The Holocaust memoir so heartwarming it had to be fake | Salon Books

The Holocaust memoir so heartwarming it had to be fake | Salon Books.

Jan. 7, 2009 | Novelist and editor William Dean Howells famously told Edith Wharton that the problem with American audiences was that they always wanted “a tragedy with a happy ending.”

That longing explains what led to the recent controversy over Herman Rosenblat’s Holocaust memoir, “Angel at the Fence: The True Story of a Love That Survived,” now canceled by the publisher Berkley Books, though a film version may still be in the offing.

I know this story. I grew up hearing this story, I think… Sometimes memory does not serve, it dictates. I couldn’t tell you the first time I heard this story, but I know that I know it.

I think it’s a shame. People neeed something to cling to, who cares if it’s made up? Have you watched Jacob the Liar? So now we know, so publish it anyway, just not as truth.

I ordered a ton of Holocaust DVDs from NetFlix a little bit ago. From love stories to tales of Dr. Mengele, I watched them all. A little bit of romance is welcome in that onslaught of images.

A birthday cake for Adolph Hitler…

I’m sure you’ve read the story. If not, Google the subject, it’ll come right up. Basically, this family is up in arms because a food store refused to make a birthday cake for their kid who is named, you guessed it, Adolph HItler Whateverthelastnameis. They contacted the news and whatnot because the store refused to make the cake, but did offer a blank cake and some decorative icing so they could write the name themselves. The dad claimed he’d probably misspell the name. Um, what? You are going to misspell your kids name?

Of course, the family also claims they aren’t white supremacists, just proud of their German heritage. That’s why one of the other kids is Whatever Aryan Nation Whateverthelastnameis and the other kids middle name is Himler. WTFEver people. He also has swastikas all over the house and the whole thing is just creepy.

You can’t help but feel sorry for the kids. They are going to grow up to believe this or normal behaviour.

No, I don’t want people to forget about Adolph Hitler and the horrible things he, and Dr. Mengele, and Eva and all his cronies did. As soon as we forget, it will happen again. I don’t want to be rounded up and starved and worked and gassed and stuck in a mass grave. I don’t want to be torn away from my babies, my husband, my family. I also don’t want people who still believe in that bullshit to be allowed to breed. Then again, I suppose there are people who don’t think I should be allowed to breed, and I think my kids are smart and well adjusted, so it’s a stand off I guess.

Turns out there was a follow up to the story. Twelve children attended the birthday party, which had a cake, which was supplied by Wal*Mart. Well, good. The kids deserves a cake and a party. All kids do.