Cruel Crossing: Escaping Hitler Across the Pyrenees

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Synopsis
A chronicle of the perilous European mountain escape route used during World War II, with epic stories from survivors and their families. After the Nazi invasion of Belgium in 1940, an underground network was established to help British servicemen escape German-occupied Europe. As the war progressed, others began using the secret route as well, traveling to the south of France, over the Pyrenees mountains, and into neutral Spain. The Chemin de la Liberté runs forty miles across the central Pyrenees. Since 1994, it has been hiked each July to commemorate those who made the courageous journey during the Nazi occupation of France. BBC Radio presenter Edward Stourton made the trek in 2011, and from his fellow hikers, he uncovered amazing stories of wartime bravery and perseverance. In Cruel Crossing, Stourton draws on interviews with survivors, as well as family members of those who were there, to paint a history of this little-known aspect of World War II. It is colored by tales of hardship from soldiers trapped behind enemy lines, persecuted Jews fleeing Hitler and Vichy France, and bold resistance fighters aiding their escape. There are scrambles across rooftops in the dead of night, drops from speeding trains, treachery, murder, romance, and of course, heroism. These personal stories offer a dramatic and moving trip through the past, preserving the memories of those who endured so much to gain back their freedom.Praise for Cruel Crossing &“Stourton writes evocatively and with sensitivity of the people who made the arduous trek. . . . An engaging collection of tales.&” —Daily Express &“In Mr. Stourton&’s hands, the Pyrenees become a grim amphitheatre for heroism and betrayal, collusion and rebellion. . . . Cruel Crossing recaptures much of the adventure and the fun, as well as the horror and the bitterness, as it brilliantly conjures up the voices of the past.&” —Country Life &“Heart-breaking and breath-taking . . . thoroughly moving and very readable.&” —Simon Mawer, author of The Glass Room &“An important book packed with poignant stories, remarkable characters and uncomfortable truths.&” —Clare Mulley, author of The Spy Who Loved
Copyright:
2001

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
368 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781504087018
Related ISBNs:
9781504087049
Publisher:
Open Road Media
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Hugh Thomas
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Military, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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