Underground in Berlin

A Young Woman's Extraordinary Tale of Survival in the Heart of Nazi Germany

By: Marie Jalowicz Simon, Hermann Simon, Hermann Simon - introduction, Anthea Bell - translator

Narrated by: Ellen Archer

A thrilling piece of undiscovered history, this is the true account of a young Jewish woman who survived World War II in Berlin.

In 1942, Marie Jalowicz, a twenty-year-old Jewish Berliner, made the extraordinary decision to do everything in her power to avoid the concentration camps. She removed her yellow star, took on an assumed identity, and disappeared into the city.

In the years that followed, Marie took shelter wherever it was offered, living with the strangest of bedfellows, from circus performers and committed communists to convinced Nazis. As Marie quickly learned, however, compassion and cruelty are very often two sides of the same coin.

Fifty years later, Marie agreed to tell her story for the first time. Told in her own voice with unflinching honesty, Underground in Berlin is a book like no other, of the surreal, sometimes absurd day-to-day life in wartime Berlin. This might be just one woman's story, but it gives an unparalleled glimpse into what it truly means to be human.

Critic reviews

"Marie Jalowicz Simon transports the reader right to wartime Berlin. Even seventy years later, her voice is young, fresh, and gripping. Her story is by turns funny, wise, and horrific. I felt like she was reaching out to me across time and I couldn't help but fall in love with her. Despite the incredible dangers she faced living underground in Nazi Berlin, Marie's story is incredibly life-affirming and at times, even joyful."
—Clara Kramer, author of Clara's War

"An absolutely gripping account of one young woman's struggle to escape deportation at the hands of the Nazis and of those who helped her. Marie Jalowicz-Simon details for the first time with total honesty the harsh sexual politics of survival in the Berlin underground."
—Thomas Ertman, New York University, author of Birth of the Leviathan

WW II

I learned what it like to be a Jew during this time in Germany during WW II.

Interesting Narrative

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I don't think it could be changed, nor should it. This was an historical narrative of what happened in her life.

Was Underground in Berlin worth the listening time?

Yes, if just to learn from the historical narrative. It was fascinating to here what Marie was like and what those around her were like in her eyes.

Any additional comments?

I would not, personally, have wanted to know her because she judged almost everyone she met and knew so harshly both in their character and appearance. This part of the story grew old for me.

Compelling and fiercely candid!

This is more than a memoir of a Holocaust survivor. It’s a highly detailed and shockingly candid account of survival in Berlin by an intellectually adept young Jewish woman.

I found it so interesting that I didn’t want the story to end. I enjoyed the honesty of her thoughts; found her style immensely satisfying. Audible is definitely the right medium to hear the author’s words. Definitely unique; unusually NOT about the death camps; intricate details of daily life during another type of imprisonment: Nazi Germany.

Revealing excellent story

Lots of detail
Some superfluous
Amazing history of Berlin WWII
Extremely difficult time
Needed help to survive

Not quite what I expected

I enjoyed the book but overall I did not have any empathy for main character. Unfortunately she came across as a spoiled and entitled. i understand why she didn't want to do the jobs she was given. What I don't understand is how she could quit the jobs knowing she had no means to support herself and had to rely on others. I realize what she went through was extremely difficult but her hardships were nowhere near those of other survivors i have read about. I was amazed by the kindness of somel Germans and their willingness to put themselves in danger to help others and stand up for their beliefs.