Episode 119: “The Politzer Saga” with Linda Ambrus Broenniman

Posted on by Wynne Leon

In this inspiring episode, Vicki Atkinson and I are talking with author, Linda Broenniman.

Linda has written a great family story, The Politzer Saga. She tells us about the offhand comment that revealed the secret that her dad was Jewish. At the time she heard, she was 27 years old and didn’t delve deeper into that history until almost 30 years later.

But when the Israeli government awarded her mom the Righteous Among Nations honor in 2006, the highest honor for non-Jews, Linda knew she had to find out more.

Linda reveals how researching and writing this history of 8 generations of her family has helped her to resolve the family secrets of her childhood and find forgiveness for her father.

This is a great book with a true story of how Linda discovered 300 years of Hungarian Jewish ancestors after being raised Catholic.

Join us for a fascinating episode featuring a fantastic author writing about family, history and secrets. We know you’ll love it!

Here’s a peak of the incredible Linda Broenniman telling how they found out their dad was Jewish:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch the entirety of this wonderful episode:

Episode 119 transcript

Links for this Episode:

The Politzer Saga website

The Politzer Saga on Amazon

From the Hosts:

Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/

Wynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith; Blog: https://wynneleon.com/

24 thoughts on “Episode 119: “The Politzer Saga” with Linda Ambrus Broenniman”

  2. this is an amazing story, and it’s so wonderful that Linda pursued this until she discovered the truth. this is truly a gift to her family as well as herself and others.

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  3. In case your listeners don’t know, it was not uncommon for Jewish children in occupied countries to be told they were Christian, so that they wouldn’t expose the family or themselves to the Nazi murder machinery.

    A number of years ago I read one or two articles that described how some Polish Catholic families handled this knowledge as the Christian parental figure was approaching death long after the war. The now adult child was told she or he was Jewish.

    I would emphasize that the use of a word “service,” in the context of labor camps, undercuts the brutality of this involuntary experience. As the author mentions, there were forced marches of many of the prisoners as the war neared its end.

    These were commonly called “death marches” usually conducted in the winter. Few survived because they were already depleted, starving, without adequate clothing, without shelter, and with footwear that was inadequate or missing.

    One question the interview of the author raised was the impact, if any, that the discovery that her father was Jewish, had on her Christian religious foundation and faith.

    Thank you for this interview and introduction to the author’s story.

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    1. Thank you for listening and these thoughtful remarks. The brutality of the treatment is horrific. What I enjoyed about Linda’s book is that not only does she document what happened in these 8 generations but also how they were resilient. Truly an amazing story.

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  4. I would add that those who are interested in post WWII secrets might wish to watch the 1989 movie “Music Box,” with Jessica Lange and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

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  10. Linda’s story sounds fascinating just from this excerpt. It’s amazing that she didn’t do research until decades later. But then finding closure and answers brings peace of mind, and the timing has to feel right. So thanks to you three; I look forward to listening later. ❤️

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  11. What an extraordinary achievement to chronicle 8 generations of stories that touch upon Napoleon to the horrifying Hitler times. I love how Linda said it best, separated by time and space but connected by heart and family. That is beautiful. I can see that it’s an impossible task to pick a favourite story.

    And how cool to have been connected with Joseph Pulitzer as well despite the confusing last names!

    I agree with Vicki’s comment that a well designed book invites users to learn more beyond the margins and to provide context to deeply personal stories. Kudos Linda and to you both for an engaging conversation!

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  12. Yup, it’s always a joy to hear the amazing guests you guys bring in. Linda’s story was so moving, I can’t believe how one small comment led to such a powerful journey through her family’s history. The Righteous Among Nations honor… wow 👏

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  13. This sounds like a really interesting episode. “The Politzer Saga” has me curious, and I appreciate that you are featuring Linda Ambrus Broenniman’s work. I look forward to listening to it!

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