From Nowy Dwór to Hessel Street: My Mother’s Holocaust Story

by Hyman Wolanski

From Nowy Dwor to Hessel My Mother’s Holocaust Story is a powerful and deeply moving account of one woman’s extraordinary survival during one of history’s darkest chapters. Born in Nowy Dwor, Poland, and later imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto - a place of unimaginable overcrowding, deprivation and disease - she is swept into the heart of the Holocaust during the Great Deportation from Warsaw and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

Transferred in a cattle car to Majdanek concentration camp, and later to a forced labour camp, she witnesses both the depths of human brutality and the quiet strength of those determined to survive. The end of the war offers the possibility of a new beginning, but only in the long shadow of profound loss.

As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, and living memory gives way to history, this story stands as a deeply personal testament to the fragility of humanity. At a time when denial and fake news threaten to obscure the truth of this devastating period of history, this book offers an urgent reminder of a legacy that must not be forgotten.

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2026

Reviews

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book.

This book aims to bring the story of Eva Wolanski's experience during the Holocaust and World War 2. While reading her story, this book portrays it through narrative and thoughts of Eva Wolanski while also providing statistics and experts from journals or other people's experiences. This book was uniquely different for that reason. Rather than learn more about what Eva Wolanski knew at the time I felt like I was getting all the information at once rather than learn as I go. At times, this felt a little inauthentic only because it made it seem like Eva Wolanski knew more about what could happen if she was transported or deported to another camp. On the other hand, it really brought it into perspective the vastness of the brutality, struggles, and strengths of the people who were trying to survive.

[Sally · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating story - it comes across more as a non-fiction text than an autobiography (well, a biography but told in the first person) and the facts are presented very plainly without too much emotion, but it’s still very readable, and very easy to read. Enjoyed never seems the right word to use, but this was a good read! Thanks to NetGalley.