Evening star., 1947-02-09
The Children
In the Wake
Of Warfare
CHILDREN OF VIENNA
By Robert Neumann. (Daf-
ton; S2.75.
Reviewed by
CARTER BROOKE JONES

the tragedies which the war left in
its grisly wake was the plight OF
children. Homeless, forgotten in
the press of armies, they wandered
across Europe, starving, hopeless.
snatching like terrified little animals
at what they could find.
The younger ones could not even
remember homes, parents, food
every day, kindness. The older ones
had vague memories of tranquil days
that haunted them like dreams.
MIR. Neumann has woven the
theme into a bitter yet compassion
ate novel.
Every episode of the brief story
takes place in the cellar of a
wrecked house in Vienna in the pc
riod just after the war closed and
Allied troops came in. A typical
group of children has found pre-
carious refuge in the cellar.
Among the Hopeless.
The little girl they call Tiny Is
dying of starvation. But they think
nothing of that; they got used to
the sight in concentration camps
and on tortuous journeys. Not that
they're ruthless kids-no, they try
to make her comfortable. They'd
share with her the bits of food they
steal, but she can't eat; she's past
that. They don't even consider such
an incredible thing as getting doc
tor.
There's a Jewish boy of 13 who
has a mans intellect and also is a
skilled pickpocket. There are two
girls of Is or 16 who accept street.
walking as the only feasible voca-
tion for homeless girl. There are
others. To them life Is something
you cling to as long as you can, but
death is a commonplace, to be ex-
pected any time. They assume that
everybody steals, except maybe the
great people who are on top in this
chaotic world; they don't have to.
Thwarted Rescue.
BY chance Negro chaplain of
the American Army, sent over to
minister to colored troops, drops
into their refuge. Their plight stirs
him. He gives them sandwiches,
money, everything he has. In time,
he forms wild plan to take them
to Switzerland in jeep. But to
get clearance papers for them he
has to forge the local commandant's
signature. 1t is necessary likewise
to get the children some clothing,
and the kindly minister does not
worry about how he gets it. He
actually drives up in the jeep. But,
meanwhile, prowling ex-SS man,
whom the chaplain threw out of
the cellar, has told on him. And
a white chaplain of higher rank ar
rives with two Mps. The interlude
in the battered lives of these chill
dren is over.
Mr.. Neumann grew up in Vienna.
This gifted refugee writer, whose
last novel, "The Inquest" attracted
considerable attention, naturally
knows the people and the environ
ment, though he says the episodes
could have happened anywhere east
of the Meridian of Despair" AS a
document of dark phase of post
war Europe, Children of Vienna" is
dramatic and compelling.
Unfamiliar Ground.
AS literary work, it suffers from
a sort of staginess. The children
are real enough, though at times
they seem too articulate for girls
and boys who have had to compro-
mise at every turn in their brief
lives. The Russian officer who
wanders in repeats Kremlin sermons
necessarily. Perhaps such people
talk like that, but you might expect
them to be more human when
they're off base. Moreover, in Great
ing the character of the well-inten-
toned chaplain, the author shows
that he was on unfamiliar ground.
The Rev. Hoseah Washington Smith,
though he arouses your sympathy,
remains contrived person. You
can't help doubling that he would
have done what he did, however
much he might have wanted to.
But the stark picture which the
writer has painted is none the less
memorable. People should look at 1t
carefully, especially complacent peo-