The Day the Nazis Came cover art

The Day the Nazis Came

My Childhood Journey from Britain to a German Concentration Camp

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The Day the Nazis Came

By: Stephen R. Matthews
Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
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About this listen

By the time he was six years old, Stephen Matthews had been bombarded by the Luftwaffe and deported from occupied Guernsey along with his family to a prison camp in the heart of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. He had seen men die in front of him and walked with Jews straight off the cattle-trucks from Bergen-Belsen. He had nearly drowned, been menaced by Alsatian guard dogs, beaten by a member of the SS, stranded in a minefield and had his hand broken by a German guard for attempting to feed Russian prisoners.

The family kept going through imprisonment, held together by their will to survive and their love for each other. But the island home they eventually returned to had been scarred and stricken by Nazi occupation.

The Day the Nazis Came is an utterly unique memoir, depicting the world of Nazi prison camps through the eyes of a child - a world in which the real dangers often seemed trivial and every day was a new adventure. Above all, it pays tribute to the preciousness of hope and shows that human kindness may flower in the unlikeliest of places.

©2020 Stephen R. Matthews (P)2020 Bonnier Books UK 20th Century Historical Military Modern War Survival

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All stars
Most relevant  
Brilliant story had me curious from the start loved it, thought the little boy brilliant

Fab

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Very interesting story of real life back then.
I enjoyed it very much. Excellent narration.

Fantastic listen

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Memories of a young boy sent to a concentration camp with his family, but lived to share his memories of this terrible time. Well written and narrated and a great insight into those difficult times during the war!

Memories of a man as a young boy sent to a concent

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This was a great account of the war through a child’s eye and his parent during encampment in Germany. Although a tough subject you can tell the humour got them through the hard times

Beautiful and sad story

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For a book about life in a concentration camp this is not a harrowing story except for how it further highlights how badly those that the nazis wanted to destroy were treated. Life for these prisoners was clearly hard but they didn’t seem to be treated as subhuman. This was covered in the book especially when some Jewish prisoners arrived and they saw how they had been tormented.

A worthwhile contribution to the story of the concentration camps.

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As someone who has family in Guernsey and has visited the Channel Islands, I enjoyed visualising places I know as they were under German occupation. The book is split between life on Guernsey and life in Germany in various camps, it brings to life the experiences of the author. An enjoyable and thought-provoking listen.

Interesting and engaging tale

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The story of the invasion of the Channel Islands was known to me only vaguely. This account gives a vivid account of daily family life before, during and after the invasion. It’s characterised by it’s positive attitude to any situation and the determination of all those portrayed never to give up as well as the support network of friends and family.
The time in the concentration camp is a similarly fair account. The acceptance of people of all races, the willingness to help each other and learn from everyone’s experiences is enlightening. The Germans encountered are portrayed according to their actions and attitude towards the prisoners.
Most telling is the contact and friendships firmed and mostly still maintain bed between friends and foes alike.
The narration is excellent.
Highly recommended

Balanced Account

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Beautifully told , well researched and nicely voiced . I enjoyed this personal memoir grounded in diaries, family documents , objects and historical & contemporary records . Solid with a great memory, Stephen Mathews is to be congratulated.

world war 2 - the story of a young boy

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Interesting read highlighting how close to home the war affected people. It never crossed my mind that the Channel Islands were affected in this way

War through the eyes of a child

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A fascinating account of a young boy’s experience of first living under Nazi invasion then transport to and life in a German prisoner of war camp. At times harrowing, the autobiography also demonstrates the humanity of many of the Germans who were forced to endure the cruelty of the Nazi regime. However, sadly it also shows the dark side of human nature on both sides of the conflict, both in Germany and later upon the family’s return to Guernsey after the
Iteration. It is well worth listening to/ reading.

Brilliant!

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