Finding Zasha
By: Randi Barrow
Summary
Book 1: Finding Zasha
Ivan (main character),
Ivan's mother (Elena),
Alik & Misha (friends of Ivan),
Auntie Vera (secondary character) & Vera's sister-in-law (Galina),
Polina (secondary character) & her mother,
Petr (secondary character),
Yeshka & his father (Josef),
Major Axel Rechet (secondary character),
Zasha & Thor (secondary/main characters),
and more!
Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Zasha-Randi-Barrow/dp/054545218X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
Randi Barrow
Her website:
Book 2: Saving Zasha
Mikhail (main character),
Nikolai (Mikhail's older brother, secondary/main character),
Petr & Zasha (secondary/main character),
Rina (Mikhail's younger sister, secondary character),
Mikhail & Nikolai & Rina's mother (secondary character),
Paku,
Katia (secondary/main character),
Dimitri,
and more!
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Zasha-Randi-Barrow/dp/0545206332
Theme
Hitler's Blondi and His Other Dogs
His first dog was a bull terrier named Fuschl (or Foxl as Hitler liked to call him). He was a dog from France that Hitler found while serving there in WWI. (Some say Fuschl was the mascot of that particular Russian unit.) His Foxl disappeared in the end, and Hitler claimed that Foxl was stolen, but it is more likely that he just escaped. Hitler was a dog lover at heart, but didn't like small 'lap dogs' or Boxers. He was also allergic to cats, which is probably why he never liked them.
Hitler had many different German Shepherds over the years the first of them was named Blonda (who is a different dog from Blondi, who was younger). Blonda had a litter of puppies, of which no one seems to know much about. It is confirmed that one of the puppies was also named Blonda. After both of the Blondas died is when he got Blondi. There are many different accounts of Blondi, but most sources say she was given to Hitler as a gift. She was defiantly his favorite. She is seen in many different pictures with him, and he loved her very much. He even bought her another German Shepherd named Bella, as a friend. Bella was soon sent away though because she didn't like Blondi much, and liked to get her master up at nine in the morning to play.
Blondi went almost everywhere that her master went, and slept in his room. Feldebel Fritz Tornow was even assigned Blondi's own personal dog trainer! In early April 1945 Blondi had five puppies at the bunker where Hitler and his loyal Nazi members stayed their last days. She had been bred some time earlier with Gerdy Troost's German Shepherd, Harrass. The only name of the puppy that has been accounted for was the first male, and Hitler's favorite puppy. Hitler named him 'Wolf' after his own name, Adolf (which means 'Noble Wolf').
Blondi stayed with Hitler to the end, even when Hitler's personal docter tested the accuracy of the cyanide on her. When it worked Hitler was devastated. After Hitler and Eva committed suicide Feldebel Firtz Tornow- Blondi's own handler- took the puppies outside, and shot them. Russian troops later recovered Blondi's body along with Hitler, Eva, and a German Shepherd puppy (thought to be Wolf). Even though they searched the area it was never recorded that any other puppies or their bodies were found.
Blondi's story is very sad, and it seems brutal that Hitler would let her take the cyanide. Some things are just honest mistakes though. Like hiring Feldebel Fritz Tornow as your dog's personal dog handler. It just goes to show though, some dogs are loyal to the end.
Hitler loved dogs and thought that they were very smart!
Hitler and his wife Eva pose with their dogs.
Hitler liked German Shepherds, but his wife liked Scottish Terriers. Eva's two Scottish Terriers were named Negus and Stasi. Hitler didn't like small dogs and ordered no pictures be taken of the two terriers together. However, feelings were mutual because Eva didn't like the German Shepherds, and often kicked them under the table when her husband wasn't looking.
Hitler throws a stick for Blondi.
Did Randi Barrow Portray This Correctly?
Sources
("Blondi- what happened to her other four pups? - Stormfront." Stormfront RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.)
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/newspapers_nazi_germany.htm
("Newspapers in Nazi Germany." History Learning Site: Newspapers in Nazi Germany. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.)
("Adolf Hitler had army of talking dogs, claims Dr Jan Bondeson." NewsComAu. News.Com.Au, n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. )
https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
("Google Images." Google Images. Google, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.)
Hitler Clips with Blondi:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SBzGeuNAoMY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSBzGeuNAoMY
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cToujtB7QBI