Kaufering XII - WWII Biography Book - WWII Biography Book - Author Danny Rittman

The thought of a Jewish SS officer is preposterous and off-putting, but people took extraordinary steps to protect themselves and their loved ones in Nazi Germany.

In this true story, the author shares the story of Yochanan Berger, who reluctantly confessed his dark past to only a few people late in his life.

Born in 1920, Berger grew up near Berlin in a strict Orthodox family, with his life shaped by faith and community until he was captivated by a young Catholic woman. They fell in love and despite objections, married.

Shortly later, a friend in the national records office warned him of what was to come and gave him a new identity: Johan Ludwig. When a Gestapo officer doubted his identity and pressed him to enter the SS, Berger agreed to protect himself and his family.

Upon receiving his commission, Berger was assigned to a sub-camp of Dachau where slaves made war munitions. He administered the camp as ordered but also secured care for victims of medical experiments, smuggled a baby out of the camp, and even killed a menacing SS officer.

Discover the story of a man whose love for family and will to survive forced him to make unthinkable decisions.

Winner of the Editor's Choice Award.

The idea of a Jewish SS officer is preposterous and unsettling, but in Nazi Germany people had to take extraordinary steps to survive and protect loved ones.

This is the incredible true story selling book rights for a movie of Yochanan Berger.

Born in 1920, he grew up near Berlin in a strict Orthodox family, until he was captivated by and finally married a Catholic woman, despite objections.

A friend warned him of what was to come and provided him a new identity: Johan Ludwig. When a Gestapo officer suspected him, he felt compelled to enter the SS to survive and see loved ones through a dark night.

Assigned to a sub-camp of Dachau, he was able to provide somewhat better conditions for thousands of inmates. He even spirited a newborn out and found him a home. He did what he could to help but there were limits. To his last days in Israel he never felt he’d done enough.

Kaufering XII is a World War Biography Novel.