Only My Life: A Survivor's Story

by Louis De Wijze, Kees Van Cadsand

A Holocaust survivor tells how luck and determination kept him alive in the concentration camps, from his association with a Jewish smuggler and his SS officer business partner to his own eventual escape from a death march at the war's end.

Genres: History

183 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1997

Reviews

[Marathon (shadow’s version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The very straightforward style of this book serves it very well. I wish my professor had picked more interesting essay questions because I feel like there was an abundance of interesting things to write about. The theme of Louis' consistent soft spot for children, with Inge and Piszta. How in the firs act Benno is smuggling in league for the SS and later Louis and Herbert aid and travel with the wives of SS members. The continual reiteration of how you can only worry about yourself that is undercut by how often Louis and other characters help each other. I would definitely recommend this if someone is looking to get into holocaust memoirs, it is very easy to read.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of a Jewish Dutchman who was deported to Auschwitz and from there was shifted to multiple other concentration camps and eventually made it home. This survivor’s story is truly sad to read but the courage, quick-thinking and friendships he forged in the camps were crucial to his survival. Many times he could have been killed but luck intervened and his life was spared. Truly an amazing story of survival against all odds.

[Joon Seo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole plot was about a dutchman (the author) who was deported to numerous concentrations camps during 1944 in the end of the second world war and his survival there. Reminded me of the book "Night", another memoir about the Holocaust. Told me once again that I should enjoy the things I have in my life. I though about the genocides occurring still today and how we lack to step up and stop them.

[Cheryl Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking, These bios are never an easy read but I do so because their lives have value, the retelling of horrific crimes, the amazing will to survive. Those who did survive speak not only for themselves but for those who did not survive as well.