A.M. Fox's testament to her late husband's bravery brings home the horrors of life in the camps without ever resorting to sensationalism. Utterly free from self-indulgence, this clear-sighted memoir is all about Harry as an individual, his quiet courage and resilience, and the remarkable and defiant personality that enabled him not only to survive but to flourish in later life. I found parts of the book horrifying beyond words but was inspired by the positivity that shone through in spite of everything.' - Catherine Coldstream, author of 'Cloistered: my Years as a Nun'
A Holocaust survivor recounts his memories from pre-war Poland to liberation, honouring lost family and culture.
These are the memories of a man who had been a young Jewish boy in Central Poland. His ninth birthday came in mid-July 1939. Less than two months later, they are his memories of the Nazi era, from the very beginning of WW11 until he was liberated by the Russians on the 8 May 1945. This age of death, when the Nazis attempted the absolute annihilation of all Jews in Europe regardless of age, character, or gender, is now referred to as the Holocaust.
These memories include those of his vibrant family life in Poland before the war. They are his homage and his memorial to his parents, his little sister and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins who were wiped out by the Nazis along with centuries of their culture.
Arriving in the UK on 14 August 1945 he was in the first group of Concentration Camp child survivors brought into England at the invitation of King George V1. The story of these children's arrival and initial rehabilitation in the Lake District is also told in the 2020 BBC film: The Windermere Children. His memories conclude with some glimpses of his life immediately after liberation, and later when he made his home in the UK.
From dozens of known relatives living in their town when war began, he and his elder brother thought for a long time that they were the only two survivors. Later they discovered there was a third survivor, an even younger cousin.
All the material concerning life in Poland, life during the war and vignettes of post war life were checked by the survivor as being true to what he remembered. He also wanted to include something about how the author, his second wife, came to meet him, and this tale begins the book.
'This memoire is a resounding affirmation of life in the face of the barbaric culture of death of the Holocaust. Harry's courage and humanity rings out. Without food and friendship, no one could survive. May we never forget, lest such atrocities happen again!' - Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe
'I was once giving a talk alongside three professors to five hundred graduates and undergraduates. The professors each tried to explore "why" the Holocaust happened. I had to set them straight - there is NO "why."' - Harry Fox
'Unique in its scope - revealing the world lost, the horror survived, and what came next ... An emotive and beautifully written read - heart-wrenching, and full of hope in equal measure.' - Big Sky Review
'We must each say NO to hatred.' - A.M. Fox
