Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Defending Britta Stein by Ronald H. Balson

Book Description

Defending Britta Stein is a story of bravery, betrayal, and redemption—from Ronald H. Balson, the winner of the National Jewish Book Award

Chicago, 2018: Ole Henryks, a popular restauranteur, is set to be honored by the Danish/American Association for his many civic and charitable contributions. Frequently appearing on local TV, he is well known for his actions in Nazi-occupied Denmark during World War II—most consider him a hero.

Britta Stein, however, does not. The ninety-year-old Chicago woman levels public accusations against Henryks by spray-painting “Coward,” “Traitor,” “Collaborator,” and “War Criminal” on the walls of his restaurant. Mrs. Stein is ultimately taken into custody and charged with criminal defacement of property. She also becomes the target of a bitter lawsuit filed by Henryks and his son, accusing her of defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Attorney Catherine Lockhart, though hesitant at first, agrees to take up Mrs. Stein’s defense. With the help of her investigator husband, Liam Taggart, Lockhart must reach back into wartime Denmark and locate evidence that proves Mrs. Stein’s innocence. Defending Britta Stein is critically-acclaimed author Ronald H. Balson’s thrilling take on a modern day courtroom drama, and a masterful rendition of Denmark’s wartime heroics.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Defending Britta Stein by Ronald H. Balson is a wonderful read. Although the book has some courtroom drama including legal strategy and loopholes, most of the story is Britta Stein’s recounting of the events leading up to and during World War II in Denmark. This is historical fiction at its best with bravery, betrayal, and redemption.

Britta Stein is a 92-year-old Jewish Danish woman who emigrated to America. She is being sued for defamation after being seen and then admitting to spray painting “Coward,” “Traitor,” “Collaborator,” and “War Criminal” on the walls of a restaurant. The owner, 95-year-old Ole Henryks, will be honored by the Danish/American Association for his many civic and charitable contributions. Frequently appearing on local TV, he is well known for his actions of saving Jews in Nazi-occupied Denmark during World War II and is considered a hero.  But not to Britta who claims he was anything but and sent Jews to their deaths including her sister and brother-in-law.

Attorney Catherine Lockhart and Investigator Liam Taggart, husband, and wife, have agreed to defend Britta and have as an assistant counsel her granddaughter Emma. The plot alternates between present day Chicago (2018) and Britta’s oral account of her memories of her homeland of Denmark prior to the presence of the Nazis and during World War II. They are up against “Six o’clock” Sterling Sparks, Henryk’s’ shady attorney, who pushes for a speedy trial and is willing to waive witness lists and pretrial exhibits. Readers anxiously turn the pages hoping Britta will be vindicated since they take a journey with her during the horrific events.

What is very interesting is the way Balson contrasts defamation versus freedom of speech, the consequences of staying versus leaving, and Denmark’s role in protecting its Jewish citizens.

This book will stay with readers well after they finish the book. The author has an incredible way of telling a story with sympathetic heroes and monstrous villains before and during World War II. The story has mystery, intrigue, suspense, and history all intertwined into a riveting novel.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  Why Denmark?

Ronald H. Balson:  I wanted to tell the story of what this country did since it was so unique and extraordinary.  They unified and came together as a country, they came together to hide, protect, and ultimately rescue 7,600 of their Jewish brethren from certain death. Other countries did not do it: not Belgium, not France, not Norway, not any other country.

EC:  It was interesting that Hitler made a non-aggression pact with Denmark, The Cooperation Agreement?

RHB:  Denmark got a pass from Hitler who considered the country small and not a military force.  But he needed this country to get into the North Sea.  For whatever reason he decided not to totally occupy Denmark and to peacefully co-exist.  Denmark ran its own internal affairs and was allowed to govern their Jewish population until 1943. 

EC:  The Danish people were incredible?

RHB:  I hoped to get across through the civil jury trial here in America what it was like to be a Dane and Jewish.  As I recounted in the book, there were plenty of non-Jews who put themselves at risk to help save the 7600 Jewish citizens in Denmark.  They were hidden in hospitals, churches, stores, and homes.  Many also helped the Jews get to Sweden. I wanted to show how the Danes had emotional pride and belief in their own country.

EC: You discuss the debate about staying versus leaving?

RHB:  I have this scene in the book between Catherine her lawyer, and Britta.  Catherine says, “I know it’s easy for me to say in hindsight, and it’s not fair, I shouldn’t judge, but the consequences of staying were dire, yet they found some reason to ignore the writing on the wall, which to me defies logic and good sense.”  Britta responds, that if they could see into the future a wiser decision could have been made; yet, they “would have packed up and left everything and everyone… your job, your home, your profession, and headed off blindly in some unknown direction… At that time, in 1943 Hitler owned Europe.”

EC:  You seem to explore this in many of your books?

RHB:  It is a constant theme in a lot of my books.  They all had the same opportunity to leave.  But how does someone leave everything including family and community.  Where would they go? How many countries would have taken in millions of Jews? What the Nazis did continued to escalate, and no one could imagine the concentration camps.  Many thought they could last out the war. 

EC:  How would you describe Britta-I thought of her like Golda Meir?

RHB:  Really interesting.  She was a spunky young woman and now in her 90s she is a spunky older woman.  She is a fighter, passionate, principled, independent, determined, and headstrong.

EC: She was accused of having a Nazi symbol but denied it?

RHB: She said she would never use these symbols because then it becomes a part of her language.

EC:  In the story there is an explanation between freedom of speech and defamation?

RHB: I have a scene in the book where Catherine explains to Britta that freedom of speech is not absolute.  No one can use words to legally defame someone. If someone is accused of criminal conduct, crimes of moral turpitude, and coalescence with the Nazi Party there can be serious consequences. Traitor, Nazi agent, and Nazi collaborator are defamatory on their face.  But couldn’t liar, informer, and betrayer be opinions?

EC:  How would you describe the granddaughter, Emma?

RHB: She is learning a lot about her grandmother who she admires.  She is a brilliant young lawyer who is articulate and dignified.

EC:  What about the lawyer Sterling Sparks?

RHB:  He is called “Six O’clock Sparks” for a reason. I have been practicing law for over 49 years and have met plenty of Sterlings. He knows how to work the media.  Very flashy but not that sharp as a lawyer. Very brash, narcissistic, over-confident, and conceited.

EC:  What do you want readers to get out of your books?

RHB:  I think of historical fiction like cheating.  The backdrop has already been written by history.  My job as a writer is to create characters, a plot, and a setting to weave into the history, making sure a certain point is brought out.  I want my readers to be invested in the fictional characters created.  My goal is for people to learn something.

EC:  What about your next book?

RHB:  It will not have Catherine and Liam although I think I will write another one with them. This next book takes place in 1945 with some espionage.  It will possibly come out in September next year. 

THANK YOU!!