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I Am André by Diana Mara Henry, from the life of André Joseph Scheinmann

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"An important book and one that is exhaustively researched and powerfully written."
Damien Lewis, author of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

German Jew, French Resistance Fighter, British Spy

I Am André is an amazing real-life story of espionage, of courage and resistance, and of friendship and love. It pulls back the veil on the hidden history of the struggle for the identity of the Resistance in France.

The life of ‘André’ Joseph Scheinmann is more intriguing and compelling than any work of fiction. His true-life story of derring-do starts as a Jewish youth in Munich, whose family moves to France in 1933 to escape the Nazi tide. He joins the French army at the outbreak of WW2 and escapes from a prisoner-of war camp after the bitterly brief fight for France in the summer of 1940.

André becomes a spy and saboteur for the British and Free French whilst working undercover as translator and liaison with the German high command at the Brittany headquarters of the French National Railroads. Summoned by the British, he clandestinely crosses the Channel for initiation and training as an MI6 agent in England.

His network betrayed during his absence, he is arrested on his return to France. André then begins an even more perilous journey with interrogation in Gestapo prisons and the little-known Natzweiler concentration camp in Alsace, before being transferred to Dachau and Allach, ahead of the advancing Allies.  

Many vintage photographs and letters from his agents come to illustrate this heart-pounding story of a debonair young man in a broken world who remade himself as a cunning fighter for freedom.

I Am André will be published by Chiselbury on 15 October 2024. It is now available at a pre-order discount. We will aim to send out pre-ordered books to arrive on, or near, publication day.

ISBN: 978-1-916556-37-9 (hardback/laminate cover)
ISBN: 978-1-916556-56-0 (hardback/dustjacket)
ISBN: 978-1-916556-56-0 (epub)

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"An important book and one that is exhaustively researched and powerfully written."
Damien Lewis, author of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

German Jew, French Resistance Fighter, British Spy

I Am André is an amazing real-life story of espionage, of courage and resistance, and of friendship and love. It pulls back the veil on the hidden history of the struggle for the identity of the Resistance in France.

The life of ‘André’ Joseph Scheinmann is more intriguing and compelling than any work of fiction. His true-life story of derring-do starts as a Jewish youth in Munich, whose family moves to France in 1933 to escape the Nazi tide. He joins the French army at the outbreak of WW2 and escapes from a prisoner-of war camp after the bitterly brief fight for France in the summer of 1940.

André becomes a spy and saboteur for the British and Free French whilst working undercover as translator and liaison with the German high command at the Brittany headquarters of the French National Railroads. Summoned by the British, he clandestinely crosses the Channel for initiation and training as an MI6 agent in England.

His network betrayed during his absence, he is arrested on his return to France. André then begins an even more perilous journey with interrogation in Gestapo prisons and the little-known Natzweiler concentration camp in Alsace, before being transferred to Dachau and Allach, ahead of the advancing Allies.  

Many vintage photographs and letters from his agents come to illustrate this heart-pounding story of a debonair young man in a broken world who remade himself as a cunning fighter for freedom.

I Am André will be published by Chiselbury on 15 October 2024. It is now available at a pre-order discount. We will aim to send out pre-ordered books to arrive on, or near, publication day.

ISBN: 978-1-916556-37-9 (hardback/laminate cover)
ISBN: 978-1-916556-56-0 (hardback/dustjacket)
ISBN: 978-1-916556-56-0 (epub)

"An important book and one that is exhaustively researched and powerfully written."
Damien Lewis, author of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

German Jew, French Resistance Fighter, British Spy

I Am André is an amazing real-life story of espionage, of courage and resistance, and of friendship and love. It pulls back the veil on the hidden history of the struggle for the identity of the Resistance in France.

The life of ‘André’ Joseph Scheinmann is more intriguing and compelling than any work of fiction. His true-life story of derring-do starts as a Jewish youth in Munich, whose family moves to France in 1933 to escape the Nazi tide. He joins the French army at the outbreak of WW2 and escapes from a prisoner-of war camp after the bitterly brief fight for France in the summer of 1940.

André becomes a spy and saboteur for the British and Free French whilst working undercover as translator and liaison with the German high command at the Brittany headquarters of the French National Railroads. Summoned by the British, he clandestinely crosses the Channel for initiation and training as an MI6 agent in England.

His network betrayed during his absence, he is arrested on his return to France. André then begins an even more perilous journey with interrogation in Gestapo prisons and the little-known Natzweiler concentration camp in Alsace, before being transferred to Dachau and Allach, ahead of the advancing Allies.  

Many vintage photographs and letters from his agents come to illustrate this heart-pounding story of a debonair young man in a broken world who remade himself as a cunning fighter for freedom.

I Am André will be published by Chiselbury on 15 October 2024. It is now available at a pre-order discount. We will aim to send out pre-ordered books to arrive on, or near, publication day.

ISBN: 978-1-916556-37-9 (hardback/laminate cover)
ISBN: 978-1-916556-56-0 (hardback/dustjacket)
ISBN: 978-1-916556-56-0 (epub)

“Any memoir of a WW2 SIS/MI6 agent is to be welcomed as a rarity. I am André has the double attraction of a detailed, personal, description of the horrors of a concentration camp. Fascinating reading and an important addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in the ‘secret war’.” Paul McCue, The Secret WW2 Learning Network, www.secret-ww2.net

 “A dramatic true story of almost unbelievable courage, resilience, compassion and humanity.” Sheryl Green, https://www.courageindisguise.co.uk/

“An amazing story of courage, endurance and bravery, told in intimate detail.” David Tremain, author of Churchill's German Spy. 

“One feels a great admiration and affection for the person of André. This fine work will certainly serve as a reference and documentation of the Résistance in Brittany.” Monique Le Tac, author of Yvonne Le Tac.

“An excellent biography of a very brave man. A true ‘ripping good yarn’” Tim Spicer OBE, author of A Suspicion of Spies.

“The captivating and well documented biography of a most amazing wartime agent and resistant my father had dealings with inside SIS.” Caroline Gentry Babois, daughter of John Edward Gentry, RNVR, Officer Commanding of the Anglo-French Communications Bureau, Paris.

“In her adept telling and framing of André Scheinmann's remarkable story, Henry identifies and illuminates the razor's edge between victimhood and resistance in the Holocaust. This is a fascinating work of history and a compelling read.” David J. Simon, Senior Lecturer of Genocide Studies, Yale University

“The Memorial of the Neckarelz concentration camp has for many years been in contact with Diana Mara Henry. We follow with interest her indefatigable work on  the biography of Joseph Scheinmann/André Peulevey in the context of the field of research about ‘Natzweiler.’ We wish the new book, I am André, the success it deserves.” Dorothee Roos, President of KZ-Gedenkstätte Neckarelz

“There are many stories of courage and resilience during the Holocaust, but this one is truly extraordinary. Diana Mara Henry’s gripping account of André Joseph Scheinmann is replete with heretofore unknown feats of Jewish resistance against the Nazis, both from within the Third Reich and at its periphery. Henry is to be commended for bringing to life this remarkable and inspiring tale of heroism during the darkest hours of the Holocaust.” Michael Geheran, author of Comrades Betrayed: Jewish World War I Veterans under Hitler

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