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A Train Near Magdeburg: A Teacher's Journey into the Holocaust, and the reuniting of the survivors and liberators, 70 years on
What do you do if you are a reluctant soldier, having been shot at, seen your friends killed, and can no longer even remember what your own mother looks like? As a combat soldier fighting your way across Europe, what is the plan when you come across a Holocaust train full of suffering humanity that shocks you to your core, even after you think you have seen it all? And what happens when you get to meet the survivors face to face, two generations later?
'After I got home I cried a lot. My parents couldn't understand why I couldn't sleep at times.'-Walter 'Babe' Gantz, US Army medic
From the author of 'The Things Our Fathers Saw' World War II eyewitness history series
In this book, the true story behind an iconic photograph taken at the liberation of a DEATH TRAIN deep in the heart of Nazi Germany―brought to life by the history teacher who discovered it, and went on to reunite HUNDREDS of Holocaust survivors with the actual American soldiers who saved them!
'I grew up and spent all my years being angry. This means I don't have to be angry anymore.'-Paul Arato, Holocaust Survivor
THE HOLOCAUST was a watershed event in history. Drawing on never-before published eye-witness accounts, survivor testimony and memoirs, wartime reports and letters, Matthew Rozell takes us on his journey to uncover the stories behind the incredible 1945 liberation photographs taken by the soldiers who were there. He weaves togethera chronology of the Holocaust as it unfolds across Europe and goes to the authentic sites of the Holocaust to retrace the steps of the survivors and the American soldiers who freed them. His mission culminates in joyful reunions on three continents, seven decades later. Rozell offers his unique perspective on the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations, and the impact that one person, a teacher, can make.
'I survived because of many miracles. But for me to actually meet, shake hands, hug, and cry together with my liberators ― the 'angels of life' who literally gave me back my life ― was just beyond imagination.'-Leslie Meisels, Holocaust Survivor
-Featuring testimony from 15 American liberators and over 30 Holocaust survivors
-73 photographs and illustrations, many never before published
-10 custom maps
-502 pages-extensive notes and bibliographical references
'People say it cannot happen here in this country; yes, it can happen here. I was 21 years old. I was there to see it happen!'-Luca Furnari, US Army
Included:
BOOK ONE-THE HOLOCAUST
BOOK TWO-THE AMERICANS
BOOK THREE-LIBERATION
BOOK FOUR-REUNION
'It's not for my sake, it's for the sake of humanity, that [you] will remember.'-Steve Barry, Holocaust Survivor
'After I got home I cried a lot. My parents couldn't understand why I couldn't sleep at times.'-Walter 'Babe' Gantz, US Army medic
From the author of 'The Things Our Fathers Saw' World War II eyewitness history series
In this book, the true story behind an iconic photograph taken at the liberation of a DEATH TRAIN deep in the heart of Nazi Germany―brought to life by the history teacher who discovered it, and went on to reunite HUNDREDS of Holocaust survivors with the actual American soldiers who saved them!
'I grew up and spent all my years being angry. This means I don't have to be angry anymore.'-Paul Arato, Holocaust Survivor
THE HOLOCAUST was a watershed event in history. Drawing on never-before published eye-witness accounts, survivor testimony and memoirs, wartime reports and letters, Matthew Rozell takes us on his journey to uncover the stories behind the incredible 1945 liberation photographs taken by the soldiers who were there. He weaves togethera chronology of the Holocaust as it unfolds across Europe and goes to the authentic sites of the Holocaust to retrace the steps of the survivors and the American soldiers who freed them. His mission culminates in joyful reunions on three continents, seven decades later. Rozell offers his unique perspective on the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations, and the impact that one person, a teacher, can make.
'I survived because of many miracles. But for me to actually meet, shake hands, hug, and cry together with my liberators ― the 'angels of life' who literally gave me back my life ― was just beyond imagination.'-Leslie Meisels, Holocaust Survivor
-Featuring testimony from 15 American liberators and over 30 Holocaust survivors
-73 photographs and illustrations, many never before published
-10 custom maps
-502 pages-extensive notes and bibliographical references
'People say it cannot happen here in this country; yes, it can happen here. I was 21 years old. I was there to see it happen!'-Luca Furnari, US Army
Included:
BOOK ONE-THE HOLOCAUST
BOOK TWO-THE AMERICANS
BOOK THREE-LIBERATION
BOOK FOUR-REUNION
'It's not for my sake, it's for the sake of humanity, that [you] will remember.'-Steve Barry, Holocaust Survivor
505 pages, Paperback
Published September 4, 2016
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September 23, 2016
Tell him about the train
In July 2001, history teacher Matt Rozel initiated a project to create testimoniews of World War II veterans, as part of an course to teach history to his students. When interviewing Carol Walsh, he learned of the story about how they came to a place where there was a long train of boxcars. As it turned out, it was full of concentration camp victims, transported from Bergen-Belsen to an unkown location. Unbeknownst to them, they were scheduled to be blown up on a bridge spanning the Elbe. But the Americans intervened, and the German SS guards had left the night before. They were free.
This is how it all started.
Matthew Rozell put this story on his website and thought nothing of it. However, he was suddenly contacted by a 'child survivor', who found his website and decided to contact him. This sat things in motion: Matthew Rozell was contacted by more and more survivors and decided to set up a reunion, to get the liberators and the people they liberated in contact.
This book describes the experience of not only Matthew Rozell, but the survivors and their liberators. Matthew wanted to do justice of the narrative by the Holocaust, as evidenced by this microcosmic event of the liberation of the train in the backdrop of the vastness of the macrocosm of the Holocaust. He utilizes the voices of those who were there, both of the surviviors and their liberators.
This book gives a dramatic and emotional account of how the lives of people - both survivors and liberators - were impacted by the events. It gives a good overview of the impact of the Holocaust in the eyes of simple people who just happened to be Jewish, but were people all the way.
The book is roughly divided in three parts, glued together into the narrative of the author. The first part deals with the Holocaust, the experiences for the people involved. The second part deals with their Liberators, how they experienced the discovery of the train. And the third part deals with the effort from Matthew Rozell, who set up the first reunion and the many more that were to follow, giving the survivors the chance to thank their liberators.
One might think why this book should be read: there are so many books about the Holocaust and yes, we know it happened. But in no book that I have read up to this day, the story comes to live in such a personal way. How the lives of innocent people were impacted, what they went through and how they were formed by their experience. By zooming in on this particular event, you get to know what it was like - not only for the victims, but also for their liberators.
Or, as quoted in the book: It is important to have the past in front of you - not in the rearview as one moves forward.
In July 2001, history teacher Matt Rozel initiated a project to create testimoniews of World War II veterans, as part of an course to teach history to his students. When interviewing Carol Walsh, he learned of the story about how they came to a place where there was a long train of boxcars. As it turned out, it was full of concentration camp victims, transported from Bergen-Belsen to an unkown location. Unbeknownst to them, they were scheduled to be blown up on a bridge spanning the Elbe. But the Americans intervened, and the German SS guards had left the night before. They were free.
This is how it all started.
Matthew Rozell put this story on his website and thought nothing of it. However, he was suddenly contacted by a 'child survivor', who found his website and decided to contact him. This sat things in motion: Matthew Rozell was contacted by more and more survivors and decided to set up a reunion, to get the liberators and the people they liberated in contact.
This book describes the experience of not only Matthew Rozell, but the survivors and their liberators. Matthew wanted to do justice of the narrative by the Holocaust, as evidenced by this microcosmic event of the liberation of the train in the backdrop of the vastness of the macrocosm of the Holocaust. He utilizes the voices of those who were there, both of the surviviors and their liberators.
This book gives a dramatic and emotional account of how the lives of people - both survivors and liberators - were impacted by the events. It gives a good overview of the impact of the Holocaust in the eyes of simple people who just happened to be Jewish, but were people all the way.
The book is roughly divided in three parts, glued together into the narrative of the author. The first part deals with the Holocaust, the experiences for the people involved. The second part deals with their Liberators, how they experienced the discovery of the train. And the third part deals with the effort from Matthew Rozell, who set up the first reunion and the many more that were to follow, giving the survivors the chance to thank their liberators.
One might think why this book should be read: there are so many books about the Holocaust and yes, we know it happened. But in no book that I have read up to this day, the story comes to live in such a personal way. How the lives of innocent people were impacted, what they went through and how they were formed by their experience. By zooming in on this particular event, you get to know what it was like - not only for the victims, but also for their liberators.
Or, as quoted in the book: It is important to have the past in front of you - not in the rearview as one moves forward.
September 21, 2026
On a Sunday morning in September of 2026, I was watching an episode of Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley. The CBS Sunday Morning segment detailing the book "A train near Magdeburg uncovering a Holocaust survival story." Reported by correspondent Seth Doane, the feature highlights an oral history project started by former high school teacher Matthew Rozell, who is also the author of the book "A Train Near Magdeburg." The segment explores how Rozell’s interviews with World War II veterans uncovered the historic April 1945 liberation of 2,500 Holocaust survivors from a stranded "death train" by American soldiers near Magdeburg, Germany. I have included the link in this review. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/uncover... I knew as soon as I had seen this episode I had to read the book.
In the waning days of World War II, advancing troops from the U.S. Army's 30th Infantry Division and the 743rd Tank Battalion stumbled upon the abandon train. The train was packed with 2,500 Jewish prisoners who had been evacuated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to face execution or death by starvation. Parked on a bridge the Nazi's were ready to blow it up. The American soldiers intervened, and the German SS guards had left the night before. The survivors were free. The soldiers provided immediate food, medical care, and shelter, pulling thousands back from the brink of death. Decades later, Rozell discovered striking liberation photographs in a veteran's collection. He posted them online, sparking an extensive historical investigation that spanned years. I was impressed how a single teacher’s curiosity can rescue a vital piece of history from obscurity and heal generational trauma.
Those interested in real memories of real people who personally experienced what the Holocaust and concentration and termination camps, and the end of a small part of World War II was like, this is the book to read. Deeply researched, with personal interviews, I found the stories of loss, resilience, and reunion profoundly compelling.
In the waning days of World War II, advancing troops from the U.S. Army's 30th Infantry Division and the 743rd Tank Battalion stumbled upon the abandon train. The train was packed with 2,500 Jewish prisoners who had been evacuated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp to face execution or death by starvation. Parked on a bridge the Nazi's were ready to blow it up. The American soldiers intervened, and the German SS guards had left the night before. The survivors were free. The soldiers provided immediate food, medical care, and shelter, pulling thousands back from the brink of death. Decades later, Rozell discovered striking liberation photographs in a veteran's collection. He posted them online, sparking an extensive historical investigation that spanned years. I was impressed how a single teacher’s curiosity can rescue a vital piece of history from obscurity and heal generational trauma.
Those interested in real memories of real people who personally experienced what the Holocaust and concentration and termination camps, and the end of a small part of World War II was like, this is the book to read. Deeply researched, with personal interviews, I found the stories of loss, resilience, and reunion profoundly compelling.
November 11, 2016
5stars
I've read and read about the holocaust the last few years. To the point that family and friends have questioned whether or not it's"healthy" to do so. So much death and despair. I've questioned myself as well. But as this book has made me see, I've barely touched on the history of the holocaust or WW2. With the world we live in and political winds shifting so much, it is important to learn and to teach. I loved this book and learned so much more and I would recommend anyone with an interest in this history or someone just stumbling across it to read it cover to cover. Thank you!!
I've read and read about the holocaust the last few years. To the point that family and friends have questioned whether or not it's"healthy" to do so. So much death and despair. I've questioned myself as well. But as this book has made me see, I've barely touched on the history of the holocaust or WW2. With the world we live in and political winds shifting so much, it is important to learn and to teach. I loved this book and learned so much more and I would recommend anyone with an interest in this history or someone just stumbling across it to read it cover to cover. Thank you!!
September 21, 2016
This is a wonderful novel, I stepped outside the YA genre to read it, My favorite WW2 novels are the young adult novels, such as The Book Thief or the emotional rollercoaster, sad, dramatic and amusing Edelweiss Pirates ‘Operation Einstein'.
A Train Near Magdeburg.
Matthew Rozell does a great job describing the horror that the poor Jewish community went through during WW2.
A great novel for history buffs and those interested in the Holocaust and the plight of so many. It breaks down the difference that a little good in some people effect peoples lives for generations to come.
The pictures are amazing many of them I have never seen before, the accounts from many liberators some American will remind you how lucky you are.
A Train Near Magdeburg.
Matthew Rozell does a great job describing the horror that the poor Jewish community went through during WW2.
A great novel for history buffs and those interested in the Holocaust and the plight of so many. It breaks down the difference that a little good in some people effect peoples lives for generations to come.
The pictures are amazing many of them I have never seen before, the accounts from many liberators some American will remind you how lucky you are.
November 22, 2018
There are things to really like about this books and some serious problems with the way it is written. I'll start with the positives. The first person accounts from the survivors of the Holocaust and the American soldiers who found the survivors are deeply moving. The accounts that the survivors tell of seeing the soldiers for the first time are an emotional experience to read. If this book had consisted of only these first person accounts, this would be a five-star book.
Unfortunately, there are two problems with this book. The first is that the writing style is not consistent. Some accounts are presented as diary entries, others are narratives written by the author based on his interviews, and others are presented as the interviews themselves. This disjointed style makes the book feel like an amateur effort, which is something a good editor would have cleaned up to make it a smoother reading experience.
The other problem is that the author inserts himself into the narrative of the Holocaust too much. For example, the section of the book that presents the survivors experiences in the camps contain passages of the author visiting those camps. It's quite jarring to read a horrific passage on the death camps and then suddenly your presented a passage about the author crying with a colleague at the death camp years later. Another example is a section of the book where he literally talks about how he met the survivors and how wrote the book. Again, this pulls away from the emotional impact of the survivor accounts. Finally, the author arranged reunions for the survivors and soldiers (a very noble thing to do), but he decided to print the speeches that they made at the reunions. These speeches contain lots of well-deserved thanks to the author, which would be appropriate at the reunions, but having these reprinted in the book seem a bit egotistical on the author's part. Again, most of these problems could have been avoided if the author had a good editor.
So, is this book worth reading? I think so. The accounts told by the survivors and soldiers are worth reading. However, my recommendation is to start skipping pages when the word "I" appears.
Unfortunately, there are two problems with this book. The first is that the writing style is not consistent. Some accounts are presented as diary entries, others are narratives written by the author based on his interviews, and others are presented as the interviews themselves. This disjointed style makes the book feel like an amateur effort, which is something a good editor would have cleaned up to make it a smoother reading experience.
The other problem is that the author inserts himself into the narrative of the Holocaust too much. For example, the section of the book that presents the survivors experiences in the camps contain passages of the author visiting those camps. It's quite jarring to read a horrific passage on the death camps and then suddenly your presented a passage about the author crying with a colleague at the death camp years later. Another example is a section of the book where he literally talks about how he met the survivors and how wrote the book. Again, this pulls away from the emotional impact of the survivor accounts. Finally, the author arranged reunions for the survivors and soldiers (a very noble thing to do), but he decided to print the speeches that they made at the reunions. These speeches contain lots of well-deserved thanks to the author, which would be appropriate at the reunions, but having these reprinted in the book seem a bit egotistical on the author's part. Again, most of these problems could have been avoided if the author had a good editor.
So, is this book worth reading? I think so. The accounts told by the survivors and soldiers are worth reading. However, my recommendation is to start skipping pages when the word "I" appears.
November 2, 2026
Matthew Rozell in a high school teacher who developed a passion for the holocaust, more specifically with all the people involved in the rescue of 2,500 Jews from a train near Magdeburg, Germany. Rozell collected oral histories and eventually arranged a number of reunions that included the survivors and the US soldiers who found the train and rescued these survivors.
The book is largely the first-person recollections of these individuals. The first half or so of the book tells the story of the of the survivors up to the point they were put on the train, which was then to take them to another camp for them to be killed. Interspersed with these stories are Rozell’s recollections of touring the camps and locations these people came from.
The later parts of the book tell the story of the discovery of the train and liberation of the prisoners from the perspectives of the prisoners and the rescuers. Then it moves on to talk about the reunions, and finally on what should we learn from the holocaust in general.
The stories of these prisoners are horrifying, and the vicious treatment by the Nazis chilling. However, the love and gratitude of the survivors is heartwarming. The humbleness of the military staff was also lovely.
At times, the stories were repetitious, but the consistency of the stories underscores the horrors perpetuated by the Nazis, and the tacit support by the local populations. The flashback/flashforward writing between the 1940’s and Matt Rozell’s seemed a little awkward, however, I cannot suggest better approach.
I was not previously aware of the rescue from this train before Magdeburg before. Matt Rozell did a particularly good job of telling the story, and more importantly was able to get both to reunite the participants and have them share their experiences with high school students and many others. Definitely it is worth reading.
The book is largely the first-person recollections of these individuals. The first half or so of the book tells the story of the of the survivors up to the point they were put on the train, which was then to take them to another camp for them to be killed. Interspersed with these stories are Rozell’s recollections of touring the camps and locations these people came from.
The later parts of the book tell the story of the discovery of the train and liberation of the prisoners from the perspectives of the prisoners and the rescuers. Then it moves on to talk about the reunions, and finally on what should we learn from the holocaust in general.
The stories of these prisoners are horrifying, and the vicious treatment by the Nazis chilling. However, the love and gratitude of the survivors is heartwarming. The humbleness of the military staff was also lovely.
At times, the stories were repetitious, but the consistency of the stories underscores the horrors perpetuated by the Nazis, and the tacit support by the local populations. The flashback/flashforward writing between the 1940’s and Matt Rozell’s seemed a little awkward, however, I cannot suggest better approach.
I was not previously aware of the rescue from this train before Magdeburg before. Matt Rozell did a particularly good job of telling the story, and more importantly was able to get both to reunite the participants and have them share their experiences with high school students and many others. Definitely it is worth reading.
June 10, 2017
I have read countless Holocaust books in my life, but none has effected me quite like this one. Many times did I weep over the simple observations or memories of the victims--the kindness of their soldiers, their first clean toilets, privacy. We just really have no idea! Mr. Rozell's dedication to reuniting these people and telling their stories us such a gift!
October 20, 2016
Thanks
Never heard of this train and I've read many books on the holocaust, thank you for your time on bringing this book forward. It broke my heart but made me happy to read more on the men of our greatest generation.
Never heard of this train and I've read many books on the holocaust, thank you for your time on bringing this book forward. It broke my heart but made me happy to read more on the men of our greatest generation.
August 22, 2018
This is not a review of the story of the survivors and liberators of the death train that provides the title of the book. The story and the people to whom the story belongs are important. The telling of it in this book is poorly done though. The only strength comes from quoting survivors and liberators exactly. However, as the author/compiler inserts himself and his own narration into the story it becomes difficult to follow, and difficult to read.
The Rozell is a history teacher who happened upon this story. He did a lot of research and a lot of good in connecting survivors and liberators. His writing is frustrating at best and atrocious at worst. He vacillates between first person narrative (his own narration and journal entries) and third person narrative, referring to himself as "the author". It gives an air of pretension to his writing that is out of place for the story and subject matter of the book. On top of his narrative switching, the formatting is hard to follow, as he goes from first person accounts of the liberators and survivors back to his own first person narrative.
The organization of information is terrible as well. While Rozell collected a lot of data and information, he does not compile it well. It seems he fell in love with all the data he collected and couldn't bring himself to edit it down, thus dragging out the book. Evidence of this is his inclusion of whole emails, subject line and date. Also, the play-by-play recap of reunions and the transcripts of speeches at these reunions is obnoxious to read. His inclusion of these details serves to insert himself into the narrative and the story.
The last third of the book is about Rozell himself and his research, efforts to organize reunions (which is great and admirable), his school, and his part in all of this. Essentially, this book is about Rozell first, and an event in the Holocaust second. Coupled with a writing style that is the equivalent of a middle school orchestra attempting to play Shostakovitch, I really couldn't stand this book. But I did read the entire thing so I could be entitles to my opinion (and because I do believe the story of the liberation of the train near Magdeburg is an important event that should be recounted).
The Rozell is a history teacher who happened upon this story. He did a lot of research and a lot of good in connecting survivors and liberators. His writing is frustrating at best and atrocious at worst. He vacillates between first person narrative (his own narration and journal entries) and third person narrative, referring to himself as "the author". It gives an air of pretension to his writing that is out of place for the story and subject matter of the book. On top of his narrative switching, the formatting is hard to follow, as he goes from first person accounts of the liberators and survivors back to his own first person narrative.
The organization of information is terrible as well. While Rozell collected a lot of data and information, he does not compile it well. It seems he fell in love with all the data he collected and couldn't bring himself to edit it down, thus dragging out the book. Evidence of this is his inclusion of whole emails, subject line and date. Also, the play-by-play recap of reunions and the transcripts of speeches at these reunions is obnoxious to read. His inclusion of these details serves to insert himself into the narrative and the story.
The last third of the book is about Rozell himself and his research, efforts to organize reunions (which is great and admirable), his school, and his part in all of this. Essentially, this book is about Rozell first, and an event in the Holocaust second. Coupled with a writing style that is the equivalent of a middle school orchestra attempting to play Shostakovitch, I really couldn't stand this book. But I did read the entire thing so I could be entitles to my opinion (and because I do believe the story of the liberation of the train near Magdeburg is an important event that should be recounted).
October 31, 2018
This is a must-read for those who wish to learn about a different piece of the Holocaust. This is a nonfiction book about prisoners in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp who in the final days of WWII were put on a train to be moved (the Nazis were moving prisoners for "extermination" (that word makes my skin crawl) elsewhere. The train was abandoned and American soldiers found the prisoners and took steps to save their lives and keep them safe. The final section of the book is the amazing story of reuniting the soldiers with the Holocaust survivors some 70 years later. One soldier told the survivors when they met and the survivors called them heroes: "You do not owe us. We owe you. We can never repay what was stolen from you – your homes, your possessions, your businesses, your money, your art, your family life, your families, your childhood, your dreams and all your lives."
I know people who do not "like to read" Holocaust books, fiction and non, for various reasons. My rejoinder is that I constantly read about WWII and the Holocaust, plumbing the depths of the abyss that humanity is capable of, not because of a fascination with evil or death, but rather because of the opposite, because of a commitment to humanity. I say this less than a week after the horrific murdering of Jews while they were in a synagogue in Pittsburgh. It happened before; it can happen again. In fact it is happening on a much smaller stage. We need to be educated and watchful about Anti-Semitism that continues and seems to be on the rise. Again.
I know people who do not "like to read" Holocaust books, fiction and non, for various reasons. My rejoinder is that I constantly read about WWII and the Holocaust, plumbing the depths of the abyss that humanity is capable of, not because of a fascination with evil or death, but rather because of the opposite, because of a commitment to humanity. I say this less than a week after the horrific murdering of Jews while they were in a synagogue in Pittsburgh. It happened before; it can happen again. In fact it is happening on a much smaller stage. We need to be educated and watchful about Anti-Semitism that continues and seems to be on the rise. Again.
Want to Read
April 12, 2020Free book
August 28, 2018
I really would like to have rated this book higher. The stories of those who lived through this time deserved to be heard. However, the author wanted his story told more. Even from the beginning when the author said: "Fifteen years after I brought this haunting image to the light of the day..." and goes on to describe how it has been used thanks to him. He recounts the stories of those who survived the ghettos, camps, and battles while also describing his trips, background, and ideas. I don't doubt his passion for the subject or his drive for wanting to teach others, but he did not need to have himself so much in the book.
July 20, 2020
"A Train Near Magdeburg" offers a powerful look at the liberation of 2,500 prisoners from a train leaving Birken-Belsen as told by the prisoners and the liberators. The book started with a picture taken by Major Clarence L. Benjamin. Author Matthew Rozell posted the picture and stories from some of the soldiers who found the train. In time, several of the liberated men and women discovered the website and reached out to the author. This book tells their stories with some first-person and some narrative accounts. Note: the writing style is inconsistent, and it's sometimes hard to know who is talking.
Overall, I am glad I read this book and would recommend it to others who are interested in history, human rights, and stories of hope. I've included a few of my favorite quotes/thoughts below.
"To really understand, one has to know the stories of the individuals who were here. We need the individuals to speak to us. And then, we need to give them the voice that was taken from them."
"I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My request is this--help your children become human."
"Former prisoners (of concentration camps) would say that always within about two weeks, new staff would have overcome any 'cognitive dissonance' that would have prevented them from doing their jobs. They became 'hardened.' They 'got over it.'"
"The atmosphere in class was much divided--like the rest of Hungarian society--between verbal antisemites, sympathizers who didn't act on their beliefs, and the majority who just remained silent. People let Jews be antagonized as long as they themselves were left alone."
"Their silence was a shock that has stayed with me all my life."
"The Almighty shares in our tragedy and is pouring tears of sorrow; He is crying on our behalf."
General Eisenhower: "I want every American unit not actually in the front lines to see this place. We are told that the American soldier does not know what he is fighting for. Now at least, he will know what he is fighting against."
When the train prisoners saw their liberators - "They displayed a facial expression we had all but forgotten existed; they smiled at us." "With their kind devotion toward us they sowed back into our soul the sparks and seeds of human hopes and feelings."
We focus on Hitler because "Perhaps the study in villainy that let the rest of humanity off the hook for the greatest crime in the history of the world."
"Evil happens when good men do nothing."
"The world does not have to be united, and in fact, it never has been and never will be. We argue and we disagree all of the time. That is as it is, and as it should be. At the end of the day, we either kill each other, or we live, and let live. We decide."
"Ask yourself, 'What do you want the world to be?' We are the new witnesses. We bear an awesome responsibility when we become aware, when we teach, when we communicate with others, now, more that ever, what we do matters, especially in entering this world of the Holocaust--because there is no past, and it is never over. We are shaping human beings. We are cultivating humanity. There are always the children, the young; there is hope amidst all the darkness in the world. The tunnel can lead to the light. You decide."
Overall, I am glad I read this book and would recommend it to others who are interested in history, human rights, and stories of hope. I've included a few of my favorite quotes/thoughts below.
"To really understand, one has to know the stories of the individuals who were here. We need the individuals to speak to us. And then, we need to give them the voice that was taken from them."
"I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My request is this--help your children become human."
"Former prisoners (of concentration camps) would say that always within about two weeks, new staff would have overcome any 'cognitive dissonance' that would have prevented them from doing their jobs. They became 'hardened.' They 'got over it.'"
"The atmosphere in class was much divided--like the rest of Hungarian society--between verbal antisemites, sympathizers who didn't act on their beliefs, and the majority who just remained silent. People let Jews be antagonized as long as they themselves were left alone."
"Their silence was a shock that has stayed with me all my life."
"The Almighty shares in our tragedy and is pouring tears of sorrow; He is crying on our behalf."
General Eisenhower: "I want every American unit not actually in the front lines to see this place. We are told that the American soldier does not know what he is fighting for. Now at least, he will know what he is fighting against."
When the train prisoners saw their liberators - "They displayed a facial expression we had all but forgotten existed; they smiled at us." "With their kind devotion toward us they sowed back into our soul the sparks and seeds of human hopes and feelings."
We focus on Hitler because "Perhaps the study in villainy that let the rest of humanity off the hook for the greatest crime in the history of the world."
"Evil happens when good men do nothing."
"The world does not have to be united, and in fact, it never has been and never will be. We argue and we disagree all of the time. That is as it is, and as it should be. At the end of the day, we either kill each other, or we live, and let live. We decide."
"Ask yourself, 'What do you want the world to be?' We are the new witnesses. We bear an awesome responsibility when we become aware, when we teach, when we communicate with others, now, more that ever, what we do matters, especially in entering this world of the Holocaust--because there is no past, and it is never over. We are shaping human beings. We are cultivating humanity. There are always the children, the young; there is hope amidst all the darkness in the world. The tunnel can lead to the light. You decide."
April 25, 2018
A Train Near Magdeburg: The Holocaust, the Survivors, and the American Soldiers Who Saved Them is a non-fiction by Matthew Rozell. This book traces the path that Matthew Rozell took in order to create the project that he had his students do which led to his meeting the American Soldiers who liberated the train near Magdeburg and the men and women they saved from imminent death. It includes first person accounts of what happened before and after the train stopped and the Nazis deserted it. The accounts are powerful and bring forth a plethora of feelings from the reader, some good and some bad. The approach Matthew takes in telling this story is interesting. He includes what is going on at his school and with the reunions, the history of some of the survivors on the train from 1939 to when the train was stopped and includes snippets of his various tours he took to Europe and Israel in search of meaning of the Holocaust for his students today.
Matthew Rozell tells his story in language everyone can understand. Although he isn’t overly graphic in his descriptions, the reader gets a very vivid picture of what is going on in the ghettos, camps, and trains. He doesn’t make the book about him, although the reunions wouldn’t have occurred without him. He allows himself to be under scrutiny as a teacher and as an individual. His obvious devotion to Holocaust Education is evident in his writing. Matthew’s love and admiration of the liberators and the Survivors is evident both in his various studies concerning the Holocaust as well as in the way he describes the Survivors and Liberators and how he has gotten very close to them.
The liberating of the train near Madeburg is one of the more obscure events of the Holocaust. It is one of the lesser known events and one which the world should be made aware of. This is a book which every Holocaust student should read.
Matthew Rozell tells his story in language everyone can understand. Although he isn’t overly graphic in his descriptions, the reader gets a very vivid picture of what is going on in the ghettos, camps, and trains. He doesn’t make the book about him, although the reunions wouldn’t have occurred without him. He allows himself to be under scrutiny as a teacher and as an individual. His obvious devotion to Holocaust Education is evident in his writing. Matthew’s love and admiration of the liberators and the Survivors is evident both in his various studies concerning the Holocaust as well as in the way he describes the Survivors and Liberators and how he has gotten very close to them.
The liberating of the train near Madeburg is one of the more obscure events of the Holocaust. It is one of the lesser known events and one which the world should be made aware of. This is a book which every Holocaust student should read.
February 24, 2021
In July 2001, high school history teacher Matt Rozel initiated a project to create testimonies of World War II veterans, as part of a course to teach history to his students. I find it impossible to write a synopsis of 500 pages of true history. Through his website, Matt was able to locate a certain WWII vet who was urged by his daughter to "tell him about the train". Matt was told of the liberation of boxcars filled with skeletal figures on a railway site near Magdeburg, a city halfway between Berlin and Hannover.
The discovery of this one soldier led him to many more as well as many of the survivors. Their stories are contained in this book as well as those of the soldiers, the beginning of "the final solution, and this earnest plea which should be committed to memory:
"I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness -- gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by education physicians. Infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education. My request is this -- help your children become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths or education Eichmanns. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important only if they service to make our children more human."
I felt the above quotation important as our current educators are sanitizing the history books and this crime against humanity will be forgotten. To not think about what happened is to forget and to forget is as good as saying it did not happen. Never forget.
The discovery of this one soldier led him to many more as well as many of the survivors. Their stories are contained in this book as well as those of the soldiers, the beginning of "the final solution, and this earnest plea which should be committed to memory:
"I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness -- gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by education physicians. Infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education. My request is this -- help your children become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths or education Eichmanns. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important only if they service to make our children more human."
I felt the above quotation important as our current educators are sanitizing the history books and this crime against humanity will be forgotten. To not think about what happened is to forget and to forget is as good as saying it did not happen. Never forget.
March 10, 2026
An amazing true story with a lot of detail. It is separated into the stories of the Holocaust survivors, the story of the soldiers, the battles, the rescue, the reunion.
Some very powerful stuff. Some very horrible stuff and some very wonderful stuff
I have to admit that after reading horrible account over horrible account, I did skim some of the initial stories because the stories were really getting to me. The rest of the stuff was easier to read and eventually inspirational. War is horrible and what people did was horrible. But the appreciation of the people who were rescued and the humbleness of the soldiers that rescued them was a great story.
Some very powerful stuff. Some very horrible stuff and some very wonderful stuff
I have to admit that after reading horrible account over horrible account, I did skim some of the initial stories because the stories were really getting to me. The rest of the stuff was easier to read and eventually inspirational. War is horrible and what people did was horrible. But the appreciation of the people who were rescued and the humbleness of the soldiers that rescued them was a great story.
May 1, 2021
It Must Never Happen Again, Never.
This book was the most personal and real read of the horrors of Nazism I have ever read. The interviews, upon which this book is based, are factual and believable. I have always wondered why more aide/help was not available. It was a tumultuous time for Americans, but how could such horror exist? What an appropriate label "the most horrid event in the history of the world".
This book was the most personal and real read of the horrors of Nazism I have ever read. The interviews, upon which this book is based, are factual and believable. I have always wondered why more aide/help was not available. It was a tumultuous time for Americans, but how could such horror exist? What an appropriate label "the most horrid event in the history of the world".
September 29, 2025
One of the best synopsis of the Holocaust I've read. True tales of those liberated and their liberators. Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. It happened then; it can happen now! It starts with removal of various rights, restricted privileges, and ends with massive deportations. Hopefully, it ends before exterminations start anew. So many world genocides (Germany, Angola, Cambodia, Armenia, and USSR). I think we are slow learners, if at all!
June 2, 2020
Did anything good come from the Holocaust? Yes, our rescuers.
This is the takeaway from Matt Rozell's book. I found out online that they are making a documentary of this. I hope that I am able to watch it. This was a really interesting story about a trainload of Jewish people destined for the crematorium that were set free by a battalion of U.S. soldiers, and the history teacher that brought them together after more that 60 years. It is worth reading for the pictures alone.
This is the takeaway from Matt Rozell's book. I found out online that they are making a documentary of this. I hope that I am able to watch it. This was a really interesting story about a trainload of Jewish people destined for the crematorium that were set free by a battalion of U.S. soldiers, and the history teacher that brought them together after more that 60 years. It is worth reading for the pictures alone.
August 16, 2018
Not the easiest book to read, but sometimes things that are hard are more worthwhile. And in this case, the content here is absolutely invaluable. I am not a fan of the 'holocaust genre' - movies, books, etc. Not because I don't understand the importance of it, but because I read most for enjoyment and frankly, books in this genre are not at all enjoyable. But, this is absolutely an exception and exceptional. Not sure how he did it, but the author, maybe by using the participants' own words or maybe because you know the rest of the story--but however it was done--in a weird way, this book is both a warning against repeating this horrible mistake in history and uplifting and inspirational. But the main thing that I learned is that when we make out the Nazis to be monsters, we discount the possibility of it happening again, whereas the author points out their reality that makes it so much the more important to see that normal people can do monstrous things.
"People did these unspeakable acts to other people. But the ‘monster’ myth is just that. I suppose it is one way of coping with the unthinkable. Let the perpetrators off the hook, in a sense, labeling them ‘monsters,’ not humans capable of deeply evil deeds, and move on. But to me, it kind of absolves them of something. They are not ‘human,’ after all, so what does one expect of them?"
Very timely and relevant to our day.
"People did these unspeakable acts to other people. But the ‘monster’ myth is just that. I suppose it is one way of coping with the unthinkable. Let the perpetrators off the hook, in a sense, labeling them ‘monsters,’ not humans capable of deeply evil deeds, and move on. But to me, it kind of absolves them of something. They are not ‘human,’ after all, so what does one expect of them?"
Very timely and relevant to our day.
November 20, 2018
One of the most important books I've ever read. The first hand knowledge interwoven with the author's passionate tellings of his travels is unforgettable and moving.
July 9, 2021
An incredibly researched book with accounts from survivors and rescuers. A long, painful read (due to the overwhelming accounts of atrocities, knowing this barely touched on them.)
May 25, 2018
Powerful, unique, personal. This book tells the story of this remarkable rescue from the point of view of survivors and liberators. In the end, the author brings members from both groups together. These reunions in the later parts of these people's lives are equally powerful and moving. In the midst of such incomprehensible evil, there is human dignity and kindness.
December 8, 2017
Inspiring
A tremendous amount of work by the author produced a book unlike any I have read. The individual stories are heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. Descriptions of existing, not living, on that train are difficult to absorb without ones heart breaking for these people. Those soldiers who liberated this train were often described as heroes by the one's they liberated. I believe the heroes were the people on the train. Striped of everything and everyone they refused to allow the Nazi's the satisfaction of their dying. The author does a fantastic job on this book. If only there were other people who cared half as much as he does. I congratulate him on a tremendous piece of work and being a wonderful, compassionate, human being.
A tremendous amount of work by the author produced a book unlike any I have read. The individual stories are heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. Descriptions of existing, not living, on that train are difficult to absorb without ones heart breaking for these people. Those soldiers who liberated this train were often described as heroes by the one's they liberated. I believe the heroes were the people on the train. Striped of everything and everyone they refused to allow the Nazi's the satisfaction of their dying. The author does a fantastic job on this book. If only there were other people who cared half as much as he does. I congratulate him on a tremendous piece of work and being a wonderful, compassionate, human being.
July 28, 2017
When I began to read this book, I wasn't sure where this journey would take my soul. Mr. Rozell, I was so intrigued with your research, your writing and the devotion spent in your book. Thank you very much for sharing the feeling of not only the survivors of the train but as well as the liberators. My hand goes out to you and your students for the time and dedication spent in learning of such a drastic history, but one we must never forget.
I enjoy reading WWII books and this one is an excellent written and researched book.
Thank you for putting this book out so that people will not forget what happened during the Holocaust; not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles.
I enjoy reading WWII books and this one is an excellent written and researched book.
Thank you for putting this book out so that people will not forget what happened during the Holocaust; not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles.
December 28, 2017
Thankful
This book was painful with the memories of torture and the indignities suffered by innocents. Yet it was also uplifting to hear about the liberation and the people who helped along the journey. I am full of thankfulness for those who continue to keep the story alive for those who suffered and perished shall never be forgotten.
This book was painful with the memories of torture and the indignities suffered by innocents. Yet it was also uplifting to hear about the liberation and the people who helped along the journey. I am full of thankfulness for those who continue to keep the story alive for those who suffered and perished shall never be forgotten.
October 19, 2016
Different
This book is by no means bad but for me the style of the writing was not good. The story was amazing, how the train was rescued was incredible but I just found it really difficult to focus because of the style used to tell the story.
This book is by no means bad but for me the style of the writing was not good. The story was amazing, how the train was rescued was incredible but I just found it really difficult to focus because of the style used to tell the story.
December 1, 2016
Oh, if I could give this book a million stars, it would NOT be enough. What a thoughtful book written about the Holocaust. So interesting to read survivors' memories and those of the liberating US soldiers. It's going to be a while before this book leaves me.......if it ever does.
May 9, 2017
VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING BOOK
Have visited Bergen Belsen several times. It was near our training area, Bergen Hohne. While serving in northern Germany, in the early 1980's. Unbelievable that such a thing could happen then. But just as unbelievable that it happen again.
Have visited Bergen Belsen several times. It was near our training area, Bergen Hohne. While serving in northern Germany, in the early 1980's. Unbelievable that such a thing could happen then. But just as unbelievable that it happen again.
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