For Further Flourishing

I nearly dropped my cup of coffee this morning when I saw the Rainer Höss had commented on yesterday’s post.  I choked out a loud, “Holy crap!”  As it turns out, Rainer has a website and Twitter account, and he, too, has written a book.  So, I thought I might put together a list of all the books I mentioned in yesterday’s post as well as the authors’ social media in case anyone might be interested in reading or following them.  I am still trying to figure out if Rainer’s book has been translated into English yet, but his website is translated into English and very nicely done; his Twitter feed is in English as well.  Please do go check it out.

• Rainer Höss, Das Erbe des Kommandanten (The Legacy of The Commander), website, Twitter
• Katrin Himmler, The Himmler Brothers: A German Family History
• Monika Hartwig, Inheritance (2006 documentary)–this film can be found on Netflix, and it streams for free with a Prime membership on Amazon.
• Niklas Frank, In The Shadow of The Reich, Der Vater, Meine Deutsche Mutter, Raubritter: Das Erschröckliche Und Geheime Leben Der Heckenreiter Und Wegelagerer

I didn’t mention Niklas Frank in yesterday’s post simply because I didn’t want the post to become too long, but he has written a few books.  He is also a public speaker.  He speaks to youth throughout Germany from what I can tell.  There is, however, an amazing scene in the film between Frank and his daughter.  It is not to be missed.  If there are any of you who have made sacrifices in the way of cutting off family members in order to create a different life for your children, then you will want to watch this film simply to hear what Frank’s daughter says to him.  It is moving and redemptive.

It is important for people in recovery of all kinds to look at the lives of others who come from difficulty but live successfully.  How have they done it? How do they flourish in spite of the fact that their beginnings were not ideal or possibly even extreme? Reading one another’s stories can inspire us to continue to put one foot in front of the other even on the hard days.  It also pulls us out of our own self-involved orbits.

We need each other.

Let me know what you think of the suggested media if you read or watch them.  If you speak German, you’re gold!