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Bella Fromm
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Blood and Banquets: A Berlin Social Diary Hardcover – September 1, 1990

by Bella Fromm (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 21 ratings
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The diary, smuggled out of Nazi Germany, of a Jewish woman who wrote the social column for a major Berlin newspaper, and was able to observe the rise of the Nazis
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  1. Print length
    338 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Birch Lane Press
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 1990
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1559720557
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1559720557
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

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As a Berlin social reporter in the years leading up to WWII, Bella Fromm mingled with some of the most important and influential members of Hitler's rising Third Reich. Given the Nazis' appreciation for propaganda, this fact alone would be unremarkable, but her writings take on special interest when coupled with the knowledge that she received such access while openly proclaiming her own Jewish background and anti-Nazi sympathies. As she dutifully reported on the countless dinners, galas, and cultural events attended by German high society, Fromm also kept a secret diary that chronicled the seemingly inexplicable growth and horrifying consequences of National Socialism: "It's not curious that all this is beginning to make me feel like a stranger in my own country, that I am beginning to be aware of a feeling of hostility...."

Fearing for her life, Fromm fled Germany in 1938, smuggling her incriminating diary out in separate parcels before she left. First published in 1943, these recollections wear the patina of an Allied effort at public relations, but the prescient accuracy of her dire predictions is intriguing nonetheless. And, while invariably placing herself in the shining glow of absolute moral and ethical integrity, her insightful observations offer an interesting record of the many actions--both heroic and cowardly--she witnessed during this particularly ugly period of mass hysteria. --George Laney

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Birch Lane Press (September 1, 1990)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 338 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1559720557
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1559720557
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 21 ratings

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Bella Fromm

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
21 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

remarks
5.0 out of 5 stars As promised
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2023
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Condition better than described. Many thanks.
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gammyjill
4.0 out of 5 stars Contemporary diary of the times
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2011
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Bella Fromm's diary, "Blood & Bouquets: A Berlin Social Diary", can and should be compared with William Shirer's book, "Berlin Diary", also published around the same time. (Early 1940's). Both Fromm and Shirer lived central Europe - Fromm in Berlin and Shirer in Vienna and Berlin - and recorded the day to day events in both capitals, as the Nazis and Adolf Hitler gained power and prepared for war right under the nose of the whole world. Both Fromm and Shirer ended up leaving Berlin for the United States in the late 1930's. Shirer was "asked to leave" by the Germans tired of his radio broadcasts which tried to tell the truth of German rearmament and their on-going persecution of the Jews and Fromm left because, as a Jew, she was facing the same persecution Shirer was describing.

Bella Fromm, born in 1890, moved to Berlin from Franconia in the 1920's after a failed marriage. She became a newspaper reporter on the "diplomatic" beat and for fifteen or so years, attended parties and met with foreign diplomats stationed in Berlin. She became a friend and confident to many of the people about whom she wrote. She also helped other Jews flee Germany before she finally did. As a Jewish woman in an increasingly anti-Semitic society, Fromm became hindered in her job, and in her daily life. She finally fled to America in 1938 - where her adult daughter had already moved a few years earlier. She began a new life in New York City, and published her diary in 1942.

Fromm's diary - if it had been discovered while she was living in Germany - would have made her life even more uncomfortable than it already was. She smuggled pages out of the country with friends in the diplomatic corps, and put them together in book form for publication. Fromm wrote about personal as well as political events, so her book is an interesting picture of life in Nazi Germany. The most interesting thing about the book, I think, is the prescience with which she writes. For the reader interested in Germany in the 1930's, its a good resource.
5 people found this helpful
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william newmoon
5.0 out of 5 stars Blood and Banquets by Bella Fromm
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2014
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Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler. The Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich by William L. Shirer. Hitlerland by Andrew Nagorski. If you have ever read any of these books, in their entirety, you'll probably want to do the same with this one. It is a fairly comprehensive and intriguing look at Bella Fromm's social diary. Fromm was a Jew, in Berlin; she wrote for a liberal newspaper. She also wrote a diary, from 1930 to 1938, which she smuggled out. She herself escaped in 1938. There was no other choice. She was German but she had to leave.
3 people found this helpful
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Irene R.
4.0 out of 5 stars But Is It True?
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2016
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A good read, but there is controversy over whether she actually wrote this as a diary at the time these events occurred or whether she wrote the "diary" in the US years after the fact and based the book on her memory and on events she later read in the press. Apparently, some of her dates are erroneous but match the dates printed in newspaper articles. Did her close friend in Nazi circles actually exist? To my knowledge, he has not been identified. In retrospect, it's not clear how the diary was smuggled out if it were, indeed, smuggled out. But it's a fascinating read, and Bella Fromm did travel in high political circles. Eric Larsen mentions her in his book "In the Garden of Beasts." Read it and take it with a grain of salt.
4 people found this helpful
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Cheryl A. Hoffman
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2015
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My husband is reading it now and loves it. He usually reads pure, dry History.
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Jojo
5.0 out of 5 stars Pre war Germany
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
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A good description of pre war Germany.
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TLG
5.0 out of 5 stars Was surprised at reviews I’ve ready about this …
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021
I really liked this book. It gave me such a clearer understanding of what life in Germany was like in the 1930’s. People often wonder how the average German citizen felt during this period.

What makes this all the more interesting is the society sect Bella was rubbing elbows with. Mostly diplomats, high office officials, etc. It was sort of like peeling the history-curtain back. Plus Bella had a dry, sarcastic wit, which comes across clearly in the writing.

Bella’s dislike for the Nazi’s comes across loud and clear — no surprise there, moreover, I appreciated it. I’m currently reading Marie Vassiltchikov’s diaries from 1940-45 and while they’re interesting, I found lack of mention about Nazi policies disturbing. Might I add, this book has a 5 star rating & was a best seller. Don’t see why Bella’s merits less attention? (Note: someone mentioned Bella’s diary was a memoir written later, although I haven’t seen proof of that. And even if this is true, it’s still a fascinating eyewitness account).

The one thing I liked in Marie’s book better is the way it’s formatted. The month and year range heads each page, no confusion about the year. The editor also added historical context and info between key entries in italics — immensely helpful! Found myself doing a lot of Googling in Bella’s book. Bella’s book does have a glossary of important persons with small bio’s in the end section. I suggest bookmarking that page so you can flip to it if a name stymies you.

Both are valuable and important to anyone who wants insight into German life during the pre-during years of WW2.

** Follow up note: I did some reading about the controversy around Bella‘s book. Apparently it’s based on her author’s note saying she added things, but quoted her diary in full. There’s other little details I won’t get into, but nothing indicating she fabricated anything — much of her story is verifiable in small details. (Her ability to leave Germany late in 1938 for one!). The argument is memoir or diary. This may make a difference to academics, but doesn’t alter my opinion as a casual reader.
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Bruce Miller
4.0 out of 5 stars A Happy Ending
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2010
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This was an amazing diary of a woman who really had courage and stood her ground. It was interesting to see how her friends and acquaintances either supported her or took the adversarial position. At first it was subtle, but as time passed, the remarks bacame more blatant and direct, which apparantly reflected the time and circumstances. None the less, Bella maintained her dignity and spirit throughout the ordeal. I was glad to see a Happy Ending as she narrowly escaped what could have been a disastrous ending. Many thanks to her family for publishing this story ! It was definitely a story/diary which needed to be told.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Marianne Lohse
5.0 out of 5 stars Histor. Autobiographie
Reviewed in Germany on December 18, 2017
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Die jüd. Journalistin Bella Fromm zeichnet hier ihr Leben in Berlin nach, wie es ihr auf der Flucht aus dem nazi-besetztem Deutschland ergeht und wie sie sich ein neues Leben in der Neuen Welt der Vereinigten Staaten aufbaut. Auf Englisch geschrieben vermag dieses Buch mit einigen Vorurteilen aufzuräumen.. Sicherlich ein wertvolles Zeitzeugnis, zumal die Journalistin sich nicht scheute, Unrecht beim Namen zu nennen, und anderen gefährdeten Zeitgenossen mit Visa, Geld oder Lebensmitteln aus der Patsche zu helfen.
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H B Pensl
5.0 out of 5 stars Surely a book to be made into a film!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2011
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There are many stories that have come out of the Second World War, but Bella Fromm's story is arguably one of the most unique stories of all of these. Very well connected, living in Germany and from a wealthy family, Bella knew all the top Generals, including Hitler, through a combination of her wider connections and her fabulous parties. What makes this book particularly remarkable is the fact that Bella was Jewish. This book sets out her social diaries from 1930 through to 1938 and her eventual escape from Germany to the USA, where she had further encounters with Nazi spies who were sent over to assassinate her. The book was originally published in November 1943, and this review is for the reprinted version of 1944, which I obtained. Modern reprinted versions are available. I would urge anyone to read this book - particularly if they have an interest in the Second World War and the history leading up to 1939 from an internal and very unique German perspective. Similarly, if you have an interest in truly astounding personal stories from this time, you will not be disappointed by this book. Surely, a book that is crying out to be made into a film!
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pueckler_FM
4.0 out of 5 stars A good source to research German history between 1925 and 1938
Reviewed in Germany on January 10, 2020
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This book was published when the USA where on their first steps to defeat Germany and Japan in WWII. Author Bella Fromm was the daughter of a wealthy jewish wine merchant of south Germany, and she was well linked with the upper class of the former Imperial Germany. She was a society reporter in Berlin in the "Roaring 20s". Since she was well known by the leading politicans of that period, she got a lot of background information. So her diary is especially a good source to dive into the last days of the Weimar Democracy and the uprising of nazism from 1933 onwards.

As a society reporter she was very experienced in "name dropping", and so her diaries are a good source for research.

When the Nazis came to power, she - like most of the jewish journalists - was forbidden to work for magazines and newspapers. So she settled as a wine merchant in Berlin, especially for the US and other embassies located in the German Capital. And in 1938 she got one of the very rare visas to immigrate to the US.

Arrived in NYC, she started her second carriere in housekeeping, later as an office clerk. Her reports about German spies trying to kill her in the US are maybe a bit exaggerated. However, the book itself is worth reading to everybody who is going the get a deeper insight about the political development in Germany between 1925 and 1938.
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