The Lambs Of War - Brian McManus

This is a story of a husband and wife, living in Nazi Germany, 1943. Both orphaned at a young age and childless, Isaac and Flora Bloom become victims of a Nazi police sweep in their North Sea town of Bremerhaven. They live with Isaac’s elderly boss; a well-respected food merchant. Isaac has been his right hand man in business, as well as his personal valet at home. Flora is a local seamstress.

They are ordered to Ravensbruck Labor Camp. Isaac’s boss tries to keep the couple together, and asks an old friend to speak to his son, a camp officer, hoping that they will at least not be separated. Upon arriving at the all women facility, Flora is taken into the camp, as a common prisoner, but Isaac is used by the commander as his own personal secretary and houseman. The commander lives outside the prison gate.

Most of the Nazi administrators are diabolical, corrupt, sadistic, even hateful of one another. There is also a strong male/female rivalry, as many of the guards are woman and jealous of the male hierarchy. This hatred breeds mismanagement and possible vulnerability. Isaac observes, quietly.

After months of camp personnel infighting and criminal accusations, a murder of jealousy is committed. One evening, the chief female guard visits the officer’s house, confronts him and kills him. This was in revenge for the mysterious murder of her female associate, who had been prying into the captain’s strange behavior, concerning his theft of new prisoner valuables, for his own personal gain.

Before his death, the officer had signed an indemnity order, if any harm had come to him, while Isaac lived with him; Isaac’s wife was to be executed, at once.

Isaac, who was hiding in the pantry, realizes he must act quickly.  There is little time. He devises an escape plan, before the dead body is discovered. Using all the resources in the officer’s house, the man drafts a plan to enter the prison, free his wife and flee to Scandinavia. The plan works. The story continues. The second part of the tale is the many adventures, close calls, and accounts of how the couple avoided being discovered and recaptured.

Chased through northern Germany, Denmark, as well as on the Baltic Sea, Isaac and Flora Bloom manage to outwit all Nazi pursuit for their escape, and also, the blame for the murder they did not commit