Jan Makkreel Reveals the Life During the Nazi Occupation in the Netherlands in His Timely Memoir

Jan Makkreel narrates a vivid retelling about the burden and damages of war and occupation through the eyes of his younger self. With Robert Graef as his ghostwriter, this timely memoir reminds readers that most casualties of war are non-combatants and that the wounds it leaves to its casualties can neither be forgotten nor healed.
 
Throughout the book’s pages, “Under the Shadow of the Swastika” readers will discover how this great war unfolded through Makkreel’s perspective. He narrates how his family had to learn how to survive after the German forces proceeded to destroy and occupy Rotterdam when he was a child.
 
He also shares about how he was drawn into illegal transportation of food, assisted Jews, and smuggled information and false documents. After the war, these matters led him to be labeled as a Nazi collaborator and traitor to the Jews. Because of this, he ends up being imprisoned with true Nazis.
 
For eighteen months, he comes of age in prison where he gets into situations that test him as a man. As his crimes were proved to be untrue, he was granted pardon which gave him a new chance at life. However, he was released in a society where he is mostly seen only as an ex-convict. His release led Makkreel to move and start a new life in Canada and then to the US where he carries with him every memory that he will never forget.
 
Catch Jan Makkreel’s “Under the Shadow of the Swastika” as he is set to join this year’s New York Rights Fair. From May 29-31, 2019, his memoir will be on the bookshelves along with many other book titles from different genres. History readers and every type of book lover should not miss this event!
 
 
 
Under the Shadow of The Swastika
Author: Jan Makkreel (ghostwritten by Robert Graef)
Published date: January 29, 2019
Published by ReadersMagnet
Paperback price: $15.05
 
 
About the Author
Jan Makkreel was born on 1926 in Rotterdam, Holland and had a very happy childhood until war broke out. He and his brother had to scramble for food of any kind during the war to keep their family fed while their father worked. He also secretly helped the Jews in his neighborhood who were still hiding, which was very dangerous. After the end of the war, he and his father were interned for a year and a half at AMERSFOORT Prison Camp for alleged Nazi collaboration. They were released after being proven innocent but the neighbors were not convinced. Jan could not return to school nor gain employment. He decided to go to Canada where he and his brother began their own businesses. Over the years, he opened a string of piano stores and tuned and restored pianos.
 
 

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