Explaining war and atrocities to children is never easy, which is perhaps why Judith Kerr's novel, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, became an international best seller. Published in 1971, it tells the story of a young Jewish girl who escaped Nazi Germany during World War II, explaining the experience through the simplicity of a child’s eyes.
Kerr's insight was inspired by her own experience, which she shared with Ryan Tubridy this morning. She was nine years old when her family fled Berlin after coming under threat from the Nazis. Judith's father, Alfred Kerr, was a well known writer and theatre reviewer who became an outspoken critic of the rising Nazi movement. "He warned against them for a number of years before they came to power," said Judith.
"Because he was witty he made fun of them, which they absolutely hated. In 1932 they published a sort of death list of people they said they would stand against a wall and shoot when they came to power. My father was number two on the list."
In February 1933, Judith's father received a call warning him that the Nazis were trying to seize his passport. He fled immediately, while Judith followed with her mother and brother on the eve of Hitler's election. The anonymous caller "saved all of our lives," according to Judith, and came just in time. Two days later, the Nazis visited their house in Berlin looking to seize the family's passports.
The family spent time in Switzerland and Paris before settling in England. Judith's father didn't return to Germany until after the war, when he was invited on an initiative British Control Commission. "Morale was very low in 1948 so they thought it would be a good idea for him to go back and do what he did before the war, which was go to the theatre and write reviews," said Judith.
He received a warm reception in Germany and a standing ovation in the theatre. However, when he retired to his hotel room later that night, he suffered a stroke. He became paralysed on one side and, while in recovery, he told his wife he did not want to live. She smuggled suicide pulls into the hospital, which he took after she left.
Alfred Kerr was 81 when he died and didn't live long enough to see Judith become a best-selling author. But he gave her so much, she said, including the humour, optimism and warmth she brought to her writing. Judith, who turns 94 this year, credits her long life to her parents, and often wonders what they would think of the world in 2017.
"The world has changed enormously, changed for the better. It is total science fiction compared to 1948. I think, look at this wonderful happy life I've had."
Judith Kerr will be in conversation at the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire on March 25th as part of the Mountains to Sea Literary Festival
To listen to the full interview, click here.
Photo credit: JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images