of Sartre's observation that hell is other people, the women of Ravensbrueck discovered that in a monstrous place, a true hell on earth, it was precisely other people - other women - who proved essential to sanity and survival. The women cared for one another and ensured no one felt alone or abandoned. Yet after the war, the fierce power of these resistantes was minimised and swept aside. Thanks to Olson's luminously detailed account - and haunting illustrations secretly made by one inmate - their contribution will never be forgotten again. Against the worst that humans can do, they brought their best. Read this book, and you will find strength and solace and inspiration.' -- Liza Mundy, author of <em>Code Girls</em> 'This thoroughly researched, absorbing tale incorporates the lives of many other female resistance fighters, and a key theme running through the book is that the vital role of women in the movement has been either ignored or played down. It's a story of incredible individual bravery that also emphasises the crucial importance and intensity of the lifelong bond between them that was forged in the hell-hole of Ravensbruck ... Among other things, this is an inspiring study of character, courage and grace under pressure.' -- Steven Carroll * The Age/The Sydney Morning Herald * 'Olson's book may be the most important history released this summer ... Olson's history of these women is a shot of inspiration for those resisting current fascism.' * The Los Angeles Times * 'The Sisterhood of Ravensbrueck is a book I have been waiting to read. And only Lynne Olsen could do this story justice. Olson reveals this astonishing group of French women who found themselves together in Ravensbrueck and in that horrible place formed life lasting profound friendships. Through the horrors of the only concentration camp built for women, together they survived with solidarity and courage. Their quiet heroics are finally getting their due thanks to Olson. We need more books like this one.' -- Gwen Strauss, author of <em>the Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany</em> 'Olson's book celebrates the lives of a brave band of women who became a force in an unbearably cruel time and place. Best suited for readers who enjoy history, predominantly World War II accounts, and gender studies.' * Library Journal * '[Olson] focuses on four women who were among the resistantes defying the Nazis. Using a wide range of documents, interviews and other resources, she tells of their early involvement, their arrests, their determination to continue their resistance while imprisoned in Ravensbrueck, and their lives after the war as they struggled to overcome the trauma of that experience, to adapt to ordinary everyday life, and to fight for justice, recognition and reparation.' -- Ann Skea * The Newtown Review of Books *
Lynne Olson is a New York Times bestselling author of ten books of history, most of which focus on World War II. Olson's previous book, Empress of the Nile, was published by Scribe in 2023. Other books by Olson include Last Hope Island, Madame Fourcade's Secret War, and Citizens of London.
