All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler by Rebecca Donner Summary

1. Mildred Harnack led Nazi resistance using coded messages hidden in books and clothing.
2. Hitler personally ordered Mildred’s execution for distributing anti-regime leaflets across Berlin.
3. Mildred’s secret network smuggled Jewish families to safety while evading Gestapo surveillance.
4. Rebecca Donner blends biography and spy thriller to expose forgotten WWII heroism.
5. Mildred’s letters reveal the moral cost of resisting authoritarianism from within.
6. The book traces how poetry fueled covert resistance through encrypted symbolism.
7. Mildred’s American identity became both her shield and liability in Nazi Germany.
8. Clandestine teacher unions secretly trained women for underground intelligence operations.
9. Donner reconstructs Mildred’s final days through declassified Gestapo interrogation records.
10. The title references Goethe’s poem smuggled in Mildred’s last prison letter.
11. Mildred’s resistance circle inspired later Cold War-era spycraft techniques.
12. Family archives prove Mildred’s execution orders were forged by Nazi officials.

About the Author of All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days

Rebecca Donner, bestselling author of All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler, is an award-winning historian and biographer renowned for her meticulous research and narrative precision. A Guggenheim Fellow and elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Donner merges her background in creative writing (MFA, Columbia University) with archival rigor to illuminate hidden histories.

Her work on this biography—which traces her great-great-aunt Mildred Harnack’s WWII resistance against the Nazis—draws from decades of family letters and wartime records, reflecting her commitment to reclaiming women’s roles in historical narratives.

Donner’s prior works include the novel Sunset Terrace, exploring 1980s adolescence, and the graphic novel Burnout, a critique of ecoterrorism. A Visiting Scholar at Oxford and Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellow, her writing has been featured in The New York Times and The Nation. All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days won the National Book Critics Circle Award, the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award, and The Chautauqua Prize, and has been translated into over 20 languages.

FAQs About All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days

What is All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days about?

All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days chronicles the life of Mildred Harnack, an American woman who led a clandestine anti-Nazi resistance network in Berlin. Rebecca Donner’s biography details Harnack’s covert operations, including distributing anti-Hitler leaflets, espionage, and using shortwave radios to broadcast Allied news, culminating in her 1943 execution on Hitler’s orders. The book blends historical analysis with personal letters and diaries.

Who should read All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days?

This book is ideal for WWII history enthusiasts, readers interested in unsung female heroes, and those exploring resistance movements. Its narrative depth appeals to fans of biographical histories like The Zookeeper’s Wife or The Nightingale, offering fresh insights into civilian defiance under fascism.

Is All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days worth reading?

Yes. The book won the National Book Critics Circle Award, PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award, and The Chautauqua Prize. Critics praise its meticulous research and gripping storytelling, with The New York Times calling it a “stunning literary achievement”.

How does the book portray Mildred Harnack’s resistance efforts?

Donner highlights Harnack’s recruitment of dissidents, covert intelligence-sharing with Allies, and subversion of Nazi propaganda through underground radio broadcasts. Her dual identity—posing as a Nazi-aligned teacher while organizing resistance—showcases her strategic brilliance.

What role did propaganda play in Nazi Germany according to the book?

The book examines Joseph Goebbels’ manipulation of media, including state-mandated “People’s Radios” to control information. Harnack countered this by using a Blaupunkt shortwave radio to access banned foreign broadcasts, distributing truthful news to undermine Nazi narratives.

Who was Arvid Harnack and how is he depicted?

Arvid Harnack, Mildred’s husband, was an economist and key figure in the anti-Nazi resistance. The book positions him as a background collaborator, focusing instead on Mildred’s leadership and her network’s gender-diverse composition.

What awards has All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days won?

The book received the 2022 National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography, PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award, and The Chautauqua Prize. It was also shortlisted for the LA Times Book Prize and Governor General’s Literary Award.

How does Rebecca Donner’s writing style enhance the narrative?

Donner intertwines historical context with intimate details from Harnack’s letters, creating a novelistic pace. Her use of primary sources, including Gestapo interrogation records, adds visceral urgency to the story.

What criticisms exist about All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days?

Some reviewers note the dense web of historical figures might challenge casual readers. However, most praise Donner’s ability to balance scholarly rigor with accessible storytelling, calling it “innovative” and “definitive”.

Why is Mildred Harnack’s story significant today?

Harnack’s courage in resisting authoritarianism resonates in modern contexts, offering lessons on civic resistance and media literacy. Her execution—and posthumous vindication—underscore the enduring fight for truth against repression.

Does the book include primary sources or archival material?

Yes. Donner draws from Harnack’s diaries, declassified FBI files, letters, and Gestapo interrogation transcripts. These materials reveal her inner conflicts and the risks she took to document Nazi crimes.

Where did Rebecca Donner conduct research for the book?

Donner accessed archives in Germany, the U.S., and Russia, alongside family documents. Her 10-year research process included translating rare German sources and interviewing descendants of resistance members.