Escape, Evasion and Revenge The True Story of a German-jewish Raf Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a Pow

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Describing this book only as "an airman's story" wouldn't do this book justice.

It is far more than that, it is a life story, from his birth to his death .... and beyond.

Peter Stevens was born as Georg Franz Hein, son of Jewish parents.

George had a difficult youth, not only caused because he was "a difficult boy" to handle, but also because of the political developments in Germany.

After the death of Georg's father, his mother couldn't handle him, and had no other hoice than sending him to a boarding school.

But dark clouds gathered above Germany. Because of the bad economic situation, things were changing. The Nazi movement grew steadily and turned out unstoppable.

As every dictorial movement, scapegoats are easily found, and the Nazis blamed the Jews for the misery which was going on.

I take a jump to the middle of the book: Georg was able to get to England were he was safe for the Nazis, but he wasn't out of trouble. Due to the situation - which was caused by himself - he had to change his name to Peter Stevens, to get out of the hands of the English police.

Peter was able to hide .... in the R.A.F. This hiding also turned out his rescue. Now being responsible for a bomber and his crewmembers, his life began to change.

As a prisoner of war, Peter, because of being a native German speaker became one of the very few who was allowed to speak to the Germans. (The reason behind this was that these prisoners "tamed" a German step by step; and an outsider could destroy
months of work by making a wrong comment by accident). This job also brought danger to Peter; no German was to discover he was a native German and a "Jew."

Due to Peter's escape activities he became a recipient of the conveted Military Cross.

Peter Stevens's biggest victories were yet to come ...

His son Marc began to investigate his - deceased - father. A very comphrehensive job because the pieces of Peter's live lay scattered in Germany, England and Canada; the country he immigrated to. Marc also didn't know of how big the jig saw would be.

But Marc succeeded, and as further the puzzle was completed, the more he began to understand his father. His struggle to be a father was difficult; because he had never learned the ropes of creating a warm family life, which also of course influenced the attitude of his children towards him. The Nazi's didn't get Peter (Georg). Even better ... the Stevens's/ Hein's bloodline continued .... and Peter became loved; by his own family!!
Peter had made his last perfect landing .