Chlapec z Belsenu

by Tomi Reichental

Idylické detstvo Tomiho Reichentala v slovenských Merašiciach sa skončilo v roku 1944, keď ho ako malého chlapca spolu s rodinou na základe udania suseda, neskôr aj mnohých iných prisluhovačov fašistov, zatklo gestapo a dostal sa do koncentračného tábora v Bergen-Belsene.

Holokaust nakoniec pripravil Tomiho o 35 členov rodiny a jeho podmanivá a veľmi sugestívna výpoveď v tejto knihe, ktorá sa stala medzinárodným bestsellerom, poskytuje pohľad na tragické časy našej histórie očami nevinného dieťaťa. Chlapec z Belsenu je výnimočné svedectvo o živote v rozvrátenej realite nášho sveta, na ktoré by nikdy žiadna generácia nemala zabudnúť, aby sa nezopakovalo.

Genres: Nonfiction, Holocaust, Biography, History, World War II, Audiobook, War

232 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2011

About the author

Tomi Reichental was born in 1935 in Slovakia. He was sent to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1944. Tomi has lived in Dublin since 1959 and regularly talks to Irish schools about his wartime experiences

Reviews

[Gearóid · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very powerful and emotional book to read.
This book doesn't just tell the story of Tomi's terrible experience
in Bergen Belsen but also tell the story of his life before Bergen Belsen
and also his life after surviving this terrible ordeal.
Also it shows the impact on his whole family and shows how generations
of his family was effected.
Tomi lives in Ireland and does talks in the schools around the country to
educate children to never forget what has happened.
He visited my own sons school and they were very effected by his talk
and it was very emotional for Tomi and the children.

I highly recommend this book to anyone.
Its a sad book but uplifting also.

[Éabha Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was extremely powerful. Took me longer than I anticipated to finish, as it's quite heavy digesting in the midst of a global pandemic. I've never read a first hand account of the Holocaust before, only fictionalised. To know that every single thing documented happened sent chills down my spine on more than one occasion. Reichental is a remarkable man and an excellent storyteller. It was quite something to read about such horrors through the eyes of a child. Fascinating too, the ability of a child's mind to shield oneself from such darkness, to retain imagination & wonder.
Excellent

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so you would expect me to be a bit biased in this review, as Tomi is my father in law. Honestly, I was expecting a sad story written by an amateur writer but gosh was I in for a big surprise. Yes the story is sad but it is written so beautifully. The first half of the book is about Tomi's happy childhood. I have given this book to lots of my female friends and their husbands end up stealing it to read. Hats off to Tomi. English is not his first language and he has such a lovely way with words. This was not an easy book to write and I commend him. He has done an amazing job. Happy to organize a signed copy for any of you.....

[Mark Gannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are scenes in this book that I am sure will haunt me for the rest of my life. A story I highly recommend, for the simple fact that we should never forget this atrocious period in human history. Five stars.

[Marcus Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

To repeat another reviewer (because I feel the statement is true for me as well)- there are scenes in this book that will haunt me forever. One of the only (if not thee only) book that I have cried over. Five stars for a piece of history that should never be forgotten.

[Aisling Doonan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had absolutely no idea that the author lives in Ireland and has done for years, it was such a pleasant surprise. I am only heartily sorry that I was unaware of his existence and the fact that he speaks in schools around the country. I would love to hear him speak in person and it would be important for my kids to hear him too. The book was truly a personal memoir, with so many horrific details as seen through the eyes of a young boy. It breaks my heart to think that any child would suffer that again. It's such a pity that people in power or with a hunger for power never learn.

[Talita Schrepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Kelly-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars 🌟

[David Lowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a Boy in Belsen is the account of the extraordinary life of Tomi Reichental. Tomi was a Slovakian Jew who spent the final months war in the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp. He was with his mother and elder brother and other relatives. The description of his months of despair in Belsen are indeed horrifying as indeed is the joy of liberation, tempered as it was by the fact that the British soldiers arrived too late for thousands. The Belsen section is a valuable addition to Holocaust history but the book is so much more than that. The reader learns of a childhood blighted by anti-Semitism but one nevertheless in which the strength and family values of the Jewish communities shine through.

The final part of the book is post-Belsen as the author tells of his return to Slovakia in later 1945, his emigration to Israel until he finally settles in Ireland where, in recent years, he has been talking to educational groups about his holocaust. The book is wonderfully written with passages both of beauty and horror. However, my lasting impression of this great memoir is of it being a great tribute to the human spirit. How a man, brutalised in the most violent way as a young boy, could survive to build such a happy and profitable life for himself is almost beyond understanding. Of course, many Holocaust survivors did this and we must be grateful to Tomi Reichental for representing them in this magnificent book.
Remember.

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil (www.thebluepencil.co.uk)
davidlowtherblog.wordpress.com

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, informative read. Several parts of Tomi's story are difficult to read as he writes about his experience of being sent to Belsen as a nine year old child. His Aunt Margo's strength of character particularly stands out as a wonderful example of the human will to survive.

[Diane V-R · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars. A must read.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomi Reichental was just 9 yrs old when he, along with his family, was sent to Bergen-Belsen. He was one of the lucky ones who survived the ordeal and this is his own story.

The first part of the book tells of his life as a child in Slovakia, and the events that led to being transported to Bergen-Belsen. The middle part of the book tells of his time in the camp and the final part of the book tells the story of what happened after liberation – how he returned to Slovakia with his surviving family members, then emigrated to Israel before finally settling in Ireland.

This is a very powerful book to read & one you will not want to put down. Knowing that Tomi survived keeps you reading till the end, despite the atrocities mentioned.

The horrors are seen through the eyes of a child, just 9 years old when his family was taken from Bratislava, Slovakia to the Bergen-Belsen detention camp in Germany. This child’s view means that unlike many books from Holocaust survivors, this doesn’t dwell quite so deeply on the horrors experienced, but on how his life before shaped the way his family dealt with the ordeal & how they all pulled together to get through it.
Tomi was luckier than most, he spent the time in Bergen-Belson, a camp with no gas chambers & when it was realised that his aunt Margo spoke German she was appointed as the “hut leader” which meant that the family (Tomi, his brother Miki, his mother, aunt, cousin & Grandmother) has a tiny bit more privilege with their own “room” in the hut.
Reichental is an excellent storyteller, so the book is wonderfully written with passages that focus on the strength of spirit, the way the Jewish community pulled together (Miki’s birthday in the camp is incredibly touching) and the innocence of childhood – it’s quite remarkable that a child in such a situation can still play, and retain imagination. The overall theme of the book is not sadness or horror, but hope.

Tomi now speaks to secondary school children, university students & others about his experiences. He is very aware that he one of the last survivors of the Holocaust and knows that his story must be heard in order to ensure that we learn from the past. Whilst the Holocaust is history, racism, intolerance and prejudice are still widespread & hearing stories from people like Tomi is the only way that we can ensure that it never happens again.

I listened to the audiobook & Saul Reichlin was an excellent narrator, telling the story in a respectful and appropriate way yet adding atmosphere, excitement, terror appropriately where needed. It definitely felt that he wasn’t reading the book, but telling the story.
There are scenes in the book that will stay with the reader for a long time, though perhaps not the parts you would expect. Perhaps the most the poignant part of the book was the list of names of Tomi’s 35 family members who perished during the holocaust, including cousins, uncles and his grandmother.

Highly recommended as a very accessible story, of a time in history that must never be forgotten.

[Mathona Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this 5 stars not because I enjoyed it but because of its harrowing and vivid description of his daily life. I was very upset for a few days, after reading it. I had awful nightmares too. I doubt that, I will read another book about life in the Nazi death camps. Tomi is a fellow Irish citizen, that's one reason that I bought it. The other 2 reasons are 1. I wanted him to feel heard and his story believed and to profit financially, from his horror nightmare and 2. I was curious about what life would have been life in this hell. I feel very emotional just typing these words now. I will go as far as to say that, I was emotionally disturbed after reading this memoir. One awful part sticks out vividly. It was when Tomi saw a dead baby that had been murdered and he saw the body, lying in an open sewer. My memory isn't great lately so, perhaps it was just the skeleton of a baby but you get the general gist. I'd advise you to be fully aware that this tome, is a brutal and harrowing tale. The only bright side is that Tomi survived and went on to marry, have his own family and live a good life after Belson. Ps. It really goes without saying that, in this book you'll find the absolute worst of man's inhumanity, towards his fellow man.

[Laura Bergen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is yet another gutwrenching and devastating autobiography about a Holocaust survivor, who was only a kid when he was deported to the German concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen. Tomi Reichental describes his whole life, from his carefree and happy days growing up in a farm, to the fate of his family members or his own doings after the war.

I understand this kind of books are not suited for everyone. But I also think they must be read and talked about, so that we don't ever forget what happened, and so that we learn the (horrible, horrible) truth that millions of people suffered.

[Tom Davitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of this book. He is fantastic at transporting you into the lifestyle of the times and demonstrating the very gradual build up to how things deteriorated.

My only qualm with this book is the final quarter where he discusses his life as an adult. Although it is obviously his elaborating of the story into his autobiography, there is not too much of interest that happens in the final quarter.

[Jan Jabrocky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Povinná literatura pro lidi ve střední Evropě, kteří se (co se týká holokaustu) stále staví pouze do role oběti. Tomi Reichental (jako slovenský Žid) ukazuje, že tomu tak není. Smutné je líčení, jak lidé vyplundrovali domy, z kterých Němci exportovali Židy. také po skončení války se k nim mnozí stavěli jako k lidskému odpadu.

bohužel nacionalsimus nikdy nic dobré nepřinesl a tyto příběhu nám to připomínají v té nejsyrovější podobě.

[Shauna Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve ever read based in Bergen Belsen camp and I’m so glad I found it that information contained is so heart breaking to read but also very educating Tomi had amazing strength and courage throughout despite so much hopelessness around him and to still be educated people today about the horrific fate they faced is nothing short of amazing

[Yoursexylibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written memoir that encompasses life before, during, and after the Holocaust. The author grew up in Czechoslovakia and discusses the history of that country and how its politics affected its people and how the leadership of the varying regimes allowed history to be presented to the people. This is a must read for anyone wanting to know more about WWII.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written account of Reichental's life before, during, and after Belsen. Having recently visited Bergen-Belsen, I think this is a must read to understand what happened in Belsen (particularly the mother and child area where Reichental was imprisoned).

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be on the secondary school syllabus for history. It's scary how easily people turned on former neighbours and friends. Such horrific atrocities occurred when a group of people were deemed to be lesser than another.

[Rebeca Abanto]

This book had me emotional. Although it is not a novel but a book based on a true experience, this book had me tear up. If you like to ready about the holocaust, this is a good book to read.
5 stars

[Heather C Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to an unabridged version of this on Audible. What a haunting and harrowing story of a child bearing witness & experiencing things he (or anyone) should never have had to go through. There will be parts of this story that I think I’ll be thinking about for awhile.

[Shirley Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomáš Reichental (Tomi) is a Holocaust survivor. He was born in Czechoslovakia in 1935 to a Jewish family. He, his mother, his brother, and his grandmother were caught and taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1944 where they remained until the camp was liberated by the British in 1945.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honour of hearing Tomi speak a few years back. His book is incredibly powerful, particularly how he captures what it was to encounter such evil at such a young age & how his young mind tried to grasp what was going on around him.
A vital record.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

recommended. excellent sense of the history of his life.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s profound. A tough read and I would dive in lightly like I did on a flight with no internet. Take it slow and process what your told because it’s one of the most confronting childhood stories.

[Joanna Kucharz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story of survival, family bond and human strength against the horrors of holocaust

[Agata Lojek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true story of struggle and survival

[Liane Brown]

Fabulous book. Everyone should read it. It will help us to remember the atrocities of WWII and ensure they are never repeated.

[Mccluskey1]

Great