Mizpah Cousins: life, love and perilous predicaments during the Great War era

Author

M. A. Lossl

Author Bio

Margaret is an exciting new author. She has used extensive family history archives and contemporary research to create her first novel, Mizpah Cousins: life love and perilous predicaments during the Great War era (Amazon). It reveals a compelling story of families dealing with the trauma of war, fighting in opposing armies and moving across Europe as war takes control of their lives. Mizpah Cousins has received five star reviews on Amazon.com, also on Amazon.co.uk and Goodreads.

Margaret, an IT Consultant, loves living in Staverton Wiltshire with her husband Graham Woodhouse. She derives her joie de vivre playing with her grandsons, researching family history, writing and traveling. Her research has reunited her with long lost family on the Isle of Dogs London; also to the discovery of Otto Henseluck, serving as Merchant Seaman Robert Smith, remembered at the Tower Hill Memorial. Her family were émigrés into London early 1800, escaping from the turmoil of their homeland, Germany. She is currently working on a sequel called Betweenwhiles, which continues the family’s historical saga, in the era between the wars. The families’ recovery from WW1 was moving and harsh. However, romance and life blossomed. Then the Nazis reared an ugly visage. An uncle has been discovered who resisted the Nazis and was imprisoned and tortured for his brave efforts.

Description

Mizpah Cousins: life, love and perilous predicaments (Amazon) is a compelling true story set around the Great War era and tells of cousins, born in the East End of London from the German émigré families, Demmel, Myer and Henseluck. The story begins in the emerging Edwardian society of 1909 and describes the hardships and ambitions – the life and loves of working class cousins, introducing cousins Amalia and Agnes. This era is portrayed with sparkling authenticity, M A Lossl having extensively studied for example, the Booth Poverty Maps of London and historic London weather information. The family saga is brought to life with photographs and original documents. Aspirational, the cousins Amalia and Agnes travel to follow love, with hope of advancement. The stirrings of war are seen through the eyes of the families who are living on different lines of the conflict – London, Hamburg and Versailles at the commencement of hostiles. The internment of Amalia Lossl’s family in Versailles, leads to her epic journey acr
oss France to hostile Germany with her two small children. Families Demmel, Myer and Henseluck who are still living in the East End, suffer the new phenomenon of German bombing raids. Meanwhile, Agnes Heitmann now living in Hamburg tells the story of her life, expecting her third child and her husband’s letters arriving from the front line- poignantly imply the horrors of war. At this time cousin George is serving in the Royal Navy and describes a fine adventure in Bermuda, while cousin Otto is facing the perils of German U boats, serving in the merchant navy. Brave and stoic souls are chased by the depravities of war and each cousin’s story reflects different sides of this momentous conflict. The story culminates as peace is achieved, but as the war death-note sounds, the heavy bells of grief toll alongside the joyous cascade of celebration.

Book excerpt

1914 The Summer of Innocence Lost

Sometimes time can play tricks. One moment it idles by, an hour can seem a lifetime, such as when sitting by the river at dusk watching the bats snatching insects above the limpid waters; the breaching fish causing ringed ripples and a satisfying plop. Other times, time flashes by in an immodest fashion. So it is with the start of war. First time quivers with the last strum of a wonderful peace, the note holding in the air, mysterious and haunting, filling the listener with awe. Then, with a rising crescendo the terror starts with uncouth haste; with a boom the listener is shaken from their reverie and delivered into the servitude, of an ear-shattering cacophony.

Germany, like a surreptitious conductor, urges Austria-Hungary in secret, to start a war in retaliation for the death of their prince. Germany wants to appear an innocent party, but secretly desires to then join their allies in battle, in the hope of increasing the German power base. As they do not want to be viewed as the instigators of war by their European peers, Germany ignites a smouldering fuse. This seems not to burn at first, but then with surprising ferocity, the flame bursts into life.

By July the gauntlet is laid down as Austria-Hungary gives Serbia an ultimatum, the terms of which make it difficult for Serbia to avoid war. And, despite Serbia meeting all but one of the demands, war is then declared by Austria-Hungary, initiated by its army bombing Belgrade – the Serbian capital. The main events unfold, revealed by press coverage to a startled audience; however, the covert machinations of the politicians are not self-evident. Russia responds to the threat – perhaps Tsar Nicholas being goaded on by his cousin the kaiser – by mobilising the Russian forces. So the strident notes of war start to fall into place on the music sheet. Plans that had been mulled over for years are now being enacted; Germany having prepared for this eventuality, under the direction of a general named Schliefen.

By August, Germany responds to the Russian mobilisation by declaring war, choosing to see this mobilisation as threatening support for Serbia. France, startled by the events, commences its own mobilisation of troops, to support its Russian allies.

By 2nd of August, German troops occupy Luxemburg, some say according to the Schliefen plan. On the same day Germany gives Belgium an ultimatum, to allow German troops through their country, to invade France.

The next day, 3rd of August, Germany declares war on France. At the same time, having no desire to let German troops march across their soil, Belgium declines the terms of Germany’s ultimatum.

The 4th brings the German invasion of neutral Belgium. This travesty prompts Britain’s declaration of war on Germany, for violating Belgium’s neutrality.

The Battle of Liege takes place on the 5th – the Germans overrun Belgium, and Montenegro joins the fray, declaring war on Germany. Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia on the 6th and so our morbid concerto continues.

The friends of Europe are now engaged in battle. The population at first look on, shocked, but then there quickly follows harrowing events that touch every life of every soul. With alarming rapidity, countries enter the fray; the speed of the escalation subdues the population of Europe into fearful obedience.

Families Heitmann, Henselück, Lossl, Meyer and Demmel find themselves separated by enemy lines. History is moving them towards their fate, which they accept, with as much dignity as they can muster.

Author Website

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mizpah-Cousins/486176524819135

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