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Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust
In June 1944, the Nazis locked eighteen-year-old Dave Hersch into a railroad boxcar and shipped him from his hometown of Dej, Hungary, to Mauthausen Concentration Camp, the harshest, cruellest camp in the Reich. After ten months in the granite mines of Mauthausen’s nearby sub-camp, Gusen, he weighed less than 80lbs, nothing but skin and bones.
Somehow surviving the relentless horrors of these two brutal camps, as Allied forces drew near Dave was forced to join a death march to Gunskirchen Concentration Camp, over thirty miles away. Soon after the start of the march, and more dead than alive, Dave summoned a burst of energy he did not know he had and escaped. Quickly recaptured, he managed to avoid being killed by the guards. Put on another death march a few days later, he achieved the he escaped again.
Dave often told his story of survival and escape, and his son, Jack, thought he knew it well. But years after his father’s death, he came across a photograph of his father on, of all places, the Mauthausen Memorial’s website. It was an image he had never seen before – and it propelled him on an intensely personal journey of discovery.
Using only his father’s words for guidance, Jack takes us along as he flies to Europe to learn the secrets behind the photograph, secrets his father never told of his time in the camps. Beginning in the verdant hills of his father’s Hungarian hometown, we travel with Jack to the foreboding rock mines of Mauthausen and Gusen concentration camps, to the dust-choked roads and intersections of the death marches, and, finally, to the makeshift hiding places of his father’s rescuers. We accompany Jack’s every step as he describes the what his father must have seen and felt while struggling to survive in the most abominable places on earth.
In a warm and emotionally engaging story, Jack digs deeply into both his father’s life and his own, revisiting – and reflecting on – his father’s time at the hands of the Nazis during the last year of the Second World War, when more than mere survival was at stake – the fate of humanity itself hung in the balance.
Somehow surviving the relentless horrors of these two brutal camps, as Allied forces drew near Dave was forced to join a death march to Gunskirchen Concentration Camp, over thirty miles away. Soon after the start of the march, and more dead than alive, Dave summoned a burst of energy he did not know he had and escaped. Quickly recaptured, he managed to avoid being killed by the guards. Put on another death march a few days later, he achieved the he escaped again.
Dave often told his story of survival and escape, and his son, Jack, thought he knew it well. But years after his father’s death, he came across a photograph of his father on, of all places, the Mauthausen Memorial’s website. It was an image he had never seen before – and it propelled him on an intensely personal journey of discovery.
Using only his father’s words for guidance, Jack takes us along as he flies to Europe to learn the secrets behind the photograph, secrets his father never told of his time in the camps. Beginning in the verdant hills of his father’s Hungarian hometown, we travel with Jack to the foreboding rock mines of Mauthausen and Gusen concentration camps, to the dust-choked roads and intersections of the death marches, and, finally, to the makeshift hiding places of his father’s rescuers. We accompany Jack’s every step as he describes the what his father must have seen and felt while struggling to survive in the most abominable places on earth.
In a warm and emotionally engaging story, Jack digs deeply into both his father’s life and his own, revisiting – and reflecting on – his father’s time at the hands of the Nazis during the last year of the Second World War, when more than mere survival was at stake – the fate of humanity itself hung in the balance.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 30, 2018
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January 28, 2019
Title : Death March Escape
By : Jack J Hersch
Genre: Nonfiction :
Biographies & Memoirs ,
Pages: 253
book synopsis :
In June 1944, the Nazis locked eighteen-year-old Dave Hersch into a railroad boxcar and shipped him from his hometown of Dej, Hungary, to Mauthausen Concentration Camp, the harshest, cruellest camp in the Reich. After ten months in the granite mines of Mauthausen's nearby sub-camp, Gusen, he weighed less than 80lbs, nothing but skin and bones.
Somehow surviving the relentless horrors of these two brutal camps, as Allied forces drew near Dave was forced to join a death march to Gunskirchen Concentration Camp, over thirty miles away. Soon after the start of the march, and more dead than alive, Dave summoned a burst of energy he did not know he had and escaped. Quickly recaptured, he managed to avoid being killed by the guards. Put on another death march a few days later, he achieved the impossible: he escaped again.
Dave often told his story of survival and escape, and his son, Jack, thought he knew it well. But years after his father's death, he came across a photograph of his father on, of all places, the Mauthausen Memorial's website. It was an image he had never seen before - and it propelled him on an intensely personal journey of discovery.
My thoughts
rating:5
Would I recommend it : yes
This story was an amazing read from start to finish , it was also an emotional read as well but then again when it comes to nonfiction and especially the ones that are about WWI or WW2 then you know your going to feel the emotions, there was times i had to stop read it not because I wasn't enjoying it or liking it but because of how I felt. This book its just a story about a son loving his father and wanting to understand more about him ,but its also part of his history as well as the history of how the Jews was traded, about family that helped one man , even though it was dangerous , and how one man lost most if not all of his family doing this troubled times, how the Germans would pick and choose who would live and who would did , and especially about the death marches ,and how one man man not only escape from it once but 2 times and lived to pass the story on to his son the author. The story is haunting but its also a story that can not be ignore or forget. And one that needed to be told , With that said I want to thank Netgalley as well as the publishers for letting me read and review it , exchange for my honest opinion.
By : Jack J Hersch
Genre: Nonfiction :
Biographies & Memoirs ,
Pages: 253
book synopsis :
In June 1944, the Nazis locked eighteen-year-old Dave Hersch into a railroad boxcar and shipped him from his hometown of Dej, Hungary, to Mauthausen Concentration Camp, the harshest, cruellest camp in the Reich. After ten months in the granite mines of Mauthausen's nearby sub-camp, Gusen, he weighed less than 80lbs, nothing but skin and bones.
Somehow surviving the relentless horrors of these two brutal camps, as Allied forces drew near Dave was forced to join a death march to Gunskirchen Concentration Camp, over thirty miles away. Soon after the start of the march, and more dead than alive, Dave summoned a burst of energy he did not know he had and escaped. Quickly recaptured, he managed to avoid being killed by the guards. Put on another death march a few days later, he achieved the impossible: he escaped again.
Dave often told his story of survival and escape, and his son, Jack, thought he knew it well. But years after his father's death, he came across a photograph of his father on, of all places, the Mauthausen Memorial's website. It was an image he had never seen before - and it propelled him on an intensely personal journey of discovery.
My thoughts
rating:5
Would I recommend it : yes
This story was an amazing read from start to finish , it was also an emotional read as well but then again when it comes to nonfiction and especially the ones that are about WWI or WW2 then you know your going to feel the emotions, there was times i had to stop read it not because I wasn't enjoying it or liking it but because of how I felt. This book its just a story about a son loving his father and wanting to understand more about him ,but its also part of his history as well as the history of how the Jews was traded, about family that helped one man , even though it was dangerous , and how one man lost most if not all of his family doing this troubled times, how the Germans would pick and choose who would live and who would did , and especially about the death marches ,and how one man man not only escape from it once but 2 times and lived to pass the story on to his son the author. The story is haunting but its also a story that can not be ignore or forget. And one that needed to be told , With that said I want to thank Netgalley as well as the publishers for letting me read and review it , exchange for my honest opinion.
February 5, 2019
Death March Escape (Frontline Books) by Jack J. Hersch is the true, unimaginable story of his father, David Arieh Hersch, who twice escaped death marches during the Nazi Holocaust. It’s the story of David’s countless ailments, emotional torture, other unexplainable horrors and remarkable escapes from the concentration camps.
But it also is the tale of how Jack, having long heard his father’s story of survival and escape, came upon a photograph of his father on the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial’s website — launching him into an all-consuming mission to learn the secrets his father never told him.
Read the full review here: https://booktrib.com/2019/01/death-ma...
But it also is the tale of how Jack, having long heard his father’s story of survival and escape, came upon a photograph of his father on the Mauthausen Concentration Camp Memorial’s website — launching him into an all-consuming mission to learn the secrets his father never told him.
Read the full review here: https://booktrib.com/2019/01/death-ma...
May 1, 2019
A true and incredible story about the struggle to survive during the Holocaust. Amazing how the human mind and body can survive such a journey and tale.
February 27, 2019
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust by Jack J Hersch is a biography of Dave Hersch, the author’s father. This is Mr. Hersch’s first non-fiction book.
After his father passed away, the author realized what many other children of Holocaust survivors found out – they didn’t ask enough questions, or pried for more information. Frankly, it’s not his fault the during the book he kicks himself for it, from personal experience though I found out the Holocaust survivors are not eager to talk about their experiences, and from some reason their children don’t want to know (the grandchildren, however, do).
In Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust by Jack J Hersch the author retraces his father’s footsteps in Europe. Dave Hersch is the only person known to have escaped and survived two death marches.
Mr. Hersch’s story is certainly an amazing one, and certainly deserved its own book (as do many other survivors, and I’m sure many who didn’t survive as well). I fail to comprehend how Dave Hersch survived a year in Mauthausen Concentration Camp, a place which was built specifically as a slave / murder machine.
Dave Hersch told his story of escape to his children every Passover, a holiday celebrating an exodus and survival. As the author found out, his memory sometimes betrayed him and he might have chosen only to tell specific parts – but at least his story was told, passed on to his children and now is here for posterity.
One of the passages that stuck with me was that Dave Hersch told the author that before going to Mauthausen, he was an Auschwitz for 2-3 weeks. When the author investigated further he found that it was actually 2-3 days. How horrible must be a place like that, where every hour seems like a day?
The chapters navigate between telling the experience of Dave Hersch, a short section telling the reader about the war (focusing on Patton’s 3rd Army which liberated Mauthausen), and a chapter of the author’s search, as well as his reflections on what he found out. A remarkable survival story, with a deep, personal narration.
Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust by Jack J Hersch is a biography of Dave Hersch, the author’s father. This is Mr. Hersch’s first non-fiction book.
After his father passed away, the author realized what many other children of Holocaust survivors found out – they didn’t ask enough questions, or pried for more information. Frankly, it’s not his fault the during the book he kicks himself for it, from personal experience though I found out the Holocaust survivors are not eager to talk about their experiences, and from some reason their children don’t want to know (the grandchildren, however, do).
In Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust by Jack J Hersch the author retraces his father’s footsteps in Europe. Dave Hersch is the only person known to have escaped and survived two death marches.
Mr. Hersch’s story is certainly an amazing one, and certainly deserved its own book (as do many other survivors, and I’m sure many who didn’t survive as well). I fail to comprehend how Dave Hersch survived a year in Mauthausen Concentration Camp, a place which was built specifically as a slave / murder machine.
Dave Hersch told his story of escape to his children every Passover, a holiday celebrating an exodus and survival. As the author found out, his memory sometimes betrayed him and he might have chosen only to tell specific parts – but at least his story was told, passed on to his children and now is here for posterity.
One of the passages that stuck with me was that Dave Hersch told the author that before going to Mauthausen, he was an Auschwitz for 2-3 weeks. When the author investigated further he found that it was actually 2-3 days. How horrible must be a place like that, where every hour seems like a day?
The chapters navigate between telling the experience of Dave Hersch, a short section telling the reader about the war (focusing on Patton’s 3rd Army which liberated Mauthausen), and a chapter of the author’s search, as well as his reflections on what he found out. A remarkable survival story, with a deep, personal narration.
June 1, 2019
In June 1944, David Hersch, the author’s father, was sent to KZ Mauthausen, the most brutal concentration camp run by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Enduring extremely harsh conditions and starvation rations, somehow Dave kept up his spirits and manage to escape from not one but two death marches at the end of the war. Finally liberated by the Americans in 1945, Dave weighed just half what he had the year before.
Jack had heard his father’s stories his entire life, especially during the Seder meal. But he hadn’t really delved too deeply into his experiences at Mauthausen, and just let his father talk. After his father’s death, however, his cousin alerted Jack that Dave’s photo was on the website of the Mauthausen Memorial website. It was then that Jack realized that his dad was unique and special, and he made it his mission to find out exactly what his father had endured.
This book isn’t just a retelling of what Jack’s father had gone through in the terrifying year that he spent at the Mauthausen complex; it’s also a love letter of sorts to his father, trying to comprehend how exactly Dave had never let his spirits flag for too long as a method of survival. Jack heads to Austria himself to retrace the two escapes that his father made, and finds the home of the couple that sheltered him after his escape. Jack’s return to the scenes of his father’s incarceration at the camp brings it vividly to the reader as well, and the photos he took while there adds so much to his narrative.
This is a unique book among Holocaust books. I’m not sure I’ve read another one that looks so closely at a parent’s time in the camps. This is such an important topic, and this book really makes the reader aware of the terrors that Holocaust survivors had to endure on a daily basis.
Highly recommended.
Jack had heard his father’s stories his entire life, especially during the Seder meal. But he hadn’t really delved too deeply into his experiences at Mauthausen, and just let his father talk. After his father’s death, however, his cousin alerted Jack that Dave’s photo was on the website of the Mauthausen Memorial website. It was then that Jack realized that his dad was unique and special, and he made it his mission to find out exactly what his father had endured.
This book isn’t just a retelling of what Jack’s father had gone through in the terrifying year that he spent at the Mauthausen complex; it’s also a love letter of sorts to his father, trying to comprehend how exactly Dave had never let his spirits flag for too long as a method of survival. Jack heads to Austria himself to retrace the two escapes that his father made, and finds the home of the couple that sheltered him after his escape. Jack’s return to the scenes of his father’s incarceration at the camp brings it vividly to the reader as well, and the photos he took while there adds so much to his narrative.
This is a unique book among Holocaust books. I’m not sure I’ve read another one that looks so closely at a parent’s time in the camps. This is such an important topic, and this book really makes the reader aware of the terrors that Holocaust survivors had to endure on a daily basis.
Highly recommended.
January 21, 2019
The author is the son of a Jew survivor of the concentration camp. The survivor is his father who escaped twice from the Nazis, which is very rare.
I really enjoyed the book; however, I was seeking for specific details. The author tells the story of father and retraces his father's story to walk where his father walked. Throughout the reading, I can feel how much he honors his father.
What I got out of the book was how honorable and brave his father was in enduring the suffering that fell upon him.
I really enjoyed the book; however, I was seeking for specific details. The author tells the story of father and retraces his father's story to walk where his father walked. Throughout the reading, I can feel how much he honors his father.
What I got out of the book was how honorable and brave his father was in enduring the suffering that fell upon him.
May 26, 2019
Should be on the bookshelf of anyone who has an abiding interest in Holocaust accounts.
May 2, 2024
I read this book after reading another book about the Holocaust. At the end of that book, the author recommended reading this book. The author of this book was the son of a Holocaust survivor. He tells the story of his dad and what he went through during the war. In between he added several chapters about how the war was being fought, which I thought was a great idea. It gave a better look on how the war was going as his dad was imprisoned. His dad managed to survive the war. He spent most of his time at Mauthausen in Austria, which was one of the worst camps.
He talks about how his dad would tell him about his experiences during his imprisonment. After his dad died, he felt a need to go back to where his father was held. Most of the story takes place of him visiting the different sites. Pretty interesting!
He talks about how his dad would tell him about his experiences during his imprisonment. After his dad died, he felt a need to go back to where his father was held. Most of the story takes place of him visiting the different sites. Pretty interesting!
January 19, 2019
It is rare that I read nonfiction. It is even rarer that I review it. I do make an exception for anything written about WW2 and the Holocaust. When I was approached by the publisher to review Death March Escape, I accepted without hesitation.
This book was haunting. Excellent but haunting. The author did a fantastic job of telling the story of his father’s escapes from 2 different points of views. The first being his father’s point of view. The second being his. Jack’s story was intertwined with his father. He would write about the Seder where his father told him the story of his escapes. Then he would write about what he did. His journey to Mauthausen and Gusen. His following of his father’s escape routes. It was amazing to read. I don’t like it when a book does that. But, in this book, it worked.
There are some brutal scenes in this book. This book will make you cry. From the minute Jack’s father is separated from his mother to the scene where he is liberated, I cried. Like Jack, I did wonder at how this 17/18-year-old boy survived mentally. Like Jack, I came to the conclusion that he had to disassociate from everything that he was seeing/experiencing. That is the only way he survived.
I also had tears during Jack’s part of the book. He had grown up with tales of his father’s imprisonment. It wasn’t until he actually went to Mauthausen and Gusen that he understood exactly what his father went through. Those were some of the toughest scenes to read. Knowing what he did, seeing the concentration camps and then realizing that his father glossed over what happened. My heart broke for him.
This was not an easy book to read. Nothing that is written about the Holocaust is. But, it needs to be read. That way future generations can learn.
I would give Death March Escape an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is some mild language. There are trigger warnings. They would be concentration camps, separation of family, the death of parents, the death of siblings and extreme cruelty. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Death March Escape. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.
I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Death March Escape.
All opinions stated in this review of Death March Escape are mine.
This book was haunting. Excellent but haunting. The author did a fantastic job of telling the story of his father’s escapes from 2 different points of views. The first being his father’s point of view. The second being his. Jack’s story was intertwined with his father. He would write about the Seder where his father told him the story of his escapes. Then he would write about what he did. His journey to Mauthausen and Gusen. His following of his father’s escape routes. It was amazing to read. I don’t like it when a book does that. But, in this book, it worked.
There are some brutal scenes in this book. This book will make you cry. From the minute Jack’s father is separated from his mother to the scene where he is liberated, I cried. Like Jack, I did wonder at how this 17/18-year-old boy survived mentally. Like Jack, I came to the conclusion that he had to disassociate from everything that he was seeing/experiencing. That is the only way he survived.
I also had tears during Jack’s part of the book. He had grown up with tales of his father’s imprisonment. It wasn’t until he actually went to Mauthausen and Gusen that he understood exactly what his father went through. Those were some of the toughest scenes to read. Knowing what he did, seeing the concentration camps and then realizing that his father glossed over what happened. My heart broke for him.
This was not an easy book to read. Nothing that is written about the Holocaust is. But, it needs to be read. That way future generations can learn.
I would give Death March Escape an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is some mild language. There are trigger warnings. They would be concentration camps, separation of family, the death of parents, the death of siblings and extreme cruelty. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Death March Escape. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.
I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Death March Escape.
All opinions stated in this review of Death March Escape are mine.
April 5, 2019
It is with great reluctance that I give this book only 3 stars. I have great respect for the story, the author’s dedicated research and the desire to share such an incredible tale of survival. I believe that the holocaust cannot be documented enough, too few stories of survivors exist – and every year that passes, every survivor that dies, the stories become, most regrettably, lost to time. With that being said, the construction and arrangement of the 2 accounts in the book made it difficult to maintain interest. The book was more than just a survivor’s account; it was the son’s journey to fill in the blanks between the “highlights” which his father did share with him while he was alive. Unfortunately, by the time the son sought to fill in the blanks, his ultimate source of information, his father, had passed. What results are 2 stories – one is the main subject of the book, David Hersch and the other is the son/author’s pursuit to find out more about his father’s history. However, the father’s narrative lost momentum when it was broken up after each chapter by the son’s recounting of his own research, feelings and suppositions. I felt like I was reading 2 books shuffled and interspersed into one, which unfortunately served only to break up the survivor’s recounting – despite it being a good story, one that should be shared, it was dropped and picked up again too many times, effectively losing the natural momentum a one perspective account could have achieved. However, I am aware that many loved the book for that very reason, the co-narrative, so I would encourage readers to give the book a try – as many would strongly disagree with my assessment.
April 12, 2020
Jack Hersch's father Dave was a prisoner in WWII concentration camp. Jack's father shares his story with him while growing up. It is not until his father's death that Jack travels to Austria and writes about his father's life. The story is well written and the reader will learn a lot about the mean things that went on in this concentration camp. I felt sad for the son who seems to keep the spotlight more on his emotions, thoughts, worries, and travel while investigating his father's life. It had to be hard to relate these stories to the reader but the holocaust is something that should never be forgotten. I am glad he wrote about it so future generations will not either.
December 20, 2018
Death March Escape: The Remarkable Story of a Man Who Twice Escaped the Nazi Holocaust
by Jack J Hersch
When Jack Hersch discovered his father had a past that he did not fully understand, he also discovered that he had a past he had never known about, as well. There were parts of his life that David Hersch had kept from his son, like a trip back to the scene of the crime, Austria, so that he could revisit his Holocaust experiences. When Jack’s Israeli cousin called him to tell him that there was a picture of his dad, as a young man, on the Mauthausen Concentration Camp website, he was utterly shocked. Recently divorced, with children who were no longer living under his roof, he now had the time to look further into his father’s life and to seriously wonder about why he never thought to do it while his dad was alive and could have filled in the blanks.
Every year on Passover, his dad had told the story of his two escapes from Hitler’s death marches as the war was nearing an end. Every year, Jack failed to ask him for more complete details. As David told the story of the changes that had taken place in his home town before his imprisonment, and then the subsequent story of his life after he became a captive and was reduced to skin and bones, his father managed to see the bright side and ever be grateful to those who gave him his “second chances” to survive another day, to survive so he could tell his story, so he could survive, become successful, marry and have a family. He always had a gleam in his eye and a chuckle on his lips. Now that the time was available, his curiosity piqued, and Jack was finally inspired to discover more about his father.
As Jack Hersch begins his attempt to trace his father’s steps during the war and to learn more about his life then, he also begins to look within himself, as well. Why was he never more interested in his father’s story? Why did his father not tell him the complete story of his life? He had always said, “You should never know”, when he told of some of his experiences. Did he mean that he should never know about it literally or figuratively? Why didn’t his father ask him to accompany him back to Europe? How did his father manage to always keep a stiff upper lip and an optimistic outlook after all he had been through? He wondered if he would he have had the same courage to survive, the same will to live?
As I read, I felt that the book was more about Jack, the son, than David, the father. It seemed to me that Jack was searching for more than his father’s story. He was searching for his own inner strength, wondering if he could have survived the horrors that his father did and wondering if he would have had the same outlook and attitude after it was over. Would he have also felt gratitude rather than bitterness?
I did learn a great deal about the experiences of the victims, Jew and non-Jew, but it was repetitive. The book was told in three different voices. One was the history of the war and some battles during the time David was first taken captive. It then covers a good deal of supposition about his experiences as Jack traces his steps to find out more and intuits from what he discovers. Then it covers what little is truly known about David Hersch’s experiences from the information he had freely discussed during his lifetime and from Jack’s conversations with people who lived in the same places he had been in and who knew some of the same people he had known. There were no direct connections, however, so much was conjecture and was based on Jack’s intuition as he visited the places his father had and experienced what he believed his father had. He had to work through memories of the past, the thoughts of those few still alive and those still interested in the history in order to sift through and understand the information as it related to our present day world.
Because of the way it was written, from the point of view the father, the son and the history, it was repetitive. At times, I felt overwhelmed by Jack’s philosophy about his father’s behavior, and Jack’s search for redemption from his father for not having pursued the information about his life more carefully, for not having cared enough to find out in a more timely fashion. In the end, though, he kind of believes that his dad didn’t really want him to know more. I feel that Jack’s reticence was a failure to care enough, or else was his successful attempt to escape from being the child of a Holocaust victim, It is well known that they have their own kind of suffering and burdens to carry. Hopefully, the book will bring Jack peace.
In the Advanced Reader’s Copy that I received from Meryl Moss Media, there were no photos, illustrations or maps. I am pretty sure that they can only enhance the book. There is always more information out there about that heinous time, and no matter how much one reads, there is always something else to learn. There is always an example of courage in the face of the brutality, of kindness in the face of the selfishness, of strength of character in the face of the weakness of the enemy’s character and those that followed Hitler. It is my belief that it is only through this knowledge of the past that the future can be protected from a recurrence. I find it disappointing when some voice their belief that they know enough. It will never be enough until there is no hate.
by Jack J Hersch
When Jack Hersch discovered his father had a past that he did not fully understand, he also discovered that he had a past he had never known about, as well. There were parts of his life that David Hersch had kept from his son, like a trip back to the scene of the crime, Austria, so that he could revisit his Holocaust experiences. When Jack’s Israeli cousin called him to tell him that there was a picture of his dad, as a young man, on the Mauthausen Concentration Camp website, he was utterly shocked. Recently divorced, with children who were no longer living under his roof, he now had the time to look further into his father’s life and to seriously wonder about why he never thought to do it while his dad was alive and could have filled in the blanks.
Every year on Passover, his dad had told the story of his two escapes from Hitler’s death marches as the war was nearing an end. Every year, Jack failed to ask him for more complete details. As David told the story of the changes that had taken place in his home town before his imprisonment, and then the subsequent story of his life after he became a captive and was reduced to skin and bones, his father managed to see the bright side and ever be grateful to those who gave him his “second chances” to survive another day, to survive so he could tell his story, so he could survive, become successful, marry and have a family. He always had a gleam in his eye and a chuckle on his lips. Now that the time was available, his curiosity piqued, and Jack was finally inspired to discover more about his father.
As Jack Hersch begins his attempt to trace his father’s steps during the war and to learn more about his life then, he also begins to look within himself, as well. Why was he never more interested in his father’s story? Why did his father not tell him the complete story of his life? He had always said, “You should never know”, when he told of some of his experiences. Did he mean that he should never know about it literally or figuratively? Why didn’t his father ask him to accompany him back to Europe? How did his father manage to always keep a stiff upper lip and an optimistic outlook after all he had been through? He wondered if he would he have had the same courage to survive, the same will to live?
As I read, I felt that the book was more about Jack, the son, than David, the father. It seemed to me that Jack was searching for more than his father’s story. He was searching for his own inner strength, wondering if he could have survived the horrors that his father did and wondering if he would have had the same outlook and attitude after it was over. Would he have also felt gratitude rather than bitterness?
I did learn a great deal about the experiences of the victims, Jew and non-Jew, but it was repetitive. The book was told in three different voices. One was the history of the war and some battles during the time David was first taken captive. It then covers a good deal of supposition about his experiences as Jack traces his steps to find out more and intuits from what he discovers. Then it covers what little is truly known about David Hersch’s experiences from the information he had freely discussed during his lifetime and from Jack’s conversations with people who lived in the same places he had been in and who knew some of the same people he had known. There were no direct connections, however, so much was conjecture and was based on Jack’s intuition as he visited the places his father had and experienced what he believed his father had. He had to work through memories of the past, the thoughts of those few still alive and those still interested in the history in order to sift through and understand the information as it related to our present day world.
Because of the way it was written, from the point of view the father, the son and the history, it was repetitive. At times, I felt overwhelmed by Jack’s philosophy about his father’s behavior, and Jack’s search for redemption from his father for not having pursued the information about his life more carefully, for not having cared enough to find out in a more timely fashion. In the end, though, he kind of believes that his dad didn’t really want him to know more. I feel that Jack’s reticence was a failure to care enough, or else was his successful attempt to escape from being the child of a Holocaust victim, It is well known that they have their own kind of suffering and burdens to carry. Hopefully, the book will bring Jack peace.
In the Advanced Reader’s Copy that I received from Meryl Moss Media, there were no photos, illustrations or maps. I am pretty sure that they can only enhance the book. There is always more information out there about that heinous time, and no matter how much one reads, there is always something else to learn. There is always an example of courage in the face of the brutality, of kindness in the face of the selfishness, of strength of character in the face of the weakness of the enemy’s character and those that followed Hitler. It is my belief that it is only through this knowledge of the past that the future can be protected from a recurrence. I find it disappointing when some voice their belief that they know enough. It will never be enough until there is no hate.
January 28, 2019
Death March
noun
A death march is a forced march of prisoners of war or other captives or deportees in which individuals are left to die along the way.
Eighteen-year-old Dave Hersch was one among the thousands of Jews who were coerced to make the 30 mile 'Death March' to a concentration camp by the ruthless Nazis in the early 1940s. True to its name, the march was yet another devious scheme invented by the Nazis to minimize the Jew population by subjecting them to a walk, long enough to drain the Jews of Energy and life. If the Nazis notice even the slightest hint of tiredness from the marchers, it was more than enough for them to put a bullet in their heads. Running away was not even an option to be considered. But then there was Dave Hersch, a gritty young Jew who cheated death by managing to give the Nazis the slip not once but twice. Trust me, that wasn't all. Death March was nothing but one among the countless schemes devised by Nazis to kill Jews. There were far worse methods they employed, things which people of the current generation have absolutely no idea about. From Being put up at Mauthausen Concentration Camp, one of the cruelest Nazi camps, Dave had seen and gone through whatever death seeking measures that the Nazis inflicted on the Jews.
'Death March Escape' is a true account of the life of Dave Hersch, a gritty young Jew, who was one of those rarest of rarest souls to escape from the grasps of the Nazis during the Second World War.
For someone who has never read a Historical Non-Fiction book before, this one literally blew my mind.
It was hard for me to follow the narrative initially due to the huge dosage of information that reeked from every page. But once I got the hang of it, I couldn't put the book down. Each and every piece of info was unheard of and fed my curiosity's never-ending appetite. The way the Jews were treated, calling it 'Cruel' would be a mere understatement. Even as a reader, reading about all those horrendous happenings, it was hard for me to digest. I can't fathom how Dave or the fellow Jews went through such pain and heartbreak without succumbing to death.
Here is the best part, the entire book was written by Jack Hersch, who is none other than the son of the 'Man who cheated Death' - Dave Hersch. It all started when Jack received a call from his cousin who discovers Dave's photograph being displayed in Mauthausen Memorial's website. Confused at first, Jack starts to dig deeper to find the source of the photo, an action that later transformed into a full-fledged quest to trace the journey of his late father. He follows the footsteps of his father by visiting the exact places where his father had set foot. The Narrative is quite interesting as the author alternates between the reality and the past giving us a clear picture of how the abandoned, wrecked buildings/establishments of today were once the most horrendous places for a human to be in. The hardships and struggle Dave underwent, the kind of life he lived, serves as a great source of inspiration not only for his son but also for me, as a reader.
To sum it all up, 'Death March Escape' was an emotional and a deeply riveting read.
noun
A death march is a forced march of prisoners of war or other captives or deportees in which individuals are left to die along the way.
Eighteen-year-old Dave Hersch was one among the thousands of Jews who were coerced to make the 30 mile 'Death March' to a concentration camp by the ruthless Nazis in the early 1940s. True to its name, the march was yet another devious scheme invented by the Nazis to minimize the Jew population by subjecting them to a walk, long enough to drain the Jews of Energy and life. If the Nazis notice even the slightest hint of tiredness from the marchers, it was more than enough for them to put a bullet in their heads. Running away was not even an option to be considered. But then there was Dave Hersch, a gritty young Jew who cheated death by managing to give the Nazis the slip not once but twice. Trust me, that wasn't all. Death March was nothing but one among the countless schemes devised by Nazis to kill Jews. There were far worse methods they employed, things which people of the current generation have absolutely no idea about. From Being put up at Mauthausen Concentration Camp, one of the cruelest Nazi camps, Dave had seen and gone through whatever death seeking measures that the Nazis inflicted on the Jews.
'Death March Escape' is a true account of the life of Dave Hersch, a gritty young Jew, who was one of those rarest of rarest souls to escape from the grasps of the Nazis during the Second World War.
For someone who has never read a Historical Non-Fiction book before, this one literally blew my mind.
It was hard for me to follow the narrative initially due to the huge dosage of information that reeked from every page. But once I got the hang of it, I couldn't put the book down. Each and every piece of info was unheard of and fed my curiosity's never-ending appetite. The way the Jews were treated, calling it 'Cruel' would be a mere understatement. Even as a reader, reading about all those horrendous happenings, it was hard for me to digest. I can't fathom how Dave or the fellow Jews went through such pain and heartbreak without succumbing to death.
Here is the best part, the entire book was written by Jack Hersch, who is none other than the son of the 'Man who cheated Death' - Dave Hersch. It all started when Jack received a call from his cousin who discovers Dave's photograph being displayed in Mauthausen Memorial's website. Confused at first, Jack starts to dig deeper to find the source of the photo, an action that later transformed into a full-fledged quest to trace the journey of his late father. He follows the footsteps of his father by visiting the exact places where his father had set foot. The Narrative is quite interesting as the author alternates between the reality and the past giving us a clear picture of how the abandoned, wrecked buildings/establishments of today were once the most horrendous places for a human to be in. The hardships and struggle Dave underwent, the kind of life he lived, serves as a great source of inspiration not only for his son but also for me, as a reader.
To sum it all up, 'Death March Escape' was an emotional and a deeply riveting read.
September 15, 2024
Just toput this into a bit of context I bought this book at KZ Mauthausen when I visited in August. I did not go to the KZ Gusen memorial because virtually our whole day had been spent at Mauthausen.
This is the fascinating story aboyr the author's father how survived a year in the worst labour camps in the Nazi empire - a labour camp being significantly different to the Death camps such as Auscwitz although the end result for prisoners was often the same. It is also the fascinating story of how the author found the places of so central to his father's two escapes from Death Marches in April 1945.
It is also about guilt, the author's guilt that he had not probed more year after year at Seder when his father told the story of his year in the system leaving much unsaid. It was the author's cousin who spotted a photo of David Hersch on the KZ website that triggered the search that triggered all of this and left Jack Hersch realising how little he had probed and how little he knew.
I understand the gaps. It has taken me near fifty years to discover with fair certainty who my grandfather was, a name to fill the partwith a dash under "name and occupation of father" on my father's birth certificate. I therefore caan begin to finally unravel the true appallingness of my father's childhood. Not that it compares with the experience of David Hersch.
A lot to be fascinated by in thiss book. Why then only three stars. Because it made me angry. Angry at the lack of interest he had taken and angry at the lashing out that comes through when Jack makes the journey and finds houses built on the site of Gusen. Why he asks have not these sites been kept forever intact? How dare these Austrians build on ground that should be held sacred.
They are good questions and also show an ignorance of the postwar European experinece. A wrecked continent on its knees whilst the US emerged from the war with its economy stronger. Massive lack of housing and an Austria occupied and full of refugees from the east. If you were unlucky enough to be liberated by the Russians and you were German or Austrian it would be worse - especially for the women and girls. The Soviets built no memorials to the Jewish dead, not even their own.
I was also irritated, I must admit by the lauding of the US Army that found and looked after David Hersch. Another paeon to Patton who may have been the best US fighting general in the West but that wasn't a high bar especially when the speed at which he drove through large parts of France reflects the fact that most of the Germans were fighting the British, Canadians and Poles further north.
I digress a fraction. The heart of this book is brilliant in the story telling of David's year and the unravelling of the past. Perhaps it is also about Jack's guilt and anger but that guilt and anger seems less resolved and unsatisfactory. Was the book written for David or for Jack?
Might I recommend to Jack that he visits the Jewish memorial in Vienna. It is the only memorial I have yet seen that points out that many citizens of Austria were complicit or active in the Shoah.
This is the fascinating story aboyr the author's father how survived a year in the worst labour camps in the Nazi empire - a labour camp being significantly different to the Death camps such as Auscwitz although the end result for prisoners was often the same. It is also the fascinating story of how the author found the places of so central to his father's two escapes from Death Marches in April 1945.
It is also about guilt, the author's guilt that he had not probed more year after year at Seder when his father told the story of his year in the system leaving much unsaid. It was the author's cousin who spotted a photo of David Hersch on the KZ website that triggered the search that triggered all of this and left Jack Hersch realising how little he had probed and how little he knew.
I understand the gaps. It has taken me near fifty years to discover with fair certainty who my grandfather was, a name to fill the partwith a dash under "name and occupation of father" on my father's birth certificate. I therefore caan begin to finally unravel the true appallingness of my father's childhood. Not that it compares with the experience of David Hersch.
A lot to be fascinated by in thiss book. Why then only three stars. Because it made me angry. Angry at the lack of interest he had taken and angry at the lashing out that comes through when Jack makes the journey and finds houses built on the site of Gusen. Why he asks have not these sites been kept forever intact? How dare these Austrians build on ground that should be held sacred.
They are good questions and also show an ignorance of the postwar European experinece. A wrecked continent on its knees whilst the US emerged from the war with its economy stronger. Massive lack of housing and an Austria occupied and full of refugees from the east. If you were unlucky enough to be liberated by the Russians and you were German or Austrian it would be worse - especially for the women and girls. The Soviets built no memorials to the Jewish dead, not even their own.
I was also irritated, I must admit by the lauding of the US Army that found and looked after David Hersch. Another paeon to Patton who may have been the best US fighting general in the West but that wasn't a high bar especially when the speed at which he drove through large parts of France reflects the fact that most of the Germans were fighting the British, Canadians and Poles further north.
I digress a fraction. The heart of this book is brilliant in the story telling of David's year and the unravelling of the past. Perhaps it is also about Jack's guilt and anger but that guilt and anger seems less resolved and unsatisfactory. Was the book written for David or for Jack?
Might I recommend to Jack that he visits the Jewish memorial in Vienna. It is the only memorial I have yet seen that points out that many citizens of Austria were complicit or active in the Shoah.
March 6, 2019
The full title reads - Death March Escape: The remarkable story of a man who twice escaped the Nazi Holocaust.
I would say “remarkable” is an understatement in this context. There have only been a handful of recorded cases of prisoners escaping from concentration camps during WWII and not all of those who managed to escape, ever made it to freedom. Many were hunted down, found and killed; many perished on their own, without food and shelter.
Which is why the story of David Hersch, a man who escaped a death march - got captured but somehow not killed - then escaped again - was taken in by kind and courageous people - and lived to tell his tale… is unbelievable!
And yet that is the story we are fortunate to read in this amazing book. I was going to say “wonderful”, but I’m always hesitant to use such words when talking about horrific events. Yet Jack Hersch, David’s son, wrote a truly wonderful book, in the way that it tells the full story without skipping details or minimizing the horror, yet it’s almost a light read. In other words, you can read this book and still sleep well at night, compared to reading some other books on the subject that leave you with nightmares for days and nights to come.
I loved the way that the book was framed as both the story of David’s life and time in the camps, but also as Jack reconnecting with his father. In fact, the idea of writing the book came to Jack after he happened upon a photograph of his father on the memorial website for the Mauthausen concentration camp. A photograph that Jack had never seen before, of a man who used to be his father before the horrors of WWII. This discovery prompted Jack on a quest to find out as much as he could about David Hersch, and in a way to find out more about himself.
I highly recommend this book to a variety of people! If you’re interested in WWII - this book is for you. If you’re interested in the Holocaust but are afraid of the more harrowing stories - this book is for you. If you’re interested in stories about the strength of the human spirit - this book is for you. If you’re interested in stories of survival against unimaginable odds - this book is for you.
Finally, if you’ve ever wondered if your family has any secrets or fascinating tales to tell - this book is definitely for you, as it will spark curiosity in you to find out more about your own family.
I would say “remarkable” is an understatement in this context. There have only been a handful of recorded cases of prisoners escaping from concentration camps during WWII and not all of those who managed to escape, ever made it to freedom. Many were hunted down, found and killed; many perished on their own, without food and shelter.
Which is why the story of David Hersch, a man who escaped a death march - got captured but somehow not killed - then escaped again - was taken in by kind and courageous people - and lived to tell his tale… is unbelievable!
And yet that is the story we are fortunate to read in this amazing book. I was going to say “wonderful”, but I’m always hesitant to use such words when talking about horrific events. Yet Jack Hersch, David’s son, wrote a truly wonderful book, in the way that it tells the full story without skipping details or minimizing the horror, yet it’s almost a light read. In other words, you can read this book and still sleep well at night, compared to reading some other books on the subject that leave you with nightmares for days and nights to come.
I loved the way that the book was framed as both the story of David’s life and time in the camps, but also as Jack reconnecting with his father. In fact, the idea of writing the book came to Jack after he happened upon a photograph of his father on the memorial website for the Mauthausen concentration camp. A photograph that Jack had never seen before, of a man who used to be his father before the horrors of WWII. This discovery prompted Jack on a quest to find out as much as he could about David Hersch, and in a way to find out more about himself.
I highly recommend this book to a variety of people! If you’re interested in WWII - this book is for you. If you’re interested in the Holocaust but are afraid of the more harrowing stories - this book is for you. If you’re interested in stories about the strength of the human spirit - this book is for you. If you’re interested in stories of survival against unimaginable odds - this book is for you.
Finally, if you’ve ever wondered if your family has any secrets or fascinating tales to tell - this book is definitely for you, as it will spark curiosity in you to find out more about your own family.
May 4, 2019
Written by his son, Jack, this book starts with Jack visiting KZ Mauthausen to retrace the steps of his father, Dave, in 1944 when he entered the camp as a 160lb, 18 year old. How had this search begun? Jack's Israeli cousin, Vivian, had called Jack in 2007 to inform him that his dad was on the Mauthausen website.
Unlike many other survivors, Dave (David) like to tell his story but did he tell it all? He was a man of many smiles and jokes. Jack, however, had never seen the picture of his father on the internet before. How had the museum obtained it? What Jack didn't know was that his now deceased father had returned to Mauthausen in 1997 on his way to Israel? Why had Dave never told Jack? Was he trying to protect his son from the true horrors of what he went through?
Whilst this book is VERY well-written, due to the nature of the search etc. along with hearing Dave's story and the path the allied forces in WWII took to ensure freedom, the story is not in chronological order. There are essentially three stories being told so you do need to have the ability to jump into different scenes and times from chapter to chapter.
Late in 1943 a Nazi soldier warned the family to leave their home of Dej, Hungary. Why did the family or many others like them not take heed? Sadly on June 6th, 1944 David Hersch and his family were being escorted to Birkenau whilst allied forces were landing in Normandy - D-Day. Very interesting to read the parallel happenings on the same timeline. What do you do when one of the kapo's wants you dead? Chapter 33 will tell you how Dave survived against all odds. No fun being hit with a 2x4! Not only that, Dave managed to survive much, much more.
DON'T MISS reading the footnotes as they are also very informational. Does the author have regrets? Yes, and he openly shares those. He believes his dad only shared maybe two percent of how bad life in the camp was really like. There are two sections of photographs helping the reader see some of what the author discovered.
This is an INCREDIBLE book, one that we should take lessons from. History is raw and not always pleasant but let's learn from it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Yes, I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher but no, that has not influenced my review. Thanks, Liz
Unlike many other survivors, Dave (David) like to tell his story but did he tell it all? He was a man of many smiles and jokes. Jack, however, had never seen the picture of his father on the internet before. How had the museum obtained it? What Jack didn't know was that his now deceased father had returned to Mauthausen in 1997 on his way to Israel? Why had Dave never told Jack? Was he trying to protect his son from the true horrors of what he went through?
Whilst this book is VERY well-written, due to the nature of the search etc. along with hearing Dave's story and the path the allied forces in WWII took to ensure freedom, the story is not in chronological order. There are essentially three stories being told so you do need to have the ability to jump into different scenes and times from chapter to chapter.
Late in 1943 a Nazi soldier warned the family to leave their home of Dej, Hungary. Why did the family or many others like them not take heed? Sadly on June 6th, 1944 David Hersch and his family were being escorted to Birkenau whilst allied forces were landing in Normandy - D-Day. Very interesting to read the parallel happenings on the same timeline. What do you do when one of the kapo's wants you dead? Chapter 33 will tell you how Dave survived against all odds. No fun being hit with a 2x4! Not only that, Dave managed to survive much, much more.
DON'T MISS reading the footnotes as they are also very informational. Does the author have regrets? Yes, and he openly shares those. He believes his dad only shared maybe two percent of how bad life in the camp was really like. There are two sections of photographs helping the reader see some of what the author discovered.
This is an INCREDIBLE book, one that we should take lessons from. History is raw and not always pleasant but let's learn from it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Yes, I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher but no, that has not influenced my review. Thanks, Liz
March 12, 2019
Death March Escape - Written by Jack Hersch
Facing death how could you not try to escape anyway, anytime possible!!!
Dave often told his story of survival and escape, and his son, Jack, thought he knew it well. But years after his father’s death, he came across a photograph of his father on, of all places, the Mauthausen Memorial’s website. It was an image he had never seen before – and it propelled him on an intensely personal journey of discovery.
What did I like? I was very touched by this book. My family had no connection with the camps and that side of things but my dad was there and saw the aftermath of graves with the bodies partial covered. I remember coming across photos that he had brought back with him that were horrible. I asked him why and he said that he never wanted to forget what happened and if he could change anything those photos would keep him on track. Thankfully, we never had to experience anything of that nature but my dad was always the guy that extended the extra helping hand. He had drivers that worked for him that had gone through similar types of war horrors and he was always there for them. Two that I remember committed suicide because they just could not live with the memories even though dad tried to help them.
What will you like? This is a well written and developed storyline that tells this impossible story of his father’s life in a way that we can feel the pain that both of them went through. His descriptions and details will take you to the edge just as he felt them. The research and the people that he met were incredible. I am sure that you will be just affected by it as I was. This, of course, is not a book for everyone but it is one that needs to be written and read. We need to preserve the past so that we do not repeat the same mistakes and these are the worst that could be made against so many people. Not just then but for lifetimes afterward. I received an ARC copy for an honest review with no other compensation.
Facing death how could you not try to escape anyway, anytime possible!!!
Dave often told his story of survival and escape, and his son, Jack, thought he knew it well. But years after his father’s death, he came across a photograph of his father on, of all places, the Mauthausen Memorial’s website. It was an image he had never seen before – and it propelled him on an intensely personal journey of discovery.
What did I like? I was very touched by this book. My family had no connection with the camps and that side of things but my dad was there and saw the aftermath of graves with the bodies partial covered. I remember coming across photos that he had brought back with him that were horrible. I asked him why and he said that he never wanted to forget what happened and if he could change anything those photos would keep him on track. Thankfully, we never had to experience anything of that nature but my dad was always the guy that extended the extra helping hand. He had drivers that worked for him that had gone through similar types of war horrors and he was always there for them. Two that I remember committed suicide because they just could not live with the memories even though dad tried to help them.
What will you like? This is a well written and developed storyline that tells this impossible story of his father’s life in a way that we can feel the pain that both of them went through. His descriptions and details will take you to the edge just as he felt them. The research and the people that he met were incredible. I am sure that you will be just affected by it as I was. This, of course, is not a book for everyone but it is one that needs to be written and read. We need to preserve the past so that we do not repeat the same mistakes and these are the worst that could be made against so many people. Not just then but for lifetimes afterward. I received an ARC copy for an honest review with no other compensation.
June 18, 2020
This was one of the most gut-wrenching books I have read. It is the biography of David Hersch who twice escaped death marches and survived to tell the tale. The author is his son who is given a photo of his father by a cousin and is determined to find out what really happened during those dark days. It becomes evident as the son traces his father's footsteps that he never heard the whole story and never pressed his father for more details. It is unlikely that he would have learned much more. In this book, he tells us of his trip to the area where his father was held in concentration camps and actually visits some of the sites. What he learns from museum personnel and residents of the area makes him more determined to dig deeper into the story.
This is a highly emotional book and I broke into tears several times as I read about the inhumane treatment of Jews just for being born into that faith. I cannot understand how there could be so much hate but it happened and we must never forget.
It is well written and I managed to finish it in just over one day. I could not put it down as the narrative gripped me and would not let go.
I really enjoyed the interplay between 1944 and modern times and how the two stories overlapped. Some readers do not like this format but I find it easier to follow when I am presented with an old and new version of the story. I cannot imagine watching your family being separated and then learning that half of them have been murdered. What was remarkable was the courage of the couple who sheltered the emaciated David when he escaped the second time, guarding him safe until the town was freed. They did this despite Nazi soldiers living in their house. They could have been killed for what they did but they carried on.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to study the Holocaust and also anyone who needs to know the courage of those who survived.
This is a highly emotional book and I broke into tears several times as I read about the inhumane treatment of Jews just for being born into that faith. I cannot understand how there could be so much hate but it happened and we must never forget.
It is well written and I managed to finish it in just over one day. I could not put it down as the narrative gripped me and would not let go.
I really enjoyed the interplay between 1944 and modern times and how the two stories overlapped. Some readers do not like this format but I find it easier to follow when I am presented with an old and new version of the story. I cannot imagine watching your family being separated and then learning that half of them have been murdered. What was remarkable was the courage of the couple who sheltered the emaciated David when he escaped the second time, guarding him safe until the town was freed. They did this despite Nazi soldiers living in their house. They could have been killed for what they did but they carried on.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to study the Holocaust and also anyone who needs to know the courage of those who survived.
February 13, 2019
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I have never been able to read a book about Holocaust survivors without getting emotional. As an eighth grade English teacher we have a unit that touches on the Holocaust. When I taught ninth grade English we read Night and other stories about the Holocaust. I have over the years met only one survivor. The only part of her story that stuck with me was the death march she was taken on. To me this is more terrifying than the camps. You may wonder why. In this case the author’s father had the realization that they would soon be freed by the allies. How many of them lost all hope when they were removed from the camp and taken on these long death marches?
The author’s father was like many survivors who talked about their imprisonment, treatment and survival while leaving out so much. I have always wondered why they did this. Were they trying to spare their family the pain that they still felt?
After learning from a relative that a picture of his father at a death camp was up on a website, Jack sets off on a journey to fill in the blanks of his father’s life. He eventually walked the same path his father took. He wanted to understand his father’s experiences. It is my opinion that you can walk the path your parent’s took and learn so much more than you originally knew. I also believe that unless you were actually there that there is no way you can completely understand the horrors. This is a non-fiction story that I highly recommend. We need more voices to tell these stories as the survivors are all beginning to die off. Who will be left to speak for all those who lost their lives during these horrible year?
I have never been able to read a book about Holocaust survivors without getting emotional. As an eighth grade English teacher we have a unit that touches on the Holocaust. When I taught ninth grade English we read Night and other stories about the Holocaust. I have over the years met only one survivor. The only part of her story that stuck with me was the death march she was taken on. To me this is more terrifying than the camps. You may wonder why. In this case the author’s father had the realization that they would soon be freed by the allies. How many of them lost all hope when they were removed from the camp and taken on these long death marches?
The author’s father was like many survivors who talked about their imprisonment, treatment and survival while leaving out so much. I have always wondered why they did this. Were they trying to spare their family the pain that they still felt?
After learning from a relative that a picture of his father at a death camp was up on a website, Jack sets off on a journey to fill in the blanks of his father’s life. He eventually walked the same path his father took. He wanted to understand his father’s experiences. It is my opinion that you can walk the path your parent’s took and learn so much more than you originally knew. I also believe that unless you were actually there that there is no way you can completely understand the horrors. This is a non-fiction story that I highly recommend. We need more voices to tell these stories as the survivors are all beginning to die off. Who will be left to speak for all those who lost their lives during these horrible year?
August 15, 2019
Jack Hersch is the son of a Jewish survivor of Mathausen, David Hersch.
On June 1944, David , an athletic, handsome , and healthy 160 lb 18 year old, enters KZ Mauthausen for the first time. KZ Mauthausen is one of the harshest, cruelest labor camps in the entire Third Reich. To end up here is more or less a death sentence. Day after day, however, David survives.
10 months later, a starving, sick, and deathly weak David, weighing only 80 lbs is forced onto a "Death March" to KZ Gunskirchen, which is 34 miles away. However, David never makes it there. Once again beating all odds, David escapes. Not once, but twice. It is truly a miracle.
Jack grew up listening to his father's stories about his time at Mauthausen and his escape. But it isnt until Jack comes across his fathers photo on the Mathausen Concentration Camp Memorial website that he realizes how unusual and unique his story truly is.
Realizing there is a lot more to his fathers story, Jack embarks on a journey to uncover his fathers past and to, hopefully , find answers to all of his questions. With David no longer alive, it will not be an easy task. He books a ticket to the place where it all started, Mauthausen.
Death March Escape is tragically inspiring, reminding us of how much strength a single person can have when faced with the unimaginable, surviving when all odds are stacked against them. This book is also a reminder to be kind, every single. day. To reach out and help those around you when you can. To not take anything for granted and cherish every single moment we have with those we love.
Thank you Netgalley, for providing me a copy.
On June 1944, David , an athletic, handsome , and healthy 160 lb 18 year old, enters KZ Mauthausen for the first time. KZ Mauthausen is one of the harshest, cruelest labor camps in the entire Third Reich. To end up here is more or less a death sentence. Day after day, however, David survives.
10 months later, a starving, sick, and deathly weak David, weighing only 80 lbs is forced onto a "Death March" to KZ Gunskirchen, which is 34 miles away. However, David never makes it there. Once again beating all odds, David escapes. Not once, but twice. It is truly a miracle.
Jack grew up listening to his father's stories about his time at Mauthausen and his escape. But it isnt until Jack comes across his fathers photo on the Mathausen Concentration Camp Memorial website that he realizes how unusual and unique his story truly is.
Realizing there is a lot more to his fathers story, Jack embarks on a journey to uncover his fathers past and to, hopefully , find answers to all of his questions. With David no longer alive, it will not be an easy task. He books a ticket to the place where it all started, Mauthausen.
Death March Escape is tragically inspiring, reminding us of how much strength a single person can have when faced with the unimaginable, surviving when all odds are stacked against them. This book is also a reminder to be kind, every single. day. To reach out and help those around you when you can. To not take anything for granted and cherish every single moment we have with those we love.
Thank you Netgalley, for providing me a copy.
February 2, 2019
3.5 star review
I love to learn more about WWII and am always looking for more books to read. Usually, I read fiction books with the history of that era weaved into the story. This is a firsthand look at a man’s journey in life through WWII and the Nazi rule.
Death March Escape is a personal story that shares the facts of two men. One man lived through WWII, lived in concentration camps, walked death marches, and shares the story with his son. The other man is the son, who after his father passes away decides to visit the areas where his father lived during WWII; he visits the concentration camps and walks the paths that his father did. I was more interested in the father’s story but the son seemed to keep the spotlight more on his thoughts, his worries, and his travels. Even when sharing his father’s story he talks of what he was feeling and what he thought his father meant in telling his story.
This is a unique and detailed story that shares what it was like living through the Nazi’s rule. How a person in a concentration camp was treated, what their thoughts were when they were being kept in a camp, and how it was shared with their families. If you are a WWII enthusiast, if you are curious as to what real people lived through under Nazi rule, and if you are looking to enhance your concentration camp knowledge pick up your own copy of Death March Escape. It is not an easy or quick read but it is interesting and told in a way that will keep your interest from the very beginning.
I love to learn more about WWII and am always looking for more books to read. Usually, I read fiction books with the history of that era weaved into the story. This is a firsthand look at a man’s journey in life through WWII and the Nazi rule.
Death March Escape is a personal story that shares the facts of two men. One man lived through WWII, lived in concentration camps, walked death marches, and shares the story with his son. The other man is the son, who after his father passes away decides to visit the areas where his father lived during WWII; he visits the concentration camps and walks the paths that his father did. I was more interested in the father’s story but the son seemed to keep the spotlight more on his thoughts, his worries, and his travels. Even when sharing his father’s story he talks of what he was feeling and what he thought his father meant in telling his story.
This is a unique and detailed story that shares what it was like living through the Nazi’s rule. How a person in a concentration camp was treated, what their thoughts were when they were being kept in a camp, and how it was shared with their families. If you are a WWII enthusiast, if you are curious as to what real people lived through under Nazi rule, and if you are looking to enhance your concentration camp knowledge pick up your own copy of Death March Escape. It is not an easy or quick read but it is interesting and told in a way that will keep your interest from the very beginning.
March 26, 2023
Wow, What A Tale...
And it is true! Initially, I had a difficult time with this book as it seemed that the author was whining a lot about why he never asked his father more probing questions about his experience and why his father never told him about his trip later in life to revisit the scenes from his time during and after incarceration. The author kept flagellating himself that he couldn't measure up to what his father endured or achieved. It was quite irritating as I was more concerned with his dad's story. After the beginning, the book became quite captivating. It was well written and in retrospect, I can see that Jack's journey to witness the scenes and his developing self awareness was important too. The interspersed descriptions of the Allies' trek across Europe in tandem with the personal were quite powerful. This book is an important addition to Holocaust literature and is unique in many ways: he escaped not once, but twice, and it details life in arguably one of the worst concentration camps during WWII. What a human can survive is truly amazing!
And it is true! Initially, I had a difficult time with this book as it seemed that the author was whining a lot about why he never asked his father more probing questions about his experience and why his father never told him about his trip later in life to revisit the scenes from his time during and after incarceration. The author kept flagellating himself that he couldn't measure up to what his father endured or achieved. It was quite irritating as I was more concerned with his dad's story. After the beginning, the book became quite captivating. It was well written and in retrospect, I can see that Jack's journey to witness the scenes and his developing self awareness was important too. The interspersed descriptions of the Allies' trek across Europe in tandem with the personal were quite powerful. This book is an important addition to Holocaust literature and is unique in many ways: he escaped not once, but twice, and it details life in arguably one of the worst concentration camps during WWII. What a human can survive is truly amazing!
September 15, 2021
In June 1944, the Nazis locked eighteen-year-old Dave Hersch into a railroad boxcar and took him from his home in Hungary to Mauthausesn's Concentration Camp, the hardest, cruelest camp in the Reich. Somehow surviving the relentless horrors of two prison camps he was forced on a death march to Gunskitchen Concentration Camp miles away. Soon after the start of the march more dead than alive, Dave summoned a burst of energy he did not know he had and escaped. Quickly recaptured, he managed to avoid being killed by the guards. Put in another march a few days later, he achieved the impossible and escaped again.
Dave told his story of survival and escape to his son, Jack, who thought he knew the story well but a few years later he came across of a photograph of his father on of all places Mauthausen Memorial's website. It was an image he had never seen before and it propelled him on an intense personal journey of discovery.
Jack found out there was more at stake, the fate of humanity itself hung in the balance.
Dave told his story of survival and escape to his son, Jack, who thought he knew the story well but a few years later he came across of a photograph of his father on of all places Mauthausen Memorial's website. It was an image he had never seen before and it propelled him on an intense personal journey of discovery.
Jack found out there was more at stake, the fate of humanity itself hung in the balance.
July 12, 2024
This is the story of an incredible time spent in concentration camps. It is a testament to the human will to survive. I have to say though it was a slog of a read. There is an incredible amount of information regarding locations and directions. What is a laborious read is the footnotes at the bottom of pages. It is frustrating to have to find its connection on the page. I prefer if the sentences of explanation were added to the appropriate paragraph.
Jack Hersch has learned what we all eventually discover is that we fail to ask our parents more questions about their younger life. My own father had a luger pointed at him by a young soldier. I kn ew that he did not care if he perished as he was suffering with a migraine and nothing mattered. Did I ask more? No. Veterans will share what they choose and it we have to be careful not to dig deep and disturb the continually healing scabs.
It was a good story with much detail that sometimes felt a little dry. I found myself wishing I was better at skim reading.
Jack Hersch has learned what we all eventually discover is that we fail to ask our parents more questions about their younger life. My own father had a luger pointed at him by a young soldier. I kn ew that he did not care if he perished as he was suffering with a migraine and nothing mattered. Did I ask more? No. Veterans will share what they choose and it we have to be careful not to dig deep and disturb the continually healing scabs.
It was a good story with much detail that sometimes felt a little dry. I found myself wishing I was better at skim reading.
April 16, 2019
This was a story of a son following in his father's footsteps. He did his best to follow the same paths his father followed and to visit all the places he hid.
The father has an amazing story of having escaped two Nazi death marches. At the time of rescue he was 80 pounds and suffering from several terrible ailments. The fact that he lived to tell his son the story is a miracle.
I appreciate the son sharing his story. The story was hard to read as it was broken into sections skipping between father, son, and army movements. I feel the story would have flowed better by seperating it into sections.
*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher, for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
The father has an amazing story of having escaped two Nazi death marches. At the time of rescue he was 80 pounds and suffering from several terrible ailments. The fact that he lived to tell his son the story is a miracle.
I appreciate the son sharing his story. The story was hard to read as it was broken into sections skipping between father, son, and army movements. I feel the story would have flowed better by seperating it into sections.
*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher, for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
June 28, 2020
This is a book that is definitely worth reading. It certainly depicts times and incidents that show humanity in a very poor light, and that make for uncomfortable and disturbing reading, but is probably better for doing so and countering the holocaust deniers. What is perhaps even more pertinent is that although the hero was Jewish, the book describes how others who disagreed with the Nazi philosophy or who weren't Aryan enoug, received the same treatment. Yet, despite the dark and dismal despair of the context, the story is truly a remarkable depiction of the will to live, and in that regard is truly inspirational. It is thus amulti-faceted book: a biography, a mystery, a social commentary, a history and a philosophy.
January 23, 2019
The story told in this book is a remarkable one that deserves so much recognision.
In 1945, David Hersch escaped a Death March not once, but twice. The journey he went through during that time was one of remarkable courage and hope. This is a story that deserves so much more recognition than it has.
The story was well written and had a lot of detail, though I feel at some points there was a bit too much unnecessary small details and anecdotes that took away from the rest of the story and would have been fine left out. But otherwise, I really did enjoy this book and will definitely look into more of the story of Hersch and also of the concentration camp he was at.
In 1945, David Hersch escaped a Death March not once, but twice. The journey he went through during that time was one of remarkable courage and hope. This is a story that deserves so much more recognition than it has.
The story was well written and had a lot of detail, though I feel at some points there was a bit too much unnecessary small details and anecdotes that took away from the rest of the story and would have been fine left out. But otherwise, I really did enjoy this book and will definitely look into more of the story of Hersch and also of the concentration camp he was at.
March 16, 2019
Riveting story of one man's journey to understand the father who chose to share only the highlights of his escape from the Nazi's during World War II. Initially I thought the author was going to be content to retell his father's story. That would have been interesting enough but later the reader comes to realize that there was so much more to the authors father that he didn't know, that he hadn't asked, that he was afraid that he could never measure up to. Yes, the circumstances were unique. The man made some wise decisions based on what he observed. It wasn't a religious book but it was full of miraculous occurrences.
June 9, 2025
What a story!!! Almost unbelievable!! His father’s survival was like divine destiny…. The Lord intervened for him time and time again. No doubt, he had an other- worldly WILL, but the countless times that he defied death makes me think that the Lord’s hand was in it. , protecting him. I would think that Jack would be ensuring that he lives his life worthy of his father’s sacrifices. I read the trilogy of THE ORPHAN TRAIN , and I’m familiar with Christiaan , whose story was that of Dave Hersch. So, I am familiar with many of the hardships and utter brutality he endured. I’m grateful that Jack Hersch got it all down for future generations.
July 17, 2019
This is a great story - this is the third holocaust book I’ve read this year and while i really enjoyed and was very drawn to the other too (the tattooist of auschwitz was one) - I didn’t feel like they had the emotional connection that was warranted. They didn’t connect the stories to the suffering in a way that this story did. I really appreciated the son’s self reflecting on how he’d just not dug in with his father when he had the chance. It was so honest. And his fathers survival story is nothing short of miraculous - one that I’m grateful was told.
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