American Wolf is a true story full of last-minute rescues, near-death encounters, and survival against untold odds. In the summer of 1941, 11-year-old Wolf is growing up amidst the rubble and antisemitism of war-torn Nazi Berlin. Destitute and facing deportation, he must leave behind his sister and travel with his family across a continent entrenched in war. With nothing in hand but expired visas to the US, Wolf and his family must figure out how to sneak aboard the Spanish freighter the Navemar, a ship that would gain its reputation as the “Hell Ship of Death.” But this is only the beginning of Wolf’s saga.American Wolf is a heart-stopping true story full of last-minute rescues, near-death encounters, and survival against untold odds. It is also a story about coming of age, family dysfunction and national identity, and is a resounding testament to the triumph of the human spirit.Using the notes compiled by her father, Audrey Birnbaum vividly retells a poignant account of Wolf’s childhood in Berlin, his riveting escape from Nazi Germany, and the continued challenges he faced even as he reached freedom. CONTENTSINTRODUCTIONPROLOGUEPART I FOR RICHER OR POORERSCHILLERSTRASSE, CHARLOTTENBURGTHE BEGINNING OF THE ENDPART IIJUDEN VERBOTENLETTERS AND LINES AND BOARDERSA KIND OF SICKNESSWALKING ON BROKEN GLASSMINUS ONEPART IIIVICTOR, VICTORIOUSSCHOOL'S OUTFLAT EARTHPART IVPREPARATIONS ONE IF BY RAIL ACROSS THE ATLANTIC PHOTOSPART VNO INSTRUCTION MANUALEXTERMINATION ROOTSDIMINISHING RETURNSATLASFOUND AND LOSTNEW BEGINNINGS, SAME OLD ENDINGS PART VI MAKING ME INTO A MAN THE RETURNHOMECOMING AMERICANAEPILOGUE/AUTHOR'S NOTEACKNOWLEDGMENTSPHOTOS NOTESABOUT THE AUTHOR AMSTERDAM PUBLISHERS HOLOCAUST LIBRARY