John Rabe was a German businessman, living and working in Nanking when the Japanese invaded and conquered the city in 1937. Rabe had lived in China for 30 years and had risen to the position of senior agent for the German conglomerate, Siemens. He was tasked with selling industrial equipment to the Chinese government, enabling the construction and maintenance of electrical, water, phone, and health care facilities.
As it became clear that Nanking would fall quickly to the invading Japanese army, most Westerners, including Rabe's wife, left for Hong Kong or other safer locations. Rabe chose to stay in Nanking, feeling it his duty to look out for the interests of Siemens and its local stafff. Realizing that Nanking was essentially indefensible and that the Japanese army was bent on ruthless behavior, Rabe and some others, mostly American missionaries, formed an organization to protect refugees and non-combatants.
Rabe was named the head of this International Committee and set out to build international support for the formation of a refugee zone. Ultimately more than 200,000 residents of Nanking were housed in this refugee zone, including about 600 on the grounds of Rabe's own home. Rabe fought the good fight with building support for the zone, communicating regularly with all the embassies and officials, even writing to Hitler at one point. Many attribute the International Committee's work with saving thousands of Chinese lives.
This book is primarily Rabe's diaries. He made entries nearly every day during the 4 months in 1937-1938 that he was in Nanking under Japanese domination. Some additional information to explain the historical context is provided by the author. Rabe quit writing diaries during the war, then restarted with the fall of Berlin.
Rabe spares no detail to describe the inhumane behavior of the Japanese army in Nanking, often including officers. The most horrible rapes, tortures, and murders became commonplace. Japanese soldiers raped young girls with their parents watching, then murdered the lot with bayonets. Nearly every building was looted several times, then frequently burned with the inhabitants inside.
Since Japan and Germany were already allied at this time, Japanese soldiers would give Rabe himself some respect, especially when he waved his Nazi armband and flew his Nazi flag. The other Westerners suffered more, as the Japanese showed no respect for the American or British flags or embassies.
Like many Germans living abroad in the 1930's, Rabe was a Nazi party member. He seems unaware of Nazi atrocities or vile actions, and joined the party primarily because doing so enabled German government financial support for a school that he helped establish in China.
The parallels to Oskar Schindler are clear. Both were party members who accomplished great humanitarian goals in a difficult time. One could draw the distinction that unlike Rabe, Schindler was aware of Nazi atrocities and probably benefited financially from his wartime activities.
Rabe came to regret his Nazi party membership upon his return to Germany. As a party member, after the war he was generally unable to work. At times, the Siemens corporation and individual excecutives would do small favors for Rabe. Very late in his life, he was de-Nazified.
Rabe also had terrible timing; he left war-torn China and made his home in Berlin, suffering under Russian atrocities and near-starvation starting in 1944. Ironically Rabe had been briefly imprisoned and questioned by the Gestapo after he wrote another letter to Hitler about Japanese behavior in China. Rabe received some aid from the Chinese Nationals when Madame Chang Kai Shek heard of his predicament in Berlin.
Overall, this is a very good read. The diary style is a little unusual, as Rabe was clearly writing for himself and his family, and not the general public. He is an excellent author with a keen sense of humor and his role in extraordinary times. The last part of the diaries, set in Berlin under Russian occupation show Rabe depressed and afraid, not knowing how he will support his family. |
