Flight From Vienna

This story is about Rudi Auer and Lili Gruen in Vienna from 1932-1934 as they become increasingly aware of and affected by the rise of Nazism and Aryanization in Austria, especially in Vienna. Rudi, a Catholic, country boy with a natural interest in human rights, is a university student, while Lili, nine years older, works as a secretary and is from a well-established Jewish business family. They would become my parents. While the advance of Nazism was mainly ignored by the Viennese, Rudi Auer, a contributor to the Vienna University newspaper, became very aware of the threat. Quite unfortunate circumstances caused Rudi and Lili to flee Vienna. While the fundamental components of the story are factual, the minor characters and events are ficticious

First trained as a historian, Peter Auer has spent half a century as a teacher and teacher educator working mainly in Australia, the Middle East, the United States and Africa. In addition to writing, Peter spends his time skiing, playing tennis, taking photographs, cooking and travelling. He currently lives in Washington DC with his wife Carolyn and Jack Russell Charlie for the benefits this city provides intellectually and culturally.