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80629
This is the true story of Jack Oran, who survived the inhuman experimental surgeries of Dr. Josef Mengele, Auschwitz' infamous Doctor of Death. It was a cold December morning in 1942 when Jack, then known a Yakoff Skurnik, and his family were loaded onto a "resettlement train," in Mlawa, Poland. When the train stopped, Jack found himself at Auschwitz. For an interminable time, he survived the horrors of the camp. Using his wits, cunning, and inordinate will to live, he escaped from the Nazis during the Auschwitz death march in which the Nazis marched 58,000 prisoners from the camp before its liberation by the Russians on January 27, 1945. Overcoming incredible odds, Jack built himself a new life filled with success and accomplishment. This is the story of a man who is living proof that with persistence, determination, and belief in oneself, all things are possible.
292 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
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468 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 8, 2013
I've read this book many times. Both of my parents worked for the man in this story, in Texas. He was a wonderful man who had a great life and very successful business. He also adopted a few children. He is greatly missed
December 26, 2019
Horrific beyond description. This is the most difficult to read book I've ever encountered. It is the autobiographical account of one young man's journey into hell at the hands of Josef Mengele. I took all of my children, even the youngest, to hear this man speak in Wichita in 1996. It was an appropriately traumatic occasion that they, and I, will never forget. He (Yakoff, later Americanized to Jack Oran) managed to survive irradiation and sterilization without the benefit of anesthesia. He survived Birkenau and Auschwitz. When the war ended, he suffered for three more years trying to get to America, where he had two relatives. He eventually successfully immigrated to the US, moved to Dallas, TX, where he founded what became one of the leading motorcycle dealerships in the country. His story is the epitome of the triumph of the human spirit. Deeply moving, profoundly sad, incredibly courageous. "Never Again"
March 18, 2024
AN ACCOUNT OF A SURVIVOR OF AUSCHWITZ
Gene Church is the author of this book, which tells of the experiences in Auschwitz of Yakoff Skurnik. It begins with Yakoff and his father being taken to the camp in a transport train.
“Actually, no one on board had any idea about anything. Where they were, where they were going, what they’d possibly done to deserve or warrant such inhumane treatment, no ideas at all… Relocation or resettlement were the phrases most often used; to another ghetto, further away from the front. But the only two things Yakoff and the others knew for sure was that the twenty car passenger train was heading southwest, away from Warsaw, deeper into the bowels of occupied Poland.” (Pg, 1)
Eventually, “They were moving toward a two-story, red brick structure with a large opening on the ground floor… As the column of men drew nearer, more armed SS trooped came out of the structure and slowly pushed the heavy wire gates open. It was impossible for Yakoff and the others to know or even begin to comprehend that as they walked through the redbrick archway they were actually entering the gates of hell.” (Pg. 13)
In the camp, “Yakoff’s left forearm now read ‘80629.’ His father, the next in line, was similarly marked with 80630… A whispering murmur, slow, steady, began to spread among the new arrivals. Yakoff didn’t understand what they were talking about but it had something to do with gas or a gas chamber., or burning of some sort.” (Pg. 20)
It explains, “The room senior’s first duty of the day was to roust the sleeping, half-dead men and get them outside for the morning roll call. Once accomplished, his day was virtually his own. It was a position earned from the Nazis by exhibiting brutality as well as cruel and inhumane treatment to fellow prisoners.” (Pg. 34)
“Yakoff looked at the [electrocuted] bodies hanging in the distance… ‘But if they knew,’ he asked [another prisoner], ‘why did they still try to escape?’ ‘Have they not done just that?’ the man countered. ‘…They have found…the only freedom that any of us will ever know.’” (Pg. 42)
He was with another prisoner, who went through the pockets of an electrocuted man. “[The man] unclenched a fist, showing the other his treasured find: two small crusts of black bread… The man … broke each of the small crusts in half and offered one to Yakoff. ‘We share,’ he said. ‘We share what we find.’ Yakoff felt a rush of outrage but held his tongue. His mind screamed… 'Ingrate. Low, slime, vile creature to desecrate this human being. How could anyone…?' But the man… interrupted Yakoff in mid-thought. ‘This man chooses to die. That is his escape. I choose to live… You think this bread will do any good for a dead man? Well it won’t. And I feel nothing for taking it except less hungry.’” (Pg. 94)
Yakoff asked another prisoner about the Sonderkommando, and was told, “They’re personally chosen by commandant Schwarzhuber for their size and strength… They’re isolated within our walls and kept away from the other prisoners so none of us will be aware of the horrible deeds they perform… You know about the gas chambers… and the crematorium?... When the women, children, and old men are marched to the gas chambers they are told they’re going to take showers and get cleaned up after their trip… the Sonderkommando… assures the victims everything’s going to be alright, that it’s just procedure and they’re going to be with their families as soon as their shower’s over… They’ll be shot on the spot if they don’t cooperate…. It’s easier, much easier, if you don’t know... Their last moments alive are probably the most calm they’ve known for years.” (Pg. 104)
Yakoff was also involuntarily sterilized. (Pg. 127-128) He was also forced to provide a sperm sample. (Pg. 154) Later, he was also castrated. (Pg. 163, 196) Eventually, he encountered Dr. Mengele: “So that was him. The infamous Doctor Mengele. The one responsible for the first selection as the transports arrived, the one who initiated the bizarre experimental surgery designed to annihilate the entire Jewish race, the one they called the Angel of Death, the man initially and morally responsible for the deaths of more fellow human beings than any other person in the recorded history of the world…” (Pg. 160)
The book explains, “Auschwitz was a model concentration camp; used by the Germans as a showcase whenever the Red Cross wanted to inspect facilities and determine prisoners were being treated fairly and according to the terms of the Geneva Convention. Hence the cleanliness and constant insistence on neatness… The Nazis knew in advance of upcoming visits or inspections. They instructed prisoners clearly and forcefully how to answer any questions put forward: ‘Yes, I’m getting plenty of good food and rest.’ ‘No, I’m not being overworked or treated unfairly.’ ‘No, I have no concern or fear my life is in danger.’ ‘Yes, the Nazis are taking good care of me.’ Questions posed to the prisoners were always in the presence of an SS man or guard. Failure to follow Nazi instructions to the letter resulted in instant executions the moment the visitor left the camp.” (Pg. 144-145)
They were finally liberated by the Russians, and taken from the camp. “It was January 15, 1945, and much was being left behind: family, friends, a lover and twenty-six months of his life. There was a sense of completion and finality, it was over. But as each new step took them further away, Yakoff realistically understood it was only the beginning.” (Pg. 212)
The Epilogue to this 1986 book explains, “Yakoff Skurnik arrived in New York on October 5th, 1949 the day he still considers to be his ‘official’ birthday… by accident, he ran into Hershel Prengler [who] … was visiting New York for a wedding. He invited Yakoff to come to Texas and start another business together… Yakoff boarded a train and ventured into the deep west. He arrived in Dallas possessing a dollar and thirteen cents, a deep-seated will to survive and a burning passion for freedom and success. They opened a dry goods story… the business flourished and they became respected pillars in the community. Eventually, Yakoff sold his half of the enterprise and traveled to California where he proudly became a U.S. citizen in the fall of 1954 and legally changed his name to Jack Oran… Jack Oran, by his dedication, deeds and actions, has triumphed and overcome personal loss and hardships that few people can even begin to comprehend. His story and his life, while tragic at the onset, is living, breathing proof that …that the American Dream exists and lives on.” (Pg. 291)
This sometimes horrifying book will be of great interest to those interested in ‘survivor’ stories.
Gene Church is the author of this book, which tells of the experiences in Auschwitz of Yakoff Skurnik. It begins with Yakoff and his father being taken to the camp in a transport train.
“Actually, no one on board had any idea about anything. Where they were, where they were going, what they’d possibly done to deserve or warrant such inhumane treatment, no ideas at all… Relocation or resettlement were the phrases most often used; to another ghetto, further away from the front. But the only two things Yakoff and the others knew for sure was that the twenty car passenger train was heading southwest, away from Warsaw, deeper into the bowels of occupied Poland.” (Pg, 1)
Eventually, “They were moving toward a two-story, red brick structure with a large opening on the ground floor… As the column of men drew nearer, more armed SS trooped came out of the structure and slowly pushed the heavy wire gates open. It was impossible for Yakoff and the others to know or even begin to comprehend that as they walked through the redbrick archway they were actually entering the gates of hell.” (Pg. 13)
In the camp, “Yakoff’s left forearm now read ‘80629.’ His father, the next in line, was similarly marked with 80630… A whispering murmur, slow, steady, began to spread among the new arrivals. Yakoff didn’t understand what they were talking about but it had something to do with gas or a gas chamber., or burning of some sort.” (Pg. 20)
It explains, “The room senior’s first duty of the day was to roust the sleeping, half-dead men and get them outside for the morning roll call. Once accomplished, his day was virtually his own. It was a position earned from the Nazis by exhibiting brutality as well as cruel and inhumane treatment to fellow prisoners.” (Pg. 34)
“Yakoff looked at the [electrocuted] bodies hanging in the distance… ‘But if they knew,’ he asked [another prisoner], ‘why did they still try to escape?’ ‘Have they not done just that?’ the man countered. ‘…They have found…the only freedom that any of us will ever know.’” (Pg. 42)
He was with another prisoner, who went through the pockets of an electrocuted man. “[The man] unclenched a fist, showing the other his treasured find: two small crusts of black bread… The man … broke each of the small crusts in half and offered one to Yakoff. ‘We share,’ he said. ‘We share what we find.’ Yakoff felt a rush of outrage but held his tongue. His mind screamed… 'Ingrate. Low, slime, vile creature to desecrate this human being. How could anyone…?' But the man… interrupted Yakoff in mid-thought. ‘This man chooses to die. That is his escape. I choose to live… You think this bread will do any good for a dead man? Well it won’t. And I feel nothing for taking it except less hungry.’” (Pg. 94)
Yakoff asked another prisoner about the Sonderkommando, and was told, “They’re personally chosen by commandant Schwarzhuber for their size and strength… They’re isolated within our walls and kept away from the other prisoners so none of us will be aware of the horrible deeds they perform… You know about the gas chambers… and the crematorium?... When the women, children, and old men are marched to the gas chambers they are told they’re going to take showers and get cleaned up after their trip… the Sonderkommando… assures the victims everything’s going to be alright, that it’s just procedure and they’re going to be with their families as soon as their shower’s over… They’ll be shot on the spot if they don’t cooperate…. It’s easier, much easier, if you don’t know... Their last moments alive are probably the most calm they’ve known for years.” (Pg. 104)
Yakoff was also involuntarily sterilized. (Pg. 127-128) He was also forced to provide a sperm sample. (Pg. 154) Later, he was also castrated. (Pg. 163, 196) Eventually, he encountered Dr. Mengele: “So that was him. The infamous Doctor Mengele. The one responsible for the first selection as the transports arrived, the one who initiated the bizarre experimental surgery designed to annihilate the entire Jewish race, the one they called the Angel of Death, the man initially and morally responsible for the deaths of more fellow human beings than any other person in the recorded history of the world…” (Pg. 160)
The book explains, “Auschwitz was a model concentration camp; used by the Germans as a showcase whenever the Red Cross wanted to inspect facilities and determine prisoners were being treated fairly and according to the terms of the Geneva Convention. Hence the cleanliness and constant insistence on neatness… The Nazis knew in advance of upcoming visits or inspections. They instructed prisoners clearly and forcefully how to answer any questions put forward: ‘Yes, I’m getting plenty of good food and rest.’ ‘No, I’m not being overworked or treated unfairly.’ ‘No, I have no concern or fear my life is in danger.’ ‘Yes, the Nazis are taking good care of me.’ Questions posed to the prisoners were always in the presence of an SS man or guard. Failure to follow Nazi instructions to the letter resulted in instant executions the moment the visitor left the camp.” (Pg. 144-145)
They were finally liberated by the Russians, and taken from the camp. “It was January 15, 1945, and much was being left behind: family, friends, a lover and twenty-six months of his life. There was a sense of completion and finality, it was over. But as each new step took them further away, Yakoff realistically understood it was only the beginning.” (Pg. 212)
The Epilogue to this 1986 book explains, “Yakoff Skurnik arrived in New York on October 5th, 1949 the day he still considers to be his ‘official’ birthday… by accident, he ran into Hershel Prengler [who] … was visiting New York for a wedding. He invited Yakoff to come to Texas and start another business together… Yakoff boarded a train and ventured into the deep west. He arrived in Dallas possessing a dollar and thirteen cents, a deep-seated will to survive and a burning passion for freedom and success. They opened a dry goods story… the business flourished and they became respected pillars in the community. Eventually, Yakoff sold his half of the enterprise and traveled to California where he proudly became a U.S. citizen in the fall of 1954 and legally changed his name to Jack Oran… Jack Oran, by his dedication, deeds and actions, has triumphed and overcome personal loss and hardships that few people can even begin to comprehend. His story and his life, while tragic at the onset, is living, breathing proof that …that the American Dream exists and lives on.” (Pg. 291)
This sometimes horrifying book will be of great interest to those interested in ‘survivor’ stories.
October 15, 2021
It is hard to say I "liked" any book about the Holocaust. However, I can like that the author was able to capture the absolute horror and depravity of what happened in the concentration camps. The subject of this book, Jack Oran, started his life in a concentration camps at age 15 so his experience was different from many others. However, his age also made him the subject of one of Mengele's most atrocious experiments--total castration with almost no anesthetic and minimal care afterwards. His survival is a miracle. His determination to survive and his ability to figure out how to get extra food (without stealing from others and even sharing what he found) kept him alive long past any reasonable expectations. Only recently, some educators in Texas have been suggesting that when they teach about the Holocaust, they need to present opposing views. Books like this make it clear that there is NO OPPOSING VIEW!
July 11, 2019
An amazing tale of what one man endured during the holocaust. It was a very difficult read, as you can imagine, due to the graphic detail of what he endured. It's unbelievable the horrors that our fellow human beings suffered at the hands of the Nazis. We must never forget.
I am in awe of his ability to persevere through all he endured.
I am in awe of his ability to persevere through all he endured.
March 3, 2008
I knew this man and it was his autobiograpghy. He tells his story as a child in a jewish prison camp. It is unbelieveable. The name of the book- the number- was his assigned number and tatooed on his forearm.
November 10, 2025
Autographed copy Yakov/Jack Oran. If you don't believe in demons, you will after reading this. What a horrible experience, yet a testament to survival, a willingness to help others and the ability to overcome and defeat evil. This book will make you cry and cheer at the same time. Those who think we live in tough times ought to read this book. Mengele was satan dressed in a doctors white smock. This is a reminder that none of us should be fooled by evil that cloaks itself in righteousness. Wolves in sheeps clothing.
July 27, 2019
Life changing.
March 26, 2016
An incredible book about an incredible individual and his survival of the Holocaust. I read a review on Amazon that provided a succinct description that provides the best description: "If you can read this book all the way through, you will never read it again, and you will never forget any part of it. And you will never let this happen again. Incredible."
I was drawn to this book after reading "Dallas 1963" which mentions Jack. I remembered his name because of an event that occurred on November 17, 1964, one of the best days of my life. My Dad won a raffle as part of a membership drive for the Lions Club in Richardson, Texas. The prize: a Schwinn Stingray donated by one of the Lions, Jack Oran of Lone Star Cycle. I still remember seeing the "80629" tattoo on his arm and wondering what it was. Looking back at the picture of Jack smiling at me as I received the prize simply blows me away. I obviously had no clue about his experiences, but now viewing that image makes me realize how close and how real the Holocaust was.
We can never forget.
I was drawn to this book after reading "Dallas 1963" which mentions Jack. I remembered his name because of an event that occurred on November 17, 1964, one of the best days of my life. My Dad won a raffle as part of a membership drive for the Lions Club in Richardson, Texas. The prize: a Schwinn Stingray donated by one of the Lions, Jack Oran of Lone Star Cycle. I still remember seeing the "80629" tattoo on his arm and wondering what it was. Looking back at the picture of Jack smiling at me as I received the prize simply blows me away. I obviously had no clue about his experiences, but now viewing that image makes me realize how close and how real the Holocaust was.
We can never forget.
January 7, 2019
I read this memoir a long time ago, maybe around the age of 12 or 13, and I still vividly remember my overall impression of the book. Yakoff Skurnik (who later changed his name to Jack Oran) relates his life as a Jewish youth subjected to the horrors of Auschwitz. He also tells us how he escaped the death march through a combination of luck and quick thinking. After the euphoria of liberation, he eventually moved to the US, though the memories of his previous life continued to haunt his thoughts for decades.
I'll always remember the section where he describes being castrated by Nazi scientists. Reading it at that young age, it evoked a visceral response. I plan to revisit this book when I get a chance. Skurnik's story is one of extreme suffering and resilience.
I'll always remember the section where he describes being castrated by Nazi scientists. Reading it at that young age, it evoked a visceral response. I plan to revisit this book when I get a chance. Skurnik's story is one of extreme suffering and resilience.
January 6, 2008
A chilling tale of survival, against all odds, amidst unspeakable brutality at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Definitely not for the squeamish.
The title, A Mengele Experiment, is somewhat misleading. Though Yakoff Skurnik was a subject in one of Josef Mengele's experiments, his experiences in the camp's hospital are peripheral to the main focus of the story: the never-ending struggle for life and sustenance. Though a book like this one should be required reading for anyone who believes that "it can't happen again," I would not recommend 80629 as a view into the Nazis' program of human experimentation in the concentration camps.
The title, A Mengele Experiment, is somewhat misleading. Though Yakoff Skurnik was a subject in one of Josef Mengele's experiments, his experiences in the camp's hospital are peripheral to the main focus of the story: the never-ending struggle for life and sustenance. Though a book like this one should be required reading for anyone who believes that "it can't happen again," I would not recommend 80629 as a view into the Nazis' program of human experimentation in the concentration camps.
July 10, 2012
Horrifying! An account of surviving diabolical, systematic, pure evil.
May 27, 2014
Probably one of the hardest hitting memoirs of its kind I have ever read. Its hard to comprehend a lift like the one this man had. Very sad yet inspirational.
March 25, 2015
Very hard to read since it is so detailed. Will remember this book forever.
April 29, 2016
powerful book. having been friends with Jack for several years and knowing a tiny bit about his history, reading the book was very personal and emotional. I highly recommend this book.
June 5, 2016
This is a VERY great book. Everyone should read it.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews