Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite

While there have been numerous books written about national resistance organizations during World War II, few have ever included Austria. It was generally assumed that Austria was happy to partner with Germany in waging war on Europe. The Crush of Wine and War by Molly Fumia tells a different story. The instant and overwhelming takeover by their neighbor crushed all opposition in record time. The 'crush' in the title also refers to the annual grape harvest for winemaking. We are introduced to two guesthouses/restaurants in wine-producing villages only three kilometers apart. In St Jacob, Sebastion Brandle amazes everyone by marrying Hannah Maislinger, the daughter of a farmer in Moosfeld. Before they met, Hannah was destined to join the local convent but fell in love. The couple worked together in St Jacob’s guesthouse, but life changed when the Nazi troops moved in. The couple experienced Kristallnacht in Vienna, which prompted Sebastion to join the local resistance. This drives a wedge between him and Hannah, who only wants to preserve peace and stability for them and their daughter. Life becomes tougher as the restrictions tighten and families struggle to survive with rationing, property confiscations, conscriptions, and deprivation.

The Crush of Wine and War by Molly Fumia was an amazing read. I particularly like books that teach me something new and this one did. Austria did not roll over as easily as I’d thought to help Germany in World War II. This was the first I had even read about the resistance movement in Austria. So many people hid Jews and helped them escape, there were leaflets, sabotage, and theft from the occupiers. The story has a large cast, but the author describes them so well that the reader is not confused and the list at the beginning of the book is helpful too. Her descriptions of not only the families and their connections but the scenery, the wine-growing, the guesthouses, and the restaurants in this rural part of Austria vividly come to life. Even deep in the countryside, the locals do not escape the horrors of occupation during the war, and the various characters each handle it in their own way. It makes for a fascinating read. It also emphasizes the horrors of war and how the people were forced to adapt, some by resisting the Nazis, others by cooperating with them. Sebastion and Hannah’s story is particularly poignant and so realistic. Friendships from childhood are torn apart as greed and power-hungry locals fight for dominance. This is not a cozy read, but it is worthwhile, not only from a historical point of view but that of the human spirit and the fight for survival. Daniel’s story had me in tears. Man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds.