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The Fighter
Fighting is a way of life for Moshe Wisniak. As a boy from a very poor neighborhood in Warsaw, he can't run away when Polish kids attack the Jews, because his legs are weak. So he learns to use his fists, his head and other weapons to defend himself and his brothers.
When the family moves to Paris in 1929, everyone finds work and life improves slowly. Moshe, now Maurice, is a leather worker and a young husband. At a Jewish sports club, he takes up boxing, and becomes an amateur flyweight. But the war comes to Paris, and by 1942, the French police round up foreign Jews and the Germans deport them by the hundreds every day. They send Maurice to the death camp at Auschwitz.
In the camp, SS officers sense Maurice's strength. They command him to box against a dying prisoner. Now Maurice is faced with an impossible moral kill the prisoner or be killed by the SS for refusing to obey them. Or will he find a way out?
Translated from French by award-winning author Jean-Jacques Greif, The Fighter isn't simply another book about the Holocaust. It is a book about a hero who discovers the death-defying power of his own humanity.
When the family moves to Paris in 1929, everyone finds work and life improves slowly. Moshe, now Maurice, is a leather worker and a young husband. At a Jewish sports club, he takes up boxing, and becomes an amateur flyweight. But the war comes to Paris, and by 1942, the French police round up foreign Jews and the Germans deport them by the hundreds every day. They send Maurice to the death camp at Auschwitz.
In the camp, SS officers sense Maurice's strength. They command him to box against a dying prisoner. Now Maurice is faced with an impossible moral kill the prisoner or be killed by the SS for refusing to obey them. Or will he find a way out?
Translated from French by award-winning author Jean-Jacques Greif, The Fighter isn't simply another book about the Holocaust. It is a book about a hero who discovers the death-defying power of his own humanity.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
10 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Jean-Jacques Greif
30 books3 followersJean-Jacques Greif lives in Paris.
About writing The Fighter, he says, "I was born in Paris in 1944. My parents and their friends spoke French with a strong Polish accent. Some of them (including my father) had blue numbers tattooed on their arms. All they ever talked about in their faulty French was the war. How boring! But then, much later, when they had white hair and plastic knees and I met them at funerals, I thought their old heads were probably filled with great stories. I had become a journalist and writer. I started interviewing them. Five of my twenty published novels are based on what my parents and their friends told me. This is one of them."
About writing The Fighter, he says, "I was born in Paris in 1944. My parents and their friends spoke French with a strong Polish accent. Some of them (including my father) had blue numbers tattooed on their arms. All they ever talked about in their faulty French was the war. How boring! But then, much later, when they had white hair and plastic knees and I met them at funerals, I thought their old heads were probably filled with great stories. I had become a journalist and writer. I started interviewing them. Five of my twenty published novels are based on what my parents and their friends told me. This is one of them."
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 8, 2022
3.75+
May 19, 2011
Powerful, riveting, and heart breaking, this book is just amazing. It very frankly portrays the hardships and trials the prisoners had to overcome and the hard journey to freedom. It shows in every way, that love and hope prevails over all hate and racism. Better than Annexed, and one of the best WWII books i have ever read.
April 15, 2023
Trouvaille de ce matin au marché au kilo.
C'est une publication destinée "à la jeunesse" selon le colophon du livre. Même si je l'avais vu, je l'aurais acheté de toute façon. (Mais cela explique pourquoi j'ai pu le lire en quelques heures malgré les 203 pages.)
Livre étonnant car c'est la version romancée (1998) des mémoires de Maurice Garbarz, publié en 1984. Mr Garbarz était un ami du père de Mr Greif. Le père de l'auteur et mr Garbarz avaient tous les deux été emprisonnés à Auschwitz.
La question est bien sûr de savoir s'il y a une plus-value à une version romancée de mémoires. Difficile à dire si l'on n'a pas lu la version "originale". Mais tout ce qui peut aider à garder vivante la mémoire de l'horreur des camps de concentration pendant les années '39-45 est le bienvenu.
Ce qui m'étonne dans le livre même c'est le fait que le personnage principal, mis à part une théodicée trop facile prononcé pendant son emprisonnement dans les camps ne semble pas du tout réfléchir sur les tenants et les aboutissants de la persécution des Juifs et sur ce que cela lui dit de sa propre identité. Le personnage principal l'annonce dans le livre dans les premières pages quand il raconte comment il n'a plus jamais remis un pied dans la synagogue après la seule et unique visite qu'il y a fait avec son oncle pour Yom Kippour à l'âge de 10 ans vers 1925, bien avant les horreurs de la guerre.
Le mystère de la sécularisation en une génération. Ou peut-être simplement le fait que la communauté juive en Pologne dans l'interbellum était beaucoup plus diverse que je pensais: il n'y avait pas que les Hashidim dans "shtetls" mais aussi des Juifs pauvres de la grande ville. Il n'y a pas que I.B. Singer ou Chaïm Potok mais aussi Maurice Garbarz, qu'il repose sous les ailes du Très-Haut.
Livre recommandé.
C'est une publication destinée "à la jeunesse" selon le colophon du livre. Même si je l'avais vu, je l'aurais acheté de toute façon. (Mais cela explique pourquoi j'ai pu le lire en quelques heures malgré les 203 pages.)
Livre étonnant car c'est la version romancée (1998) des mémoires de Maurice Garbarz, publié en 1984. Mr Garbarz était un ami du père de Mr Greif. Le père de l'auteur et mr Garbarz avaient tous les deux été emprisonnés à Auschwitz.
La question est bien sûr de savoir s'il y a une plus-value à une version romancée de mémoires. Difficile à dire si l'on n'a pas lu la version "originale". Mais tout ce qui peut aider à garder vivante la mémoire de l'horreur des camps de concentration pendant les années '39-45 est le bienvenu.
Ce qui m'étonne dans le livre même c'est le fait que le personnage principal, mis à part une théodicée trop facile prononcé pendant son emprisonnement dans les camps ne semble pas du tout réfléchir sur les tenants et les aboutissants de la persécution des Juifs et sur ce que cela lui dit de sa propre identité. Le personnage principal l'annonce dans le livre dans les premières pages quand il raconte comment il n'a plus jamais remis un pied dans la synagogue après la seule et unique visite qu'il y a fait avec son oncle pour Yom Kippour à l'âge de 10 ans vers 1925, bien avant les horreurs de la guerre.
Le mystère de la sécularisation en une génération. Ou peut-être simplement le fait que la communauté juive en Pologne dans l'interbellum était beaucoup plus diverse que je pensais: il n'y avait pas que les Hashidim dans "shtetls" mais aussi des Juifs pauvres de la grande ville. Il n'y a pas que I.B. Singer ou Chaïm Potok mais aussi Maurice Garbarz, qu'il repose sous les ailes du Très-Haut.
Livre recommandé.
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February 10, 2022“The fighter” is a book that takes you from Moshie, a jewish boy growing up in Warsaw Poland to the Horrors of theHolocaust. I would give this book a five star rating because it is a really good story with many things happening and it displays the horrors of the holocaust and how unfair jewish people had been treated in the early 1900’s. I have read many books about the Holocaust in the past and this one is by far my favorite. I was also able to make connections between other books and this one. The topic of the Holocaust is a very important topic about horrible real life events and this book shows them perfectly from the perspective of a person involved with these events. If I was able to read another book by this author I definitely would because of the way he captured the events and wrote a really good story.
October 6, 2025
I liked this book a lot. It starts with a little Jewish boy named Moshe. Moshe, also called Maurice, grew up in a poor neighborhood. While growing up, he survived the horrors of Auschwitz. He and his family moved to Paris to escape poverty. During this time, Maurice learned boxing. Boxing became a tool to him, but also a curse when he had to fight fellow inmates. What I like about this book is how realistically the author writes about the concentration camp, showing the battles the prisoners went through. The thing I dislike about this book is the repetitiveness at the start of the book. This book really went through the journey of Maurice surviving Auschwitz. I recommend this book to anyone who likes World War 2 and wants to know what a concentration camp was like.
October 29, 2019
I feel that this book is very appealing and draws you in. Its filled with plot twist and surprising moments. The main Character is A Jewish kid named Moshe. He lived in Poland but moved to Paris for more opportunities. He has a condition that makes his legs weak. He’s determined to become strong and he wants to become a boxer.
Later on in the story the war Spreads to Paris and he get deported to a camp where he’s forced to fight other prisoners. It’s very addictive to read once you get into it. It just pulls you closer and closer as you read. I recommend it for people who like to read books that keep you interested and people who like stories about courage and hope.
Later on in the story the war Spreads to Paris and he get deported to a camp where he’s forced to fight other prisoners. It’s very addictive to read once you get into it. It just pulls you closer and closer as you read. I recommend it for people who like to read books that keep you interested and people who like stories about courage and hope.
August 14, 2025
Probablement un des livres qui illustre le mieux la seconde guerrière mondiale du point de vue d’un civil français. Retrace sans pudeur les atrocités qui avaient lieu dans les camps de concentration. Basé sur une histoire vraie et marquante, je recommande ce livre à ceux qui veulent connaître la vérité sur l’horreur de l’histoire de 39-45.
March 19, 2018
I really like the writing style that the book used. It wasn't told in a normal book fashion. I thought that it was very interesting.
March 22, 2013
I just finished reading the book “The Fighter” by Jean-Jacques Grief. This book was very action packed and full of turning points. The main character, Moshe, is a small Jewish boy growing up in mostly Polish populated city named Warsaw. After getting tossed around and beat up for so many years Moshe decides to fight back. Through Moshe’s adventure and survival it keeps your face in the book for hours.
The story starts out with an introduction and a past life of Moshe and his family. Moshe grew up in a poor neighborhood with a leg condition where his legs are weak. In his condition and living in a densely populated Polish area he was discriminated, abused by other children and people. After enough is enough and his legs kept him from fleeing the bullies he learned to use his fists and fight back. He became a protector of his family. When the family moves to Paris in hope of jobs and new opportunities, their lives slowly get better. By changing their names, Moshe changes his name to Maurice to hide his and his family’s identity of being obvious Jews they have a better chance blending in. In the text they say, “It’s very dangerous for a Jew to be known by the police.”(29) While being unknown, Moshe joins a Jewish sports club to box, this also leads him to more opportunities, more income for something that he loves. He eventually works his way to become a flyweight. When the war comes to Paris in 1942 the French Police round up all of the foreign Jews and the Germans deport them. He is sent to Auschwitz, the death camp. In the book they describe how hard the life is in the Death Camp and what they were forced to do. Maurice was chosen to be a miner because of his strength, “See, he’s very strong. He’ll make a good miner.”(124) Later the guards also recognize Maurice’s strength and buffness they force him to box against other dying prisoners. Maurice witness’s life and death through his long adventure in the book and he uses his strength as an advantage. Read it and find out what happens!
This book is a good read if you are interested in conflicts and survival/adventure. If you are also interested in fighting and boxing this book is also for you. It shows how a struggling boy can turn into a fierce man fighting for his life in a death camp. I personally really liked the book, I gave it a 4/5 stars because I enjoyed how I could imagine in my head this boy growing up and surviving what millions didn’t.
Throughout the book the author is describing this boy, Moshe that changes personality and matures faster than a boy should just for his survival. Moshe to Maurice he uses his strengths as an advantage to his survival of the War and the hard and almost impossible life in Auschwitz.
The story starts out with an introduction and a past life of Moshe and his family. Moshe grew up in a poor neighborhood with a leg condition where his legs are weak. In his condition and living in a densely populated Polish area he was discriminated, abused by other children and people. After enough is enough and his legs kept him from fleeing the bullies he learned to use his fists and fight back. He became a protector of his family. When the family moves to Paris in hope of jobs and new opportunities, their lives slowly get better. By changing their names, Moshe changes his name to Maurice to hide his and his family’s identity of being obvious Jews they have a better chance blending in. In the text they say, “It’s very dangerous for a Jew to be known by the police.”(29) While being unknown, Moshe joins a Jewish sports club to box, this also leads him to more opportunities, more income for something that he loves. He eventually works his way to become a flyweight. When the war comes to Paris in 1942 the French Police round up all of the foreign Jews and the Germans deport them. He is sent to Auschwitz, the death camp. In the book they describe how hard the life is in the Death Camp and what they were forced to do. Maurice was chosen to be a miner because of his strength, “See, he’s very strong. He’ll make a good miner.”(124) Later the guards also recognize Maurice’s strength and buffness they force him to box against other dying prisoners. Maurice witness’s life and death through his long adventure in the book and he uses his strength as an advantage. Read it and find out what happens!
This book is a good read if you are interested in conflicts and survival/adventure. If you are also interested in fighting and boxing this book is also for you. It shows how a struggling boy can turn into a fierce man fighting for his life in a death camp. I personally really liked the book, I gave it a 4/5 stars because I enjoyed how I could imagine in my head this boy growing up and surviving what millions didn’t.
Throughout the book the author is describing this boy, Moshe that changes personality and matures faster than a boy should just for his survival. Moshe to Maurice he uses his strengths as an advantage to his survival of the War and the hard and almost impossible life in Auschwitz.
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July 28, 2011« Au bout de quatre ou cinq mois, je suis déjà un vétéran, un « vieux numéro ». J’appartiens au groupe des « quarante-huit mille », c’est-à-dire à l’aristocratie du camp. Nous ne sommes plus très nombreux … Le camarade qui a vu mourir mon frère est un « quarante-deux mille », arrivé au camp en juin 1942. Du premier convoi français, celui des « vingt-huit mille », arrivé de Compiègne en mars, il ne reste plus qu’une poignée de survivants *. [* C’est en mai 1940 que trente détenus de droit commun allemands sont arrivés des camps de Dachau et Sachsenhausen pour poser les barbelés à Auschwitz. On les a numérotés de un à trente. Ils ont été suivis, à partir d’août 1940, par des résistants polonais, qui ont construit le camp et élevé les miradors.] »
April 12, 2013
Fighting is a way of life for Moshe Wisniak. As a boy from a very poor neighborhood in Warsaw, he can't run away when Polish kids attack the Jews, because his legs are weak. So he learns to use his fists, his head and other weapons to defend himself and his brothers.
When the family moves to Paris in 1929, everyone finds work and life improves slowly. Moshe, now Maurice, is a leather worker and a young husband. At a Jewish sports club, he takes up boxing, and becomes an amateur flyweight. But the war comes to Paris, and by 1942, the French police round up foreign Jews and the Germans deport them by the hundreds every day. They send Maurice to the death camp at Auschwitz.
August 30, 2013
I can see why this is considered a YA novel, however it can go both ways as it follows Moshe's life from birth to adulthood.
Moshe was born with weak legs. He's worked his entire life on being strong, being a fighter. Boxing is his way of life, though he does find a suitable profession that manages to get him out of Poland and into France. He is Jewish, and in 1942 is rounded up by the French police and sent off to the fate of hundreds of thousands of other Jews. He goes to many different concentration camps and figures out how to survive.
This is based off of stories the author has heard his entire life. It's an interesting tale, heartbreaking in many ways. A good read if you're interested in the Holocaust.
Moshe was born with weak legs. He's worked his entire life on being strong, being a fighter. Boxing is his way of life, though he does find a suitable profession that manages to get him out of Poland and into France. He is Jewish, and in 1942 is rounded up by the French police and sent off to the fate of hundreds of thousands of other Jews. He goes to many different concentration camps and figures out how to survive.
This is based off of stories the author has heard his entire life. It's an interesting tale, heartbreaking in many ways. A good read if you're interested in the Holocaust.
December 17, 2009
This book started slow, but got going fast. It was a great story, with happiness, fear, pain, love, and struggle. It was about a young boy who had a rough life growing up, and his struggle and fight through the Holocaust. This book taught me to not give up no matter what your going through. People say all the time "oh I'm starving" or "I'm tired," but they don't know what being starving or exhausted was really like. This book was a great entertaining way to inform poeple about the holocaust.
January 20, 2013
This book is alright if you really like reading. When I was reading this book I could not stay focused and entertained with it because of how confusing it was. It does not take place in the United States so I could not follow how it was written very good. I did not want to read it and every time I tried, I found myself re-reading pages to figure out what they were really saying and what i had to understand.
October 15, 2015
2.5
This book was kinda okay. It was very slow paced and the writing was very meh. There is year missing in this book, at one point it went from the year 1918 to 1925. I really had no feelings for this book. The only character I liked was Brod, and he is a side character. Maybe it's just me, maybe it's not.
This book was kinda okay. It was very slow paced and the writing was very meh. There is year missing in this book, at one point it went from the year 1918 to 1925. I really had no feelings for this book. The only character I liked was Brod, and he is a side character. Maybe it's just me, maybe it's not.
December 17, 2008
Chilling.
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October 14, 2010i thought it was an amazing book
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October 14, 2011A good book to read if you want to learn about how the Jews were treated in the concentration camps in World War II.
May 30, 2014
This book was good. But in an instant it went into the toilet
September 17, 2014
This is an amazing book.. It keeps you on your toes, but it isn't a real nail bitter... Must read
June 3, 2015
Greif's style is strangely compelling. He captures the essence of human emotion without complication or chaos. His portrayal of the horrors of WWII is both tasteful and shocking.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews