20/10/2025
NEW RELEASE
Austrian Again. Reclaiming a Lost Legacy, by Anne Hand offers a poignant exploration of heritage, identity, and the often complicated relationship between the past and present. The author embarks on a deeply personal journey to uncover her family’s history, one marked by migration, survival, and the legacies of World War II. What begins as a seemingly distant exploration of her roots unfolds into a discovery of profound significance. Through the lens of her family’s story, the author crafts a story that resonates on multiple levels – personal, historical, and universal.
The author’s journey begins with the story of her grandfather, a young Jewish man who left Vienna in the 1920s. Fleeing the economic and social instability that plagued Austria at the time, he sought refuge in Canada and later the United States. For the author, the connection to her Austrian roots was almost nonexistent during her early life, largely because her family assimilated into the American dream. She grew up comfortably in the U.S., but with little knowledge of her family’s Holocaust-related history or the broader turmoil that shaped their lives. Like many American descendants of European immigrants, she had been encouraged to explore her ancestral roots.
Yet, her early attempts to connect with her family’s past felt superficial and impersonal. She visited Vienna after college but found herself indifferent. The idea of discovering her heritage seemed like a romanticized notion designed for American tourists rather than something of personal significance. In addition, not speaking German and having no immediate ties to Austria made the prospect of spending more time there seem irrelevant.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 altered her perspective. As she watched the world grapple with the crisis, she noticed a significant change in Austrian law – descendants of N**i-era refugees were granted the right to apply for citizenship. This legislation sparked her curiosity. For the first time, she began to seriously contemplate what reclaiming Austrian citizenship might mean for her. The pandemic, coupled with the 2016 U.S. election and its impact on the political landscape, made her reconsider the possibility of reconnecting with her Austrian heritage.
The catalyst for this exploration came when her aunt passed away, leaving behind a box of family artifacts – postcards, letters, photographs, and other memorabilia that chronicled the lives of her ancestors. As she sifted through these materials, she began to realize the importance of understanding her heritage. The box became a window into a world she had previously ignored. Although it was overwhelming to be confronted with so many unfamiliar names, places, and stories, it also provided a tangible connection to her past. For the first time, she began to feel the weight of her family’s history – not just the triumphs of their American success but the struggles, losses, and trauma they had carried with them.
One of the more jarring discoveries was the fate of certain family members during World War II. Despite the belief that her grandparents had escaped the horrors of the Holocaust unscathed, she learned that this was not entirely true. The author uncovers the heartbreaking story of Ernst, a family member who disappeared, and Hans, who was sent to a concentration camp. These revelations shattered her idealized image of her family’s immigrant experience. The perfect story of her family rebuilding their lives in the U.S. without the scars of war was, in fact, a lie. This discovery forced her to reconsider what it meant to truly know one’s family and its past.
Her research takes her deeper into the world of Holocaust archives and online resources. She encounters many dead ends in her search for answers but remains committed to piecing together the fragmented stories of her family’s past. But her understanding doesn’t stop at her immediate family. She reaches out to others with similar stories to learn about their experiences and find parallels with her own. Through these conversations, she uncovers both commonalities and differences, which help her make sense of her own family’s narrative. This sense of solidarity with others becomes a way of honoring her ancestors while coming to terms with the darker aspects of history.
Throughout her life, Anne never had to question her identity or belonging. She grew up in a multicultural environment in America, where the opportunity for growth and success was abundant. Yet, her exploration of her roots has shown her that identity is fluid, shaped by history, family, and the choices we make in response to them. Her journey is not just about discovering her family’s past; it’s also about learning to live fully in the present while acknowledging the legacies that have shaped her.
Austrian Again offers a unique perspective on the search for identity, one that blends personal stories with historical reflection. It’s a story of resilience, of learning to embrace complexity, and of finding meaning in the journey itself. Anne reminds us that the past is never truly forgotten and that understanding where we come from can illuminate the path ahead.
Austrian Again. Reclaiming a Lost Legacy, by Anne Hand, is part of the series Holocaust Heritage, and is available worldwide now.
https://mybook.to/HPWT
