Thinking of Gundi, Hilde and Irma, who did you most identify with? Who did you find most compelling as a character?

Gundi, Hilde, and Irma have starkly different attitudes toward the Nazi regime and their places at Heim Hochland. Who did you most identify with? Who did you find most compelling as a character?

I most identified with Gundi and found her to be the most compelling character. Her awakening to what was really happening and her desire to make a difference was impressive.

I loved both Gundi and Irma. I saw a lot of myself in both characters. But I believe much had to do with the maturity and life experiences of the characters. My younger self definitely would have identified with Gundi, when we are more idealistic, but my older self is more in line with Irma.

I had a difficult time identifying with any of the characters. Hilde would do anything for social advancement. Gundi was completely dedicated to her lover and his family and opposed the Nazis. Irma was deeply scarred from her own losses and went along with the general propaganda. In my opinion, while Gundi appears initially to be the “best” person, Irma’s character went through the most growth and was the most complex. I admired her by the end of the novel.

I wish I could say Gundi, but I'm probably more of an Irma. I would've kept my head down, mind my own business, hoping it would all pass. Once I realize how bad things truly were becoming, I'd step in for the fight...pretty much like Irma did.

I identify with both Gundi and Irma in different ways. Gundi had a striking appearance that was considered most admirable at the time. I can't relate to the things that happened to her for the reason of appearance, but I can relate to her sense of conviction. Like others here, though, over time I've had times over the years of minding my own business, making no waves. And as I've gotten older and dug my head out of the sand a bit I've become more proactive and outspoken. In that way I can relate to Irma.

I love Gundi, but I think I would be more like Irma. I would love to think I could be more active against Nazism, but I just don't know. The Answer, I am afraid, is that I connected more to Irma. Having lived in Germany it is easy to understand the fear people experienced, it is also easy to be judgemental regarding those that did not speak up. Death is frightening, torture is more so. Whose to say what you would do in similar circumstances?

I absolutely agree with cathyt in that it is easy to be judgemental of those that did not speak up and that it is impossible to know what we would say or do in similar circumstances. It is also impossible to know what our convictions would have been had we lived in this time period. The best we can do is try to learn from history.

I identify with Gundi. She fought the Nazis in her own way. At the same time, she was concerned about her family and her lover's family. She was a fighter that was full of compassion. I admire this kind of a fighter and try to live my life in the same way.

It is difficult to place yourself in another era, political climate, etc…..we are all products of our time/environment…I would most closely identify with Irma…most probably because of age/work experience etc.
I absolutely liked reading about Gundi and Hilde, but Irma had the most complex character and learning curve.

I admired Gundi for attempting to be part of the Resistance as she saw the true horror of what was happening in Germany. When she learned what was in store for her and her baby, I applauded her courage. Irma's thinking had evolved as she returned to her town at the end of the story. She seemed to have learned a great deal about herself.
I did not identify with Hilde but felt compassion for her as she was used by almost everyone in the story. Her motivations were immature and I doubt she learned much from her experiences. Her choices definitely limited her options.

I would most identify with Irma, even though I liked Gundi the best. I did not identify at all with Hilde. Even with the difficult task of trying to place oneself in another time and culture, I probably would have evolved more like Irma after seeing what was happening over time and how her attitude changed. It's easy to identify with a character in a book, but so much harder to really understand what it must have been like to live through those times.

Irma was the most compelling for me. Being an older adult, it was difficult to sometimes identify with the younger girls' thoughts and why they did what they did within the story.

Maybe because I'm older it would be Irma. However, I would have liked to have had more of Irma's story as felt I didn't really know her. Very often I think that I would never be able to survive in a situation of war or an extreme disaster.

If only I could be a Gundi,--a warrior-like princess, but alas, I am an Irma, a little slow in learning what is going on behind the scenes. Actually Irma is a compelling character able to transform from the dispassionate boarder in Berlin to a most caring nurse at the Lebensborn facility.

I probably identified most with Irma, although at first I found her to be cold, unemotional, and unyielding in her beliefs. But after she worked at the Lebensborn home for a while, she softened in her attitude and genuinely tried to help the girls and provide them with sound advice and some maternal (though she wasn’t a mother) comfort.

I most identify with Hilde. She seems as screwed up as I was at that age! She is just a follower who is seeking status and money to complete her life. I don't think that I was as weakly manipulative as she is. My comparison stops there! She proves to be even or almost as evil as her Nazi counterparts. She marries Max to presumptively go on to ruin his life and live in a world where her dreams are unfulfilled. To make matters worse, her mother-in-law thinks she is a show girls and the mother-in-law thinks all show girls are whores.

In books like this, where people are confronted with a moral challenge, I find myself wondering what I would have done...I'd like to say I would have had the courage to help those in need, or find a way to make a difference under the radar. Irma finally found the courage to do what she could. I admired her for taking a huge risk to help someone else.

I like to think I would, when confronted with such a moral challenge, I would find myself more like Gundi. I find motherhood most rewarding and even though I am now considered to be a "senior" I still feel I would take that risk to help my children.

I loved Gundi’s idealism, but I admired Irma most because of the risks she took to help the girls.