A Mother's Courage: How I survived the Holocaust - a remarkable story of bravery, kindness and hope

by Malka Levine

'A deeply humane memoir of immense power - there is nothing more affecting than a first-hand experience finely told' - Philippe Sands, author of The Ratline

'A fabulous memoir . . . a testament to [Malka's] skill and determination' - Dame Maureen Lipman

A Mother’s Courage is Holocaust survivor Malka Levine’s powerful and moving tribute to a determined and resourceful woman who refused to give up hope so long as her children needed her.

Malka was two when the Nazi invaders forced her family into the Jewish ghetto in Volodymyr-Volynskyi, a small city in present-day Ukraine. It was the first step in a campaign of mass murder. Of the 25,000 Jews in the city in 1939, only thirty would survive. Malka’s father was shot in the first pogrom. Before he died he begged her mother Rivka to save their children.

Rivka kept Malka and her two older brothers alive through eighteen terrifying months, as the Nazis systematically killed the inhabitants of the ghetto. In the midst of the inhumanity, a few people risked their lives to help. A Wehrmacht officer saved them from being shot and a Polish dressmaker gave them sanctuary when the SS went hunting for victims.

Then Rivka persuaded a Ukrainian farmer and his saintly wife to hide her and the children. The Yakimchuks agreed and kept their word, even after the SS commandeered the farm. They dug a pit under their barn, and there Malka’s family stayed through a freezing winter and into the summer until the Red Army came. At the end of the war, Rivka was forced to draw on her strength yet again as she set out to create a new life for herself and her children.

A Mother’s Courage is Malka’s chance at long last to thank not only her brave mum, but also all the heroes who opened their hearts to her and her family.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2023

Reviews

[Книжкові історії · Rating 5 out of 5]

Це важливі мемуари. Події відбуваються на наших землях. Тому розкривається різне.

У Володимирі (Людмир) не було таборів, але були масові розстріли. Німці разом з колаборантами, серед яких були українці та поляки, вбили лише розстрілом — 15 000 людей…

Я вважаю, що історії людей потрібно знати і пам’ятати. Тому дуже важливо, читати такі книги.

[Sel Rou · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother’s Courage: How I survived the Holocaust – a remarkable story of bravery, kindness and hope.

Stunning, horrifying and griping true story of survival.

[kally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the author's personal experience during the WW2 nazi period
it was kind of sad but eye opening on what they went through.

[Rosie Bartle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and heartbreaking true encounter of a Jewish mother and her three children’s survival of WW2. I listened to this as an audiobook which was brilliant. Every time I read stories from Holocaust survivors, I am so astounded and furious at the pure evil and brutality of Hitler and his Nazi soldiers, murdering thousands of innocent people in his antisemitic reign. Even more astounding is the length of time after the war that Jewish people still experienced such discrimination, and how Hitler was able to convince and turn hundreds of thousands of people against a whole population. Not only does this book detail the determination of one young mother, recently widowed, losing her entire family to the camps, and sacrificing everything to save her 3 young children, but it also sheds a light on people who showed her kindness and humanity in a time of war.

[Hannah Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the privilege of meeting Malka at the holocaust centre Beth Shalom and she spoke courageously about her story and the tribulations she faced and it’ll be a moment to remember forever. Her book spoke in depth about the challenges her and her family faced during the monstrous years.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did enjoy Malka’s direct concise writing style and hearing about WW2 from Ukaraine, a change from Holland, Britain, Austria and the German concentration camps which I’d read previously. The story is not just of Malkas life but that of Her strong and resourceful mother and the kindness shown by strangers (even some soldiers) and also of cruelty and mass formation thinking of the masses who went along with the persecution of one group of people as if it was perfectly OK. Interestingly, her story was finally written down because of the covid restrictions, when her loss of freedom and events out of her control triggered past traumas from her life during and after WW2. Against the odds (and the stats are astounding) Malkas mother and her 3 children survived the war due to resourcefulness, patience, luck and the kindness of strangers. I feel honoured to have read her story. (On audio)

[Yuliia Zadnipriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Книга про надлюдську жорстокість та неземну силу материнської любові, котра здатна попри всі звірства пануючих режимів вберегти життя найціннішому – своїм дітям 💔

Володимир-Волинський, колись відомий як Людмир, постає перед читачами тут в жахливій динаміці: від процвітаючого до війни містечка то розбитого та скаліченого нею населеного пункту. З 25 тисяч євреїв, які там проживали, в живих лишилось 39.

Ця книга занурить вас у історію, де авторка була однією з дійових осіб: коли все розпочалось, їй було два рочки. Як моїй доньці зараз. Де вони жили? Хто їм допомагав? Як вони тримались взагалі і яким дивом впоралися впродовж стількох років з неймовірним фізичним та моральним виснаженням?

Цю книжку можна прочитати на одному вдосі і на завершення видихнути з думкою і питаннями про те, ну як, як люди скочуються у таку жорстокість? 😔

І яким дивовижним чином решті людей вдається зберегти людину всередині свого серця❤️‍🩹

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een waargebeurd verhaal wat tijdens de tweede wereldoorlog is gebeurd in Oekraïne. Het is ontzettend moedig dat deze moeder in een zeer zware onzekere tijd overeind bleef en alles deed voor haar kinderen wat nodig was. Dit boek is door de dochter in coronatijd beschreven en zij is uiteindelijk op hoge leeftijd nog terug gekeerd om mensen in Oekraïne te bezoeken waar zij ondergedoken heeft gezeten.

[Carmelita Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling read reminding us of the strength of a mother and the humanity of others. A stark reminder of how the horrors of the holocaust was avoided for this family by the compassion and bravery of a gentile family. Truly a testimony to the resilience of a mother and the humanity of a family who protected and sheltered a mother and her 3 children.

[Rachelle Crain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth a read. It's amazing what the human spirit can endure and will do to survive. A reminder to be grateful for our safety and comfort today. Even without very much, we are so very fortunate.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 would be a better rating.
A remarkable story of Rivka Fischmann and how she manage to keep her three children alive during the Holocaust.

[Jan Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brave inspirational story of the true lengths a mother will go to- to protect her children and the bravery of those who helped them.