Touching the Enemy

Shortly before the outbreak of World War 2, a young German man living in Berlin began writing to a young American lady living in California. Their bond was stamp collecting, and they exchanged rarities from the two countries. Soon they would become entangled in the horrors of war. Despite the outbreak of war, their friendship did not falter. The original letters describe the hardships of war and its aftermath. This is a remarkable story of human kindness extending across enemy lines.

Shortly before the outbreak of World War 2, a young German man living in Berlin began writing to a young American lady living in California. Their bond was stamp collecting, and they exchanged rarities from the two countries. Soon they would become entangled in the horrors of war. Despite the outbreak of war, their friendship did not falter and they continued their correspondence. The original letters vividly describe the desperate situation during the war and the hardships of the aftermath, a firsthand source from the unique perspective of two people on opposing sides. Complied by Helmut Peters, the son of the German soldier, the story evolves with the pathos of the letters; it is your own conscience that will be captured in the poignancy of how kindness can save lives.

Helmut Peters was born in 1947 in Darmstadt, Germany. He is the son of the German soldier whose original letters to a young lady from California capture the horrors and aftermath of World War 2 in his book Touching the Enemy. He was inspired to right this book to show that even in the midst of a world war, people can still show compassion and kindness towards each other across enemy lines.