Melanie is here to share a bit about her latest release, Hidden Among the Stars. Her publisher has offered to give away a hard copy of the book (US ONLY). You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends October 5, 2018. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.) Here's Melanie...
Hidden Treasure of
World War II
By Melanie Dobson
Ownerless treasure—that’s what Nazis called the
jewelry, artwork, and coins they stole from Jewish people. They began
plundering this “ownerless” treasure before World War II, and as the war
progressed, they stored these valuable items in caves, mines, and castles
across Europe.
Fifteen years ago, my husband and I visited the alpine lake district
in Austria called the Salzkammergut where the Nazi Party intended to build
their Fourth Reich. In the 1940s, Nazi officials brought crates of gold,
millions in counterfeit and real money, artwork, jewels, and other treasure to
store in this alpine fortress.
Near the end of the war, as Nazi officials fled south through
Austria, they began hiding what they’d stolen. Some of it was distributed up
into the mountains, hidden in abandoned castles or salt mines. Some of it was
buried in gardens or on farmland. Some of it was tossed into the deep mountain
lakes.
The Devil’s Dustbin—that’s what locals call this region
where the Nazis abandoned so many of their things. After years of careful
calculation, record-keeping, and storage, the Nazi officials dumped much of
their stolen treasure across these Austrian Alps, planning to come back for it
later.
During the research for my new novel, Hidden Among the
Stars, I found an article from the 1950s that said the material loss of the
Austrian Jewry—almost two hundred thousand people—was estimated at more than
one billion dollars. Sadly, only about five thousand Jewish Austrians returned
to reclaim their property after the war. And it wasn’t easy to find.
Some of this Nazi plunder was kept by people who found it on
their property. Some of it left the country with officers and soldiers who thought
looting was their victory reward. Jewelry, coins, artwork, silver teacups with
saucers—an assortment of items were shipped back to the United States after the
war.
During our trip to the Salzkammergut, Jon and I spent
several days on a lake called Hallstatt, surrounded by a fortress of mountains.
Because of the lake’s four-hundred-foot depth and the many hiding places in its
underwater caves, forests, and shifting sands, divers continue finding World
War II artifacts today, almost eighty years after the war. Some believe there’s
still a treasure trove hidden far below the depth range of a scuba diver.
Along Lake Hallstatt’s shore is a medieval castle with rusty
turrets, boarded windows, and an old boathouse resting in the water like a
felled log. Intrigued, Jon and I boated across the lake to see Schloss Grub,
and the match of inspiration ignited my mind as I wondered about its story. Who
had lived here during the war? And had the Nazis hidden any of their stolen
treasure on the estate?
I began writing in my journal that night, hoping that one
day a novel would emerge from the ashes of this castle’s story. As the years
passed—and access to online material grew—I was able to find out more about
Schloss Grub. During World War II, I discovered, the estate was used as a
Hitler Youth camp, but my imagination had to fill in many gaps about what
happened there after Austria was annexed into Nazi Germany. And about what
happened to the treasure—if the legend was true—that had been hidden in this
region’s castles and lakes.
Set in a fictional castle, Hidden Among the Stars is
a time-slip story about treasure lost along the shores of Lake Hallstatt. Some
of my characters are searching for treasure stolen from the Jewish people;
others are looking for Jewish heirlooms hidden by well-meaning Austrians who
thought their neighbors would return after the war.
But more than just a treasure hunt, Hidden Among the
Stars is a mystery about finding something even more valuable than
heirlooms or artwork. I won’t tell you whether or not my characters find the
treasure, but I can tell you that my protagonists find exactly what they need. And
they learn that while they may lose their material possessions to the Nazis,
may even lose their lives, they can never lose the legacy of a treasure stored
deep in their hearts.
Q&A with Melanie...
Q: What inspired you to write Hidden Among the Stars? Can you tell us about the research that went
into writing this novel?
A: My husband and I backpacked across Europe to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary, and our
favorite stop was the ancient town and alpine lake called Hallstatt. On this trip, we discovered
that this region in Austria’s Alps is often called the “Devil’s Dustbin” because the Nazis retreated
through here near the end of World War II, throwing all sorts of valuable items in the lakes.
Because of the water’s depth and the many hiding places in the underwater forests, caves, and
shifting sands, people continue searching for World War II artifacts here today. After learning this
history, I began digging through mounds of old books and interviews to create my own story
about two people—characters in the past and present—searching for a lost treasure in Lake
Hallstatt.
Q: You explore fear, evil, and God’s sovereignty in your novel. How do you hope readers might relate
these themes to their own lives?
A: When we experience tragedy, many of us ask where God is in the midst of this pain. Both the past
and contemporary characters in Hidden Among the Stars struggle to understand where God was
during the Holocaust and where God is today when people are hurting. As I wrote this story, I was
reminded that this life we’re living is a battle, the world around us a battlefield, and as readers
step into the fictional journey, I hope they are reminded that God doesn’t run away when they
are suffering. He is right in the midst of their pain, and in the end, no matter what evil does in
attempt to destroy this world, the peace and love and holiness of Christ will prevail.
Q: What role does faith play in this story?
A: Faith is integral to Hidden Among the Stars. As I wrote this book, I dug deep into a question that
has haunted me for years: how can a loving God allow so much pain in our world? I wrestled with
this question personally as my characters in both the contemporary and historical portions
struggled to find an answer. I hope their conclusions will encourage and inspire readers in their
own journey.
Q: Why did you decide to feature children’s literature as part of this story?
A: At first, I wanted to counter the heaviness of the past scenes with the life and fun of children’s
books, but the more I wrote, I was reminded of some of the poignant and provoking themes in great children’s literature. Many children’s books are about confronting fear, and this novel
features two books written in the shadow of World War II that helped both children and adults
overcome fear.
Q: What are some future projects you’re working on?
A: I just returned from the Netherlands and am finishing a time-slip novel based on an incredible
rescue mission that happened in Amsterdam during World War II. The heart of this story is about
identity—who we are in Christ, no matter the circumstances—and I hope it will capture again the
power of seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things to fight evil and rescue those in
need.
Thanks, Melanie. I'm sure my readers will enjoy getting to know a bit more about your book and future projects.
My review...
I've read other books by Melanie Dobson, so I had high hopes for this book, and I wasn't disappointed. (Plus, I look books of this genre!)
The book blends current day, small-town life with Austria at the beginning of the German occupation. Dobson weaves a beautiful dual-timeline story that explores one of the most evil times in history. The present-day characters try to right some of the wrongs of the past, and it all starts with a children's book that could be the key to unlocking the past.
Dobson's novel is well-researched, so it educates the reader along with entertaining them. It highlights some of the sacrifices people made, as well as the suffering they endured. There is romance angle, as well, but it is not the key focus (and I was happy about that). the book is a bit longer than some, but every word was well-utilize. Many books of this genre focus on concentration camps, whereas this one focuses on the possessions the Jews owned and what happened to them. Dobson has crafted a tale that is the perfect blend of history, mystery, and romance, making it one of my favorite reads of 2018 so far.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
About Melanie...
Writing fiction is Melanie
Dobson’s excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique
places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. The award-winning
author of almost twenty books, Melanie enjoys stitching together both time-slip
and historical novels including Hidden Among the Stars, Chateau of Secrets, and
Catching the Wind. More information about Melanie’s journey is available at http://www.melaniedobson.com/.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
