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The Seventh Cross: A Harrowing Tale of Escape and Resilience in the Face of Nazi Persecution

Tom Hayes

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Published in The Seventh Cross (New York Review Classics)

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By Anna Seghers

The Seventh Cross By Anna Seghers The Seventh Cross (New York Review Classics)

The Seventh Cross (New York Review Books classics)

by Anna Seghers

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2109 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	416 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

The Seventh Cross is a powerful and moving novel about the horrors of the Nazi regime. Written by Anna Seghers in 1942, the novel tells the story of seven prisoners who escape from a concentration camp. They are hunted by the Gestapo, and each of them faces a different fate.

The novel opens with the escape of the seven prisoners from the Westhofen concentration camp. They are led by Georg Heisler, a former communist who was arrested for his political beliefs. The other prisoners are a diverse group of individuals, including a Jewish doctor, a homosexual artist, and a young woman who was arrested for helping her father escape from Germany.

The prisoners travel through the German countryside, trying to avoid detection by the Gestapo. They face many dangers along the way, including hunger, cold, and the threat of being betrayed. They also witness the horrors of the Nazi regime firsthand, as they see how the Nazis persecute and murder Jews, homosexuals, and other minorities.

One by one, the prisoners are captured or killed. Heisler is the last one to survive, and he is eventually captured by the Gestapo. He is tortured and executed, but he never gives up hope. He dies with the words "The seventh cross will be for me" on his lips.

The Seventh Cross is a powerful and moving novel about the horrors of the Nazi regime. It is a story of courage, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity. The novel is a reminder of the importance of fighting against tyranny and oppression.

"The Seventh Cross is a masterpiece of literature. It is a powerful and moving story about the horrors of the Nazi regime. The novel is a reminder of the importance of fighting against tyranny and oppression."
—The New York Times

Characters

The novel features a diverse cast of characters, each of whom represents a different aspect of the human experience under the Nazi regime.

Georg Heisler is a former communist who was arrested for his political beliefs. He is the leader of the group of escaped prisoners.
Dr. Otto Katz is a Jewish doctor who was arrested for helping his patients escape from Germany.
Paul Röder is a homosexual artist who was arrested for his sexual orientation.
Franz Marnet is a young man who was arrested for helping his father escape from Germany.
Walla Luttgens is a young woman who was arrested for helping her Jewish friend escape from Germany.
Beier is a former concentration camp guard who helps the escaped prisoners.
Krupp is a Gestapo officer who is determined to capture the escaped prisoners.

Themes

The Seventh Cross explores a number of important themes, including:

The horrors of the Nazi regime: The novel provides a unflinching look at the horrors of the Nazi regime. Seghers describes the persecution and murder of Jews, homosexuals, and other minorities. She also shows how the Nazi regime destroyed the lives of ordinary people.
The importance of fighting against tyranny and oppression: The novel is a reminder of the importance of fighting against tyranny and oppression. The escaped prisoners represent the hope of resistance against the Nazi regime.
The power of hope: The novel shows the power of hope in the face of adversity. The escaped prisoners never give up hope, even when they are faced with overwhelming odds.

Legacy

The Seventh Cross is a classic of literature. It has been translated into more than 30 languages and has been adapted for stage, screen, and radio. The novel has been praised for its powerful storytelling, its complex characters, and its important themes.

The Seventh Cross is a reminder of the horrors of the Nazi regime. It is also a story of courage, resilience, and hope. The novel is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of the Holocaust and the importance of fighting against tyranny and oppression.

The Seventh Cross (New York Review Books classics)

by Anna Seghers

4.6 out of 5