Reviews
Burkart Th. (82)
It is rare that I read a book of this length so quickly. From the very first pages, Father Love drew me in. Even small details—such as the generous line spacing—contribute to an unusually comfortable reading experience. This is the kind of book you don’t want to put down.The novel tells a sweeping, global story, confronting the darkest depths … of both past and present. For me, the tension was intensified by echoes of my own family history. Father Love? … it would have been nice. That personal resonance is exactly what made the title so compelling to me.
I was born in 1943, not in Berlin but—due to wartime circumstances—in a Lebensborn home near the city. My mother came from a long-established Berlin family and worked as a journalist and cultural writer. My father had joined the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler in 1933 and went on to build a “career” in various SS offices in Berlin, eventually reaching the rank of Sturmbannführer. My parents divorced in 1946.
Fatherly love? Long gone.
Still, my mother managed to raise the three of us remarkably well.
Any attempt to discuss the years 1933 to 1945 within our family was firmly rejected. That was deeply disappointing. When people refuse to speak about their own family history, it often means something is being hidden. While everyone has the right to remain silent, openness within a family should matter. Together with my mother, I once tried to speak with my biological father in Berlin—but both he and his new wife refused outright.
Left with unanswered questions, I turned to archival research. Over time, I gathered an immense amount of knowledge on my own.
That is why this novel affected me so deeply. Father Love mirrors many elements of my own family story, drawing powerful connections between personal memory and historical truth.
This book deserves five stars.
Father Love is a must-read — fully immersive from beginning to end.
The novel has a soul. History is always present, quietly resonating beneath the surface. Again and again, I found myself pausing, pulled back into real historical moments. It would also make an outstanding screenplay for a film adaptation.
The time shifts are especially well done, giving the reader space to breathe and reengage. Father Love speaks directly to our present moment, resonating strongly with today’s global realities. The chapter on September 11, 2001, in the United States brought back vivid memories for me: a former colleague and dear friend lost his life aboard Flight UA175 when it struck the South Tower.
Life can be devastatingly unjust.
Nick Wilder and Richard Opper — thank you for this powerful work.
Randy K. – US Special Forces (RT)
When Nick Wilder requested that I review the Father Love manuscript during the development of the initial draft, I was ecstatic. With a deep background in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and US Army Special Operations, alongside my Jewish heritage, I found this book not only captivating … but also remarkably well-crafted and most of all, believable.From the opening chapter, it was clear that a substantial amount of research had gone into the development of the storyline. Wilder’s meticulous attention to detail adds depth and authenticity to the characters and plot, making each event feel believable and engaging. This level of detail and authenticity resonated with me.
One of the most striking aspects of Father Love is its great potential for cinema. The vivid descriptions, action scenes and intense emotional arcs quickly drew me in, envisioning a project that would translate beautifully onto the big screen. Throughout the book, I found myself thinking about how powerful this story could be in the visual medium—its dramatic tension and character development are primed for adaptation.
Overall, Father Love is a compelling read that effectively combines rich storytelling with realistic elements, showcasing Nick’s unique and experienced perspective that adds further intrigue. By the time I reached the last chapter, I was left wanting more. This book is a must-read for those seeking a gripping, well-researched narrative that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page.
Nikolaj Georgiew – Photographer & Filmmaker
I, too, have dealt with the subject of an overpowering father since childhood.
I always sensed that he had lived a mysterious life before my life began.
For example, I only learned as an adult that I had – or have – a half-sister.
Everything was shrouded in darkness. Everything remained unspoken between us.
Much of it felt remarkably similar to the story of Nick Wilder – the “Herr Kaiser,” the ship’s doctor from Traumschiff, whom I “coincidentally” met five years ago at an ARD documentary shoot in Hamburg.
But what am I saying – coincidences don’t exist.
So I was very curious to discover the burden Nick carried and to see how he transformed his own story into a fictional novel.
The book captivated me from the very first page.
For the next several days, I could hardly put it down.
For five days my girlfriend saw me only from behind the red-and-black book cover: sometimes rejoicing, sometimes cursing, sometimes silent, sometimes furious – even once with tears in my eyes.
And especially from the perspective of a professional cameraman, the whole thing takes on an additional dimension:
This book reads like a film you simply cannot pause. Images, light, shadows – internal tracking shots that cut straight to the heart.
The narrative style has rhythm, dramaturgy, silence, and explosion. It has atmosphere, it has “camera” – the book lives.
Nick weaves his own story together with historical facts so seamlessly that truth and fiction flow into each other.
I caught myself nervously eyeing the ever-fewer remaining pages leading toward the end – just as in life, where the days grow fewer and fewer.
And then the showdown.
A flood of images and information that made me place the book aside in astonishment.
Only an hour later, I was overcome by the impulse to ask my mother what secrets truly surrounded my father, who passed away thirty years ago.
I, too, now have questions and must learn my own story – just as I have now learned the story of Nick, or rather Alex von Stein.
Wishing you great success, dear Nick Wilder.
Charlene Kallestad
On August 12, 2023 I took refuge in a special book, “Father Love.” I read long into the following nights, unable to put it down. Your hard work has resulted in a masterfully told story. Tonight, I finished reading it for the second time in order to provide some coherent feedback. But I cannot offer a single improvement to the story or the way the authors told it. Father Love is so beautifully woven: the flashbacks, the imagery, the dialog, the poignant history …seamlessly infiltrating present day; every page is riveting.My one regret is best expressed by my daughter Kim, who said, “I only wish Grandpa could have read this.” He taught history; WWII was personal for him. The authors’ beautifully wrought words have that same ability as his lectures did, to educate, enlighten and champion truth. Father Love is a masterpiece out of the gate. It is destined to be a blockbuster. And it has to be a TV-series!
Pat Keim (Montana, USA)
The authors of Father Love honored me with the privilege of reviewing a pre-publication copy of their book. Having now read it, I am really glad they asked me. For context, I am a longtime resident of Montana, the most beautiful state in the USA, an avid student of history, and have been involved with government and it’s accompanying political affairs for nearly four decades.Father Love is an important story that tells how political movements… can get out of hand. It tells how they can become especially dangerous when they are rooted in bigotry and intolerance that are allowed to go unchecked because of fear and intimidation. It delves into how such things can destroy families, communities, nations, and freedom itself. In so telling, the book has significant relevance for us in the world we live in today. It puts historical context on many of the events we are currently experiencing. These include the resurgence of bigotry, political discord, and their accompanying social polarization. It is a clear warning about the threats these things present to our personal lives and our society as a whole.
The authors Nick Wilder and Richard Opper spin a fascinating story of adventure, intrigue, and family history that all have relevance in events we are seeing in today’s world. The story follows the life of Alex von Stein, or should I say the three lives of Alex von Stein, the son of a former Nazi Waffen SS officer. It delves into the stresses that young Alex must deal with in relation to his father’s past and present life and activities. And it all plays out against the backdrop of actual, ominous current events in our world today.
In Father Love the authors are pushing the reader to think about where we have been and what we can learn from our past. It challenges the reader to reflect on what is going on in many of our countries today with the resurgence of forces pushing isolationism and intolerance of divergent views. The story sounds a clear and strong warning about where we may be headed if we fail to understand and head the lessons of the past.
The book is extremely well written. It is fast paced with a well-developed storyline that flows smoothly from one adventure to the next while remaining anchored to its beginning. Simply put, it is spellbinding high adventure that is hard to put down while making its readers think deeply about some of the most important issues in today’s world.
Pam Schindler (USA)
I recently delved into the captivating world of “Father Love” and found myself thoroughly engrossed by its rich tapestry of history, compelling father and son characters, and intricately woven plot. Nick Wilder’s and Richard Opper’s meticulous attention to historical detail creates a vivid backdrop that breathes life into every page.The characters are not mere vessels for the plot; they are beautifully crafted… individuals with depth and complexity, making it impossible not to become emotionally invested in their journeys. From the protagonists to the enigmatic supporting cast, each character contributes uniquely to the overall narrative, leaving an indelible mark on the reader.
The plot is a masterful dance through time, seamlessly blending historical events with a gripping storyline. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and the expertly crafted pacing ensured that the momentum never waned. As the layers of the narrative unfolded, I found myself eagerly turning pages, hungry to discover what awaited the characters in the next historical chapter.
In summary, “Father Love” is a literary masterpiece that seamlessly melds history, characters, and plot into a harmonious symphony of storytelling. This novel is a must-read for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted narrative that transports readers through time while keeping them firmly tethered to the characters’ fates.
Tim Weidlich – Chaplain
I picked up Nick Wilder’s book, Father Love, having already heard him tell bits of his story, I expected a colorful description of Nazi Germany, and I was not disappointed.But there were angles to this story revealing an insightful analysis … of the impact on a family to a country’s loyalty to Hitler.
Most accounts of Germany’s great deception explore the question of how a people could be led into such evil.
Many conclude that Hitler’s Germany should be a warning to those that follow to never forget the lessons from this war.
But Father Love is different, because it is an exploration of the more fundamental lesson of how a country’s loyalty to a maniacal leader can be prevented by a loving home.
The desperate need for this lesson today is obvious in so many countries return to dictatorial leaders, racism and political leaders’ use of religion and violence to gain power.
The German SS officer in Father’s Love pursues the ambition of winning Hitler’s approval and withholds his love from his sons.
The story winds through time and countries with one son attempting to redeem his father’s actions and attitudes, while the other son stays home doing whatever his father demands to earn his love.
I was drawn into the story about the generational impact of Hitler, only to discover that the story was moving me into my own exploration of my family’s struggle with the impact of a father’s withheld love.
The power of Father Love is not just a warning of the danger of forgetting the lessons from WWII, but the more powerful exploration of a father’s influence on his family.
Carmae Fawaz
This epic coming of age story is told from the viewpoint of a child of a Nazi SS officer. It brilliantly navigates the push and pull of moral dilemmas … faced by a child wanting their father‘s love, but grappling with their own inner knowing.Alex moves through the world in a very different way than his parents and ultimately makes decisions based on living and learning through his own life experiences, but still yearning, as every child does, for his father’s approval.
Inevitably, the courage to change generations of hate and hurt have to come through the recognition of humanity in every person. Alex’s humanity is put to the test as he faces his life and ultimately his own generational trauma.
Andrea Gretz
In a world that often seeks quick solutions and superficial answers, Vaterliebe by Nick Wilder is a rare and profound work. It challenges us to rethink both our personal responsibility and the societal role we play.As an executive coach working with people who often carry responsibility at the highest levels, I see in Nick Wilder’s book an essential reflection … on the deep psychological dynamics that shape our actions—not only as individuals, but as members of a larger society. Vaterliebe goes far beyond the story of a father and his family. It raises the question of what true responsibility means, especially in a world characterized by fast, often short-term decisions.
Nick Wilder shows that responsibility does not concern only action in the present moment, but also the ability to remember—the past and the consequences of our actions. In a time when power is frequently exercised without deep reflection, this book reminds us of the ethical obligations that accompany it. Nick Wilder does not call only on political decision-makers, business leaders, and other holders of power to engage in deeper reflection on responsibility. He addresses all of us—in a globally interconnected world—in which our actions can have far-reaching consequences. The remembrance of the dark chapters of history is presented here not merely as a retrospective, but as an ethical imperative meant to protect us from the mistakes of the future.
Particularly moving is Nick Wilder’s portrayal of the human longing for recognition. The search to be accepted—whether by a father or by society—is a universal experience. The price we pay when that recognition is denied can be profound and painful.
Nick Wilder shows that true justice in a society must be grounded in the recognition of the individual.
What makes this book special is the way it touches us both intellectually and emotionally.
Nick Wilder succeeds in conveying profound themes such as responsibility and recognition in a way that encourages us to reflect on our own lives. It is not about lecturing us, but about inviting us into an intimate engagement with our own values.
Ultimately, Vaterliebe raises questions not only about the role of the father, but also about our responsibility as a society. It calls on us to think about the world we want to shape, and about the price we pay for power, responsibility, and recognition. In a world often dominated by politics and power, the book reminds us that true leadership is defined by care, mindfulness, and compassion. Vaterliebe is a book for all who are willing to face this responsibility.
Peter E.
Diekholzen, Germany (73)
Like the author Nick Wilder, I too was born in 1952 into the postwar world of northern Germany and grew up in a very “right-wing” environment.What I had always suspected and until now only knew in fragments comes together in the plot of his new book Vaterliebe to form a coherent overall picture for me—albeit fictionally transformed.
The story begins in Schleswig-Holstein, in Tönning, a place that in this novel symbolically stands for many other locations … in the North that were shaped by very similar social and political structures of the former National Socialist era. Overall, it is a gripping novel that weaves private and contemporary historical facts into a compelling narrative flow. With great skill, the author Nick Wilder and his American co-author Richard Opper allow reality and fiction to merge in this novel. Historical events familiar to the reader—such as the Munich massacre, a fictionalized reference to the right-wing extremist “Wehrsportgruppe Hoffmann,” the drama of Hoyerswerda, German reunification, or the fall of the Twin Towers in New York—lend the story an almost eerie sense of reality.
On the one hand, it is a coming-of-age novel that presents the protagonist Alex von Stein in all his facets, abysses, and talents; on the other, it is in some ways a crime novel that unfolds the arc of right-wing extremist contemporary history, from Hitler’s Nazi regime to the present day, with new and dangerous actors. Trapped in the web of conventions and constraints of the former “Third Reich,” the character Klara von Stein, the mother of the protagonist Alex von Stein, is a deeply tragic figure—yet also one that is so typical of many women of that generation.
The political conditions and the events associated with them in the small town of Tönning are fictional, but for me as a reader they were shocking.
His desperate struggle to expose the morass of an internationally networked right-wing scene, while at the same time coming to terms with the ever more revealing secrets surrounding his father’s actions during the Nazi era, places an enormous strain on his later marriage. These conflicts are described with great sensitivity by the authors. The funeral of the father, Leopold von Stein, in Tönning is both the beginning and (almost) the end of the novel.
In the epilogue, the authors succeed in a brilliant way in allowing the reader to immerse themselves in the inner world of two brothers, each of whom, from early childhood, tried in his own way to gain their father’s love and attention. The title Vaterliebe could hardly be more apt. When the two brothers finally learn the truth about their father together, the older brother Hans stands amid the ruins of his life, while for Alex the full truth unfolds—the truth he has been searching for all his life.
Painful, but ultimately redemptive, and for Alex not entirely unexpected.
What is unexpected, however, is a realization conveyed to Alex at the end of the story by a clergyman—an insight that turns everything upside down for him, and for me as a reader, casting everything read up to that point in a different light.
The final sentence of the book leads, almost as a logical consequence, to a continuation of the plot. It would not surprise me if this novel were adapted for the screen—given the scope of the story, probably as a series.
Such an adaptation could vividly and compellingly show audiences the dangers posed to our society by the resurgent right-wing ideologies. The novel unquestionably deserves many readers—readers who do not want to accept a repetition of Germany’s past, the Nazi era, and who are willing to engage in a new counter-movement against the re-emergence of right-wing extremism.
VOLKER & DANIELA K. JOOS
Dear friends, family, and acquaintances, dear contemporaries,Do you know what thoughts have been occupying my mind lately?
— What if …
What if you leave your house in the morning and your home is smeared with hateful slogans?
What if someone suddenly stands at your front door and, without hesitation, kicks it in?
What if someone suddenly tells you that as of tomorrow you will no longer be allowed to work in this country?
What if your children are chased out of school?
What if someone suddenly comes and beats you and your family to the ground?
What if someone suddenly comes, loads you onto a truck, and takes you to an unknown place?
What if, overnight, your assets are taken from you and you are cold-bloodedly murdered by Nazi thugs without a second thought?
You might say such thoughts come from a science-fiction novel—only mentally ill people dream up things like that! Something like this does not exist in reality.
— But is that really true?
Does this exist only in imagination?
Far from it!
This has in fact already happened—in Germany and in Europe!
Yes, truly!
These times existed here, and not so very long ago.
Younger people may not know this; many do not want to know.
Many looked away back then, from 1933 to 1945—and many would look away again today!
And right in the midst of these thoughts, I recently met a very well-known actor and author:
Nick Wilder.
Was it a coincidence that we met?
Neither of us believes in coincidences!
Nick Wilder and his American co-author Richard Opper have been working for several years on an almost unbelievable story—a book that, on the one hand, seems to defy imagination, and yet is so real, so realistic, so firmly based on facts that it not only shocked me as a reader, but left me oscillating between emotions I had rarely experienced before.
In their—and this can be said without exaggeration—brilliant work VATERLIEBE, the two authors shed light on the emergence, the spread, the brutality, the malicious sophistication, and the mercilessness of a right-wing extremist world; a world in which Nazis trample other people underfoot.
What distinguishes VATERLIEBE from other works that have addressed this subject in the past?
You may ask yourself this question—and it is a legitimate one.
It is not easy to put the answer into words.
For one thing, the story does not end with the end of the Second World War—no, that is where it truly begins.
For another, the story allows us to look into (present-day) social and hidden abysses that you, as a reader, will find neither in the newspapers nor in the daily news. This book has helped me understand this world better.
For that reason alone, I invite you to read this book—slowly and thoughtfully.
This is my personal recommendation to all the curious, the decent, the carefree, the thoughtless, the dreamers, and the realists of this world!
In order to make this brilliant work, VATERLIEBE, widely known in our globalized world, I hope it will soon be adapted for the screen—whether as a feature film or as a series.
Lübbert Kruizenga (now Roseville, Minnesota, USA)
I, born in 1964, had the privilege of being able to read the novel Vaterliebe by Nick Wilder and Richard Opper early on. The two authors have succeeded in creating an impressive work of historical—and almost contemporary—storytelling, told through screenplay-like dialogue. Alex von Stein struggles for recognition and respect from his father, a man with a deep-rooted Nazi past and ideology. This struggle drives him to despair and onto a path filled with unpredictable encounters, surprises, and dangers.National Socialism has remained latent in Germany even after the end of the Second World War—and has continued to exist beneath the surface. I experienced this myself: in my parents’ inn in East Frisia, the “Führer’s birthday” was “celebrated” every year on April 20 behind closed curtains and under dimmed lights. For this reason, I can relate very well to Alex’s behavior and emotions.
I hope the book encourages a different way of dealing with the “resurgence” of National Socialist movements—not only in Germany. And I hope there will be a continuation of the story …
Kim Brodtman – Hamburg
A truly fascinating story with a highly topical political relevance, especially when one looks at the worrying election results of the AfD in recent years. An extremely important subject—also for use in schools.The structure of the story positively reminded me of one of those Russian Matryoshka dolls: at first it is a coming-of-age story (Alex’s youth in Germany), then it turns into a road movie (Alex in the United States), and finally it reveals itself as a spy and political thriller—yet throughout the entire story, Alex’s (non-)relationship with his father runs as the central motif. This makes the story both deeply personal and political at the same time.
Evelyn Werner from Seelze
“Five centimeters of fatherly love would have been enough”They would have been enough—enough for this book perhaps never to have been written. Admittedly, love cannot be measured in centimeters, but this book invites exactly that kind of reflection.
You are holding a very, very thick book in your hands. It has provocative colors, a provocative title font, and many, many pages. That impression shifts once you open it. The pages themselves are relatively thick, and yet there are almost 600 of them. But what should one expect? A fantasy novel? A crime story? A biography? A historical reckoning? A love story? A settling of accounts? A screenplay? The book seems to contain a little of every genre. And yet it is simply different. It begins almost innocently. You think you can ease your way into it and then set it aside for later. Experience shows: that doesn’t work! After just a few pages, you become addicted to reading on. And you can only put it down when you reach the very last page. And even then—even then—it does not let go. The carousel of thoughts keeps spinning. It lands in the present. It draws comparisons. What did my father tell me about that same period—was he helpless, or was he an active participant? Is all of this history that will never return? Nick Wilder and his co-author have written a remarkable book here. The story (?) of a man who grows up sheltered in a rural family and then gets caught in the grinding wheels of the last eighty years of history. A man who constantly longs for attention—above all, for attention from his own father. A man who sacrifices his life to prove something to that father and to himself. A man who also carries traits of his father—though shaped by a very different way of thinking. A man who becomes entangled—both willingly and unwillingly—in those worlds that are, sadly, almost impossible to erase: worlds of different beliefs, different value systems, and concepts of power. And then there is also this thought: this book was written by the man who was “Herr Kaiser” in advertising, the ship’s doctor on Das Traumschiff, the Karl May co-star? Once again, proof that a human being has many sides. That, too, is part of these five very, very readable centimeters.
Juliane Meyer
I read the book Vaterliebe with great interest. While reading, I often had tears in my eyes—and at certain moments, a smile on my face as well. At some points, the tears flowed quite naturally, because the story felt so close and touched so many emotions.… Vaterliebe is a moving book that resonates long after reading and engages both the heart and the mind. What moved me most was how often I found myself reflected in its lines, even though my own background is quite different. The thoughts, feelings, and inner conflicts are described so authentically that they resonate regardless of one’s personal life story. The story demands attention, as it frequently shifts between different levels and time periods. Concentration is required, but it is worth it. Precisely because of this, reality and narrative repeatedly blur into one another, so that one often can no longer clearly distinguish between lived experience and literary interpretation. For me, Vaterliebe is a very honest, emotional book that lingers long afterward—above all because it carries so much humanity and depth within it. Thank you.
Bertram Solcher, Photographer
It was once again one of those appointments that ambush you as a photographer.“We’re doing an interview with Dr. Sander from Das Traumschiff, or also Mr. Kaiser from Hamburg-Mannheimer.” Aha! Quick research in the little time still left. All my prejudices confirmed. Yet another actor who thinks he also has to bless the world with his authorship.
We meet at a restaurant in Hamburg’s Portuguese Quarter. Nick Wilder is on a promotion tour for his second book, Vaterliebe.
The synopsis is surprising: in part an autobiographical spy novel dealing with Wilder’s youth on Fehmarn and with the repression and denial of Nazi crimes. Could it be any less ambitious? At least the conversation is very pleasant. Dr. Sander listens attentively and answers succinctly. The fact that I am taking photographs doesn’t bother him; at some point I get the feeling he doesn’t even notice me anymore.
Rarely have I had to revise a prejudice so quickly. Dr. Sander has become Nick Wilder—a politically and humanly engaged author who looks far beyond the rim of his own plate. When we say goodbye after two hours, Nick Wilder promises to send me a copy of the book. Promises are easy to make—but a week later I am holding it in my hands. Six hundred pages—the man means business.
I begin to read and am drawn into the story on the very first evening. At first, the time jumps and the different narrative threads confuse me. But the further I read, the more I understand that the author is, in parts, also describing my life—very little is as it seems, and just when you think you’re already thinking one step ahead, you realize it could be entirely different.
Wilder connects historical events from the Nazi era with personal experiences, and overarching it all is the central question of what fatherly love—or the withdrawal of it—does to young people. In the form of a thriller, he deals with the question of how traumatized the children of the war generation are. Truly far removed from Das Traumschiff.
After four days, I reach the end of the book—disappointed that it is already over, and left with a great deal of material and new perspectives to think about. Yes, Alex von Stein is a fictional character, but the story could have happened—one way or another. Or perhaps it is happening right now, and we simply haven’t noticed yet.
Even the interview appointment itself was a real experience; the reading was gripping.
Ruth Luba (Israel)
A week ago, Nick Wilder sent me the manuscript of his book Vaterliebe.I was allowed to take part as a test reader. The hero of the story, Alex von Stein—the son of an antisemitic father and former SS man—must confront the past of his family and of his German people. As an agent, he stands up to the newly resurging National Socialism. Years of training as a spy take him to Israel … and to the United States. He repeatedly finds himself in dangerous situations. Through disappointment, loss, forgiveness, and love, Alex von Stein—who later will be called Alex Roth—earns a place in our hearts. He pursues an invisible enemy who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Or is that enemy closer than he realizes? Alex von Stein finds fatherly love, completely unexpectedly, among people who would have every right to hate him—and encounters hatred among those who are unable to give him that love.
As an Israeli who was born and raised in Germany, the story touched me particularly deeply.
So, kol hakavod, as we say here in Israel when offering praise.
With love, Ruth Luba
Laura Resch
Born 2004, communication studies student in Eindhoven (from Bolzano, Italy)
From early childhood on, I have always read a lot and with great pleasure. Some books are good at the beginning but then disappoint later on as the story unfolds. Vaterliebe is not one of them.
For the first time, I was given the honor of reading a book that had not yet been published, which, as such a young person, made me feel unique and special. But for the life of me, I just couldn’t bring myself to start reading. Then one day I pulled myself together. And what had to happen, happened: the book devoured me. With tears in my tired eyes, a broken heart in my chest, and anger about the ending, I went to sleep at four in the morning.
I still don’t know exactly what effect the book had on me, but it must have been a pretty strong one, because for a week I stumbled through my life like an empty shell and kept thinking about everything for a long time afterward. The book is truly good. The story holds you captive—you feel, cry, laugh, and root along—but it is the meaning of the story that overwhelms you in a way that anchors itself deep inside you and ensures that you will never forget the content, its significance, and above all the characters.
For those who have never engaged with the topic of the Holocaust or are not interested in politics: this book is a scream that will tear you out of your sleep.
By that I mean that one should take the time not only to read the book, but also to understand it and reflect on what has been read. I myself had already dealt with this difficult subject before reading the book and had read many books about it. School informed me well. I traveled to Kraków with a program to visit Auschwitz and formed my own humane reflections. Because of this, I already had some background knowledge and was not completely overwhelmed by the book and its content.
Vaterliebe is such a complex book, with so many different twists that at times confuse you, but later always come together again into a logical whole. That the ending frustrated me somewhat was because it cannot yet be the end of the story. You become curious—you want more. It has to continue.
I especially liked the part of the book in which Alex travels to Montana and releases all his emotions in a scream by the lake. I could visualize it so clearly and deeply empathize with his frustration and pain at that moment. The concept of his “undercover persona Peter Müller” also captivated me greatly, and everything is written with unimaginable suspense.
The twists in the book—when Alex’s story begins in the military and is later linked to the Munich massacre of 1972—were confusing at first, but for me they actually made it even more exciting to keep reading. Nick Wilder and Richard Opper skillfully succeeded in making the complexity of this story understandable to the reader. Above all, the recurring visions of the protagonist Alex von Stein give the reader an even deeper connection and greater compassion for his character and his fate.
I recommend everyone read this book, simply because it deals with current issues and, through its mix of fictional and real elements, truly does not let you go. I don’t want to say more than that, because Vaterliebe speaks best for itself, and no wording could truly do the book justice.
Heinz Koch
Artistic Director, Actor, Director, Author (Ulm)
Vaterliebe, a so-called work of “historical fiction,” which, disturbingly and oppressively, appears far less historical and not at all fictional. While the author duo Nick Wilder and Richard Opper initially envisioned a ten-part TV series, Vaterliebe will now (for the time being) be published as a book in 2026.
The story told is that of a northern German family in the 20th century. The father of this family, Leopold von Stein, grows up during the rise of National Socialism and succumbs to the ideology that fascinates him—an ideology he never manages to shake off throughout his life. His two very different sons, Hans, the elder, and Alex, compete for the love and affection of this father, who is incapable of such feelings. In the father’s view, the younger son is completely out of line because he refuses to become “hard as Krupp steel and tough as leather.”
The sons of such a father who are still alive today are—perhaps shockingly for many—confronted with their own biographies. Drawing conclusions about one’s own lived experience is unavoidable; reflection and association are inevitable. Most will not have led a life as dangerous as Alex’s. But they may well have had a father like Leopold von Stein, who in the first half of his life committed (or at least witnessed) unspeakable horrors. Alex only learns late in life about the dark family secrets, but early on he chooses a double life in which he actively and undercover fights a world of hatred—antisemitism, racial ideology, Holocaust denial, and utterly warped, absurd pride—under the identity of the Nazi sympathizer Peter Müller, a kind of “agent of the good.”
This story—one that feels strangely familiar, especially to those born in the middle of the 20th century—could not be more fitting for our time, a time in which many alert people are repeatedly struck by the thought: the womb is still fertile from which this crept. Historical amnesia, ignorance, fantasies of drawing a final line, and even unbelievable, intolerable statements such as calling the Nazi era a mere “bird dropping in history” send chills down the spine and make Vaterliebe more than plausible. While a few years ago this story might have been dismissed as a fictional little tale, today—given the resurgence of fascists, Reichsbürger, and others infected with coup fantasies—it is far more than a warning.
In doing so, the authors dispense with any academic or pedagogical attitude. The story—foregrounded by Alex’s turbulent and moving ups and downs—comes across as thrilling and, yes, entertaining. Credible dialogue, gripping sequences of action, flashbacks reminiscent of film, especially to the youth of Leopold von Stein, captivate the reader and make one shudder and rejoice along with the characters. Tight situations from which Alex repeatedly extricates himself are beautifully counterbalanced by sensitively portrayed human encounters—also with partners.
With Vaterliebe, Nick Wilder and his co-author Richard Opper have created a “commentary,” seemingly born of a premonition and hitting the nerve of our times—fortunately not didactic or otherwise off-putting, but highly creative and varied. For this reason, Vaterliebe is recommended to all those for whom one hopes they will be able to read the writing on the wall. Perhaps it would indeed be appropriate to pursue the original idea after all and realize a multi-part screen adaptation.
Jon Attfield & Norma Vanderwalde (Buchholz)
The neo-Nazi problem of the postwar period is rarely reported on or discussed in politics and the media. Anti-terrorist investigative work directed against the extreme right is important and valuable—and it is an excellent subject for a crime novel.Literary explorations of the contemporary neo-Nazi scene are few and far between. Nick Wilder, known from numerous international and German films and television series, has now presented his new book, which addresses precisely this topic. It is not only a thriller—which it primarily is—but also a coming-of-age novel. The protagonist is a young man longing for affection and human warmth; a man who, driven by the need to distance himself from the coldness of his Nazi father, searches for his own goals. And yet he clings to the hope of earning his father’s appreciation. By finding his life’s mission, he manages to compensate for his psychological wounds. He allows himself to be recruited as an undercover agent by a Jewish organization whose task is to infiltrate right-wing extremist networks. The protagonist’s covert work is portrayed in a gripping and fascinating way. As one reads, a feeling of hopelessness arises upon learning how tightly the Nazi network is interwoven across the globe. The protagonist finds the love of his life, and the relationship is depicted with sensitivity and emotional depth. Yet even this cannot lift the inner compulsion to atone for the father’s guilt and to prevent human society from once again sinking into a brown quagmire. Nick Wilder recognized how important it is to describe and warn against this development, and thus he and his co-author Richard Opper have succeeded in creating a thrilling novel that—despite its drama and violence—is sensitive and emotional, with sharply drawn characters.
U. Kloers (70) (Frankfurt)
VATERLIEBE—what a word of certainty when it comes to the well-being of children. But when this love is absent, a deep emotional void can arise, one that unleashes powerful energies. The story begins in the year 2001 and reflects the politically dark years from 1933 to 1945, when the National Socialists were in power in Germany. The father, Leopold von Stein, is convinced of National Socialist ideology and denies the Holocaust. The meaning of the word Holocaust, derived from ancient Greek (holókaustos), is composed … of two parts: holos means “whole” or “complete,” and kaustos means “sacrificed” or “burned.”Leopold von Stein had two sons, Hans and Alex, who could not have been more different. When the younger son, Alex, learns about his father’s role during the Nazi era, his departure into a dangerous world begins. There, he attempts to uncover and combat a global right-wing extremist network. The reader inevitably becomes a witness to this highly suspenseful story, in which Alex must fight for his life. Immersion in the narrative is repeatedly created through atmospherically dark scenes that trigger strong, unexpected emotional reactions while reading.
The end of this story is a revelation one would never have expected—never! The book VATERLIEBE contains a captivating flood of imagery, created in a brilliant way by the authors Nick Wilder and Richard Opper.
D. Schaericke (Berlin)
Wow—what a book. From the very first page to the very last, it kept me breathless, took unexpected turns, and, especially in today’s zeitgeist, provoked deep reflection. This book triggered a potpourri of emotions in me, and I was so captivated by the story that I simply couldn’t put it down. Its completely new approach to the subject matter is not only refreshing, but within a single story it reveals a depth for which others would need to write four books. My highest compliments to Nick Wilder!The story of Alex von Stein captivated me not only as a reader, but as a human being who longs for a more understanding world—one in which the dramas of history no longer have to repeat themselves.
Florian Dietel
Actor and Theatre Author (Nuremberg)
Nick Wilder kindly gave me his new novel Vaterliebe to read in advance, and from the very first to the very last page I was captivated by this unique material.
The original Fatherlove – A Cautionary Tale was written in English. The German translation reads beautifully. As a gripping, globe-spanning agent story in the style of Jason Bourne, set between Germany and the United States, Nick Wilder describes the journey of the “boy from the countryside,” Alex von Stein, who is drawn out into the wider world … and promptly finds himself working undercover for a secret organization dedicated to covertly investigating and monitoring right-wing networks. Very quickly, the story becomes about something far greater than mere names on paper—namely Alex himself and a dark family secret that lies buried deep in the past and in his own northern German homeland. Alex must adopt other identities and more than once ask himself where his path is leading him—and, above all, which path has brought him to this point in the first place.
A deeply moving father–son conflict that has been building for decades, an unusual love story in the face of resurgent global antisemitism and xenophobia, the denial of guilt, the possibility of forgiveness, friendship across foreign cultures, and the desperate search for one’s own place in life somewhere in the world—Nick Wilder and his American co-author Richard Opper have condensed all of this into a thrilling, compelling, and exceptionally well-thought-out novel that, in view of today’s global politics, is more topical, important, and worth reading than ever.
Helga Schirmer
born 1940 (Thum in the Ore Mountains/East Germany)
It was a great joy and honor for me to be allowed to serve as a test reader for Nick Wilder’s new book. Even as a child, books were my most cherished gifts.
The older I became, the more demanding my reading tastes grew. Having grown up in the East, in the Ore Mountains, it was not always easy to get hold of good reading material, but fortunately there was a library, and there were also acquaintances who had books from the “West.”
Above all, I have always loved—and read extensively—books with a historical background, often studying them rather than merely reading them. For me, there is a “movie in my head,” and I am right in the middle of the action.
The new book by Nick Wilder and his co-author Richard Opper already hints in the prologue at how exciting and interesting it will be—and that is exactly how it turned out. The entire book is an emotional roller coaster.
Some things were previously unknown to me; certain facts still make one angry and sad even today, and there are very emotional moments when you feel like crying. The main character of the book is more than successful—the reader empathizes with him, roots for him, and also shares in his joy.
So many interesting, but also frightening, factors are addressed—some of them leaving one at a loss for words.
The surprising realization at the end: the reader becomes aware that this story is also about Jewish history. On the one hand, there is the hatred of Jews, which is flaring up again with increasing intensity today, especially in America; on the other hand, there are Jewish families who are capable of forgiveness. And standing opposite them are Nazis—old, narrow-minded men who yearn for the war and their SS uniforms, and a younger generation of Nazis that has already swallowed this poison.
I can only strongly recommend reading this book—it is worth it, and I also believe it is important to read a book with such content.
Thank you, dear Nick Wilder, and also to co-author Richard Opper, for this book!
Please write a sequel. I am waiting for it.
Heinz Jungclaussen – Hamburg
I was born in 1960 in Kiel, and I can relate very well to the life and thoughts of the main protagonist, Alex von Stein, since my own father was a participant in the war and this subject, too, was met with silence within our family.My father’s brother — my namesake, an uncle I never got to know because he was shot down during the war as one of Adolf Hitler’s favorite pilots — is still revered today by the far-right scene.
The novel is gripping, emotional, and profound — a compelling blend of historical facts, personal destinies, and human abysses, suspenseful right through to the final page. Absolutely worth reading.
Dirk Leiendecker
retired pastor, born 1958
I made it through the 600 pages of this superbly bound book — and they left a deep emotional mark on me.
What a gripping story of guilt and forgiveness, truth and fiction, love story(ies) and thriller. With great skill, Nick Wilder and Richard Opper weave together past and present in a relentless ride through the history of the 20th century, and in doing so, sadly reveal how fragile the “Never again” after the Second World War has once more become — or perhaps always was. And somehow, the blood of the victims … of hatred and intolerance already seems to seep out from the flaming red, white, and black of the cover itself.
As a child and teenager, from the mid-1960s onward, I experienced the story of Alex von Stein and his brother Hans to some extent on the — of course very different, but to me comparable — level of my own grandfathers, and only much too late did I understand why, at family gatherings, the two of them would be at each other’s throats over current politics after no more than an hour. Today, I believe I understand that one of them — marked by patriarchal traits and emotional distance — experienced the lost war as humiliation, while the other — a combatant on all fronts and perhaps therefore deeply empathetic — experienced it as liberation. The traumas they suffered were — as with so many others — never worked through; both carried what they had lived through with them into the grave.
Nick Wilder, alias Alex von Stein, confronts the memories hidden deep within his soul and, in a constant struggle for truth and justice, quite literally writes them out of himself. Fascinating.
“Human dignity shall be inviolable,” states Article 1 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany; “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” we read in the Bible. The world should have learned from the Holocaust; racism and antisemitism should no longer have any place in our hearts. And yet every synagogue in Germany must be permanently guarded by the police; right-wing ideology has once again become electable here through the AfD; and evangelicals in the United States are entering into an unholy alliance with the politics of a Donald Trump — just as the churches once did with the NSDAP in the Third Reich.
“The ADL needs you here at home. It’s urgent!” The final two sentences of Father Love. For me, this turns “Never again” into a call for an “Again and again” of determined action in the present and the future.
Christoph Rodermund – Hiddenhausen
The book Vaterliebe by Nick Wilder and his co-author Richard H. Opper gripped me immediately from the very first pages. I don’t read very often, and to be honest, the 600 pages sat untouched for a few days. But once I started, it took only three reading sessions over three consecutive days—I truly devoured this extraordinary novel.The story is not only gripping, but deeply unsettling and at the same time indescribably moving. While reading, I smiled, cried, felt angry, inspired, and shocked. A wild emotional rollercoaster shook me to the core.
This book makes you shudder at the atrocities committed by the Nazis—and at the same time confronts you with the frightening reality that antisemitism is once again pervasive today. Nick Wilder’s closing words capture it perfectly:
“Only with empathy, compassion, and humanity can reconciliation begin.”
Especially in our present time, this book is a warning—and one that should be read by as many people as possible.
Ingo Bartels – Wolfsburg
High praise to Nick Wilder and Richard Opper. A truly great book. Very close to our current times—unfortunately—and consistently gripping throughout. When Alex von Stein switches to an office job, I briefly felt that the suspense might be lost. But the authors manage to pick up the pace again, plunging Alex into further unexpected moments of danger.I also found the ending very successful, because it remains open whether there will be a second part. Especially when you look at the recent attacks in Australia, there would certainly be enough material for a continuation of Vaterliebe.
I really enjoyed reading the book, even though it is very sad when you consider the real-life circumstances of author Nick Wilder and his father. To fully grasp the book in its entire depth, I recommend reading Nick Wilder’s biography beforehand, as it makes it strikingly clear where reality begins to blur into fiction.
Jens Schniedenharn
Father Love – pure goosebumps!Father Love is a book that tells one of the most quintessentially German stories—one that is not so distant in the past, affects almost everyone in this country, and has a far more tangible and unsettling relevance than one might expect. It tackles a deeply topical and disturbing subject and confronts a social and political demon whose presence remains ominous and oppressive—appearing, contrary to expectations, less as historical fiction than as a troubling reality. Authors Nick Wilder and Richard Opper present a story … that reads like the plot of a film or television series, constantly generating vivid inner images—images one hopes to one day see brought to the screen.
Father Love unfolds the multi-layered history of a family from northern Germany across the course of the 20th century. At the center stands the despotic father Leopold von Stein, a man who grows up during the rise of National Socialism and becomes deeply entangled in its ideology—an ideological spell that never releases its grip on him throughout his life. His two sons, who could not be more different from one another, struggle in vain for his love and recognition. Leopold, however, proves incapable of feeling—let alone expressing—love or affection.
The younger son, Alex, in particular embodies everything his father despises: a departure from the von Stein family tradition, too soft, too little “German” in his eyes. Yet Alex is the protagonist, the central figure and true hero of the story—a young man with a strong sense of justice, shaped by a teacher who opens his eyes to tolerance, empathy, and compassion. He loves life and views the world with fascination, especially America, and is driven by a desire to change his world for the better and escape the narrow, suffocating confines of his upbringing.
Alex is a musician, playing guitar in a band during the 1960s, which offers him his first sense of freedom and self-confidence and fuels his dream of America. When the opportunity arises to travel to the United States, he seizes it. His personal experiences there mark the starting point of his rapid and compelling journey through the narrative.
The character of Alex von Stein, along with others like him, symbolically represents Germany’s postwar generation—often described as victims of their fathers, who themselves were products of Aryan-Germanic ideology and nationalist indoctrination. As is well known, this legacy was not easily shed after 1945. The generational conflicts of the 1960s, though widely documented, form the backbone of Alex’s story.
In a final attempt to earn his father’s approval, Alex even joins the Bundeswehr (German army), where strict discipline shapes him into an elite soldier. But when even these efforts fail to win his father’s love—or even respect—and when he learns of some of his father’s actions during the Nazi era, Alex breaks with him entirely. He resolves to actively oppose the latent antisemitism and fascism still present in the “liberated” nation.
Determined to confront not only former Nazis but also emerging neo-Nazi movements, Alex joins a newly formed, semi-governmental unit operating undercover against extremists. He infiltrates Nazi organizations to prevent greater harm—not only in Germany, but soon in the United States as well.
The book is distinguished by an entertaining yet gripping narrative style, rich in detailed descriptions that take the reader on a global odyssey alongside Alex and his various identities within the extremist underground. Through skillfully employed flashbacks, shifting locations, and dramatic twists, a compelling story unfolds—one filled with cliffhangers that entice the reader to keep turning the pages, hoping that this story will one day make its way to the screen.
Despite the obvious scale and ambition such an adaptation would demand—somewhere between Tarantino and Mission: Impossible—Fatehr Love is a story that truly deserves to be brought to life on film.
Stefan Priebe (63) – Lübeck
I spent the first days of the new year 2026 reading the novel FATHER’S LOVE (VATERLIEBE). A very successful work, in my opinion. My congratulations and appreciation go to the authors Nick Wilder and Richard Opper. Nick and I both grew up on the island of Fehmarn, and we know each other personally.The content of the book shocked me deeply, especially everything connected to Fehmarn and to the father. At times I had to put the book aside to sort out my thoughts, because I also knew Nick’s parents. Seen from that perspective, one experiences what is written in a very different and far more intense way. Many emotions accompanied me while reading. And one can only admire Nick Wilder for having had the courage, even at a young age, to go his own way and ultimately become such a successful and happy person.
I am still closely connected to Fehmarn and love the island, especially because my 88-year-old mother, who still knew “little Nick,” lives there. Since reading the book, however, some shadow clouds have formed over the beloved island for me.
Fehmarn has always been a village where everyone knew everything about everyone else. But the “silencing” of many things is something I also know well from Fehmarn.
My grandfather was a nurse in Burg, and my mother was a medical assistant for what was then the island’s most well-known doctor, who was also Nick Wilder’s uncle. I bought my milk from Nick’s aunt on the street where I grew up.
I was born in Oldenburg in 1962; my parents had a house in Gremersdorf. Because my biological father was an alcoholic and regularly resorted to domestic violence, my mother fled with me in 1964 under cover of night to Fehmarn, to my grandparents. Our family originally came from Upper Silesia and ended up on Fehmarn due to expulsion.
I often saw Nick’s father in front of Wisser’s Hotel in Burg, at the market square, together with other men, mostly farmers. As a child, I was always afraid of him and kept a wide distance. He had a look that was inexplicable to me at the time but deeply frightening. I remember the mother as a very kind-looking, warm-hearted woman.
I never received or experienced fatherly love either. Quite the opposite: when my father died some years ago, I found his diaries and memoirs, from which I learned how he felt about me, his only son. I simply did not exist for him. Fatherly love? No, I never experienced it. And my grandmother always urged me to “behave,” meaning to keep up appearances outwardly and not cast a bad light on the family—just as Nick was expected to do.
The suggestion in the book that Nick’s father may have been connected to the death of the former mayor of Burg—his own father-in-law—and a “drunkard” deeply shook me.
The fact that there was such a strong National Socialist movement on the island of Fehmarn at that time also metaphorically knocked the ground out from under my feet. Above all, the fact that Nick’s father was in direct contact with Hitler’s leadership figures left me breathless.
Personally, at the age of 17 I went to the police academy in Eutin, later to Kiel. I eventually ended up in Lübeck, where I worked for nearly 42 years—first in uniformed police service, and from 1991 in the criminal police. Among other things, I served in a unit dealing with skinheads. During the last seven years before my retirement, I worked in state security, investigating politically motivated right-wing crimes.
Almost daily I was confronted with Holocaust denial. Young men and women sang the “Horst Wessel Song” on April 20th, “the Führer’s birthday,” and denied that the mass murders had ever taken place. But exactly as described in Father’s Love, this is how reality looks: there is one clever head, the thinker, and many simply structured people who allow themselves to be influenced and incited, who have no opinion of their own and accept another person’s opinion as absolute truth.
When one reads the book Father’s Love with all this knowledge from childhood and youth, combined with professional experience—and having personally searched in vain for such love—the novel tears deep wounds into the reader’s soul.
Nick is an authentic man, and his descriptions are therefore certainly true to reality.
The novel has left deep traces in me. It also led me to see the people who were so respected on the island of Fehmarn during my childhood and youth in a completely different light.
When will society as a whole finally understand that we are all—regardless of nation, skin color, or faith—HUMAN BEINGS of flesh and blood, and that we have only this one short life?
Once again, my heartfelt congratulations on this very successful work, Father’s Love!