Insight to an Extraordinary Journey.
Escape from Shanghai
Survival transported them to Shanghai, but it was love that brought them together. For the children of two families who escaped the wrath of the Nazis and Japanese during WWII, they found connection in their love for music, but a shocking betrayal tore them apart.
About the Book
It is 1938 when the Kolbers, affluent Viennese Jews, flee their country for Shanghai after its annexation by the Nazis. Eva and her daughter take the Trans-Siberian Railroad through war zones where they must confront border guards and Japanese imprisonment. Meanwhile, her husband, Josef, and their twin sons travel by ocean liner, hiding valuables in crates.
Similarly in China, the politically powerful Gan Chen family finds their lives upended by Japanese invaders. Forced to abandon their estate, the family seeks refuge in Shanghai. While the families adapt to their new lifestyles during the war, their children meet. Walter Kolber is a handsome violinist; Chao Chen is a gifted pianist.
After a forbidden romance blossoms, Chao Chen discovers she is pregnant. Without familial blessings, the lovers marry in December 1946 and head with their newborn to a refugee camp in Austria. As Chao Chen grapples with language and cultural barriers, the family is met with turmoil and tragedy. Now only time will tell if they will survive their troubles to start a new life in the United States. A remarkable true story, Thrown upon the World tells the tale of two families brought together during World War II in Shanghai and the twist of fate that split them apart.
Expert Testimonials
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“Thrown Upon the World” tells a bitter truth that vividly depicts the damage inflicted on those forced into exile. The harshest truth of all is that not all who survived were ennobled by their suffering. Some were destroyed by it, and some destroyed others because of it.”
Michael Berenbaum
Professor of Jewish Studies at the American Jewish University -
"This richly written book is a true story about many of the side effects of WWII – the Nazi anti-Semitism, the flight of Jews to places of safety – Shanghai in this story, and the miscegenation resulting from loves cast on a sea of insecurity, and more and more."
Grady Harp
San Francisco Review of Books -
"This true family saga of war and betrayal is both epic and intimate, pulsing with unforgettable characters caught in the tumult of history. Impossible to put down, it is deeply moving, answering heartbreak with healing through the sheer power of storytelling. What more can be asked of a book?"
Nicole Mones
Author of Night in Shanghai, Lost in Translation, and The Last Chinese Chef
About the Authors
George Kolber
In addition to Thrown Upon the World, George Kolber wrote and produced the award-winning feature film Miranda’s Victim, based on the true story of an 18-year-old rape survivor whose case led to the creation of the Miranda Rights. The acclaimed film features an ensemble cast including Abigail Breslin, Andy Garcia, Donald Sutherland, Ryan Phillippe, Luke Wilson, Kyle MacLachlan, Emily VanCamp, Mireille Enos, and others.
Kolber has reimagined this powerful historical story for the New York stage in his new play Annabel’s Sister, which challenges audiences to reconsider the very meaning of “Miranda Rights.”
Beyond his creative work, Kolber serves as Managing Partner of GVK Limited Partners, specializing in private equity investment and corporate finance. He also leads Navesink River Productions LLC, Kolber Productions LLC, and Kolber Properties LLC, which owns and manages commercial properties.
Earlier in his career, Kolber was CEO and Vice Chairman of Retail Ventures Inc. (NYSE: RVI), a multi-billion enterprise that operated Value City Department Stores, Filene’s Basement, and DSW Shoe Warehouse. He also served as Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AE). And was Chairman and CEO of Body Shop of America (NYSE: BODY), a national retail chain with catalog and e-commerce operations.
Charles Kolber
Charles Kolber grew up in Union, New Jersey. He was an engineer for Fortune 500 companies and later operated a family-owned business with his wife, Christa. He and his wife have three children and nine grand children, and are involved in numerous philanthropies that include Holocaust awareness.