Revealed: One Dutch Family - Chris Peters

Revealed: One Dutch Family - Chris PetersChris Peters' epic search to reveal the roots from which his family sprang, and its secrets, is a fascinatingly detailed account of the lives and times of One Dutch Family. There is intrigue at every turn as Chris introduces the reader to his famous grandfather's stage and film career in Weimar Berlin, to his grandmother's survival of the Holocaust, to the wartime activities of his father, a Dutch resistance fighter, and to his own life as a post war

Chris Peters' epic search to reveal the roots from which his family sprang, and its secrets, is a fascinatingly detailed account of the lives and times of One Dutch Family. There is intrigue at every turn as Chris introduces the reader to his famous grandfather's stage and film career in Weimar Berlin, to his grandmother's survival of the Holocaust, to the wartime activities of his father, a Dutch resistance fighter, and to his own life as a post-war child and Australian immigrant.

For anyone interested in the history of theatre and film in Europe in the first half of the 20th century, this book is a treasure trove. Utilising his grandfather's writings and his own independent research, Chris has described this world in remarkable detail.

Much is also learned about the Dutch experience of the Holocaust, as Chris meticulously researches the stories of his Jewish grandmother's bid to escape or survive the German concentration camps.

This is a unique book filled with fascinating information, told in the charming style of a narrator heavily invested in carefully analysing each fact unearthed to assess its place in the puzzle of his family's story. Detailing the research methods used by the author to successfully unfold his family's narrative, the book may also serve as a roadmap for other budding family chroniclers inspiring them to commence their own journeys of discovery.

SJM Publishing 2022, paperback