The Spoils of Victory: Book 1 in the Prisoners of War Series

During World War II, nearly four hundred thousand captured German soldiers were sent to POW camps in the United States. Most were captured in North Africa in 1943. Many were hired out to farmers here and are credited with saving the American harvests in 1943-45.The Spoils of Victory is the story of Rolf, a young battle-hardened German POW who is hired to work for a Mennonite family near Peabody, Kansas. They are ethnic Germans; pacifists whose ancestors were peace pilgrims persecuted throughout Europe for their faith. On their farm, Rolf confronts his brutal loyalty to Hitler and tries to find a way through his guilt to self-forgiveness. Together, he and Loretta, the family’s eldest daughter, discover the contours of love and the possibility of happiness in unexpected circumstances as war shatters their worlds.PRAISE FOR SPOILS OF VICTORY: “Spoils of War is a remarkable story of love, loyalty and war, rooted in the largely forgotten history of the U.S. imprisonment of German POWs during World War II. Daniel Markowitz’s masterful evocation of time and place and his impressive historical research has resulted in a love story of exceptional beauty and depth. It’s a great read.”Douglas Nelson, Author of Heart Mountain: The History of An American Concentration Camp"Set within a little-known operation of WWII, The Spoils of Victory gives us a dramatic new perspective on how war reshapes the world, one life at a time. The fact that the United States shipped German prisoners of war to American farms to work the land—with pay—may be news to many, even history buffs, making this rich and enlightening story as surprising and informational as it is entertaining."New York Times bestselling author Antonia Felix"Dan Markowitz brings a historian’s curiosity, an attorney’s attention to detail, and a philosopher’s appreciation for moral complexities in this story of German POWs working among Kansas Mennonites in WWII. It is a tale well worth reading – and pondering. I’m looking forward to more."Wynn M. Goering, Ph.D. Chair, Bethel College (KS) Board of Directors Read more