In the years preceding World War II, there was an active pro-Nazi movement in the United States, led by the German American Bund. They established a network of summer camps in which children were indoctrinated in Nazi ideology. Barbara Krasner’s novel-in-verse traces the fractured friendship of two boys, one Jewish and one of German ancestry. It’s written in both formal and free-verse forms. Chapters alternate between the voices of Benjy Puterman and Thomas Anspach as world events — and parental responses — attempt to separate them.
The book begins in 1937. Benjy and Thomas both live in Newark and are ready to enter the city’s Weequahic High School in the fall. Known for its academic excellence, the school has a high percentage of Jewish students, whose families are closely watching the menacing turn of events in Europe. Thomas’s parents have enthusiastically decided to send him to Camp Nordland, a training center for future followers of Hitler. There, the poisonous values espoused by his parents will be reinforced. In one poem, Thomas shares that his father has redefined citizenship as “a way to cover up one’s past in a foreign country.” Gradually, the increasing gap between the world he sees around him and his father’s distortions will make life unbearable for him.
Benjy’s family is loving and supportive, but a stubborn strength underlies their compassion. His father is a proud member of the Newark Minutemen, an organization dedicated to fighting American Nazism. Jews were well represented in boxing in that era, and Benjy’s father is a former pugilist himself. Even Jewish mobsters — such as the notorious New Jersey native, Longy Zwillman — provided the movement with leadership and money. Krasner’s narrative is most successful when it features the unifying metaphor of the fight. In one poem, “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble,” Benjy narrates the thrilling 1933 match between the Jewish Max Baer and German fighter Max Schmeling in Yankee Stadium. He captures the excitement of Jewish Americans: “Baer wins!/Technical KO!/A win for the US of A/and for Jews everywhere.”
Thomas’s father relies on punitive parenting methods and fails to understand his son’s vulnerability. The two boys are initially powerless to do anything about the destruction of their bond; but, as the story progresses, Thomas becomes aware of the contradictions in his father’s life. His introspection stands in contrast to the constant aggression of both his home and Camp Nordland. Benjy and his family live under the cloud of antisemitism, yet their assertiveness lends them a power that the Anspach family can never attain.
There are many historical figures in the book, including New York Representative Sam Dickstein. A role model for Benjy, Dickstein took a courageous political stand against Nazism. In the poem “Big Mouth,” Benjy expresses his conviction that Jews cannot cower in the face of attack. As his father told him in grade school, “All you need is a big mouth,/a platform in Congress,/and a reporter.”
Throughout the story, Krasner suggests that history has an impact on personal relationships, injustice can be countered with bold actions, and American and Jewish values need to be fearlessly defended. The events in Facing the Enemy may be unfamiliar to young readers, making the book a welcome introduction to a proud chapter in Jewish American history.
Emily Schneider writes about literature, feminism, and culture for Tablet, The Forward, The Horn Book, and other publications, and writes about children’s books on her blog. She has a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures.
