If, By Miracle

by Michael Kutz

Nearly buried alive, 10-year-old Michael Kutz narrowly escapes the Nazi death squad that has killed 4,000 Jews, including his own family, in his hometown of Nieswiez. Guided by his mother's last words and determined to survive, he becomes the youngest member of a partisan resistance group in the dense Belorussian forest, taking part in daring operations against the Nazis and their collaborators. After the war, Michael embarks on an odyssey through Czechoslovakia, Austria, Italy, and, finally, Canada, as he tries to find a home where he can leave the horrors of his past behind. Translated from the original Yiddish, If, By Miracle is the gripping and compelling story of a courageous and resilient young boy searching for freedom.

Genres: Holocaust, Nonfiction, Memoir, History

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

Reviews

[Alexis Philippot]

Won’t be rating for obvious reasons but I will say the writing style definitely caters to historians as opposed to the general reader!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a Jewish boy growing up in Belarus just prior to WW2 when the Nazis invaded, followed by the takeover by the Soviet Red Army. After a daring escape from the slaughter, Michael Kutz found aid from Polish Catholics, and others, he finds his way to joining up and working with the Resistance until the end of the war in Europe.

The book goes on to tell us what happened with Kutz after the war and his efforts to find a new home, his place in the world, and his endeavors to aid in the establishment of Eretz Israel, smuggling weapons and supplies under the guise of UNRRA cargo. He also tells of establishing life in his new country, which ends up being far from his first choice of British Palestine, and his unending devotion to helping others.

This book sheds some light on life in Belarus leading up to and during the war, the interaction between the Soviets and the Nazis in the area, and struggles of people re-establishing their lives after the war ended.