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Hidden Lives: Stories from Child Survivors of the Holocaust
One and a half million Jewish children were murdered in the Holocaust. The Nazis’ goal to eradicate the entire Jewish population in Europe included children—from infants to teenagers—who were targeted as part of the coordinated genocide that led to the murder of six million Jews. Those children who survived were often in convents, orphanages, haylofts, forests—even sewers.
Hidden Lives is a collection of true stories written by the youngest survivors of the Holocaust. Desperation compelled parents to make the agonizing decision to leave their children with strangers or to let them fend on their own. Many were too young to understand why they were being left behind, often under assumed identities. While the vast majority of these children were orphaned by the end of the war, some were reunited with family who, in many cases, now seemed like strangers. Their accounts are marked with fear, confusion, and abandonment, as well as a loss of their Jewish identity. These true stories are profiles of of the children who survived in often terrible circumstances, of the parents and families who were forced to leave them behind, and of the many people—including Christian families, many times complete strangers—who risked their lives to save them.
Hidden Lives is a collection of true stories written by the youngest survivors of the Holocaust. Desperation compelled parents to make the agonizing decision to leave their children with strangers or to let them fend on their own. Many were too young to understand why they were being left behind, often under assumed identities. While the vast majority of these children were orphaned by the end of the war, some were reunited with family who, in many cases, now seemed like strangers. Their accounts are marked with fear, confusion, and abandonment, as well as a loss of their Jewish identity. These true stories are profiles of of the children who survived in often terrible circumstances, of the parents and families who were forced to leave them behind, and of the many people—including Christian families, many times complete strangers—who risked their lives to save them.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
400 pages, Hardcover
Published November 4, 2025
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February 11, 2026
Numerous short stories written by Jewish people who had been children when WW 2 started. Some are as short as 2 pages and some more like 15.
There was a section at the end of the book about the struggles faced by these people and their families after the war. Several stories tell of children who had been hidden during the war. When their parents wanted to reunite with the children, the children did not remember the parents. They cried for their adoptive parents. There were struggles between the parent and child.
Each person faced their own trauma from WW2 but the traumas of the children were not often acknowledged just after WW2. Many of the writers did not start discussing the traumas or calling themselves survivors until the 1980' and 1990's.
I highly recommend this book to people who want to understand the experiences of the youngest victims of WW2 better.
There was a section at the end of the book about the struggles faced by these people and their families after the war. Several stories tell of children who had been hidden during the war. When their parents wanted to reunite with the children, the children did not remember the parents. They cried for their adoptive parents. There were struggles between the parent and child.
Each person faced their own trauma from WW2 but the traumas of the children were not often acknowledged just after WW2. Many of the writers did not start discussing the traumas or calling themselves survivors until the 1980' and 1990's.
I highly recommend this book to people who want to understand the experiences of the youngest victims of WW2 better.
Displaying 1 of 1 review