Barrack Three: A Holocaust Story

The Barracks #3

by Elyse Hoffman

Vilém can hear ghosts, and they have secrets to share...

As a concentration camp security guard with the strange ability to speak to spirits, he’s privy to stories lost to time, stories of the Holocaust and those who didn't live to tell their truths. But the more he learns about the Camp, the less he wants to know.

Eager for a distraction, he and his girlfriend escape to his parents’ home, but even here, he can’t escape the Camp. His mother tells what little of his family’s story they know, revealing that his great-grandfather was close friends with the heroic Joseph Klammer, a Nazi guard who betrayed his SS brethren and saved a train full of Jews bound for Auschwitz.

As soon as Vilém returns to the Camp, Joseph Klammer’s spirit appears, eager to share the truth about Vilém’s family...and confess that he is not the perfect hero of history. But another ghost is stalking the Camp, and he doesn’t want the truth to get out.

Can Vilém discover what really happened the day the Auschwitz Train left the Camp? Or will dark forces keep him from his family’s past?

Barrack Three is a historical fiction novelette, the sequel to Barrack Four, and a heartrending tale of the Holocaust.

Genres: Holocaust, Historical Fiction

ebook

Published November 26, 2020

About the author

Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. Having studied WWII since the age of thirteen and with interests in fantasy and Jewish folklore, she loves to combine them in her writing. Elyse started writing novels at fourteen and finished her first historical fiction work at fifteen. She has published eight books: five in a series called The Barracks of the Holocaust, and three novels, including The Book of Uriel, Where David Threw Stones, and Fracture. In her spare time, she loves to read, work on pretty keyboards, and hang out with her co-authors - her Goldendoodle Ari and her ex-feral cat, Echo.

Reviews

[Kimmylongtime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why am I obsessed with this series?

Once again I was pulled into Vilem’s world as a guard of the concentration camp. This one was harder to follow because it was in the eyes of a Nazi soldier. Even with that being said it was still worth the read.

I truly enjoyed it and I’ve already made my friend go read it. We are fully invested at this point and I have questions.


I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carolyn Scarcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shortest and third saga series is called “Barrack Three” by Elyse Hoffman. I am enjoying her third book, Vilem has a gift ability which he can hear the ghosts and speaks to spirits, the more he learns about them in the camp, he and his girlfriend went to his parents home. His mother tells story of his family, revealing his great- grandfather was close friends with the heroic Joseph Klammer, a Nazi guard who betrayed his SS brethren and saved a train full of Jews bound for Auschwitz. Can Vilém discover what really happened the day the Auschwitz Train left the Camp? Or will dark forces keep him from his family’s past? You can decide.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hero was a Nazi

Barrack Three is the third book in a series about a guard named Vilém at a Concentration camp that hears and talks to spirits of those once in the camp.
In this book the story is about a young Nazi guard named Joseph Klammer. He was friends with Vilém ’s Grandfather Sam who worked in the gardens at the camp. Klammer saved Sam and a boy with him named Daniel.

One day he heard that the inmates would all be sent by train to Auschwitz. He and the Rabbi made a plan to save all 400 of the Jewish people on the train. The Czech people in the town named a street after him and a big poster at the camp.

While talking to Vilém he told him what he knew of his grandfather, and that he didn’t want to be labeled as a hero, that the exhibit was wrong. He wanted the Rabbi to have the credit for saving the Jews. As Vilém spoke to the spirit of Klammer he convinced him to let go and move on from the guilt and the camp.

It was an interesting book and I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to Elyse Hoffman and. Book Sirens for allowing me to read a copy of the book for an honest review.

[AFIFA ALAM RAISA · Rating 5 out of 5]

The holocaust from a different perspective.

‘Barrack Three’ shows the story of a Nazi who realized that he was submerged in ignorance, and seized an opportunity to free 400 Jews, not fearing to be regarded as a national traitor. Despite being honored as a hero afterward, his soul lingered in barrack three, desperate to let the world know of the untold story that remained buried in the pages of history.

The book allows the readers to catch a glimpse of the holocaust from a rather unusual perspective, and thus helps in expanding the horizon of thoughts. Like the previous book of the series, this one once again provides a vision on the complicated nature of the human mind, and the constant battle between what is right and what is not.

The author has done a smart job by ending the story with a cliffhanger that can invite a lot of readers back to the series.

Recommended for readers of this genre.

(I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily)

[Joanne Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this is the third in the Barrack series and once again, we are drawn back into Vilem's world as a security guard in the former concentration camp where he is often visited by the ghosts of its former inhabitants.

This time, there is an unexpected twist as Vilem is approached by the ghost of a former Nazi guard who has a close link to a member of his own family. As the tale unfolds, we learn that the guard, Klammer, soon realised what was going on in the camp and was actually instrumental in a plan to save 400 Jews who had been placed on a train destined for Auschwitz.

This was an interesting perspective and in direct contrast to the characters from the other books. Another enjoyable read!

With thanks to the author and BookSirens for my ARC in return for a voluntary review.

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment of the Barrack series did not disappoint. This one involved talking to the ghost of Joseph Klammer, a Nazi who was viewed as a spy since he helped to free many Jews and "undesirables." I enjoyed seeing Joseph's transition throughout his time at the concentration camps as he revealed his true sexuality, which had to be kept secret considering that could have lead to him be imprisoned at the camp. I did wish there were more scenes with Sam, since Joseph's friendship/relationship with Sam was a highlight for me. That being said, I look forward to reading the final two booklets once they are released.

Thanks BookSirens for the free copy in return for a free review!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this story in one sitting as I couldn't put it down and I must say, the sequels are getting better and better! A beautiful example of what history books may inform us about being different to what actually happened. An insight into the other side of the story or viewpoint of the 'other' guy is very rare and in this case well done. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[karin whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barack Three

As we continue we get more of the story about Joseph, Dr Rabbi, and the cruelty of the Nazis. The author does a wonderful depiction of what happened at those camps. So well done, you feel the ache of the times. Sadness brings tears to my very soul reading this. On to the finale.....

[Yifat Cestare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gripping story from a different perspective. It’s remarkable what a great job the author does in grasping the reader. Once you start you can’t put it down until you reach the end. At that point you are disappointed that it ended and you want more.

[Darren Bourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy (from Booksirens.com) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A haunting (pun intended) short story of a tortured camp guard, who reveals the foibles of his life and the brief snapshots of his struggles as he comes to grip with his sexuality and how it veered from what is considered the aryan ideal.

I have never read a story so gripping and therefore do not have an author to compare this work to.

I enjoyed this short novella and give it five stars.

As with everything, this is merely my five cents worth.

[Sofe · Rating 5 out of 5]

EBook Review: BARRACK THREE by Elyse Hoffman

(B) elieving
(A) ctual
(R) esistance
(R) equired...
(C) arefully
(K) ept

(T) ruth
(H) idden...
(R) endered
(E) nemy
(E) scape...

BARRACK Three, held a man.
Whom he, loved very much.

Although forbidden, did everything possible.
To keep, his friend safe.

Required effort, and terrible risk.
Getting weaker, do something soon.

History said, he was hero.
Did not, feel like it.

Important to, know the details.
Different perspective, helps him see.

To us, comes the question.
Would we, willing to do?

Hopefully situation, never happens again.
Still good, to think about.

This book, assists in process.
Everybody please, read all three.

Barrack Five, Barrack Four and
Barrack Three, all out now!

[Julia Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to give five stars for Barrack Three as I enjoyed it as much as Barracks 4 & 5. Again, this was a poignant story of Vilem helping the ghost of Joseph Klammer, who was a guard when the camp incarcerated inmates. I loved the way the story of a hero of the Holocaust was turned on its head when the true facts came to light. I found it a very insightful story since it concentrated on the reason behind many altruistic actions. That they are done often out of love for a single individual or a family rather than an entire nation of people. Another highly recommended story from the Barrack Series.

[Lee Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the third in the Holocaust series. Well written, as have been the predecessors, it once again tells the story of the Czech Holocaust on a family, again from a different viewpoint.

These stories are intertwined, and reading them in order would be preferable, but, I suppose, not required.

Though short, the stories are complex, and the characters flawed but admirable. The previous stories dealt with children and were more universal, even though dealing with Nazi terror. This book involves a young homosexual, and therefore I would recommend a caution before giving it to children.

An excellent story and a worthy continuation of the series.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Candace Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always known humans can be good but do bad things this really drives that point home and to read about little Martin I hope he has a happy ending he deserves it. I'm just sorry that he didn't know about the poor little for in the doghouse.

[Diane Secchiaroli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third in a series about a grandson, Vilem, of a concentration camp survivor who has special abilities to hear ghosts of individuals who were in the Holocaust. Valencia inhabits the body of Joseph, a recognized hero, who saves Vilem’s grandfather and uncle as well as 400 other Jews by hijacking a train bound for Auschwitz. As a Holocaust story this was not very good. It may have made more sense if I had read the first two books of the series.

[Debbie Lawrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This proves there are two sides to each story. Viliem enjoys listening to his ghost stories without too much judgment—such a sad and true recollection. The sadness is that we have learnt nothing from past atrocities.