A Thousand Kisses

A family caught in the rise of Nazi power. A desperate search for safety. And a love strong enough to carry them through. In A Thousand Kisses: A Family's Escape from the Nazis to a New Life, John W. Weiser shares the deeply personal story of his family's struggle to escape Austria as Nazi persecution transformed their comfortable life in Vienna into one of fear and uncertainty. Weiser was only six years old when Hitler entered Vienna following the Anschluss in 1938. Life changed dramatically when Nazi racial laws identified his father, respected physician Dr. Arthur Weiser, as Jewish because of his ancestry. The family soon realized that remaining in Austria could place them in grave danger. As Arthur fled to Hungary, his wife remained in Vienna, navigating an exhausting immigration system while trying to secure visas, close their home, and keep the family together. During their separation, husband and wife exchanged letters filled with courage, hope, devotion, and affectionate messages that often ended with "a thousand kisses." Decades later, Weiser discovered these preserved letters and documents after his mother's death. Together, they revealed the sacrifices his parents had made and the extraordinary love that sustained them through persecution, displacement, and uncertainty. Their journey eventually carried the family from Nazi-controlled Europe to Brazil and later toward a new life. More than a World War II memoir, A Thousand Kisses is a moving story of family, survival, courage, sacrifice, resilience, and enduring love-a powerful reminder that even in history's darkest moments, hope and human connection can endure.

Pages: 100, Paperback, Sharon Frith-Jackson