Berlin, 1938. The windows are shattered. The synagogues burn. And time is running out. In Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, Jewish families are stripped of their livelihoods, their rights, and finally their safety. After years of hoping the madness would pass, Lina’s cousins realize the truth: if they do not leave now, they may never leave at all. Across the Atlantic, in quiet Connecticut, Lina and her husband Ben are rebuilding their lives after the Great Depression. Then a letter arrives from Berlin—a plea for help that will upend everything. Lina has never met these three proud German cousins. Yet she is suddenly thrust into a perilous mission: navigate quotas, affidavits, mounting bureaucracy, and tightening borders to rescue family members trapped in the tightening grip of the Third Reich. Based on real letters exchanged between Lina, her cousins, and others desperate to intervene, When the World was Broken brings to life: The daily realities of Jewish life in Berlin from 1933–1942 - The escalating terror following Kristallnacht - The moral paralysis and political barriers surrounding emigration - The fragile hope of refugees seeking safe harbor - The courage of ordinary individuals attempting extraordinary acts For readers of World War II historical fiction, Jewish refugee narratives, and stories of emigration from Nazi Germany, this novel offers suspense, authenticity, and deeply human stakes on both sides of the Atlantic. When history fractures the world, who will risk everything to mend it? Advanced Praise: Ruth’s book is a powerful addition to Holocaust literature. As a history buff, I was captivated by the people and places she brings to life, particularly the stories of patriotic German families as their Jewish identity was turned against them…these stories of lives once full of purpose and dignity deliver an especially haunting impact, more powerful because they are true. Daniel P. King, Ret. Detective, NYPD, Ret. Master at Arms, USNR It has been a great honor for me to meet Ruth and participate in her work, in which she reveals the lives of the Zickel family, Jews almost completely wiped out in the Shoah. Ruth, having the good fortune to learn about these relatives from Berlin through their letters, has written this important historical novel to preserve their memory for family and posterity. Dear readers, you are holding in your hands the result of Ruth's wonderful project. Stephan Kummer, Provenance Researcher, Zentral- und Landesbibliothek, Berlin Using actual family letters, Ruth Stitt weaves a moving story of a Jewish family in Nazi Germany. Stitt brings to life the terror they faced and the decisions they made. Brilliantly written, her book is a valuable contribution to Holocaust literature. Roger C. Barnes, PhD., Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of the Incarnate Word The story of Ruth's German Jewish ancestors was of interest to me because of my own German heritage and my desire to learn more about the historical atrocities of the Holocaust. Ruth's book beautifully blends authentic letters written by her protagonists, her imaginative embellishment of their personalities and lives, and careful research of Nazi Germany, presenting an important Holocaust story that is compelling as well as enlightening. Lanie Marie Brown, Esq., Counselor at Law . ..Though I've read many books in this genre, this one stands out...Reading about German Jews living in Berlin during the war provided a point of view I've yet to encounter. Reading of their desperation and countless efforts to escape make this feel so much more real and heavy than other books I've read...This book is special... Elizabeth Strickland, editor, Wandering Words Media