Daniel J. Markowitz, Author
The Spoils of Victory
A New Historical Novel by Daniel J. Markowitz
Book One in the Prisoners of War Series
During World War II, nearly four hundred thousand captured German soldiers were sent to POW camps in the United States. Most were captured in North Africa in 1943. Many were hired out to farmers across the country and are credited with saving the American harvests in 1943-45.
As war shatters their worlds, a battle-hardened German POW and a devout Mennonite woman discover the contours of forgiveness and love in America’s heartland.
Set within a little-known operation of WWII, The Spoils Of Victory gives us a dramatic new perspective on how war reshapes the world, one life at a time. The fact that the United States shipped German prisoners of war to American farms to work the land--with pay--may be news to many, even history buffs, making this rich and enlightening story as surprising and informational as it is entertaining.
– Antonia Felix, New York Times bestselling author
“Spoils of War is a remarkable story of love, loyalty and war, rooted in the largely forgotten history of the U.S. imprisonment of German POWs during World War II. Daniel Markowitz’s masterful evocation of time and place and his impressive historical research has resulted in a love story of exceptional beauty and depth. It’s a great read.”
–Douglas Nelson, Author of Heart Mountain: The History of An American Concentration Camp
About The Author
Daniel J. Markowitz is a descendant of German and Slovenian immigrants who came to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Born in 1954 and raised in Olpe, Kansas, at the edge of the Flint Hills, he grew up listening to his grandparents’ and other beloved elders’ stories of their home countries, traditions, and the hardships and joys experienced on their way to stability and prosperity. His love for history and storytelling grew out of their often humorous and sometimes hyperbolic oral chronicles.
The Spoils of Victory, Markowitz’ first novel and book one in the Prisoners of War series, focuses on a largely forgotten aspect of the history of World War II – the confinement and employment of hundreds of thousands of German POWs throughout the United States from 1943 to 1946. Publication of the second book in the series is anticipated in early 2026.
About the Prisoners of War Series – More Books Are Coming!
The Prisoners of War Series, (additional books are forthcoming) invites readers to take a long view and consider several war-related questions through the prism of the personal experiences of individuals and families such as the fictional Mueller's and the Unruh's who are featured in the Spoils of Victory, Book One.
The Spoils of Victory, Book One, begins in May 1943 in Tunisia where Rolf Mueller is severely wounded then captured along with nearly three hundred thousand other German soldiers.
Book Two in the Series focuses on the aftermath of World War II and its lingering effects and lifelong consequences for both families, in both the United States and Germany. Publication is planned for early 2026.
In subsequent books, the Muellers and Unruhs endure new challenges that arise out of America’s wars from the 1950s in Korea through the present shadow wars in the Middle East.
These historical novels examine war’s immediate and lingering effects on ordinary people at a human level, including those who fought and those who were spared from physical conflict but whose lives were nevertheless fundamentally affected.
Daniel Markowitz
Series author