Paul Grossman

Paul Grossman (est. birth 1955, New York City) – in his 3-volume Willi Kraus series, the Jewish content is central to both the protagonist’s identity and the historical tension of the narrative. The series explores the precarious position of a high-achieving Jewish professional in a society rapidly descending into antisemitism – Weimar Germany. [N.B. See also the entry on Jonathan Rabb, below in this bibliography.]

The Dual Identity of Willi Kraus

• A “German First” Jew: Willi Kraus is a decorated World War I hero and a celebrated detective in Berlin’s homicide department. He initially believes his status and military service (earning an Iron Cross, First Class) will protect him from the rising Nazi threat.
• The “Inside/Outside” Dynamic: Despite his professional fame, Kraus increasingly feels the isolation of being a Jew in an “overwhelmingly Aryan environment”. His Jewishness makes him a target for both institutional and street-level antisemitism as the series progresses. 

Key Historical and Cultural Themes

• The Weimar Twilight: The series captures the 1929–1933 period, showing the contrast between the “giddy rush” of Berlin’s cultural life and the ominous “handwriting on the wall” for German Jews.
• Rising Antisemitism: Grossman depicts the daily realities of the era, including Brownshirts marching through streets, antisemitic caricatures in newspapers, and the beating of Jewish children in schools while authorities ignore the violence.
• Refugee Experience: In Brotherhood of Fear, the series follows Kraus as he flees to Paris in 1933, living as a stateless refugee. It details the loss of status, the fear of deportation, and the reliance on Jewish refugee networks for survival and work.
• Symbolism and Biblical Allusions: In Children of Wrath, Kraus investigates a case involving children’s bones and a Bible with the phrase “children of wrath” circled, weaving darker theological or prophetic undertones into the crime narrative. 

Role of the Jewish Community

• Family and Duty: Kraus is a widower struggling to protect his two sons. His struggle is shared by family members and other Jewish refugees who are initially reluctant to leave their homeland, believing German laws and reason will eventually prevail. [Google/AI]

Grossman, Paul, [Willi Kraus #1] (The Sleepwalkers [hc, St. Martin’s Press, 2010]) 978-0312601904 [pb, St. Martin’s Griffin, 2011] 978-0312602796

Grossman, Paul, [Willi Kraus #2] (Children of Wrath [hc, St. Martin’s Press, 2012]) 978-0312601911 [pb, St. Martin’s Press, 2013] 978-1250020819

Grossman, Paul, [Willi Kraus #3] (Brotherhood of Fear [hc, St. Martin’s Press, 2014]) 978-1250011596