All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days

Rebecca Donner's "All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days" brings to light the remarkable story of Mildred Harnack, an American woman who became a central figure in the German resistance against Hitler. This meticulously researched biography rescues from near-obscurity a woman whose courage and sacrifice deserved far greater recognition in the decades following World War II. Donner, who is Harnack's great-great-niece, spent years piecing together this narrative from letters, diaries, Gestapo files, and other archival materials, creating a work that reads with the tension of a thriller while maintaining rigorous historical accuracy.

Mildred Fish grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and pursued education with determination, eventually earning a doctorate in literature. Her journey to Germany began when she fell in love with Arvid Harnack, a German economist studying in the United States. The couple married and moved to Berlin in the early 1930s, just as the Nazi party was consolidating power. What makes this story particularly compelling is watching an idealistic American academic gradually transform into a resistance fighter as she witnesses the horrors of the Nazi regime firsthand.

Donner structures the narrative in short, punchy chapters that move between different time periods and perspectives. This approach creates momentum and allows the author to weave together multiple strands of the story. The book follows Mildred's evolution from a literature professor at the University of Berlin to a member of a resistance network that would later be called the Red Orchestra by the Gestapo. The resistance cell engaged in dangerous activities including distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, helping Jews escape, and passing intelligence to American and Soviet contacts.

The author provides crucial context about the challenges facing those who opposed Hitler from within Germany. The Nazi surveillance state made trust nearly impossible, and the consequences of discovery were swift and brutal. Donner details how Mildred and Arvid carefully built their network, recruiting like-minded individuals while maintaining strict operational security. The risks were enormous, yet these ordinary people chose to act when remaining silent would have been far safer.

One of the book's strengths lies in its portrayal of the moral complexity of resistance work during this period. Mildred and her associates were not professional spies or soldiers but academics, artists, and civil servants who felt compelled by conscience to oppose tyranny. The narrative explores the personal costs of this choice, including the constant fear, the strain on relationships, and the isolation that came from living a double life. Donner also examines the criticism the resistance faced, both during the war and after, particularly regarding their contacts with Soviet intelligence.

The research behind this biography is extraordinary. Donner accessed Gestapo interrogation records, personal correspondence, and testimonies from survivors. She traveled to archives across multiple countries and interviewed descendants of other resistance members. This thorough investigation yields vivid details that bring the period to life without resorting to speculation or dramatization. The author presents what can be documented while acknowledging gaps in the historical record.

The book's later sections deal with the discovery and destruction of the resistance network. In 1942, the Gestapo arrested dozens of members, including Mildred and Arvid. The subsequent interrogations, trials, and executions are rendered with devastating clarity. Mildred became the only American woman executed on direct orders from Hitler. Her final months, spent in various prisons including Plötzensee, demonstrate extraordinary resilience and dignity in the face of certain death.

Donner also addresses the frustrating historical amnesia that followed the war. While German male resisters received some recognition, women like Mildred were often overlooked or their contributions minimized. The Cold War further complicated the legacy of resisters who had any connection to Communist networks, making it politically inconvenient to celebrate their opposition to Hitler. This biography serves as an important corrective to that historical neglect.

The writing itself balances accessibility with depth. Donner avoids both dry academic prose and sensationalism, instead crafting sentences that convey urgency and emotional weight while remaining grounded in documented fact. The short chapters and varied pacing make the substantial length manageable, though some readers may find the frequent shifts in chronology occasionally disorienting.

"All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days" stands as both an important historical document and a gripping human story. It illuminates a lesser-known chapter of World War II resistance while raising enduring questions about courage, conscience, and the price of standing against authoritarianism. This biography ensures that Mildred Harnack's sacrifice will not be forgotten and serves as a testament to the individuals who risked everything to oppose one of history's greatest evils.