Interview With Author Paul F. Marzell

 

1.      What inspired you to write this book? The inspiration for writing "Heimat" struck me eleven years ago when researching my family tree in anticipation of my first grandchild's birth. My goal was to compile a comprehensive documentation of his diverse heritage, spanning Dutch, English, Mexican, and German roots. Employing traditional resources like census and baptismal records, I augmented my project with invaluable documents inherited from my father, who immigrated from Germany in 1929.  

Among these documents were my father’s birth certificate, immigration papers, passport, the ticket for the inaugural voyage of the TS Bremen across the Atlantic, and a collection of various German and United States government forms, including his World War Two draft registration. The letters he preserved from his mother, sisters, and other relatives, which he received both before and after World War Two, were of utmost significance.  

Many of the letters were composed in Sütterlin Schrift, a script no longer taught in Germany. It took me several months to transcribe them into modern German script and then translate them into English.  

Many of the experiences of some characters in Heimat are inspired by real-life experiences of people I know. At the same time, I've crafted other characters and their experiences entirely from my imagination. In the chapters where letters are utilized for foreshadowing, some are nearly verbatim from authentic letters, while others are consolidations of two or more correspondences. Additionally, there are instances where letters are entirely fictional. These letters not only served to establish the chronological framework for the narrative but also became an integral part of the storytelling.  

Despite these creative liberties, the historical facts presented in my work are meticulously researched and accurate. 

2.      What exactly is it about, and who is it written for? “Heimat” is a term that embodies the feelings and connections in the hearts and minds of Germans to their roots. Heimat is written for anyone interested in history and war, especially Word War Two and its aftermath, which still has an impact today as we experience current hostilities in Eastern Europe. It is an inspiring tale of resilience, hope, and the pursuit of a brighter future of four ambitious young men who embarked on a life-changing journey from Germany to the United States in 1929.  

Matthias, a baker, sought to escape a difficult family situation, while Josef, a skilled watchmaker, joined him on a whim. Edo, a gifted tailor, made the daring decision to leave behind government-sanctioned anti-Semitism and pave the way for his family's eventual emigration. Finally, Feliks, an ambitious ethnic Polish teenager, set out on his own path due to the limitations of his family farm.  

Their plans took an unexpected turn when they heroically saved an American diplomat's life at a bustling Berlin train station. This act of bravery forged an unbreakable bond between them and the diplomat, who became their unwavering ally throughout their journey. Together, they navigated the challenges of broken promises, the trials of the Great Depression, Prohibition-era America, cultural assimilation, and the turmoil of World War Two.  

During these trying times, Matthias received poignantly desperate letters from his mother urging him to reunite with her in a resurgent Germany as the Nazi regime seemed to offer economic prosperity and a renewed sense of national pride. He struggled with the inner conflict of an immigrant torn between loyalty to the country of his birth and commitment to his adopted land.  

However, the war severed the ties to his family for five long years, and Matthias found himself and his friends on paths they could never have anticipated. Matthias found work in a shipyard, building war vessels that would bring destruction to his beloved Heimat. Feliks enlisted in the US Army, fighting in the Pacific and later with resistance fighters in Poland. Josef, during an untimely return to Germany, was, unfortunately, conscripted to serve in the German Wehrmacht and witnessed the devastating horrors of war in Russia. Edo participated in the historic Nuremberg Trials, ensuring that justice was served, and the world learned from the atrocities committed by Nazi war criminals.  

Heimat is a triumphant story of perseverance, highlighting the unyielding spirit of four individuals as they embrace the opportunities, face the challenges, and ultimately triumph over adversity. Their journey serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope and courage can prevail, guiding us toward a brighter future filled with unity, compassion, and the pursuit of dreams.

 

3.      What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? Individuals will recognize two key points: firstly, that immigrants should not be stigmatized, and acknowledging that the enforcement of immigration policies during the period depicted in Heimat played a role in the United States' success in World War Two and beyond. Secondly, it is crucial to be aware of the Allies' agreement to conduct forced mass migration for the purpose of ethnic cleansing in eastern Germany after the war. 

 

4.      How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? The title was inspired by the word “Heimat,” which appears in many of the letters I mentioned above. “Heimat" is a German word that doesn't have a direct equivalent in English. It carries a deep, emotional meaning encompassing a sense of belonging and identity beyond a physical location, including a nostalgic attachment to a particular environment's cultural and social aspects. The front cover is from a drawing of the “House of Scales” in the city of Nysa, Poland (formerly Neisse, Germany). The building was built sometime in the 1700s and is still standing. The back cover is an early 1900s photo of my Grandfather’s bakery in the city, but the block it was in was destroyed after the war and was replaced with apartments and shops.

 

5.      What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Do not be easily distracted like I am. While writing, do your best to ignore all chores, e.g. cleaning up the dog poop, mowing the lawn, fixing the leaking toilet, staining the deck, ad infinitum. Learn to type! I’m too old to learn that trick. Do not ignore your health! 

 

6.      What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?  I prefer to read paperbacks and would rather sell my book as a paperback, but eBooks are on the rise. it is available in that format, too.

 

7.      Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?  When I was a kid, my father frequently shared stories about his Heimat, Neisse, Germany. His nostalgic accounts sometimes pissed me off because he portrayed his upbringing there as superior to mine in an inner-city neighborhood in Philadelphia, which because of him, is where I was. However, he never discussed Neisse's post-war history. He just reminisced about his life before 1929, when he left. It wasn't until my military service in Germany from 1960 to 1963 that I began to understand when I had the opportunity to meet my cousins, aunts, and uncles, who relocated westward after the war. They never discussed the forced migration, and I didn't give it any attention until I translated the aforementioned letters, sparking my curiosity.   

For writing fiction, I had years of experience in business, writing proposals and analyses to justify operating and capital budgets for senior executive approval. Aka, the genre “creative truth-telling.”  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?  I can’t compare my writing style to anyone. It is my first novel. I like to read historical fiction by  Leon Uris, Herman Wouk, and James Michener and narrative historical nonfiction by Erik Larson, which feel like novels to me. I also like paranormal novels by Dean Koontz. Then there are also  J. K. Rawling and R. R. Tolkien. It will be a miracle if my writing style is in any way similar to any of these authors. Nah, no way. 

9, What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? In addition to writing it, I formatted it, designed the chapters, copyrighted it, developed the front and back covers and spine, plus the front and back matter, and published it in Amazon KDP in paperback and eBook editions.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? They will be enlightened about past US immigration policies to the US, the international appeasement that opened the door to World War Two and the Holocaust, and the mass migration of 12 million eastern Europeans that led to up to 2 million deaths after the war.  

About the Author: I was born and raised in Philadelphia and currently reside in western Pennsylvania with my wife, Janet.  I served in the United States Air Force in West Germany in the early sixties. I earned a BSBA degree from Temple University in Philadelphia and an MBA degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. My business experience includes thirty years in the airline industry in various non-management and management positions with domestic and international responsibilities. I was also a customer service manager for a light industry company and an operations manager for a satellite TV provider. Heimat is my first novel. For more info, please see www.PaulFMarzell.com.

 

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Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.