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Do Not Cry When I Die: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter's Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen
One of the oldest living Holocaust survivors recounts her family’s imprisonment at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen in this moving memoir of love, loss, courage, and hope.
“I only survived because of my mother's love.”
When German soldiers invaded Poland in September 1939, it began a six year journey for then-ten-year-old Renee Salt and her mother Sala. Until their liberation in 1945, Renee and Sala were imprisoned in ghettos and concentration camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen. The only light in the darkness and brutality for Renee was the unwavering grasp of her mother’s hand in hers–enduring, against all odds.
It was this unbreakable bond, along with a few miracles, that kept Renee alive. Sala’s staggering courage to defy the will of SS guards saved both her and her daughter from the gas chambers, and the pair survived the deadliest days in Auschwitz’s history.
After suffering the nightmarish conditions at Bergen-Belsen, Renee and her mother were liberated in April 1945–but Sala died soon after they were saved. To this day, Renee attributes her survival to the love and bravery of her beloved mother.
Do Not Cry When I Die is an incredibly moving and deeply crucial book that tells the shocking story of one of the oldest Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen survivors—and the mother’s love that saved her life.
“I only survived because of my mother's love.”
When German soldiers invaded Poland in September 1939, it began a six year journey for then-ten-year-old Renee Salt and her mother Sala. Until their liberation in 1945, Renee and Sala were imprisoned in ghettos and concentration camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen. The only light in the darkness and brutality for Renee was the unwavering grasp of her mother’s hand in hers–enduring, against all odds.
It was this unbreakable bond, along with a few miracles, that kept Renee alive. Sala’s staggering courage to defy the will of SS guards saved both her and her daughter from the gas chambers, and the pair survived the deadliest days in Auschwitz’s history.
After suffering the nightmarish conditions at Bergen-Belsen, Renee and her mother were liberated in April 1945–but Sala died soon after they were saved. To this day, Renee attributes her survival to the love and bravery of her beloved mother.
Do Not Cry When I Die is an incredibly moving and deeply crucial book that tells the shocking story of one of the oldest Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen survivors—and the mother’s love that saved her life.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
November 11, 2024
A powerful account of a young girl’s incredible resilience in the face of the unthinkable horror of the Holocaust, Renee Salt’s memoir is needed now more than ever. Interspersed with Kate Thompson’s intricate research, this memoir follows Renee as she is ripped from a happy childhood in Poland and forced into ghettos and concentration camps. However, her story does not end there but follows her liberation and—against all odds—the life she built after the war. A riveting read.
January 20, 2025
I do not know where to begin except to say that this book is a beautiful gut punch. By this I mean this true story about a Jewish girl and the horrific atrocities she and her family faced during World War II and the Nazi regime brings the reader face to face with unspeakable horrors and unimaginable circumstances while at the same time telling a story of resilience, strength, courage, love and hope. I found myself in tears several times. Tears of sadness, anger and of hope. This book is a kaleidoscope of emotions. It looks not just at the author's time in the concentration camps, but her life after her liberation as she has to put the pieces back together, learning to live in the world while coming to terms with all she has endured, finding her place and that love and family trumps all.
Renee (Renia) Berkowitz was just ten years old when her whole world fell apart. Her family was forced into the ghetto and so began her six-year journey during which she endured the most inhumane conditions as she was moved to different ghettos and concentration camps, facing deplorable living and working conditions and the loss of the members of her immediate family. The only thing she had to keep her holding on was her mother. Miraculously, the two were able to stay together all the way through the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, though her mother died a few days later, once she knew her daughter would be safe.
In this heartbreaking account of what life was like as a Jewish prisoner in a concentration camp, there is no sugar coating or holding anything back. This is a raw account of true events allowing the reader to see up close and personal what day to day life was like, and the happenings and conditions that the people living in the ghetto and concentration camps were forced to live with. I found myself infuriated and nauseated as I read about the atrocities that took place. While I have read a lot about the Holocaust, this book opened my eyes to many details I never would have even thought of or wanted to imagine! I found this book to be one of the most powerful accounts of the Holocaust I have ever read and it is something that I will not soon forget.
This is a book that every human being in the world should read. This is not just a story. It is about humanity. The events that took place during the Holocaust are beyond horrific. What is worse is that no matter how abominable these events may be to those of us who read history books or firsthand accounts as we do here in Don't Cry When I Die, we will never fully understand the true scope as those who lived it did....and as many of them have said, thank God for that! But despite history and the outrage, it is heartbreaking and tragic that humanity has not seemed to have learned from these events, and still today unspeakable acts are being committed. As the author says, "Please be tolerant to one another. Perhaps the world will be a better place to live in. I'd like people to start learning to live with one another in peace. We must learn to love and not hate."
This book is due to be released on March 4, 2025 and I implore you to read it. It is not an easy read emotionally, but it is an important one.
I would like to thank Penguin Random House and Alcove for the advance release copy of this book. Of all of the ARCs I have ever received, this was one of the ones I most looked forward to reading. I am so grateful for the honor and privilege to read and review this testimony.
Renee (Renia) Berkowitz was just ten years old when her whole world fell apart. Her family was forced into the ghetto and so began her six-year journey during which she endured the most inhumane conditions as she was moved to different ghettos and concentration camps, facing deplorable living and working conditions and the loss of the members of her immediate family. The only thing she had to keep her holding on was her mother. Miraculously, the two were able to stay together all the way through the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, though her mother died a few days later, once she knew her daughter would be safe.
In this heartbreaking account of what life was like as a Jewish prisoner in a concentration camp, there is no sugar coating or holding anything back. This is a raw account of true events allowing the reader to see up close and personal what day to day life was like, and the happenings and conditions that the people living in the ghetto and concentration camps were forced to live with. I found myself infuriated and nauseated as I read about the atrocities that took place. While I have read a lot about the Holocaust, this book opened my eyes to many details I never would have even thought of or wanted to imagine! I found this book to be one of the most powerful accounts of the Holocaust I have ever read and it is something that I will not soon forget.
This is a book that every human being in the world should read. This is not just a story. It is about humanity. The events that took place during the Holocaust are beyond horrific. What is worse is that no matter how abominable these events may be to those of us who read history books or firsthand accounts as we do here in Don't Cry When I Die, we will never fully understand the true scope as those who lived it did....and as many of them have said, thank God for that! But despite history and the outrage, it is heartbreaking and tragic that humanity has not seemed to have learned from these events, and still today unspeakable acts are being committed. As the author says, "Please be tolerant to one another. Perhaps the world will be a better place to live in. I'd like people to start learning to live with one another in peace. We must learn to love and not hate."
This book is due to be released on March 4, 2025 and I implore you to read it. It is not an easy read emotionally, but it is an important one.
I would like to thank Penguin Random House and Alcove for the advance release copy of this book. Of all of the ARCs I have ever received, this was one of the ones I most looked forward to reading. I am so grateful for the honor and privilege to read and review this testimony.
May 15, 2025
An incredible, important story from an extraordinary survivor. What a woman Renee Salt is - thank you for this story, and all you have done to remind us of the depths to which humanity can sink, as well as the hope which lives in the knowledge there will always be good people who can make the world a better place.
May 27, 2025
Heartbreaking and horrific. But so powerful. 💔 I’ll forever be in disbelief that these horrific events happened only 80 years ago.
April 6, 2025
This was an emotional rollercoaster. Thank you Renee for sharing your story and experiences after the war. Loved every word.
April 15, 2025
Very eye opening account of a holocaust survivor. I really enjoyed reading it. Did not enjoy reading about the suffering and horrible atrocities the Jewish people endured. I really don’t understand how people can be so cruel and treat fellow human beings the way these German soldiers treated the Jewish people.
September 2, 2025
I'm thankful that Renee Salt shared her story, which is one of both tragedy and hope. Reading about her life after liberation and the research notes interspersed throughout make this book stand out from other Holocaust survivor books I've read.
January 30, 2025
Do Not Cry When I Die: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter’s Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen by Renee Salt and Kate Thompson.
Renee Salt retells her story of how she survived as a Jewish young girl during Nazi Occupation of her beloved home and country Poland. Kate Thompson is a journalist who assisted Renee tell her story through her eyes recounting memories of a peaceful and happy childhood at age 10 to the extreme horrors she and her family faced during World War II. The unimaginable suffering, inhumane brutality, fear and terror of life moving from one Ghetto to another and as a POW in concentration camps the worst nightmare ever inflicted upon her with lice infestation, typhoid, starvation, sickness and death. She was lucky to be liberated from these atrocities. All along she never forgot love for her mother who sadly did not survive..
Renee became a strong, resilient, brave women, re-establishing her life and future. Building a new life together with her husband Charles and two children of her own to living life as a Holocaust’ survivor.
This book is sadly an emotional, heartbreaking, gut wrenching tell all story based on the truest words of vicious acts. A history that should never have been endured. This book should be read by all. Humanity is not respected in history but should be a lesson learned both currently and for future generations to understand and never forget. It is time to stop being selfish, hateful and mean to our fellow man, women and children.
This book is one I will never forget and feel saddened by the tragedy and turmoil the holocaust’ survivors went through. Their bravery, courage hope, tenacity, determination and will to survive amazes me. Many would give up hope.
Thankyou to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts with this honest review. This book will be released on 4th March 2025. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Renee Salt retells her story of how she survived as a Jewish young girl during Nazi Occupation of her beloved home and country Poland. Kate Thompson is a journalist who assisted Renee tell her story through her eyes recounting memories of a peaceful and happy childhood at age 10 to the extreme horrors she and her family faced during World War II. The unimaginable suffering, inhumane brutality, fear and terror of life moving from one Ghetto to another and as a POW in concentration camps the worst nightmare ever inflicted upon her with lice infestation, typhoid, starvation, sickness and death. She was lucky to be liberated from these atrocities. All along she never forgot love for her mother who sadly did not survive..
Renee became a strong, resilient, brave women, re-establishing her life and future. Building a new life together with her husband Charles and two children of her own to living life as a Holocaust’ survivor.
This book is sadly an emotional, heartbreaking, gut wrenching tell all story based on the truest words of vicious acts. A history that should never have been endured. This book should be read by all. Humanity is not respected in history but should be a lesson learned both currently and for future generations to understand and never forget. It is time to stop being selfish, hateful and mean to our fellow man, women and children.
This book is one I will never forget and feel saddened by the tragedy and turmoil the holocaust’ survivors went through. Their bravery, courage hope, tenacity, determination and will to survive amazes me. Many would give up hope.
Thankyou to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts with this honest review. This book will be released on 4th March 2025. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
February 25, 2025
5 ⭐
Oh my 😭
Honestly I've read so many books about The Holocaust that I think I know all there is to know and then another book comes along and squashes that thought. Everytime I read a new book I'm still in shock at the atrocities these people went through.
Heartbreaking and so emotional to read.
Could not put this down and was thinking about it days after.
A period of history which must never be forgotten 💔
Would highly recommend 💕
Oh my 😭
Honestly I've read so many books about The Holocaust that I think I know all there is to know and then another book comes along and squashes that thought. Everytime I read a new book I'm still in shock at the atrocities these people went through.
Heartbreaking and so emotional to read.
Could not put this down and was thinking about it days after.
A period of history which must never be forgotten 💔
Would highly recommend 💕
March 1, 2025
Renee Salt and Kate Thompson, the authors of “Do Not Cry When I Die” “ A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter’s Survival in Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen” have written a Thought-provoking and memorable memoir. Renee Salt is now 94 years old, and her recollections of her family, traditions, and tragic experiences are both informative and educational. Kate Thompson is a journalist who has done the historical documentation, and has travelled to the places Renee Salt discusses. Renee Salt is one of the oldest survivors of the Holocaust and mentions that it was her mother’s love that kept her going.
This is a devastating, and tragic part of history, and the authors have brought to light this dark period through Renee’s recollections. This is a difficult book to read, but I highly recommend this to others as a reminder that we should never forget.
This is a devastating, and tragic part of history, and the authors have brought to light this dark period through Renee’s recollections. This is a difficult book to read, but I highly recommend this to others as a reminder that we should never forget.
December 31, 2024
This is a very honest account of being Jewish, in Poland in during the Nazi occupation.
This makes it very tough reading. Through Renee’s narrative we can feel the bewilderment, her confusion and the disgust at how the general populace appeared to turn the other way.
Do Not Cry When I die is also about redemption, and possibly forgiveness. Finally, Renee comes to terms with her past and uses her experiences to teach other people, new generations born since the war, the truth about what happened.
It makes unusual reading as there is a co-writer so suddenly the narrative will go from first person to third person, as the co-writer comes in to give you a background. This adds to the atmosphere though as it feels that Renee is telling you directly what she remembers, and the third person narrative is giving you a background flavour. Just like you are in the room with them.
This is a memoir that stays with you long after you have finished it.
This makes it very tough reading. Through Renee’s narrative we can feel the bewilderment, her confusion and the disgust at how the general populace appeared to turn the other way.
Do Not Cry When I die is also about redemption, and possibly forgiveness. Finally, Renee comes to terms with her past and uses her experiences to teach other people, new generations born since the war, the truth about what happened.
It makes unusual reading as there is a co-writer so suddenly the narrative will go from first person to third person, as the co-writer comes in to give you a background. This adds to the atmosphere though as it feels that Renee is telling you directly what she remembers, and the third person narrative is giving you a background flavour. Just like you are in the room with them.
This is a memoir that stays with you long after you have finished it.
April 16, 2025
I get sad reading stories or accounts of people who have lived through the holocaust and WW2. But it’s so important we read their stories because it honours their life and also ensures that we NEVER forget them.
I’ve read a couple of Auschwitz survivor stories but this is by far one of my favourites. Told from the eyes of a woman who endured the concentration camp with her mother. A story of resilience and also the love between a daughter and mother. So many times I teared up because I could not and still cannot believe what these ladies had to live through.
This was so well written and honoured the life of both Renee & her whole family.
I’ve read a couple of Auschwitz survivor stories but this is by far one of my favourites. Told from the eyes of a woman who endured the concentration camp with her mother. A story of resilience and also the love between a daughter and mother. So many times I teared up because I could not and still cannot believe what these ladies had to live through.
This was so well written and honoured the life of both Renee & her whole family.
April 14, 2025
Do Not Cry When I Die: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter's Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen by Holocaust survivor Renee Salt & historical fiction author Kate Thompson is such a profound and moving testament to the will of surviving even the harshest conditions even though inside you may be feeling as if you're fraying at the edges, and have lost all motivation to keep going.
On the outside of this Holocaust memoir is a powerful true story of a young Jewish girl living in Poland who is so full of innocence, and just wants to enjoy every moment with her family celebrating the Jewish holidays, going to school, playing with friends, etc but in such a short period of time has her whole life shattered and changed because of the invasion of Nazi Germany in 1939. On the inside, is a story of a mother and daughter bond that is tested by the most excruciating events imaginable.
As mentioned above, to hit home just how much Do Not Cry When I Die: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter's Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen is for the most part the mother-daughter relationship, I provide you with the below:
"I loved my mother so much. She was the most important person in my life; by then, the only person left in my life. She was the first person I saw in that hut when I opened my eyes, her prayers the last thing I heard at night. I was a part of her, as she was of me. She held my life in her hands, as I did hers. Without each other, we couldn't have lasted a day. We were both so fragile, our bodies so weak. Our love was the only strength we had, and we clung to it."
This memoir had many emotions while reading it as it gave me heartbreak, loss, but ultimately there were moments of hope. I thank Renee Salt who is now 95 years old at the time of writing this review for telling your story and for Kate Thompson for filling in the spaces with her remarkable research.
To conclude, I impart this quote by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel:
"To forget would not only be dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time".
On the outside of this Holocaust memoir is a powerful true story of a young Jewish girl living in Poland who is so full of innocence, and just wants to enjoy every moment with her family celebrating the Jewish holidays, going to school, playing with friends, etc but in such a short period of time has her whole life shattered and changed because of the invasion of Nazi Germany in 1939. On the inside, is a story of a mother and daughter bond that is tested by the most excruciating events imaginable.
As mentioned above, to hit home just how much Do Not Cry When I Die: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter's Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen is for the most part the mother-daughter relationship, I provide you with the below:
"I loved my mother so much. She was the most important person in my life; by then, the only person left in my life. She was the first person I saw in that hut when I opened my eyes, her prayers the last thing I heard at night. I was a part of her, as she was of me. She held my life in her hands, as I did hers. Without each other, we couldn't have lasted a day. We were both so fragile, our bodies so weak. Our love was the only strength we had, and we clung to it."
This memoir had many emotions while reading it as it gave me heartbreak, loss, but ultimately there were moments of hope. I thank Renee Salt who is now 95 years old at the time of writing this review for telling your story and for Kate Thompson for filling in the spaces with her remarkable research.
To conclude, I impart this quote by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel:
"To forget would not only be dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time".
May 4, 2025
This was really well done with direct words from Renee the Holocaust survivor and the coauthor providing more historical context and details about what was taking place. At just ten years of age this little girl experienced everything from losing her home, living in a ghetto, living in a concentration camp to losing most of her family.
It is heartbreaking for sure but her resilience will inspire you and her life is a testament to what the Nazis could not destroy. As one of the last remaining survivors her story is not one you’ll soon forget.
It is heartbreaking for sure but her resilience will inspire you and her life is a testament to what the Nazis could not destroy. As one of the last remaining survivors her story is not one you’ll soon forget.
June 6, 2025
A well-written and frank text about WW2 and the persecution of followers of the Jewish faith; a mixture of first hand accounts from Renee and historical context provided by the co-author (Kate Thompson). The historical elements are well explained but not over complicated, which makes for “easier” reading, meaning more focus can be placed on the emotions and experiences of Renee herself. An interesting read!
March 27, 2025
I read this as an audiobook and I’m so happy that I did!! Mrs. Salt spoke at the beginning and at the end in her own voice and that was such a gift!! I enjoyed hearing part of the story in her own words while the rest was read by a narrator. It’s even more special because there is so much of her recovery story included in her survival story.
March 28, 2025
I found it hard to put this book down. A remarkable but very sad story of a young Jewish girl being forced from her home along with her family and the atrocities that she endured under the Germans. How she endured the circumstances is almost beyond belief.
It was lovely to read also about her life post the war and the impact she had to n so many. One very amazing woman. .
Partially written by her and a writer, it is so well put together.
It was lovely to read also about her life post the war and the impact she had to n so many. One very amazing woman. .
Partially written by her and a writer, it is so well put together.
May 9, 2025
Harrowing but a great read. Thought I knew about the ww2 Jews persecution, but this really tells how bad it was.
September 27, 2025
Very moving and informative memoir.
Beautifully written.
Beautifully written.
September 22, 2025
Harrowing, unbelievable. Words are inadequate.
October 21, 2025
One of the most gut-wrenching books I’ve ever read.
It’s almost impossible to comprehend how Renée Salt survived such unimaginable horrors and even more so to know that she lived with the weight of that trauma in silence for 50 years before being able to speak about it.
I was deeply moved by her strength, resilience, and the life she built after the Holocaust. What stayed with me most is her selfless dedication to educating others, honouring those who were murdered, and ensuring that history is never forgotten or repeated.
A powerful, heartbreaking, and essential read that will stay with me for a long time. ❤️❤️❤️
It’s almost impossible to comprehend how Renée Salt survived such unimaginable horrors and even more so to know that she lived with the weight of that trauma in silence for 50 years before being able to speak about it.
I was deeply moved by her strength, resilience, and the life she built after the Holocaust. What stayed with me most is her selfless dedication to educating others, honouring those who were murdered, and ensuring that history is never forgotten or repeated.
A powerful, heartbreaking, and essential read that will stay with me for a long time. ❤️❤️❤️
May 10, 2025
This was a story that will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time. The way the narrative seamlessly transitions between Renee’s personal account and the broader historical overview is masterfully balanced—it enhances the story without ever feeling like an interruption. The sheer depth of details Renee shares is staggering, painting a vivid and deeply emotional picture of her experiences.
Beyond the personal journey, this book is an incredible source of historical insight, delivering both critical messages and invaluable factual information. What struck me most was the glimpse into Renee’s life after the Holocaust—a perspective that is often overlooked in literature. Witnessing her resilience and the way she rebuilt her life added another layer of meaning to the book, making it not just a testimony of survival but a powerful testament to the human spirit.
Beyond the personal journey, this book is an incredible source of historical insight, delivering both critical messages and invaluable factual information. What struck me most was the glimpse into Renee’s life after the Holocaust—a perspective that is often overlooked in literature. Witnessing her resilience and the way she rebuilt her life added another layer of meaning to the book, making it not just a testimony of survival but a powerful testament to the human spirit.
December 17, 2024
Do Not Cry When I Die by Renee Salt (Holocaust survivor) and writer/journalist Kate Thompson is one of the most moving, heart crushing, nauseating, disturbing and powerful Holocaust books I have read. But it is also a story about courage, the intensity and selflessness of a mother's love, It shook me to the core and I cried several times reading it and after. The photographs are bittersweet and gut wrenching.
Renee was ten when the Germans invaded Poland. She and her family were forced from their happy comfortable lives into poverty overnight simply as they were Jews. They had been accustomed to excellent food, also symbolic, and suddenly had nothing, no personal belongings, and suffered under extreme conditions including burning furniture for fuel. But the family was one of unconditional love and support.
Forced by inhumane cattle cars to even worse Auschwitz and then hellish Bergen-Belsen, life was barely existing. Renee's parents saved her life, physically and mentally. Renee credits God for many miracles such as her father's ring, changing her date of birth, and switching queues. Renee knew she had to live and tell her story. It was unusual for a mother to be with her daughter at killing camps but Sala saved Renee over and over. They had nothing but they had each other and their faith which was everything. Liberation unfortunately came too late for Sala. Renee miraculously survived hell on earth for years when average mortality was measured in weeks. The man Renee married was one of her liberators! She had to live in Displaced Persons Camps and encountered antisemitism in her home town.
Renee is now 95 and has done a lot of speaking, joined survivor organizations and support grou9s and has revisited concentration camps, She met Prince William, too. If there was ever anyone I would be honored to meet, it would be Renee. We have much to learn about life from her. Her fortitude, attitude, courage and strength fill me with deep respect.
It is impossible to convey my feelings about this emotionally-charged book. I'm still reeling days after and filled with anger at the despicable crimes committed against Jews and many "imperfect" human beings by evil in human shape. My heart aches for the millions of innocent people who were degraded, dehumanized, demoralized, humiliated, tortured, starved (eating "soup" without bowls and cutlery), worked to death, discarded in deep feces, tormented by vermin and disease, identities erased, experimented on, forced to stand outside for hours of roll calls, watched other walking skeletons die, cannibalism, heard the screams and could only guess where family members might be. But knowing that PEOPLE (I use that loosely) perpetrated this deliberately while laughing, mocking and gleaning joy from human suffering is beyond the pale. The likes of Irma Grese and Dr. Mengele were there at the time. A Nazi kindness which stands out is the guard who gave Evelyn life-saving small green apples.
Renee was ten when the Germans invaded Poland. She and her family were forced from their happy comfortable lives into poverty overnight simply as they were Jews. They had been accustomed to excellent food, also symbolic, and suddenly had nothing, no personal belongings, and suffered under extreme conditions including burning furniture for fuel. But the family was one of unconditional love and support.
Forced by inhumane cattle cars to even worse Auschwitz and then hellish Bergen-Belsen, life was barely existing. Renee's parents saved her life, physically and mentally. Renee credits God for many miracles such as her father's ring, changing her date of birth, and switching queues. Renee knew she had to live and tell her story. It was unusual for a mother to be with her daughter at killing camps but Sala saved Renee over and over. They had nothing but they had each other and their faith which was everything. Liberation unfortunately came too late for Sala. Renee miraculously survived hell on earth for years when average mortality was measured in weeks. The man Renee married was one of her liberators! She had to live in Displaced Persons Camps and encountered antisemitism in her home town.
Renee is now 95 and has done a lot of speaking, joined survivor organizations and support grou9s and has revisited concentration camps, She met Prince William, too. If there was ever anyone I would be honored to meet, it would be Renee. We have much to learn about life from her. Her fortitude, attitude, courage and strength fill me with deep respect.
It is impossible to convey my feelings about this emotionally-charged book. I'm still reeling days after and filled with anger at the despicable crimes committed against Jews and many "imperfect" human beings by evil in human shape. My heart aches for the millions of innocent people who were degraded, dehumanized, demoralized, humiliated, tortured, starved (eating "soup" without bowls and cutlery), worked to death, discarded in deep feces, tormented by vermin and disease, identities erased, experimented on, forced to stand outside for hours of roll calls, watched other walking skeletons die, cannibalism, heard the screams and could only guess where family members might be. But knowing that PEOPLE (I use that loosely) perpetrated this deliberately while laughing, mocking and gleaning joy from human suffering is beyond the pale. The likes of Irma Grese and Dr. Mengele were there at the time. A Nazi kindness which stands out is the guard who gave Evelyn life-saving small green apples.
November 28, 2024
Do Not Cry When I Die is such a powerful and moving account of the life of Renee Salt, a Holocaust survivor who survived not just the liquidation of the Polish ghetto she was forced to live in during World War II, but two concentration camps as well. Renee’s story is so heartbreaking and difficult to read at times. I found myself often pausing and taking a moment for myself to process what I was reading as it simply astounded me to read about the depths of human evil and cruelty and all the terrible events that happened to Renee and her family at the hand of the Nazis. Renee’s relationship with her mother is at the center of the book as she and Renee came to rely on each other through all the terrible conditions they faced during the war; her mother was all Renee had and was a source of immense comfort and strength for her. It was so heartbreaking to read about the fate of Renee’s family and all of the trauma she was forced to deal with as a result of the Holocaust. This memoir is so moving and should be required reading for everyone in order to educate others about everything that was lost during the Holocaust, as well as how we can learn from the events that occurred as a result of virulent antisemitism. I also appreciate the third person point of view featured in the book as I feel like it added more to the context of the historical events described in the memoir.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2025
Amazing story, brilliantly told. When I saw this for sale at Walmart I thought, do I need to read another Holocaust memoir? I realized, this might be the last. Renee Salt was ten years old in 1939, and 95 when she co-wrote this account of her life. It turns out, it is also one of the best.
Every survivor of the Holocaust brushed up against death multiple times. This happened to Renee Salt over and over again, always by chance in one form or another. Her story is remarkable in that it almost serves as a tour through all of the worst cesspits of Nazi Germany: the Lodz ghetto, Auschwitz, slave labour in Hamburg, and finally the worst scene of all at Bergen-Belsen. At nearly every stage she was struck again by how much worse it was than anything she had already survived. The duration of her survival is also incredible: she was among the first Jews impacted in Poland at the start of the war, and one of the last to be liberated.
Half of the book is the story of her life after the war, which is fantastic and fascinating to read in itself, a portion that is not always offered or in so much detail. Many people's lives are forever made worse after a single incident. Renee Salt endured five and a half years of one horror after another. How do such people go on, and how much of a normal life can they possibly have after that? Survival of trauma is not just a physical matter, but a mental and emotional journey as well, something not well understood in the 1940s. She found support among the few living relatives she could locate and then with her husband, but the memories pursued and threatened to overwhelm her. Having children forced her to press on, as she wanted nothing but the best for the succeeding generation.
It was not until very late in life that she got into contact with fellow survivors and found a community that truly understood. Those first tentative steps toward sharing her story grew broader and deeper as she spoke to schools, was featured on the BBC and, finally, produced this book. Kate Thompson's researched portions are interspersed with Renee Salt's remembrances, like a documentary narrator's patter interrupted by interview footage. Each voice is distinct, brilliantly removing the mystery of whose we are actually hearing when another writer assists a memoirist. Thompson's unifying details add necessary depth, but it is Renee Salt's voice of course that is this memoir's real contribution to a larger story which must never be forgotten.
Every survivor of the Holocaust brushed up against death multiple times. This happened to Renee Salt over and over again, always by chance in one form or another. Her story is remarkable in that it almost serves as a tour through all of the worst cesspits of Nazi Germany: the Lodz ghetto, Auschwitz, slave labour in Hamburg, and finally the worst scene of all at Bergen-Belsen. At nearly every stage she was struck again by how much worse it was than anything she had already survived. The duration of her survival is also incredible: she was among the first Jews impacted in Poland at the start of the war, and one of the last to be liberated.
Half of the book is the story of her life after the war, which is fantastic and fascinating to read in itself, a portion that is not always offered or in so much detail. Many people's lives are forever made worse after a single incident. Renee Salt endured five and a half years of one horror after another. How do such people go on, and how much of a normal life can they possibly have after that? Survival of trauma is not just a physical matter, but a mental and emotional journey as well, something not well understood in the 1940s. She found support among the few living relatives she could locate and then with her husband, but the memories pursued and threatened to overwhelm her. Having children forced her to press on, as she wanted nothing but the best for the succeeding generation.
It was not until very late in life that she got into contact with fellow survivors and found a community that truly understood. Those first tentative steps toward sharing her story grew broader and deeper as she spoke to schools, was featured on the BBC and, finally, produced this book. Kate Thompson's researched portions are interspersed with Renee Salt's remembrances, like a documentary narrator's patter interrupted by interview footage. Each voice is distinct, brilliantly removing the mystery of whose we are actually hearing when another writer assists a memoirist. Thompson's unifying details add necessary depth, but it is Renee Salt's voice of course that is this memoir's real contribution to a larger story which must never be forgotten.
November 17, 2024
This is a heartbreaking read about the holocaust, yet there is redemption from it, Do Not Cry When I Die – A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter’s Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen by Renee Salt and Kate Thompson. I think this should be required reading for teenagers and up to remind us of the horrors and evil that happened when Hilter was in control. We can learn a lot from history!
Renee Salt, who is 95 currently, has lived to tell her story to Kate Thompson, who put it into words for us to read. Renee was 11 at the time she was forced to enter into the ghettos with her family and moved to several different concentration camps over five years of captivity. It is a miracle she survived the five years of mistreatment. Her family didn’t survive, her sister was killed, her mother died a few days after they were freed, and she didn’t find out about her father until 80 years later that he died of starvation and/or disease at a concentration camp. She shares about her family, those she met along the way, and her journey after being freed.
Renee could have given up hope, but it was her mother and her prayers that kept her going, even years after being freed. This book describes the horrible conditions and treatment the Jews received. This is one of the more detailed books I have read on this subject. At times, it was hard to read. However, years later, she was able to get involved in sharing her story and working with several organizations and museums to preserve the history and provide memorials for those that died under the Nazi regime. She has shared her testimony over hundreds of times from school-aged children to Queen Elizabeth.
Kate Thompson who shared her story, also did her research to fill in the time frame and history of what was taking place at the time Renee was a prisoner, since she didn’t have access to know what was happening at the different concentration camps and to the Jewish people while she was captive.
“Do not cry when I die.” These are the last words her mother spoke to Renee on her death bed. She didn’t want her to be sad. She wanted her to continue and be strong. That is what Renee has done. Thank you, Renee, for sharing your story and your faith!
Renee Salt, who is 95 currently, has lived to tell her story to Kate Thompson, who put it into words for us to read. Renee was 11 at the time she was forced to enter into the ghettos with her family and moved to several different concentration camps over five years of captivity. It is a miracle she survived the five years of mistreatment. Her family didn’t survive, her sister was killed, her mother died a few days after they were freed, and she didn’t find out about her father until 80 years later that he died of starvation and/or disease at a concentration camp. She shares about her family, those she met along the way, and her journey after being freed.
Renee could have given up hope, but it was her mother and her prayers that kept her going, even years after being freed. This book describes the horrible conditions and treatment the Jews received. This is one of the more detailed books I have read on this subject. At times, it was hard to read. However, years later, she was able to get involved in sharing her story and working with several organizations and museums to preserve the history and provide memorials for those that died under the Nazi regime. She has shared her testimony over hundreds of times from school-aged children to Queen Elizabeth.
Kate Thompson who shared her story, also did her research to fill in the time frame and history of what was taking place at the time Renee was a prisoner, since she didn’t have access to know what was happening at the different concentration camps and to the Jewish people while she was captive.
“Do not cry when I die.” These are the last words her mother spoke to Renee on her death bed. She didn’t want her to be sad. She wanted her to continue and be strong. That is what Renee has done. Thank you, Renee, for sharing your story and your faith!
April 2, 2025
“My name is Renee Salt. I am 95 years old, and…I am a witness to history…I’ve always loved stories and being transported into imaginary worlds…This book is my attempt to make sense of a story which happened to me…Not just the backbone, but the softer, in-between details.”
“Dehumanisation. Subjugation. Erosion of…civil liberties and rights. Persecution. Violence. Selections. Disease. Starvation. Ghettos. Camps. Slave labour. The murder of almost [my] entire family…Some of the pages…are drenched in horror but, every so often, a little hope and humanity shines out.”
“The book is written in the third and first person. Renee was 10 when war broke out, 15 when it finished, and existed largely in a bubble of terror, sickness, exhaustion and starvation. Events happened to her and around her. By telling the detail of the stories that directly affected her, which she cannot possibly have known in that moment,” Kate Thompson provides a more detailed picture, for both Renee and the reader. “On the significant 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, we look to Renee and the dwindling band of survivors for the authenticity that comes from saying, ‘I was there.’”
“No story is ever truly finished…resolutions and healing can come when you least expect them…This publication will be part of the legacy so graciously left for the next generation to come. This is a harrowing and emotionally overwhelming story, but its backbone is faith and love. The love from her mother and father, who kept her alive. The love for a little sister who never got to grow up…all the millions of empty chairs at the table…It’s not my right to forgive. Instead, I choose to live with love…May you long find strength to continue your brave resolve.”
“Dehumanisation. Subjugation. Erosion of…civil liberties and rights. Persecution. Violence. Selections. Disease. Starvation. Ghettos. Camps. Slave labour. The murder of almost [my] entire family…Some of the pages…are drenched in horror but, every so often, a little hope and humanity shines out.”
“The book is written in the third and first person. Renee was 10 when war broke out, 15 when it finished, and existed largely in a bubble of terror, sickness, exhaustion and starvation. Events happened to her and around her. By telling the detail of the stories that directly affected her, which she cannot possibly have known in that moment,” Kate Thompson provides a more detailed picture, for both Renee and the reader. “On the significant 80th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, we look to Renee and the dwindling band of survivors for the authenticity that comes from saying, ‘I was there.’”
“No story is ever truly finished…resolutions and healing can come when you least expect them…This publication will be part of the legacy so graciously left for the next generation to come. This is a harrowing and emotionally overwhelming story, but its backbone is faith and love. The love from her mother and father, who kept her alive. The love for a little sister who never got to grow up…all the millions of empty chairs at the table…It’s not my right to forgive. Instead, I choose to live with love…May you long find strength to continue your brave resolve.”
April 7, 2025
In Do Not Cry When I Die, we see WWII through the eyes of a ten-year-old Polish girl who went from an idyllic childhood to an unimaginable nightmare. In her 90s, Renee Salt felt it was finally time to tell her story, and I’m so grateful that, with the help of Kate Thompson, she did.
It is unreal to me that someone could survive everything that Renia endured, yet many were able to defy the odds and show the power of hope and true love. Reading stories from those that lived through the Holocaust is never easy, but as I read Renee’s account, I could feel God’s hand on her throughout. I loved that she was never alone, though she suffered so much loss. To go from having a big family to only a handful is unfathomable, especially when you think about how they were lost. Reading about her family and how their memories continue to haunt her hit so close to home. I, too, am the oldest and have a younger sister, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get my mind to go where Renee’s has no choice to go.
I love that Renee has finally found her voice after decades of suppressing it. Her story is one that should be heard by all, as what she’s lived through should never be repeated. I wish this never happened to Renee and the millions of others that endured this gut-wrenching time in history. May we never forget, always remember, and I hope that it never happens again.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.
It is unreal to me that someone could survive everything that Renia endured, yet many were able to defy the odds and show the power of hope and true love. Reading stories from those that lived through the Holocaust is never easy, but as I read Renee’s account, I could feel God’s hand on her throughout. I loved that she was never alone, though she suffered so much loss. To go from having a big family to only a handful is unfathomable, especially when you think about how they were lost. Reading about her family and how their memories continue to haunt her hit so close to home. I, too, am the oldest and have a younger sister, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get my mind to go where Renee’s has no choice to go.
I love that Renee has finally found her voice after decades of suppressing it. Her story is one that should be heard by all, as what she’s lived through should never be repeated. I wish this never happened to Renee and the millions of others that endured this gut-wrenching time in history. May we never forget, always remember, and I hope that it never happens again.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.
April 26, 2025
Thank you @katethompsonauthor
and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the #gifted book and this is my honest review.
DO NOT CRY WHEN I DIE: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter's Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen is one of the most emotional memoirs I have ever read.
Renee's story of resilience and survival brought me to tears. It is written in the first and third person with Renee telling her story and Kate filling in with historical facts.
"I only survived because of my mother's love.". Renee was 10 when her family was taken by the Nazis and 15 when she was liberated. Unfortunately, her mother only survived several days after liberation. She also learned her younger sister and father did not survive. Her mothers love and courage in defying the SS guards, kept them from the gas chambers and survived Auschwitz. Their belief in God also helped them survive.
I visited the concentration camp Dachau last year. It was hard to imagine the atrocities the Jews had to survive. After reading Renee's memoir I have a better understanding of what happened during the Holocaust.
Renee is one of the oldest living Holocaust survivors. It took years for Renee to talk about the Holocaust. "I hope my story has moved you. Maybe you were wondering, do I forgive. I don't forgive. How can I? It's not my right to forgive. Instead I choose to live with love."
I think everyone should read this memoir. It is important in these times not to forget the past so we do not repeat it. Thank you Renee for sharing your story.
and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the #gifted book and this is my honest review.
DO NOT CRY WHEN I DIE: A Holocaust Memoir of a Mother and Daughter's Survival In Jewish Ghettos, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen is one of the most emotional memoirs I have ever read.
Renee's story of resilience and survival brought me to tears. It is written in the first and third person with Renee telling her story and Kate filling in with historical facts.
"I only survived because of my mother's love.". Renee was 10 when her family was taken by the Nazis and 15 when she was liberated. Unfortunately, her mother only survived several days after liberation. She also learned her younger sister and father did not survive. Her mothers love and courage in defying the SS guards, kept them from the gas chambers and survived Auschwitz. Their belief in God also helped them survive.
I visited the concentration camp Dachau last year. It was hard to imagine the atrocities the Jews had to survive. After reading Renee's memoir I have a better understanding of what happened during the Holocaust.
Renee is one of the oldest living Holocaust survivors. It took years for Renee to talk about the Holocaust. "I hope my story has moved you. Maybe you were wondering, do I forgive. I don't forgive. How can I? It's not my right to forgive. Instead I choose to live with love."
I think everyone should read this memoir. It is important in these times not to forget the past so we do not repeat it. Thank you Renee for sharing your story.
March 6, 2025
This a must read for everyone!
One of the oldest living Holocaust survivors recounts her family’s imprisonment at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen in this moving memoir of love, loss, courage, and hope.
Kate Thompson is a journalist whose assisting Renee tell her story through Renee’s eyes. Renee Salt begins her story of how she survived as a young Jewish girl during the Nazi Occupation of her home and country of Poland. She was just ten years old when she witnessed this horror. She and her family was forced into the ghetto, this was a six-year journey in which she lived through the most inhumane conditions. She was moved to different ghettos and even concentration camps, she faced deplorable living and working conditions, all while witnessing the loss of many members of her family. Miraculously she and her mother were able to stay together all the way through the liberation of Bergen-Belsen! It was this unbreakable bond, along with a few miracles, that kept Renee alive along with her mothers hand in hers. This book filled me with so many different emotions. It was heartbreaking and horrifying, this was a raw account and I am truly amazed the strength she should while retelling her story.
One of the oldest living Holocaust survivors recounts her family’s imprisonment at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen in this moving memoir of love, loss, courage, and hope.
Kate Thompson is a journalist whose assisting Renee tell her story through Renee’s eyes. Renee Salt begins her story of how she survived as a young Jewish girl during the Nazi Occupation of her home and country of Poland. She was just ten years old when she witnessed this horror. She and her family was forced into the ghetto, this was a six-year journey in which she lived through the most inhumane conditions. She was moved to different ghettos and even concentration camps, she faced deplorable living and working conditions, all while witnessing the loss of many members of her family. Miraculously she and her mother were able to stay together all the way through the liberation of Bergen-Belsen! It was this unbreakable bond, along with a few miracles, that kept Renee alive along with her mothers hand in hers. This book filled me with so many different emotions. It was heartbreaking and horrifying, this was a raw account and I am truly amazed the strength she should while retelling her story.
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