Invisible Years: A Family’s Collected Account of Separation and Survival during the Holocaust in the Netherlands

Chaim and Fifi de Zoete and their three daughters were a Jewish family living in the Netherlands when the German occupiers began deporting Jews to the camps. In hope of surviving, they hid…but not together. Separately, Miriam, 11, Hadassah, 10, and Judith, 9 were sent off to different families. At times, they were moved, meeting designated strangers on city streets, riding trains to unknown destinations all by themselves. Simultaneously, the boys these girls would eventually marry were in similar situations. Invisible Years is not a traditional narrative, but a recounting of their experiences in their own voices from journals written during that time or from memory. The speakers in this book, nine members of an extended family, are so ingeniously woven together that the reader can imagine them alive, standing on a stage, the spotlight moving from one to another as they tell their stories. And even though the final outcome of their circumstances is clear from the beginning, how they live through their experiences is completely engrossing. In addition, the book includes a factual, chronological thread explaining the events on the ground as the war progresses so that these lives can be seen in their historical context. This a magnificent book, a work of art with photographs of the families and pictures of the written journals and the children’s possessions. The father of the one of the young men began a memoir when he went into hiding and wrote 49 pages in the six weeks he survived before he was captured and deported to his death. He begins with these heart-breaking words: “Why do I begin just today…? … because the chance to commit my entire being to help my family and myself has been taken from me.” There is a life-sized photograph of the yellowed pages of his journal, in his own hand writing, spread across two pages of the book. It is a snapshot of how intimately we get to know the people whose voices are heard in Invisible Years.Jane Resnick

Invisible Years is a masterpiece. The beauty, love and dedicated effort that went into creating this work of art is remarkable and will live through the ages. Besides the tremendous work of collaborating, gathering, developing the story telling content of interwoven voices, the graphic design is a jewel. I appreciated all the levels and layers of excellence achieved in this book.The book captured the emotional story of what the Nazi terror was and how it affected each family member. Just hearing how the Nazis slowly worked over the course of a year or so to remove rights from the Jews and gain PR support is shocking. And that until the Dutch became victims themselves, they did not really “see” what was happening to the Dutch Jews, which says a lot about the ignorant side of human nature.The historic background info, the maps of hiding places are riveting. Context that is so relative to filling out the story. It is a personalized nightmare that is important for all to hear. The immense network of saviors and the risks taken, was amazing.I also cannot imagine, as a kid, or any kids I know, having the control and patience to live through what some of these family members had to endure. The children understood the severe danger but kept a lot of their childlike innocence intact. The fact that the 5 members of the de Zoete family survived and were reunited, is a miracle. It makes the list of so many relatives lost, extremely difficult.The after-the-war story of the surviving family growing, is uplifting. How courageous to work to build a safe haven - Israel - together. It really does give me hope for humanity. That sounds cliché but without the strength of character, risk taking, and conviction to survive, nothing else would bring such joy to what had been, a very dark world.An intense project - beautifully crafted and presented. A significant contribution.

The quality of the book itself it as outstanding as the narrative, For BOOK lovers, it is a very special treat. Godine outdid himself

In the poignant and insightful book, Invisible Years, Daphne Geismar has skillfully woven the multiple voices of her extraordinary relatives into a tapestry of love, hope, and resilience. From beginning to end, this stirring, true account, told largely through rediscovered writings of her courageous family members, captivated my heart and moved me deeply. It could have been easy to lose their individual voices in the remarkably substantial collection of artifacts, but Geismar's brilliant decision to sequence them in a distinctive manner, while pairing each with an historical timeline, enabled me to clearly "hear" each one. As a retired teacher who taught about the Holocaust, I can envision so many ways that Invisible Years could also be incorporated into the curriculum to inspire students and enrich learning. Thank you, Daphne Geismar! Your generosity in sharing this unforgettable book with us, will unquestionably touch and profoundly affect many, many readers, both young and old.

Daphne Geismar has gifted her readers with the creation of an alluring visual account of a dire time in history miraculously leaving us with hope at it's conclusion. Invisible Years is a timely exposé narrated by overlapping stories of nine of her family members, before, during, and after Nazi occupied Netherlands; corroborated by inormative history briefs and engaging visuals. A page-turner leaving us in awe of both the family members and those (often strangers) who risked everything to right a wrong by offering their help. All of these people's courage, resilience, and humanity rings loud reminding us what injustice looks like while working as a vital guide in how to resist bigotry and intolerance going forward.

Personal and forward in a realistic setting.Great read.