First published in 1940, Emil and Karl holds a unique place in publishing history as one of the first works published in any language about what was happening under the Nazi regime. Glatshteyn's story was released a year before the US entered the war, and when the full horrors of the Nazi atrocities were unknown.
Emil and Karl presents an unstintingly dark depiction of Vienna shortly after the Nazi occupation. A taut, gripping page-turner of a novel, it revolves around the young boys Karl (a Christian, with Socialist parents) and Emil (a Jew). The boys are inseparable friends who have only each other after both their mothers are dragged away by the authorities. Glatshteyn's story of how the boys survive, and the stories of those who aid them in their plight, adds new depth and insight into our understanding of an oft-depicted time. Emil and Karl is a wrenching narrative laced with humiliation, horror, love and incredible courage.
