A Woman In Berlin: Six Week in the Conquered City is a diary of Russian brutality to women in the last days of World War II. This is written by an anonymous journalist who, like many women, suffers repeated rape and does whatever she needs to do to survive during this time.

This is not an easy book to read because it is a detailed account of the repeated rapes and humiliation of women, young and old. The German men are of no help since they are the defeated. The worse part is when her boyfriend, Gerd, returns from the war, reads her diary, and totally rejects her. The "Ivans" (Russians)treat their horses better than the women. Women and children are simple considered the spoils of war.

This book was first published in 1954 in Germany and was rejected because of the disgust of writing about mass rape and the choices made to survive. Some questioned the authenticity.

This is a reminder of the wars that are happening at this moment, how the women are treated, and I would guess that the stories will be held as secrets by many because of the shame and low regard for women in many societies. As the author says, the men come back with all of the glory and women remain mum.

Ah humanity, what we do to our own! And we are above animals because of or our higher intelligence?