Het meisje dat Auschwitz overleefde: Hoe ik als enige van mijn familie terugkeerde uit het kamp

by Sara Leibovits, Eti Elboim, Ruud van der Helm (Translator)

Prachtige, hartverscheurende memoires over de Holocaust, waarin Sara Leibovits en haar dochter Eti Elboim samen vertellen hoe Sara als jong meisje Auschwitz wist te overleven, als enige van haar hele familie

De trein kwam langzaam tot stilstand met piepende remmen. Het was donderdagochtend 18 mei 1944. Al sinds maandag hadden we in de duisternis en smerigheid van de veewagon opeengepakt gezeten en hongergeleden. Onze reisgenoten waren tranen, beklemming en onze angst voor het onbekende geweest.

Het zestienjarige Joodse meisje Sara Leibovits zat samen met haar familie in deze trein. Binnen enkele minuten stond hun afschuwelijke lot vast. Het gezin spendeerde hun laatste minuten samen op het perron van Auschwitz-Birkenau, waarna ze elk een andere richting op gecommandeerd werden, ieder hun eigen lot tegemoet. Sara’s moeder en jongere broertjes werden direct vermoord in de gaskamers. Haar vader werd lid van een Sonderkommando, hij was een van de mannen die gedwongen werden om de lichamen uit de gaskamers te verwijderen. Later werd hij geëxecuteerd. Gescheiden van haar familie werd Sara tewerkgesteld in het kamp. Ze bleef daar negen maanden, totdat het kamp werd bevrijd en ze nog maar 28 kilo woog.

Verweven met Sara’s leidende stem die het verhaal van haar overleving onthult, is het verhaal van haar dochter Eti. Zij belichaamt tachtig jaar later de stem van de tweede generatie Holocaustoverlevenden en onderzoekt wat het betekent om in de schaduw ervan op te groeien.

In de pers

‘Een aangrijpend verhaal dat eindigt met een gevoel van overwinning op het kwaad en de duisternis.’ Kirkus Reviews

‘In deze aangrijpende memoires is Sara’s verhaal verweven met dat van haar dochter, Eti. Zeventig jaar na de gruwelen van de Holocaust onthult Eti het geërfde trauma van de tweede generatie overlevenden en voltooit zij het Holocaust-overlevingsverhaal.’ ***** Good Reading Magazine

‘Hoewel dit verhaal gaat over Sara Leibovits, de enige overlevende van haar familie die onder die gevreesde Arbeit Macht Frei-boog door liep, behoort het tot de genealogische boom van de hele Joodse familie.’ The Times of Israel

Genres: Nonfiction, Holocaust, History, Memoir, Biography, World War II, Historical

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2020

Reviews

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz: A remarkable memoir of love, loss and hope during World War II by Sara Leibovitz, Eti Elboim and translated by Esther Frumkin was powerful, tragic, and compelling. Sara Leibovitz was born Sara Hershkovits in 1928. She grew up in a small village in the Czech Republic which was eventually annexed to Hungary when the Nazis invaded. Today that same little village that Sara grew up in is located in Ukraine. Sara was the oldest daughter of six children. In 1944, Sara and her entire family were brought to Auschwitz in cattle cars. Her mother and her five younger brothers were sent to the gas chamber upon arrival. The last time Sara saw her mother and brothers was on the platform at Auschwitz. Of course she had no idea that she would never see them again after that day. Sara’s father was assigned to work in the Sonderkommando where he was required to remove the bodies of the gassed victims and burn them in the crematorium. Sara was fifteen years 10 months old when she arrived in Auschwitz. She became a number on that horrific day. Tattooed on her wrist were the numbers that would define her for all of the nine months she managed to survive in Auschwitz. Despite all the atrocities, backbreaking work, disease, starvation and loss, Sara never lost the will to survive. She tried hard not to ever loose her faith or courage and tried to be kind even when it was not easy. Sara was the only member of her family to survive.

Seventy years later, Sara Leibovitz, married to another Holocaust survivor and mother to three daughters was living in Israel. She had immigrated to Israel in 1947. Sara’s youngest daughter, Eti, experienced what it meant to be the child of a Holocaust survivor. Eti realized at a young age that there were things that were different about her mother but she did not understand or grasp those differences as a young child. The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz was written in alternating perspectives of both Sara and Eti on how the Holocaust affected their lives and shaped them as survivor and the child of a survivor. Sara recounted her harrowing existence in Auschwitz, her eventual liberation by the Russians, meeting her husband and immigrating to Israel. Eti grew up with many questions both from her own observations and those of her friends. She never quite understood why her mother had numbers on her wrist and why she didn’t have a big extended family with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins like most of her friends. When Eti was old enough to understand the concept of the Holocaust, she sought out information without her parent’s knowledge. Finally, Eti demanded to be told. She wanted to understand what her parents had gone through. Sara shared her story with her daughter and since then has accepted many speaking engagements to talk openly about her experiences and the atrocities that she witnessed. In Sara Leibovitz’s words, “I survived to tell.”

I found this particular Holocaust memoir quite powerful. It was compelling to hear the thoughts of a Holocaust survivor’s child in relation to her understanding her parent’s moods, secrecy and lack of extended family. Since there are so few Holocaust survivors left, it is so important that their stories be shared either through their children or through memoirs like this one. The cruelty, hatred, atrocities and antisemitism that was experienced during those terrible years, known as the Holocaust, must never be forgotten. We must do everything in our power so the Holocaust cannot and will not be repeated. Unfortunately, there are some who have not learned from the past. We must find ways to be strong, resilient and hopeful that one day there will be peace and harmony for all despite the color of anyone’s skin, ethnicity, religion or any other differences that define us. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Harper 360 and One More Chapter for allowing me to read the very moving memoir, The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz: A remarkable and compelling memoir of love, loss and hope during World War II by Sara Leibovitz, Eti Elboim and translated by Esther Frumkin through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because a majority of Holocaust survivors have now passed away, so few are left to tell their stories. That’s why each and every one of these stories are important so that we should never forget!

Sara Leibovits at age 16, was transported to Auschwitz with her parents and her five siblings. Sara was the only survivor. Sara’s story continues beyond her nine months in Auschwitz to the liberation of the camp, her search for her home that no longer existed and her eventual journey to the Land of Israel.

Sara’s daughter Eti Elboim’s story is intertwined with that of her mother as she describes what we understand as second generation trauma.

“Humanity can be evil, but human beings can also be good, and every individual is given the opportunity to choose.” (Pg. 187)

[Louise Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poland, 1944. The train slowed and halted with a squeal of the brakes. It felt like we waited in the carriage for an eternity, but Sara Leibovits, a sixteen-year-old Jewish girl, was a passenger on the train, together with her family. Within minutes, their horrific fate was sealed. The little family spent their final minutes together on the platform at Auschwitz before they were ordered in all directions and each left to their own fate.

This is the true story of a woman who survived Auschwitz. It's a first-hand account of an unimaginable time. Sara Leibovits is a Jew and from the day she was taken to the camp with her family, she was determined she would survive. She tells us what it was like being under Nazi rules and the Holocaust, which was horrible. The story has a dual timeline - the past, when Sara was sixteen and the present day tells us about her life now and how this dreadful time in her life turned her into the woman she is today. This is one of those books everyone should read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUk #OneMoreChapter and the authors #SaraLeibovits #EtiElboim for my ARC of #TheGirlWhoSurvivedAuschwitz in exchange for an honest review.

[johnny ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

when it comes to memoirs about the holocaust, they are always written from a place of pain, but also a place of hope. as a jewish person myself, i have a feeling of reverence towards each and every person who documents their story. the horrors of auschwitz are beyond me, and with the rise of antisemitism in america (as well as islamophobia, racism, xenophobia, etc.), it is imperative that we read these stories.

what is unique about "the girl who survived auschwitz" is that we have the perspective of a woman who survived the holocaust as well as her daughter who had never known the horrrors her mother endured, yet asked. the poetry sprinkled throughout is beautiful and well written.

i feel honored to have read this memoir. i wish nothing but peace for my ancestors who have perished.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of 16-year-old Sara (Hershkovits) Leibovits, who was forced to make the long journey from her home in Komjat, Czechoslovakia, to Auschwitz-Birkenau along with her parents and siblings and tens of thousands of other Jews in 1944. All of her family except for Sara and her father were immediately exterminated upon arrival at the "Gates of Hell." Sara's father was forced to work outside the gas chambers while Sara was separated from him to work in the women's camp. For nine months, Sara survived horrible circumstances that no human should have to endure. Her determination to live and tell the story of her family and the atrocities of the Holocaust saved her, and today, she speaks out, giving a voice to those who can no longer speak.

Along with reflections from her youngest daughter, Eti Elboim, Sara tells the unvarnished truth of her experience. She tells her story through prose and poems, while Elboim provides context through the eyes of a second-generation survivor. It is evident that the scars of the Holocaust are passed down to generations of survivor's families, each learning to cope in their own way. While there are many survivors who are unable to remind themselves of the atrocities that they endured to be able to tell their stories, Sara shares much of her experience in the hopes that families are remembered, and this evil never repeats itself.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s always hard to review memoirs as they are so personal to the author and it honestly just feels weird to place my opinions and ratings on their experience. I find it even more challenging with such a hard subject matter such as the Holocaust. It is so important to document people’s stories and tell them and I’m glad I read this account.

It was obvious a terribly sad memoir but also filed with hope as it recounted how Sara moved on after the Holocaust and raised a family. I enjoyed how it was told from Sara’s POV and also her daughter Eti and how being raised by survivors affected her.

I did feel like the writing could use more editing and support but it may be due to it being a translated book. I also was a bit bothered by the fact that Sara married her first cousin.

Overall it was an interesting book! Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in a day. What an incredible true story and an amazing woman and her husband who lived through one of the darkest times in history.

[Brianna R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woooow. Just wow.

Heartbreaking and heroic.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this story quite powerful because I had visited Auschwitz and Birkenau and at the time I found it so psychologically and emotionally difficult to comprehend how anything so barbaric and inhumane could have happened. Knowing this and remembering this trip actually brought the pain and suffering alive and I at times couldn’t stop crying. I’m emotional now thinking about it. How amazing Sara survived especially having the every day reminder of a tattoo engraved into her arm. How anyone gets over something so horrific I do not know. What I can say is Sara’s fight to survive and her continuing kindness towards others in all that horror is amazing.

[Bevany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching memoir of a lone survivor of her family from auschwitz. The story tells of a young girls harrowing life before during and after surviving a death camp. The story also tells of her daughter, who tries to come to terms with what her parents survived. This is a story of loss and death but also of hope. A great read for anyone interested in World War 2 and specifically the holocaust.

[Romanticamente Fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karin - per RFS
.
“Die Arbeit macht frei”

Una famiglia ebrea di origini ungheresi affronta gli angoscianti anni della Seconda guerra mondiale, soccombendo e sopravvivendo alle violenze fisiche e mentali quotidiane per non arrendersi a un destino ormai già scritto: l’Olocausto.

Una ragazza, Suri Hershkovits, appena entrata negli anni d’oro dell’adolescenza, viene buttata su un treno merci insieme ai genitori, a fratelli e sorelle. Il mezzo, utilizzato precedentemente per trasportare bestiame, li stava conducendo in Germania, ad Auschwitz, nel famoso Lager.

Ho faticato a memorizzare il nome di Suri perché compare pochissimo nel romanzo. Una svista? Direi proprio di no! Ciò va a rafforzare il concetto che, una volta messo piede in un mondo di schiavitù, degrado e violazione dei diritti, l’essere umano perde la sua personificazione e diventa un numero, un mezzo per ottenere un fine. Mi dispiace pensare che una frase così affascinante come “Die Arbeit macht frei”, con la traduzione “Il lavoro rende libero” possa avere un significato tanto negativo in un contesto del genere. Nessuna libertà, solo “l’opportunità”, la concessione di rimanere in vita… se non ti arrendi prima!

Quanto può resistere una persona a tanta tortura e follia omicida?

La storia di Suri è un simbolo di resilienza, nella quale solo chi ha davvero passato l’inferno può riconoscersi. Perché quando si perde tutto, che cosa non ci fa arrendere? Sarebbe stato molto più semplice per lei abbracciare le reti elettriche poste sui muri e rivedere parte della sua famiglia volata in cielo in una coltre di fumo nero.

Il romanzo è narrato in prima persona e alterna la vita della ragazza numero A-7807 descritta con i suoi occhi e il racconto della figlia di lei ben settant’anni più tardi. Questo rende il tutto molto interessante perché ci fa comprendere come, nonostante la guerra fosse finita e le persone avessero avuto modo di tornare a casa, nulla poteva cancellare il buco nero creato in quegli anni, un giorno alla volta. Suri ci rende partecipi della sua quotidianità, parlando di violenze senza commentarle con tristezza, come se fosse semplicemente la sua realtà, mostrando sorpresa per quegli attimi di speranza vissuti negli occhi o nelle parole del padre, oppure nel momento in cui non essere scelta significava non mettersi in fila per le camere a gas.

I libri che ho letto finora sulla guerra mostravano tutta un’emotività straziante, questo romanzo, invece, è diverso. È come se i sentimenti fossero talmente radicati e abituati a stare a bada per non scoppiare che a stento emergono. Lacrime nascoste, dolore celato come se non fosse mai stato provato. Questo è forse più terrificante delle botte, della mancanza di cibo e degli abiti consunti e sporchi.

Mi preme dirvi che, come avrete intuito, Suri è sopravvissuta; spero non pensiate a uno spoiler ma era importante per chi è come me non uscire con il cuore spezzato da un libro, per quanto autobiografico. Si sa che la vita non è una favola, ma sarebbe bene non diventasse nemmeno un incubo a occhi aperti.

“Ci vestiremo il più elegantemente possibile. Torneremo ad Auschwitz da vincitori!”

Per quanto capisca il bisogno di rivalsa, non vince mai nessuno in una guerra, l’umanità perde sempre.

Nel Giorno della Memoria siamo soliti leggere storie di distruzione e di speranza e spesso si fa riferimento alla “Guerra” di un nazionalsocialismo malato. Ma ci tengo a esprimere il mio pensiero rispetto al fatto che ogni guerra è il più basso punto di degrado dell’uomo perché, che a perdere la vita siano milioni di persone, o “solamente” dieci, non cambia. Che a morire siano ebrei, siriani o ucraini, poco conta; l’unica cosa davvero importante è ricordare che l’uomo agisce contro un altro uomo e si macchia di un peccato universale.

Credo non sia mai presto per insegnare ai ragazzi e ai bambini (con i giusti modi) a combattere l’odio, la violenza e l’ignoranza. L’odio genera odio e si parte con un semplice insulto, non con un fucile in mano.

Suri insegna a sua figlia e al mondo che tutti siamo importanti, possiamo resistere e possiamo farcela. Facciamolo anche noi.

[✯~IRENA~✯ · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Holocaust survivors deserve for their story to be told. This is about a 15 year old girl named Sara who is the only survivor of her family. It is told in a story form from Sara's POV along with her daughter Eti's POV 70 years later. Very well written. As always very hard to read about the unfathomable atrocities. But glad that second and third generations are keeping the stories going as we must never forget!

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I survived to tell’

Israeli author Sara Leibovits is joined by her daughter Eti Elboim in providing one of the most searingly accurate accounts of Holocaust, a memoir that leaves an indelible imprint on the readers’ minds. Not only is Sara sharing her written account of her survival, but she also offers lectures widely to inform the world about the horrors she endured. The book has been translated from the Hebrew by Esther Frumkin.

Before this moving book opens the authors present a stunning thought: ‘Auschwitz is a gaping hole in humanity’s conscience, one that can be filled only by increasing light and goodness in the world.’ With that strength of purpose, Sara further states, ‘This story is the naked truth. It is what happened to me during one year of my life, as a sixteen-year-old girl in Auschwitz. This story if a part of me, the only survivor of my entire family. This story belongs to the entire Jewish people, and to all of us.’ And after Sara’s statement, her daughter and second generation Holocaust survivor Eti adds, ‘And we are here to help them make their voices heard, to tell, to speak, to document and to publicize, to remind and protect so that it will never happen again. We have promised that we will not let the world forget.’

After that valiant prelude, the story begins, as defined in the terse synopsis: ‘Poland, 1944. The train slowed and halted with a squeal of the brakes. It felt like they waited in the carriage for an eternity, but eventually, the heavy doors opened, directly into the chaos outside. Sara Leibovits, a 16-year-old Jewish girl, was a passenger on the train, together with her family. Within minutes, their horrific fate was sealed. The little family spent its final minutes together on the platform at Auschwitz, before its members were dispersed in all directions, and each was left alone to their own fate. Isolated from her family, Sara was left alone to face the many physical labors and the lowest points of her life, while trying to maintain values like courage, faith and helping others, all to survive the true manifestation of Hell on earth – Auschwitz.’

With telling detail, this experience in Auschwitz is related from an ‘insider stance’ and as such it becomes even more troubling and credible. Between Sara’s chapters are chapters by Eti, revealing the impact her mother’s history has made on her life– and our lives. Attempting to comment on the content in a meaningful way is near futile: the words of this memoir are so pungent and poignant that they must speak to each individual reader. Yes, there are many fine books about the Holocaust, but this book is unique – it is personal and deeply touching.

[Andy Beskers · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I'll start out by saying that this is a very important and moving story. Thank you to the author for sharing her mother's experiences with us. I can't imagine anyone being able to survive such conditions, but there were many! Testimony to the mind's strength.

What I disliked about the book is that my reading flow was continuously disrupted by poems or the daughter telling her side of the story without a proper introduction. There were too many narrators in this story, causing confusion and breaking the flow without even introducing them in the respective chapters.

All in all though, it's a great read!

[Kade Gulluscio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I always have a hard time rating and reviewing memoirs. I mean these are someone's personal words... their experiences..... their trauma. How do you put a number or rating on that? Especially with such a topic as this.

This is the story of Sara Leibovitz. She was a 16 year old at the time of the Holocaust. This is her experience in the horrid camps and all that she lost and felt. Sara was the only one of her family to survive. I can't even imagine how heartwrenching and devastating that was for her.

Sara's story is intertwined with her daughter's Eti's 70 years later.

Everything in this book was raw, emotional, powerful, and heartbreaking. Please read this.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz, by Eti Elboim, Sara Leibovits, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Its Poland 1944, Sixteen year old Sara Leibovitz was on a train with her family to Auschwitz, only Sara survived. This story is about her time in Auschwitz, and after such a haunting tale, on a horrible period of time, that should never of been allowed to happen.

[Vanessa Hrvatin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! It’s obviously a heavy read but the writing is very digestible and the overall message was one of hope and resiliency. Sara has a positive outlook on life despite being a Holocaust survivor and I felt her warmth while reading. This book also peeked my curiosity about Jewish culture which I admittedly don’t know much about. Would definitely recommend!

[Sean Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings every emotion with it. Shocking and awful tales that make you angry and also hopeful. Sara comes from a kind and loving family and that shows throughout the book. Sara continues to be kind and thoughtful even while being in "Hell On Earth". A must read for everybody.

[Kayla Koehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was as amazing to read as it was sad. It was heartbreaking to hear all the things Sara had to go through in Auschwitz, but she tells her story so well. I would recommend this book to anyone as it is a story that needs to be heard.

[Amy Jo McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a humbling and raw read about the horrors innocent Jewish people endured at the hands of the Nazis. The detailed accounts of day-to-day survival while watching so many others die churned my stomach and broke my heart. And the remarkable thing about this story is it is told between the perspective of a holocaust survivor, and a child of the Holocaust survivor - bouncing between WWII and 70 years later. I can only imagine the strength it took not only to survive the Holocaust, but to rise out of the ashes, build a loving family and share your story.

One of my favorite memories from this book was towards the end when the author and her family returned to Auschwitz many years later, and before walking through the gates, Sara said, “Before we go in, I want to tell a joke.”
[…]
“And this, in the small act of telling a joke at the entrance to the most horrifying place in the world, my mother taught us all that this is what life is like — sadness alongside laughter, mourning alongside joy — and one must know how to take charge of them and bring them into your life in the proper doses, so as not to become submerged in either side.”

[Rebecca Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it a interesting read the explanations on Jewish holidays was really helpful in understanding the story as heartbreaking as it is.

[Victoria White · Rating 5 out of 5]

A harrowing and very important story.

[Kathy Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. Written by a survivor of Auschwitz and her daughter. What I found interesting is the perspective of her daughter and what it was like to grow up with parents that had survived the Holocaust.

[Bronte Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

I find this a difficult book to review as it's so incredibly personal to the author/s and the subject matter is so sensitive. I apologise in advance if I inadvertently use any incorrect terminology. This book is well written and full of pertinent information regarding the Jewish religion and way of life. As a non religious person I found some of this information interesting and some less so. This is the first book about someone's experience at the hands of the Nazis that I've read and I'm not entirely sure why I chose it. It can't be denied that many find the subject of the Holocaust fascinating in a macabre way but that is not my personal feeling. I suppose in some way I'm still trying to get my head around what could possibly make anyone treat others in this heinous way. From what little I've read of Hilter and his beliefs, it wasn't only those of Jewish faith who were targeted but it certainly seems that they bore the brunt of his insanity. This book recounts some of the experiences of a teenage girl who survived the depravities of the Nazi regime. By her own admission there are some things she will never speak of which in itself alludes to the depth of the horrors she survived. In some ways she may be seen to have been lucky. That seems like a ridiculous statement but she did have certain fateful "breaks" which turned her path away from death and torture and towards her ultimate survival. However her strength of character was as much a reason for the life she eventually won for herself and her family. What struck me most about this book was not so much the unforgivable and heartbreaking treatment of One Girl in Auschwitz, rather the way she ensured her own family was raised and the qualities she and her young husband instilled in them. This is a book about strength and love and prevailing against all that's wrong. There can surely be no better way to defeat evil than to create a life of light, love, freedom and joy..... which seems to be exactly what she did.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Girl in Auschwitz by Sara Leibovits and Eti Elboim is a compelling true survival story of a brave Jewish girl during WW2. It is a story of courage, faith and hope set against the backdrop of WW2 Poland, 1944.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Poland, 1944. The train slowed and halted with a squeal of the brakes. It felt like they waited in the carriage for an eternity, but eventually, the heavy doors opened, directly into the chaos outside… Sara Leibovits, a 16-year-old Jewish girl, was a passenger on the train, together with her family. Within minutes, their horrific fate was sealed. The little family spent its final minutes together on the platform at Auschwitz before its members were dispersed in all directions, and each was left alone to their own fate… Isolated from her family, Sara was left alone to face the many physical labors and the lowest points of her life, while trying to maintain values like courage, faith, and helping others, all to survive the true manifestation of Hell on earth – Auschwitz.’

This story is chilling, it arouses intense feelings as sadness, joy, and excitement. In the end, I'm not sure can we grasp the full terror and sorrow in their lives, but we can try to never forget.

While the story is one that needs to be told I am not a fan of the way it was written. I got lost in the timelines more than once. It was a bit confusing to be in Auschwitz one moment and ripped out into another time period with very little transition in a chapter.

As a Historical book fan, it was worth the read if not just to hear the story told from two generations.

[Sydney Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for allowing me to read this remarkable memoir before it hits the shelves. And a special thank to Sara and Eti for sharing your story with us. You won!

Sara was just 16 when she was deported to Auschwitz. She looked on in a state of confusion as she was separated from her mother and siblings. This is her story of survival and hope. She shares the pages of this book with her youngest daughter, Eti…a second generation Holocaust survivor as she grows up in the state of Israel with not one but two survivors for parents.

While I’m used to much more detailed memoirs, this account conveyed the horrors without them and for that, this is a book I would recommend to readers of various ages. What I loved most about this book is that it is a dual perspective featuring the thinkings of a survivors child…a side of things not typically heard of in survivor stories. I was grateful to have a little glimpse into the mind of Eti and her absolute respect for her parents. Despite knowing the basics of her parents time in the camps…she waited until she was the age of her mother when she was deported before she began to ask questions. She reasoned that if her mother could make it through hell on earth at her age, it was the right time for her to hear all about it. And together they learned, they grieved and they healed.

This book reads quickly so I would definitely recommend it for your next weekend read.

[Sally Mander · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Girl In Auschwitz by Sara Leibovits and Eti Elboim


Sara Leibovits was the only member of her family to survive Auschwitz. Her father managed to exist for a while, because of the job he had been given, so she had his love and guidance for a few extra months.

The book is written in duo narration, between Sara who is an Auschwitz survivor, and Eti who is a 2nd generation survivor. It is interesting because they follow through the story of the current time is Sara and 70 years later is Eti.

You feel the heartache and pain of surviving in the time of the Holocaust and the heartache and pain of surviving as a child of the survivors, not knowing what the number tattooed on her mother's arm means and knowing that it revolves around a terrible time and wanting to know more but not wanting to inflict any more pain and suffering upon those she holds dear.

This book is included in my favorites because it is imperative that the horrors experienced by the Jewish people not be forgotten. In the words of Sara's father, "Do What You Have To Do, In Order To Survive. Migrate to Israel, as soon as possible."

Many thanks to the authors and BookSirens for a complimentary copy, I was under no obligation to post a review.

[Thelma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very heartbreaking read, I've read many books about WW2 and this is not just a story, it breaks your heart to read and learn more and more stories of the atrocities that happened in that place, the inhumane treatment and the sadism that only shown the lifeless hearts these evil people had.

This is the story of The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz the story of Eti Elboim and Sara Leibovitz, Sara was a very brave girl I admire the strength of this lady, she was able to survive after many atrocities and cold freezing nights, but at the same time she was trying to help as much as she could, I remember that part where she couldn't belive they were finally saved she just kept walking and walking on the cold without knowing where they were heading. many people around them were here in this story. but we also had so many capos who were treating them as if they were not even kids.

The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz is a remarkable story and rea, I cried so much and my heart broke many times for Sara, she was so strong no matter how many times the evilness around her tried to not let her conquer.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter, for the advanced copy of The Girl Who Survived Auschwitz in exchange for my honest review.

[Carolyn Scarcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 53rs holocaust book; this is adult book. I chose this book because the book cover is pretty. This is new and was release last year December. Sara is a holocaust survivor. Her youngest daughter Eti who wrote the book about her mother. It shows between the past and present where the mother and daughter experience as a result after 70 years later when mother shares her story with her. Her writing is incredible and easy to read. It is also very captivating, unbearable, and it was very hard not put the book down. It was very horrendous to see how evil, monstrous, and influence Nazis was. The book also was very uplifting of love, loyalty, and family at the same time. The story unfolds, the events about Sara as a 16-year-old girl,
girl, born in Velikiye Komyaty in the Czech Republic. She was the eldest of 6 siblings. In 1944, Nazis invaded her hometown. Her family homes were thrown out and had to resettle in Munkacs ghetto when she almost 16. A few weeks they were deported to Auschwitz. She was there for 9 months until liberation. She got married and raise their 2-year-old daughter then, moved to Israel and had two more children.

[Carol Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have many good things to say about this book. It is powerful. It was difficult to put down as well as heartbreaking to read. Beautiful tidbits of wisdom and hope are sprinkled throughout. This is an honest re-telling of Sara's experience in one of the most brutal concentration camps in Europe during the last months of Nazi Germany's reign. I liked that the language stayed true to the teller. The first time I moved on to an insert from her daughter (seventy years later), I was a little confused. However, I quickly figured out what was happening, and the rest of the read ran smoothly. Toward the end of the book, the author tells her daughter that there are some things she will never reveal about Auschwitz. At that point, I don't even want to imagine. I chose this book as an ARC reader.