The Unanswered Letter

One Holocaust Family’s Desperate Plea for Help

By: Faris Cassell

Narrated by: Kate Mulligan

"Dear Madam - You are surely informed about the situation of all Jews in Central Europe and this letter will not astonish you."

In August 1939, just days before World War II broke out in Europe, a Jewish man in Vienna named Alfred Berger mailed a desperate letter to a stranger in America who shared his last name.

"By pure chance I got your address...I beg you instantly to send for me and my wife...."

Decades later, journalist Faris Cassell stumbled upon the stunning letter and became determined to uncover the story behind it. How did the American Bergers respond? Did Alfred and his family escape Nazi Germany? Over a decade-long investigation, Cassell traveled thousands of miles; explored archives and offices in Austria, Belarus, Israel, and the Czech Republic; interviewed descendants; and found letters, photos, and sketches made by family members during the Holocaust.

This is Cassell’s account of the devastating true story of The Unanswered Letter.

©2020 Faris Cassell (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

A must-read for any history buff

An impressive array of primary research yields this incredible story of two families intertwined by fate in a quest for truth, identity, and reconsolidation.

the unanswered letter

I found the story too long and although I listened to the entire story it was a struggle. I learned some history and became invested in the characters but it just drug on and on

horror story

wonderful, horrific, emotional story. lovely speaker.
may Hitler and his followers burn in eternal hell.

Amazing insight into experience of Viennese Jews

Couldn't put it down! Debunks the myths of Jews passively accepting their fate in Nazi occupied Vienna. Should be on reading lists for teens and up to teach how easily people who stand idly by are complicit in terrible atrocities.

Amazing! A must read!

This stunning story draws you in immediately. The author skillfully weaves a family’s personal story with the historical relevance making this an engaging and important read. The Unanswered Letter is a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Holocaust. It is a story of hope, love and courage.