E96: Fate Undecided
- Publisher
- Azrieli Foundation
- Initial publish date
- Sep 2009
- Category
- Jewish Studies, Historical, 20th Century
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781897470633
- Publish Date
- Sep 2009
- List Price
- $6.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
The son of a diamond merchant in Antwerp's famous diamond exchange, Paul-Henri Rips was ten years old when the Nazis invaded Belgium in May 1940 and ended what he calls his "golden childhood" forever. Vividly told from a child's perspective, this fascinating account explores the diverse cast of characters who inhabited Belgium and France during the Nazi occupation and the experiences of one family against the backdrop of large-scale events. Guided throughout by his father's words of wisdom — ''A klapt vargayt, a wort bestayt" (A blow will go away again, but a word lasts forever) and "Sei a mensch" (Be a decent human being) — Rips conveys his unwavering belief in the importance of holding on to one's own humanity in the face of unfathomable inhumanity.
About the author
Paul-Henri Rips was born in 1929 in Antwerp. He left Antwerp in 1950 and moved to the Belgian Congo and then to South Africa, where he married his wife, Lily. In 1997, the couple immigrated to Toronto to join their children and grandchildren. Paul-Henri Rips passed away in 2023.