1 comments about The Woman from Hamburg and Other True Stories.

1. I knew very little, if anything, about the book or its Polish author. What captured my attention was the subtitle of the book "And Other True Stories".
   
   "The Woman from Hamburg and Other True Stories" (260 pages) brings us 12 stories that in one way or another are connected to the Holocaust. Sometimes the story will be a straightforward account of a Holocaust survivor. At other times, the story ends up in places you'd never thought. For example, "The Back of the Eye", the longest of the 12 stories, initially concentrates on Stanislaw W., a concentration camp survivor, but eventually shifts to his son Stefan, who joined the Red Army Faction and is serving a lifetime sentence in Germany for his involvement in a brutal abduction with killings.
   
   I obviously cannot speak for Hahha Krall's original writing style in Polish, but in this translation it comes across with a very peculiar style. It is dry, at times emotionnaly removed, yet very observant. Writing about a young Jewish boy who fears he might haven eaten non-kosher food: "'You're only eight years old', his aunt consoled him. 'After you are bar mitzvah, God will forgive you everything'. He calculated that he could sin for five more years. Unfortunately, the war began before his bar mitzvah; God forgave him nothing."
   
   The author does a great job in keeping you guessing where the stories will take you. While I lost interest in 2 of the 12 stories, hence no 5 star rating, this book is not only a great read, but of course also a reminder of the incredible horrors of the Holocaust. Highly recommended.

2 comments about The Bronski House.

1. The language is so poetic and fluent, it hurls you away, lightly and fluffily to a different era; a world long gone and forgotten. It has something of an East European Gone With The Wind theme, only much more concise and fleetingly. I longed for more pages, a hundred more, fivehundred more, in this novel too timid and subdued somehow. Perfect script for a fullblown-no-expenses -spared Hollywood film!



2. Philip Marsden's book is a small masterpiece. It is poetic and evocative. He has a sharp sense of details. No wonder he has now written his first novel after a couple of travel books.
   Trough his friendship with Zofia Illinski and access to her mother's letters, diaries etc he portrays a lost world, the upper classes in Poland and Belarus between the wars, and how their world is completely shattered by it.
   The various personalities in the book are fascinating among them Zofia's mother who is an exceptional woman, strong, talented, beautiful and with a spirit that saves the family from extinction.
   Marsden's journey together with Zofia to her childhood is very moving.
   All in all this is a very good read. You don't have to be interested in Poland or in history and the likes. This book will interest and move you.

3 comments about Under Swastika and the French Flag.

1. Mr. Scherzer relates his remarkable life-story frankly and honestly. As a historical work, and a testament to human perseverance, this is an important work. Mr. Scherzer recalls details and scenarios with great clarity.A central love story also adds emotional depth to an already powerful memoir.



2. This breathaking report written by a 19 year-old should serve as an eye opener for young people all over the world: Not only does it reveal lots of shocking details around the "Anschluss" of Austria in 1938 - it also tells a wonderful love-story. I simply couldn't put the book down before I'd finished. A must for anyone between 14 an 99!



3. Oscar Scherzer did us a favor by writing of his exploits of over 60 years prior. As time passes, we tend to forget some of these atrocities. Personal accounts like Mr. Scherzer's will live on forever. A must read for everyone.

5 comments about The End of Days: A Memoir of the Holocaust (Religion, Theology, and the Holocaust Series).

1. The End Of Days: A Memoir Of The Holocaust is the personal memoir of Helen Sendyk, one of very few Jewish women to survive the living hell of a German slave labor camp during the Nazi Holocaust of World War II. A personal, eye-witness testimony to brutal and horrific inhumanity inflicted upon the women by their Nazi captors and collaborators, as well as a testament the enduring strength of Helen Sendyk's inner qualities that enabled her to survive when so many others could not, The End Of Days is a moving account and a very highly recommended contribution to Holocaust Studies reading lists and reference collections -- especially in view of the pernicious attempts in some quarters to deny the appalling atrocities of the "Final Solution".



2. Six million dead is hard to bend your mind around. This small book gives part of the experiences of one family and ultimately one survivor. If you have a hard time grasping the enormity of the Holocaust read this book. It is raw, open and honest. It is one person's experience of the monstrosity of the Third Reich. Sendyk tells her story from the perspective of a young girl and with the wisdom of a mature woman. Three from a family of ten survived. Many more from their extended family were killed. If you are studying the holocaust, read this book. It puts a human face on Six Million.



3. 
   In the book The End of Days, by Helen Sendyk is telling her life story of when she was a young Jewish girl. She wrote the novel in first person so it was like she was telling her life story to me. The choice of words she used in the novel were very descriptive and explained very clearly how it was. She moved the book along at a pretty fast paste which I really liked. I could imagine everything that was happening in my head as if it were a movie.
   The theme in the novel is her telling the struggles she went through in her life. She was a young Jewish girl when her and her family were put in a concentration camp. The novel explained some of the horrible things she went through in the camp and the many family members she lost. The part of the novel that had really saddened me was the fight after the camp to stay sane. I would recommend this book to anyone. This book will change the way you treat different people and how your actions can affect people. I was amazed what happened to this poor girl and who ever reads this will be also.



4. My name is Max Stappler however my parents, Edith and Siegfried, born in Austria changed the spelling from Stapler. My parents were able to escape Austria to the USA a few days after Hitler marched in. This is the story of the rest of my family from Poland who were not lucky enough to escape.



5. Helen Sendyk was a Jew who lived in Chrzanow, Poland, before WWII. She describes Jewish life in pre-WWII Poland, the German invasion, the horrors of the German occupation, life at a German labor camp at Reichenbach (present-day Dzierzionow) in Silesia, "liberation" by the Soviets, etc.
   
   Before the war, Poland's Jews enjoyed an economic hegemony which the Poles attempted to weaken or break through boycotts. On one hand, the hegemony had tended to be self-perpetuating, because of the following: "Jewish families in Chrzanow knew each other for generations. Traditions and family status, yichus, were very important, and children generally followed in their parents' footsteps. An official, respectful distance was kept between Jews and gentiles, but the Staplers had an unusually close relationship with our non-Jewish patrons." (p. 3). On the other hand, the boycott was far from universal. Her Uncle Pinchas regularly sold shoes to Poles (p. 50).
   
   Sendyk's description of the German conquest of Poland includes that of a dogfight between the Polish Air Force and the Luftwaffe. Occurring on Sept. 3 (p. 57), the Polish airmen emerged victorious in this particular encounter: "When the buzzing intensified, we looked up to see a German airplane. Huddling together, we awaited the impending disaster. But the bombs never came. Instead, we saw five Polish planes in pursuit of the enemy plane. A short battle ensued, and soon the German craft burst into a ball of flames, burning shreds falling like fiery torches to the ground. There was exhilaration and happy waving at the Polish planes, with some people applauding the Polish heroes who had just saved their lives." (p. 60). Her testimony adds refutation to the canard about the Polish Air Force getting destroyed on the ground on the first day of the war.
   
   The Judenrat and Jewish police are described in nuanced terms. Some of them tried to ease the plight of their brethren, while others eagerly collaborated with the Germans for personal gain (p. 137).
   
   It is well known that the Soviets raped German women and girls in their drive across German-held or German territory. What is less known is the fact that the Soviets did the same to Polish women and girls, and to females of other nationalities. When the Red Army liberated the camp in which Sendyk had been held, the soldiers later returned, forcefully and persistently contending that they were owed sexual favors for liberating the Jewish women (pp. 216-218, 224). Other females in the area were raped.

5 comments about Ruined by the Reich: Memoir of an East Prussian Family, 1916-1945.

1. I JUST FINISHED READING, RUINED BY THE REICH. THIS WAS
   A FASCINATING STORY, AND YET VERY SAD. I DON'T THINK
   MOST OF US EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE GERMAN PEOPLE SUFFERING.
   THAT POOR GIRL. THE WRITING WAS SO DISTINCT, I FELT IT
   WHEN CHRISTEL WAS COLD AND I FELT STARVED WHEN SHE DIDN'T
   GET ENOUGH TO EAT. POOR CHRISTEL IS IN OUR PRAYERS.

   I HOPE THESE TWO WHO HAVE COLLABORATED SO WELL, ARE
   WORKING ON A SCREEN PLAY.

   THIS WAS SO VERY WELL TOLD. POOR CRYSTEL IS IN OUR PRAYERS.




2. I recently finished the book Ruined by the Reich. Its a compelling story of a firsthand account of a families anguish. When Christel speaks of her harrowing ordeals you can visualize everything that she is going through. A detailed outlook of the effects of war on all individuals involved.I would love to see this book made into a movie. Dan Laing is an excellent writer and Christel Weiss is a wonderful story teller.



3. After reading Ruined by the Reich it brought to light that everyone suffers during and after war. Unfortunately, to this point, the view of Germans has always been that the whole population were Nazis. From this book we realize that such is not the case and that Germans also encountered horrible and unspeakable acts of terror in their own country. It's important to understand that there are two sides to every story and thanks to the vivid recount by Dan Laing and the strength of Christel Weiss Brandeburg we are presented with the entire picture.



4. The beauty of this story is in the details. What was eaten for breakfast; her first doll; the logistics of evacuating - of loading your possessions and food onto a wagon hitched to a horse in the days before refrigeration and styrofoam coolers. Yes, this story is a tragedy, be prepared to have your heartstrings pulled but intermingled are the happy events such as finding an abandoned cow, hiding it and tasting milk again.The characters are real and the reader cannot help himself from empathizing with the whole village.



5. For an autobiography, constrained to stick to what actually happened or was lived, the second world war is as dramatic a context as you can get. I have little previous exposure to books about personal experiences of the second world war, but I think what sets this book apart is the slowness & indirectness of experiencing the war & the inevitable & visceral destruction it brings.
   
   Brandenburg tells a very involved & nuanced story without ever bordering on the dramatic. She shows remarkable poise & a wonderful eye for detail without losing herself in any kind of literary embellishments. She tells the story of growing up with a lovely peasant family in East Prussia, its hard life demanding discipline, the Germans trading freedom for security post first world war, Hitler's deep penetration into the social & psychological realms of Germany, the initial victories, the never-ending war with Russia, the eventual retreats, & the German defeat.
   
   In between all this are woven tales of growing up, marriages, jealousies, betrayals, cowardice, fear & suspense. And inevitably, there is death. Yes, there is hope at the end, & yes, there is rejuvenation. But those remain very lame consolations for what is lost, for what is learned, & for what is lived.
   
   Perhaps, if Brandenburg had experienced the war as an adult, there might have been more complex experiences & analysis; however, this book remains ultimately about what is lost.
   
   S!

5 comments about Holocaust Memoirs: On the Run in Nazi Berlin.

1. This is a truly awe-inspiring story of a man whose courage, determination and cleverness helped him to personally overcome the atrocities of a war-time Germany. These wonderful traits also enabled him to somehow survive a most horrible period in history. This book is well written, holds your interest throughout, and forces one to put into perspective his/her own life's difficulties. It will undoubtedly become a best seller before long.



2. I just heard this gentleman speak at a Holcaust Memorial, He is very soft spoken but you can truly hear how his life was threatened by the littlest detail. It is truly amazing that this man escaped death three times. This is a true story that must be heard and the events spoken of in this book must never be forgotten.



3. I had the extreme pleasure of dining with the author and his sweet wife before a speaking engagement about the Shoah on the Day of Rememberence. The strength, warmth, and humor that this man was able to maintain even through a childhood of unimaginable horrors is very life-affirming.
   The book is written without self-pity or added drama; Mr. Lewyn is simply telling his story. He's doing it for his children, grandchildren, and his parents. Whenever I re-read this beautiful story, I think of my pride in having shaken this man's hand and broken bread with him. He is a survivor in every way and I hope that more people get the opportunity to meet him, or if not, at least read his story.



4. Holocaust Memoirs By Bert Lewyn:
   
   Many books have been written about the second world war. Most have given the reader many dates and facts and details about many battles. Also many books have been written about the evil deed's of Hitler and the death of so many Jews. So why read another?
   This book is remarkable in the way it takes you on a day to day journey of a young man left alone to deal with his cruel fate. Without praise for himself, and with much humility the story describes in detail, what his days were like. Some humor and a lot of suspense keep the story moving. It would be a great novel of fiction, but no this is a true story written by the now much older man, from his long ago memories of that past.
   Berlin could not have been an easy place to be while trying to hide from Hitler, but he did! How? That is all revealed in this exciting book. I am an avid reader of fiction, so for me to get excited about such a book is unusual. Anyone who buys this book and reads it will be pleased for the experience it brings.
   I highly recommend this book.
   -



5. I found this both educational and a fast read - but given the authors are my father and sister-in-law, I'm highly biased! For what its worth, I read about 2/3 of this in one day.

No comments about Guess Who's Jewish? (You'll Never Guess).

1 comments about To Tell at Last: Survival Under False Identity, 1941-45.

1. Blanca Rosenberg's story tells a remarkable (and often improbably lucky) story of a young woman, newly married, with a small child, who manages to survive through a series of hair-raising adventures as a disguised Aryan in wartime Poland. She loses the child, while still in the ghetto, but thereafter, she escapes and eventually ends up as the head housekeeper for a highly placed German officer in Warsaw. She saves her best friend too, who unlike Blanca, cannot pass so easily, and in the process, discovers that a number of the officer's staff are also Jews in hiding. She does her job so well that she is sent to Heidelberg to another family, where she ultimately survives the horrors of the end of the war in Germany. There is a wonderful love story at the end, once again beyond ordinary expectations, and having emigrated to this country, she becomes a distinguished Professor of Social Work at Columbia University. I knew Blanca personally -- and even at the age of 85, she has lost none of her unforgettable qualities. Well written and full of suspense, this memoir stands out from a host of others by the eventful series of circumstances, the resourcefulness of the author, and above all, the combination of sheer luck and personal ingenuity.

1 comments about Simon Wiesenthal: A Life in Search of Justice.

1. This is an excellent story about the life of Simon Wiesenthal. This fine book takes you through Wiesenthal's mission in life to bring Nazi war criminals to justice. You are shown the time that he spent in a concentration camp up until the present.You are also given the inside look at some of the cases he dealt with in bringing Nazi war criminals to justice.This is avery good book about the life of Simon Wiesenthal.

1 comments about Never Despair: Sixty Years in the Service of the Jewish People and of Human Rights.

1. In 194 a counsel in the Geneva office of the World Jewish Congress sent the first notice of the 'Final Solution' affecting Jewish peoples in Europe - it was known as the Riegner Telegram and while it was a pivotal point in his career, it by far wasn't the only memorable point in his life. This biography surveys the life of a middle-class Jewish family in Germany and tells how Riegner fled Hitler's rise and worked for the World Jewish Congress all his life thereafter, sponsoring many key programs. Any interested in Jewish history in general will find NEVER DESPAIR: SIXTY YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE NAD THE CAUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS to be essential reading.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch