Summary

“Those Who Save Us” ties together the life experiences of Anna and her daughter Trudy. Anna had lived in Germany during the war and had immigrated to the United States, followed by the ghosts of her dark past. Her daughter, who bears little memory of their time in Germany, longs for connection with her mother, who remains silent in an effort to avoid the past.

The Prologue begins in New Heidelburg, Minnesota at the funeral of Jack, Anna’s husband and Trudy’s father. The funeral is well attended despite the horrible cold outside. After the service, Trudy drives Anna home and the two do not speak, which is typical. At the house, the two women prepare for guests in silence. After hours of waiting, they realize none are coming.

In Chapter 1, the setting of the novel shifts to Weimar, Germany in 1939. At this...