Enemies, Brothers, or Both?
by Elizabeth Yank

Enemy Brothers
by Constance Savery
Bethlehem Books 176 pps.

Enemy Brothers is an unusual story of love and hate. Kidnapped from his English family as a young boy, Tony is brought up to think that he is German. After both of his real parents die, his older brother, Dym, searches for him.

Following an unusual set of circumstances, Dym providentially discovers Tony. As he is transported against his will to England to live with his true family, Tony is confronted with the shocking truth of his past. Even under normal conditions, this would be traumatic and would cause denial in any child. With World War II raging, accepting the truth seems impossible, because each side had been taught that the opposing side is an impersonal enemy. 

Tony was not only taught that the English were his enemies; he was also brought up to believe the propaganda of the Nazi youth: the Germans were the Master Race, and it was their destiny to take whatever they needed, even at the expense of other lives.

Now, living with an English family, Tony comes face-to-face with the enemy. Were the stories he was told about the English true? Living with them, he finds out for himself. More importantly, he discovers why each side was fighting.

Brought into an “enemy” family against his will, he is determined to return home somehow. His will and ingenuity allow him to escape several times, each time getting him a little further. As he does so, he learns several important lessons.

One important lesson is unconditional love. No matter how difficult and trying he is, his family, at least certain members, continue to demonstrate their love for him. This is not always an easy task, especially when he causes sorrow or suffering. For others, Tony provides the opportunity to practice patience and love as well.

Before Tony arrives, because of the trying circumstances of the war, the family’s life is already difficult. For example, lemonade is one of the many items the children were not able to have. The family also must house strangers, making the already small house overcrowded. Now they must deal with a rebellious and defiant “enemy,” who causes more problems and greater financial hardship, especially when he runs away or disobeys the black-out rules.

Ultimately, the struggle between love and hate becomes a war in miniature. Which side will win? Dym tells the children a very interesting story to illustrate the battle they are involved in, as a country and as a family:

“’D’you remember the book of German legends downstairs Tales from the Nibelungen Lied? There was a sword in the story, the sword Balmung, stolen from the treasure hoard. It was the sword of conquest and, wherever it went, it brought woe and destruction. That’s the very sword Germany’s using today. She’s fighting with the sword Balmung. The United Nations are using another sword, Chrysaor, the golden sword of Justice.’”

“’There’s a rambling old Elizabethan poem about a knight who carried that sword long ago. He fought for justice and cared only to right the wrong. He wasn’t always successful. Made a ghastly muddle of his various quests and collected a host of enemies who loathed him because he tried to do justly. We’re using the sword Chrysaor, like that knight. We’re fighting for freedom and justice and the rights of the weak against the strong . . . Now he’s [Tony] got to choose for himself which sword he’s going to use, Chrysaor or Balmung . . . . But it’s a hard choice, all the same.’”

Which sword will Tony choose? Read and find out. 

Once again, Bethlehem Books has republished an excellent book. Not only is it educational in relating various aspects of World War II, it also enlightens the soul to the human issues. Wars involve people and people are more than just an enemy. They have a face and a name. They have a family. They have a soul. Within the context of the family, they can be brought up in a school of love or hate.

The book also thoroughly entertains. Once again, I had to stand in line to wait for those who had started to read it before me to finish it. First, my daughter devoured it in two days, then my husband polished off more than half of the book in one night, and then when I thought I was finally going to start reading it, another daughter snatched it and read a third of it in one day.

Elizabeth Yank writes from South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.