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[email protected] Anti-Hitler hero’s story a must-read ¾ ¾ By Eugene Fisher THE SUBTITLE of this ex- cellent book might more ac- curately be ‘Schuschnigg’s fight to save Austria and the Jews from the Nazis’ since the plight of the Jews under the Nazis forms its major sub- plot. This is a meticulously re- searched book that is a must- read for historians of the pe- riod. It also is a book that the average Catholic reader can enjoy, as its narratives of the people and events of Germa- ny and Austria in the peri- od leading up to and during World War II are well-written, even gripping at times. The book contains numer- ous photographs of the main characters and events includ- ing the religious leaders, such as Pope Pius XI, who publicly condemned Nazism and an- ti-Semitism. The story revolves around two Austrian Catholics, Schuschnigg and Adolf Hitler. The latter veered away from Catholicism early in his life, coming to hate the church. The former was a devout Catholic whose worldview was deeply rooted in the teachings of the church, and who was chancellor of Austria from 1934 until the German invasion ended Austria’s in- dependence. The first part of the book sets the stage, telling the story of how each of the protago- nists rose to lead their respec- tive countries, both of which had been deeply scarred by the strictures placed on them, economically and political- ly, after World War I, and the Great Depression. People in both countries were looking for someone to blame and many in both countries found a scapegoat in the Jews, who had often in European history over the centuries been blamed for the economic problems, even plagues, so that the ruling elites would not be held re- sponsible for their own fail- ings. Hitler drew on deep-root- ed ignorance which had mor- phed into contempt for Jews and Judaism, which had be- come racial anti-Semitism, to great effect in his rise to power. Schuschnigg eschewed this and opposed anti-Semi- tism. Later parts of the book detail how Schuschnigg trav- elled to Germany to meet with Hitler, who harangued and threatened Schuschnigg for hours, hoping to get him to agree to a German takeover of Austria. Schuschnigg calmly but resolutely refused and re- turned to Austria. Hitler prepared to send his The cover of AloneAgainst Hitler: Kurt von Schuschnigg’s Fight to SaveAustria From the Nazis by Jack Bray. PHOTO: CNS/ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD troops to take over. The chan- cellor of Austria, with a mob of Nazis at his door, went on the radio and affirmed the independence of his country, condemning Nazism and an- ti-Semitism. German troops stormed into Austria. Schuschnigg was taken prisoner, along with his wife and young daughter, remain- ing in a German-run prison in Italy until the end of the war. The Italians treated them reasonably well and ignored an order given by Hitler in his last days to execute them along with other prisoners who were leaders of countries conquered by Germany. Liberated, the Austri- an family went to America. Schuschnigg became a pro- fessor at Jesuit-run St Louis University and an American citizen. In 1967, he retired and, af- ter his wife died and daughter married andmoved toFrance, he returned to the small Aus- trian town in which he was born and raised, which wel- comed him warmly. He died there in 1977, praised by all for his re- sistance to the Nazis at a time when few others, as Bray clearly shows, did. A true Catholic hero. - CNS Alone Against Hitler: Kurt von Schuschnigg’s Fight to Save Austria From the Nazis, by Jack Bray. Rowman and Littlefield Prometheus Books (Lanham, Maryland, 2020). 313 pp., $26. Fisher is a professor of the- ology at St. Leo University in Florida. REVIEWS Gritty hospital days UNCOMMONLY though- tful, quietly engrossing, Lenox Hill will leave an abiding impression on viewers. Eight one-hour episodes of the docuse- ries are currently stream- ing on Netflix. Producers and di- rectors Adi Barash and Ruthie Shatz bring a cin- ema-verite style to their portrayal of life in this major New York City hos- pital. They thus dispense with narration or com- mentary in favour of an unmediated presentation of events. Granted a remarkable degree of access to Lenox Hill over the course of a year, the documentarians track four caregivers as they interact with a diverse array of patients. These are David Langer and John Boockvar, respectively the chair and vice chair of neurosurgery, emergency physician Mirtha Macri and chief OB-GYN resi- dent Amanda Little Rich- ardson. Lenox Hill also deals with such mature themes as racism, mental illness, substance abuse, home- lessness and cancer. Some patients contem- plate suicide or euthana- sia. Participants in Le- nox Hill also use a fair amount of vulgarity. Giv- en the life-or-death pres- sure under which they work, however, this is – as those grown-ups for whom the series can be recommended will read- ily understand – more excusable than it would be amid calmer circum- stances. By precisely framing certain moments, Barash and Shatz successfully evoke strong but fitting viewer emotion. By af- firming the humanity of all, whether affluent physician or mentally ill street person, they raise Lenox Hill to the rank of exceptional filmmaking. ¾ ¾ By Chris Byrd STORY ABOUT AN AUSTRIAN CATHOLIC HERO: A MUST-READ FOR WORLD WAR II HISTORIANS The Chancellor of Austria, with a mob of Nazis at his door, went on the radio and affirmed the independence of his country, condemning Nazism and anti-Sem- itism. German troops stormed into Austria.” “LENOX HILL” STREAMING NETFLIX