Finding the Light Within: My Journey of Healing after the Holocaust

by Mary Friedmann Berges

During World War II millions of Jews were sent to concentration camps and killed during the Holocaust, the German policy to eradicate all European Jews. Thousands of Jewish children survived this carnage, however, because they were hidden by their parents with friends, relatives, and in Catholic orphanages. Many of these children survived and started a new life. What happened to these children and what were their lives like? This is the story of Mary Friedmann Berges, one such child for whom love was to remain last felt the day her mother left her at a Belgium Catholic orphanage in 1943. Surviving the war after losing her parents to the atrocities of the Holocaust, haunted by anxiety and sadness she did not understand, she persevered through childhood to adulthood to find a place where she belonged. Her discovery of that place is a story of how we can surmount tragedy, will ourselves to change and find fulfillment at any age.

158 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2019

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

One night I met this lady while I was at work. Mary was lost trying to find her way to her friends house. I stepped outside to help her and wait with her while she met up with her friend of forty years. She told me about her book and suggested I read it. I took her card and insisted that I needed to read her book and I am not a fan of reading it’s hard for me to stay focused. This book, Mary’s life story was so touching and heartfelt... I am at a loss for words and so glad that I got to meet such a wonderful soul. That night I knew that we had met for a reason and after reading her book she has reminded me that my kindness that I give to others daily is not taken for granted and no matter what there is always someone who has had a much worse upbringing and no matter how awful this world gets there are people that still exist trying their best to do in their hearts the right thing.