All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl, a British Doctor, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen

by Bernice Lerner

On April 15, 1945, Brigadier H. L. Glyn Hughes entered Bergen-Belsen for the first time. Waiting for him were 10,000 unburied, putrefying corpses and 60,000 living prisoners, starving and sick. One month earlier, 15-year-old Rachel Genuth arrived at Bergen-Belsen; deported with her family from Sighet, Transylvania, in May of 1944, Rachel had by then already endured Auschwitz, the Christianstadt labor camp, and a forced march through the Sudetenland. In All the Horrors of War, Bernice Lerner follows both Hughes and Genuth as they move across Europe toward Bergen-Belsen in the final, brutal year of World War II.

The book begins at the end: with Hughes's searing testimony at the September 1945 trial of Josef Kramer, commandant of Bergen-Belsen, along with forty-four SS (Schutzstaffel) members and guards. "I have been a doctor for thirty years and seen all the horrors of war," Hughes said, "but I have never seen anything to touch it." The narrative then jumps back to the spring of 1944, following both Hughes and Rachel as they navigate their respective forms of wartime hell until confronting the worst: Christianstadt's prisoners, including Rachel, are deposited in Bergen-Belsen, and the British Second Army, having finally breached the fortress of Germany, assumes control of the ghastly camp after a negotiated surrender. Though they never met, it was Hughes's commitment to helping as many prisoners as possible that saved Rachel's life.

Drawing on a wealth of sources, including Hughes's papers, war diaries, oral histories, and interviews, this gripping volume combines scholarly research with narrative storytelling in describing the suffering of Nazi victims, the overwhelming presence of death at Bergen-Belsen, and characters who exemplify the human capacity for fortitude. Lerner, Rachel's daughter, has special insight into the torment her mother suffered. The first book to pair the story of a Holocaust victim with that of a liberator, All the Horrors of War compels readers to consider the full, complex humanity of both.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Holocaust, World War II, Memoir, Medical, War

280 pages, Hardcover

Published April 14, 2020

About the author

Bernice Lerner is the author of "All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl, a British Doctor, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen"--a dual biography of her mother, teenaged survivor Rachel Genuth, and Brigadier Glyn Hughes, a high ranking officer in the British Second Army who, in mid-April 1945, suddenly found himself leading rescue efforts at the notorious (and then largest) concentration camp.

Bernice's first Holocaust-related book, "The Triumph of Wounded Souls," profiles seven survivors who, after having missed years of formal schooling, went on to earn advanced degrees.

For more about Bernice and her writings, presentations, and reviews of her books, please visit www.bernicelerner.com

Reviews

[Maine Colonial · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free publisher's advance review copy.

Even when any rational person knew that it was only a matter of time before Germany’s defeat in World War II, the Nazis persisted in their hateful plan to exterminate the Jews, even diverting resources that could have been used for military purposes to pursue their goal. The Jews of Sighet, in what was then Hungary, were rounded up in May, 1944. Among them was the author’s mother, Rachel Genuth. She was sent first to Auschwitz, where all of her family except her older sister, Elisabeth, were immediately gassed.

Rachel and Elisabeth were moved from Auschwitz to another camp and then, as things were really falling apart for the Nazis, were marched 250 miles to Bergen-Belsen. Arriving shortly after Anne Frank succumbed to typhus there, Rachel and Elisabeth suffered the horrors of a grossly overcrowded and disease-ridden camp that lacked adequate food and sanitary facilities. They were close to death when the camp was liberated by British troops, and it took Rachel years to fully recover her health, particularly to overcome tuberculosis.

Rachel’s story is one thread in this book. The other thread tells of British Army medical officer Glyn Hughes, who took on the herculean task of organizing the care of the Bergen-Belsen prisoners, who were dying by the thousands per day. He was also a prime witness in the capital trial of the camp’s commandant and several of its other personnel, including the infamous female guard, Irma Grese.

Though Rachel and Dr. Hughes never met, it’s easy to understand why Bernice Lerner wanted to tell their story in one book. If not for the extraordinary efforts of Hughes and those under his authority, Rachel would not have survived. Hughes remained close to those involved in his work at Bergen-Belsen, and he worked hard to bring awareness to the plight of those imprisoned there. Sadly, at the beginning his pointing out that the vast majority of prisoners were Jews was censored. Even news outlets like the BBC didn’t want to face the reality of the Nazis’ efforts to eradicate the Jews.

There are many books about the Holocaust and even quite a few detailing the liberation of various camps. One thing that this book adds is the story Hughes’s role as an Army medical officer. It details how his combat-attached medical unit operated and, once he got to Bergen-Belsen, how he triaged the prisoners and organized targeted aid, including taking over various nearby German facilities and commandeering supplies from depots and even blankets from nearby villagers.

The jumping back and forth between Rachel’s and Hughes’s stories can be a little clunky at times, but the stories of these two are so compelling that it overcomes this problem.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we are presented with two narratives: one a victim of Bergen-Belsen and the other a liberator. Both Rachel Genuth & Brigadier H.L. Glyn Hughes would experience the horrors of the infamous concentration camp, but it was the efforts of the latter that would save the life of the former. Though they would never actually meet, Hughes’ medical acumen, organization, and leadership would benefit thousands of lives like Rachel’s. The English doctor took charge of efforts to save the victims of Bergen-Belsen where Rachel ended up after being in slave labor camps and enduring death marches.

It’s not the most engrossing book on the Holocaust I’ve ever read, especially since two incongruous stories alternate somewhat disjointedly. Hughes’ experience in the Normandy invasion and the penetration of Allied armies into Europe was somewhat tedious in comparison with Rachel’s much more personal account. Despite its flaws, this book portrays two individuals whose stories deserve to be told.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via the Amazon Vine program.

[Brianna Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

That Rachael !!! Brave ass girl ! She kept her and her sister alive during camp at Auschwitz!!! Wheww

[Pam Yohlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The depth, breadth, and scope of Bernice Lerner’s All the Horrors of War are especially remarkable in the telling of two important stories in tremendous detail. Lerner provides the cold hard facts surrounding Dr. H. L. Glyn Hughs’ journey that ultimately takes him to the notorious Bergen-Belsen camp where Lerner’s mother, Rachel Genuth, is fighting for her life, all the while heeding her father’s sage advice to summon the strength and will to survive. At one point, this young girl was placed in a room with twelve beds at Bergen-Belsen. Eleven women died; eleven more arrived. This happened over and over and over again, yet Rachel always remained. Dr. Hughs, whom the reader learns is a man of compassion and courage, arrives at the camp with one overall goal: to save as many people as possible in this hellish place.

This book is filled with a myriad of names, places, dates, and pertinent war stories in chilling detail. Lerner juxtaposes those facts with the humanness of her mother’s story. The reader is drawn into the life and human elements that define this extraordinary and brave young girl before, during and after her time in the camps, and gets to know some of Rachel’s friends and neighbors from her hometown of Sighet, as they face the horrors of the war along with her. From the facts and details of Hughs’ experience, emerges the humanness of the doctor himself. Therein lies the heart-wrenching and ultimately heartwarming parallel between Rachel Genuth and Dr. Hughs. The writer brilliantly, skillfully, and uniquely establishes the common characteristics of both the survivor and the rescuer whose ultimate shared experience at Bergen-Belsen forever impact both of their lives.

Clearly Lerner has painstakingly researched the facts which provide context to the unthinkable things that occurred to her own mother. As Rachel’s daughter, it would seem that the emotional toll on her mother was a subtext or maybe even an ever-present thought in the author’s mind as she conducted her research over the years. The inclusion of each and every historical contextual detail helps the reader understand what propelled the insanity to spread like a cancer, and at the same time, Lerner’s compelling storytelling engages the reader in the day to day life of Rachel, who is living in the worst kind of hell. While engaging in Rachel’s story, the reader gets to observe Dr. Hughs’ displays of humanity in the most dire of situations. This is what makes this book stand apart from others Holocaust narratives.  Both Dr. Hughs and Rachel Genuth emerge as heroes whose parallels journeys are so different, yet they share a common time, place and goal that connects them to each other, without their ever actually meeting. This connection is what forever changed the course of history for the the doctor, for Rachel, and for the author herself. The doctor’s humanity, her mother’s bravery, and the parallel yet shared paths of these two people forever forged the course of Bernice Lerner’s life, making the story even more poignant. “All the Horrors of War” is a difficult yet ironically beautiful book which has an important place not only in Holocaust literature, but also in literature about the human spirit and experience.

[Heidi Slowinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

On April 15, 1945, British doctor, Brigadier H. L. Glyn Hughes arrived at Bergen-Belsen. While familiar with the horrors of war, nothing could prepare Brigadier Hughes for what he would see there. Among the sixty thousand living inmates, in the camp, was Rachel Genuth, a fifteen-year-old Jewess who arrived at the camp, with her family just a month prior, after already spending time at Auschwitz, the Christianstadt labor camp, and having marched through the Sudetenland. The story opens with Brigadier Hughes’ testimony at the trial of the camp’s commendant, Josef Kramer before following Brigadier Hughes and Rachel’s journeys through Europe.

Lerner crafts an engrossing read through the interweaving of two very different perspectives on the atrocities of the Holocaust: one of a liberator and the other of her young mother whose childhood was stolen away. While the two never directly meet, as is mentioned, Rachel, her sister, and thousands more, were saved by the actions of Hughes and his medical team. The careful attention to factual detail is evident in the writing and lends context to the narratives of the two subjects within the book. Lerner paints a very clear picture of the gruesome crimes committed and the horrific conditions within the camp.

Lerner’s work preserves two important individual histories. I would like to thank the author for a review copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a compelling and important book about the Holocaust. Yes, there are many out there, but this one includes a dual timeline of a young Czech Jewish girl who is sent to a number of concentration camps, ending up at Bergen-Belsen, along with the story of a British army doctor who ends up liberating Bergen-Belsen and laying witness to the absolute atrocities he found there. The dehumanization of the people who died and who survived should send shock waves through everyone, yet Lerner shows how people just didn't care or tried to minimize what happened, whether it was people who worked at Bergen-Belsen, Russian soldiers, the British military that did not witness it, and everyday people in Europe. It's not readily apparent that the girl in the book has a connection to the author, but when that does become obvious, it makes the book even more chilling. Highly recommended, especially to people who are interested in military strategy that may not normally read Holocaust books. This book has a lot to tell.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening!

Unlike many reviewers, I quite liked the parallel stories of the doctor and the young Jewish survivor of Belsen. I think Hughes' humanity, organizational skills, medical knowledge, and witness perspective added greatly to the story of Rachel and her fellow inmates' experience of the Holocaust. The kind, welcoming aftermath in Sweden was heartwarming. Each survival story is so important to emphasize that behind the statistics of the millions of victims in the Nazi concentration camps is an individual who had family, hopes and dreams that may or may not have been realized in their lifetime. The last 35% of the book is extensive footnotes and an index. Thank you to the author for researching and sharing her mother's life.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional book. If you are willing to read about the Holocaust, I recommend it without reservation. Once I started this book I really could not put it down. The author has alternated between chapters about her mother's experiences in Nazi concentration camps and those of the military doctor who managed the medical services for the British army as it fought across northern Europe after D-Day. Finally, the doctor is in charge of managing the horrifying situation the British found at Bergen Belsen. I learned a lot from this book about the war, about the people in the camps, and what happened to them after the war ended. It's well worth reading.

[Cari Dunbar Philpott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very poignant story. I’m not Jewish & am always so moved by their strength & will to keep going. Even more, her desire to heal & live a life with meaning. Cannot be easy. I was most interested in Hughes story & how medicine was carried out during the war. The details of that blew me away. I mean for gods sake, a war is being fought & they have to have manpower to carry out & anticipate hospitals & care.. being I’m a nurse I hav special awe in my heart for what they did. What a special man! Beautiful book.

[Anne Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars This book was a different look at the Holocaust told along two lines - a survivor (the author's mother) of Bergen-Belsen and a British doctor. It's not documented that their paths crossed but since Dr. Hughes was part of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen it's understood that they had a connection. I found parts of the book rather tedious and not engaging but overall it was a somewhat interesting account of the Holocaust.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting perspective from the eyes of a prisoner and a British soldier. The true story of liberation and a description of the camp when it was liberated.

[Amy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was not so much a story as a timeline, but I learned a lot.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique book that takes a victim of the Holocaust and a liberator and infuses their stories to widen the reader's viewpoint of the horrors of Bergen-Belsen.

[Carissa Ratosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m rather speechless. This was an incredible story of survival and determination. Well written and filled with information and statistics. An amazing read.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bernice Lerner’s book, “All the Horrors of War” is both a memoir and a historical document of the horrors of Bergen-Belsen. The memoir is the story of Lerner’s mother, Rachel Genuth, a young Jewish Hungarian woman - still a teenager - who was deported to Auschwitz with her whole family in Summer 1944. Only Rachel and two of her sisters survived til the end of the war. The other part of the book is the story of Dr Glyn Hughes, a British army doctor, who was one of the first of the allies to enter Bergen-Belsen. What he saw of the immense personal destruction in the camp - thousands of dead bodies laying everywhere and thousands more just waiting to join the dead. Dr Hughes was given the task to save as many people as he could, while burying the dead and giving the survivors a place to live. Rachel Genuth and her sister, Elizabeth, were two of the barely-there survivors he and his troops were able to help. (It’s pointed out in the book that the two - Genuth and Hughes - never met each other, but that Genuth was saved by Hughes’s work).

Bernice Lerner’s book is sometimes difficult to read as she recounts her mother’s painful odyssey from Sighet, Transvania (Elie Wiesel was from there, as well) to Auschwitz and then to Belsen by foot in the last year of the war. She includes a map of Europe in the book which traces the journeys of both Hughes and Genuth as the finally “meet” at Belsen. Lerner doesn’t stint in her description of Bergen-Belsen and the absolute horror and hopelessness of the camp. But she also looks at how well Dr Hughes and his medical staff saved thousands before they died. Lerner is a good writer who brings the details together, both the personal and the work that was done.