The Devil in Vienna

Inge is a young Austrian girl. She is Jewish, and has a friend, Lieselotte, who is Catholic.. Inge is 12, almost 13. They have been friends she they were seven, but Lieselotte has gone away for a while. Her father is a storm trooper, a Nazi.

One of the courses Lieselotte is taking at her new school is Racial Science. She also has to sail Heil Hitler numerous times while at school or out walking.

Inge writes about how she and her parents gradually came to know that Lieselotte's parents were Nazis, and Liesolette was getting caught up in the Nazi propaganda machine.

Inge's mother is hurt in a skiing accident, but not terribly, and she's able to leave the hospital to recover at home. Meanwhile, more anti-Jewish graffiti is being seen everyone, and some of the Jewish people are trying to go to America or other countries, although Inge's parents aren't.

Gradually incidents of violence increase as Nazi's battle with pro-Austrian supporters. Things get worse when Austria is annexed by Germany, and two Nazis show up at the door.

Hitler is coming to town. Inge unexpectedly meets Lieselotte. Lieselotte tells Inge that she's not allowed to be friends with her, at least in any easily-seen fashion. Then there's a bunch of Lieselotte's letters that Inge reads, and it reveals what life is like on the pro-Nazi side of things for young people, although Lieselotte doesn't really believe them herself.

Things continue to get worse, and it becomes obvious that Inge and her family are going to have to leave Austria.

A depressing, but still interesting book, with lots of examples of small things that changed when the Nazi's took power, which makes the story even more powerful.

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