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The Library of Aushwitz
Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust.
Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.
Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.
Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.
Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.
Unknown Binding
First published September 18, 2012
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About the author
Antonio Iturbe
38 books310 followersAntonio González Iturbe is a Spanish journalist, writer and professor. He is the director of the cultural magazine Librújula.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,392 reviews
July 29, 2018
Meh!
After reading some classic Holocaust novels such as
Night| by Elie Wiesel and the classic
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank or even great young adults novels such as
The Edelweiss Express, or the amazing
The Book Thief.
I felt Antonio Iturbe and The Librarian of Auschwitz was out of its league.
It lacked passion, emotion and the book was slow in many places and many of the characters less than interesting. The flashbacks, the asides, the sudden shift in POV, it just did not work.
To sum it up it reads like a text book trying to be a fictional account of a real thing. The translation is poorly done if that is the issue with it.
When you read a holocaust novel, the authors should respect the subject matter. Elie Wiesel did just that when he wrote Night, even young adult author Mark A. Cooper who is not known as a literate genius wrote an amazing account of children in the holocaust when he wrote the second Edelweiss Pirates novel "Edelweiss Express". It will go down as one of the most definitive works on Holocaust literature.
Those novels stick with you when you take a break from reading, you could be in the shower or running to catch the subway and the novel is still haunting your thoughts.
Sadly the author missed the emotion, the stories are of course important but so is the writing.
After reading some classic Holocaust novels such as
Night| by Elie Wiesel and the classic
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank or even great young adults novels such as
The Edelweiss Express, or the amazing
The Book Thief. I felt Antonio Iturbe and The Librarian of Auschwitz was out of its league.
It lacked passion, emotion and the book was slow in many places and many of the characters less than interesting. The flashbacks, the asides, the sudden shift in POV, it just did not work.
To sum it up it reads like a text book trying to be a fictional account of a real thing. The translation is poorly done if that is the issue with it.
When you read a holocaust novel, the authors should respect the subject matter. Elie Wiesel did just that when he wrote Night, even young adult author Mark A. Cooper who is not known as a literate genius wrote an amazing account of children in the holocaust when he wrote the second Edelweiss Pirates novel "Edelweiss Express". It will go down as one of the most definitive works on Holocaust literature.
Those novels stick with you when you take a break from reading, you could be in the shower or running to catch the subway and the novel is still haunting your thoughts.
Sadly the author missed the emotion, the stories are of course important but so is the writing.
August 22, 2019
this is a difficult for me to rate, as i have found to be the case with many WWII/holocaust stories that are based on real life people but written as a work of fiction.
for most of the book, this was a solid 3 stars. not phenomenal, but not horrible either. i think that iturbe was a little out of his league choosing this kind of story for his debut. its slow, almost boring, in a lot of places with sterile writing and sporadic POV shifts in the narration. im not sure if this is a translation issue or just a new author hurdle that needs to be overcome. i just think that, with a story of this seriousness, the characters need to feel real; so when there is a lack of emotion and spirit, it does the story a massive injustice.
however, i found the story of dita to be very encouraging. as a fellow bookworm, its quite heartening to read about how books were the source of her courage, inspiration, and escape. i thought the epilogue, author postscript, and 'what happened to…' sections at the end were highly redeeming, so much so that i feel justified enough to round up my rating. these sections are the personalisation and connection i so desperately needed to these people and story, so it is a shame that it came so late in the book.
overall, not quite the execution i would have like from this, but still a really important story that i am grateful was told.
↠ 3.5 stars
for most of the book, this was a solid 3 stars. not phenomenal, but not horrible either. i think that iturbe was a little out of his league choosing this kind of story for his debut. its slow, almost boring, in a lot of places with sterile writing and sporadic POV shifts in the narration. im not sure if this is a translation issue or just a new author hurdle that needs to be overcome. i just think that, with a story of this seriousness, the characters need to feel real; so when there is a lack of emotion and spirit, it does the story a massive injustice.
however, i found the story of dita to be very encouraging. as a fellow bookworm, its quite heartening to read about how books were the source of her courage, inspiration, and escape. i thought the epilogue, author postscript, and 'what happened to…' sections at the end were highly redeeming, so much so that i feel justified enough to round up my rating. these sections are the personalisation and connection i so desperately needed to these people and story, so it is a shame that it came so late in the book.
overall, not quite the execution i would have like from this, but still a really important story that i am grateful was told.
↠ 3.5 stars
July 5, 2021
Wenn man ein Buch mit dem Titel "Die Bibliothekarin von Auschwitz" liest, dann ist natürlich schon klar, dass es ein tiefgreifendes und aufwühlendes Buch sein muss. Immerhin ist das Setting das Konzentrationslager Auschwitz-Birkenau im Jahr 1944.
Die Protagonistin ist die 14-jährige Edita, Jüdin und die Bibliothekarin. Sie hütet acht alte Bücher, die ins KZ geschmuggelt werden konnten und auf keinen Fall entdeckt werden dürfen. Bücher sind verboten. Doch diese acht Bücher, die zum Teil schon beinahe auseinanderfallen, sind ein Schatz im trüben, schrecklichen Alltag der Menschen im KZ.
Die Geschichte von Edita und ihren Leidensgenossen im KZ hat mich sehr berührt. Ich habe schon einige Bücher über den Holocaust gelesen, und doch ist jede Geschichte und jedes Schicksal wieder ein Schock. So unvorstellbar.
Auch die Geschichte von Edita wird mich noch lange begleiten.
Es ist schön, wie der Autor es geschafft hat, die Magie, die Bücher ausüben können, in die Geschichte einzubauen (die im Übrigen auf wahren Begebenheiten beruht).
Ich hoffe, die Geschichte von Edita wird noch viele Leser finden!
Die Protagonistin ist die 14-jährige Edita, Jüdin und die Bibliothekarin. Sie hütet acht alte Bücher, die ins KZ geschmuggelt werden konnten und auf keinen Fall entdeckt werden dürfen. Bücher sind verboten. Doch diese acht Bücher, die zum Teil schon beinahe auseinanderfallen, sind ein Schatz im trüben, schrecklichen Alltag der Menschen im KZ.
Die Geschichte von Edita und ihren Leidensgenossen im KZ hat mich sehr berührt. Ich habe schon einige Bücher über den Holocaust gelesen, und doch ist jede Geschichte und jedes Schicksal wieder ein Schock. So unvorstellbar.
Auch die Geschichte von Edita wird mich noch lange begleiten.
Es ist schön, wie der Autor es geschafft hat, die Magie, die Bücher ausüben können, in die Geschichte einzubauen (die im Übrigen auf wahren Begebenheiten beruht).
Ich hoffe, die Geschichte von Edita wird noch viele Leser finden!
June 18, 2018
I sit back and I close my eyes. I imagine my five daughters, and the life that they live today. They have friends, clothes, make-up, and they adore school just the same as every teenaged Jew girl had done. I get to the part in my mind that imagines our family being ripped apart, and the chaos and confusion that all those people and children surely felt during the war. It is unbearable, and I open my eyes. I cannot bear to even imagine what they all must have went through, none the less having to endure such pain and suffering. I read as much as my gut will allow about the war, and I do not feel like the current youth is educated enough about what exactly had happened during this time. They are taught the basics, but it is books such as "The Librarian of Auschwitz" bring the stories of the people who suffered so endlessly to life.
I do not believe in coincidence, and the author Antonio Iturbe, was destined to meet and converse with the main character Dita. They were brought together by chance, and although there was a language barrier, they managed to communicate and the story that unravelled was meant to be told! This book is based around Dita an Auschwitz survivor, and with some non-fiction added the author was able to create a compelling story of bravery, survival and how magnificent the strength of the human spirit can be. Dita is given the great responsibility of looking after the few books in the family camp that had been banned by the Nazi's. This is a great responsibility, and one that she risked her life for everyday.
What drew me in to the story, was the history. I know that this was a story meant to be told, and although some non-fiction was also added, there was not much indication in the book of what that was. The author used his descriptions to show the reader the pain and suffering felt by the jews, and I was at times brought to tears. At times, I do feel like the author could have held back on his intensity. It was apparent that while he was writing this novel, he also had emotion and hatred for what was going on. There were points in the story where I felt he lost sight of the story, and it read a little like a history book. There were references to the characters making statements about how this was "The greatest mass killing in human history," and I felt myself as the reader step back and wonder why in that moment the character would be making such a statement? In that moment, in my opinion, that would be the last thing on the character's mind and certainly would not be reflecting like the war was already over, and making such a statement. During those times, it felt as if the character stepped away from the story and was educating the reader on the history of what happened. This was beneficial for the author to deliver to the reader the impact of what was happening, yet the statements deterred from the story as a whole. This author has a great writing style, and he delivered the message beautifully, I just feel that at moments he was also in the seat of an outsider telling the story as if it was over, versus in the moment as the story was being told.
As much as I loved this story, I also stepped back and wondered how accurate he portrayed the Jews in the respect of how they treated each other in the Auschwitz camp. I was disheartened to read about how they called each other horrible names and fought amongst each other in jealousy and hatred. These may be true facts that the author learned from Dita, and they may have been a figment of his own imagination. Regardless, if this was his imagination I would hope that he would not want to portray such a horrible period of time with made up conclusions of how the Jews communicated with each other. I understand that human nature under dire circumstances may change drastically into uncharacteristic behavior, and some of that is to of course be expected. I will never pretend to say how I would act under those circumstances, it was just a sad thing digest, as if it was not horrible enough.
Overall, if you are interested in a great read that will give some perspective of what these poor people had to endure, and in the end see some triumph, this is a great book to do so. I found the conclusion very insightful as some of the fates of the Nazi guards were revealed. With the horrific fate of millions of people, it is nice to hear the story of a heroic Dita that has overcome so much in her lifetime. This woman is truly an inspiration and a true hero in every sense. After reading her story, I was assured that no matter what happens in life, our human spirit can overcome the worst.
I do not believe in coincidence, and the author Antonio Iturbe, was destined to meet and converse with the main character Dita. They were brought together by chance, and although there was a language barrier, they managed to communicate and the story that unravelled was meant to be told! This book is based around Dita an Auschwitz survivor, and with some non-fiction added the author was able to create a compelling story of bravery, survival and how magnificent the strength of the human spirit can be. Dita is given the great responsibility of looking after the few books in the family camp that had been banned by the Nazi's. This is a great responsibility, and one that she risked her life for everyday.
What drew me in to the story, was the history. I know that this was a story meant to be told, and although some non-fiction was also added, there was not much indication in the book of what that was. The author used his descriptions to show the reader the pain and suffering felt by the jews, and I was at times brought to tears. At times, I do feel like the author could have held back on his intensity. It was apparent that while he was writing this novel, he also had emotion and hatred for what was going on. There were points in the story where I felt he lost sight of the story, and it read a little like a history book. There were references to the characters making statements about how this was "The greatest mass killing in human history," and I felt myself as the reader step back and wonder why in that moment the character would be making such a statement? In that moment, in my opinion, that would be the last thing on the character's mind and certainly would not be reflecting like the war was already over, and making such a statement. During those times, it felt as if the character stepped away from the story and was educating the reader on the history of what happened. This was beneficial for the author to deliver to the reader the impact of what was happening, yet the statements deterred from the story as a whole. This author has a great writing style, and he delivered the message beautifully, I just feel that at moments he was also in the seat of an outsider telling the story as if it was over, versus in the moment as the story was being told.
As much as I loved this story, I also stepped back and wondered how accurate he portrayed the Jews in the respect of how they treated each other in the Auschwitz camp. I was disheartened to read about how they called each other horrible names and fought amongst each other in jealousy and hatred. These may be true facts that the author learned from Dita, and they may have been a figment of his own imagination. Regardless, if this was his imagination I would hope that he would not want to portray such a horrible period of time with made up conclusions of how the Jews communicated with each other. I understand that human nature under dire circumstances may change drastically into uncharacteristic behavior, and some of that is to of course be expected. I will never pretend to say how I would act under those circumstances, it was just a sad thing digest, as if it was not horrible enough.
Overall, if you are interested in a great read that will give some perspective of what these poor people had to endure, and in the end see some triumph, this is a great book to do so. I found the conclusion very insightful as some of the fates of the Nazi guards were revealed. With the horrific fate of millions of people, it is nice to hear the story of a heroic Dita that has overcome so much in her lifetime. This woman is truly an inspiration and a true hero in every sense. After reading her story, I was assured that no matter what happens in life, our human spirit can overcome the worst.
March 4, 2020
I knew I’d read this eventually.
It took a few chapters to get that ‘hooked’ feeling...(part of it might’ve been my mental debate)....I’ve owned the ebook since it was released - but when one has read as many books about the holocaust as I have ( as many of us have)....we begin to tiptoe cautiously —
I’m sure it’s been said before… “The book cover is gorgeous!”
At some point, I was all in - ‘hooked’ - transported to a children’s school,- “Block 31” within a ‘family camp’, in Auschwitz - written from young people’s perspectives.
It goes without saying that the Holocaust was horrific and demoralizing....but stories still need to be heard.
Antonio Iturbe introduces us to Dita Kraus, Holocaust Survivor, born in Prague in 1942)...
along with family members, other children, friends, resistance members, and Jewish leaders.
At age 14, Dita was assigned the role of librarian.
Iturbe chronicles Dita’s determination -(risking her life), to protect eight library books.... hiding them in coat pockets, and anywhere hopefully unseen by Nazi officials.
The ‘children’s school’ was established to create a sense of normalcy. Some families didn’t think it mattered if the kids kept learning and reading given their nightmare conditions —but we soon see how much it did matter.
Based on true events... with many courageous characters.....
....the writing wasn’t anything exceptional- but the story and people were!!!!
Worth reading — another piece of WWII history that captured the inhuman daily life - from within.
It highlighted the beauty of the human spirit through strength and pure bravery.
Excellent choice young older teens.
Reads quickly for adults -
A story worth reading!
It took a few chapters to get that ‘hooked’ feeling...(part of it might’ve been my mental debate)....I’ve owned the ebook since it was released - but when one has read as many books about the holocaust as I have ( as many of us have)....we begin to tiptoe cautiously —
I’m sure it’s been said before… “The book cover is gorgeous!”
At some point, I was all in - ‘hooked’ - transported to a children’s school,- “Block 31” within a ‘family camp’, in Auschwitz - written from young people’s perspectives.
It goes without saying that the Holocaust was horrific and demoralizing....but stories still need to be heard.
Antonio Iturbe introduces us to Dita Kraus, Holocaust Survivor, born in Prague in 1942)...
along with family members, other children, friends, resistance members, and Jewish leaders.
At age 14, Dita was assigned the role of librarian.
Iturbe chronicles Dita’s determination -(risking her life), to protect eight library books.... hiding them in coat pockets, and anywhere hopefully unseen by Nazi officials.
The ‘children’s school’ was established to create a sense of normalcy. Some families didn’t think it mattered if the kids kept learning and reading given their nightmare conditions —but we soon see how much it did matter.
Based on true events... with many courageous characters.....
....the writing wasn’t anything exceptional- but the story and people were!!!!
Worth reading — another piece of WWII history that captured the inhuman daily life - from within.
It highlighted the beauty of the human spirit through strength and pure bravery.
Excellent choice young older teens.
Reads quickly for adults -
A story worth reading!
May 24, 2017
"Na Internet há toneladas de informação sobre Auschwitz, mas a informação só nos fala do lugar. Se queremos um lugar que nos fale a nós, temos de ir lá e ficar o tempo suficiente para ouvir o que ele tem para nos dizer."
Eu fui. Há cerca de três meses, estive em Auschwitz-Birkenau. Durante um par de horas percorri salas e ruas mergulhada numa tristeza e angústia indescritíveis. Sei que, no que me resta de tempo por aqui, esquecerei pessoas e lugares que passaram e passarão por mim, mas as horas que vivi nesse túmulo gigante permanecerão sempre na minha memória.
Perturba-me qualquer atrocidade que um ser humano possa cometer contra outro, no entanto, com um esforço mental até o posso entender; as guerras, e a ambição pelo poder que lhe está inerente, fazem parte da natureza humana. Mas que homens planeiem e executem a extinção de um povo, pela religião, cor dos olhos, ou seja lá o que for, foge ao meu entendimento e chega a envergonhar-me pertencer à raça humana.
O relatado neste livro não é ficção. É a história verdadeira de Dita Polachava, hoje Dita Kraus, e de tantos outros seres, prisioneiros, torturados e assassinados pelo "crime" de serem judeus. É um relato de sofrimento e morte, mas também de luta e esperança, aqui, oferecidas pelos livros, pelos quais Dita se apronta a dar a vida, mas que, de certa forma, lhe a salvam.
Poderia escrever palavras e mais palavras sobre este livro. Falar sobre a profunda tristeza e revolta que senti durante a leitura. Mas não ouso...
As cinco estrelas, com que avalio este livro, são simbólicas. Que me perdoem os milhares de homens, mulheres e crianças, cujas cinzas estarão para sempre sepultadas em Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Eu fui. Há cerca de três meses, estive em Auschwitz-Birkenau. Durante um par de horas percorri salas e ruas mergulhada numa tristeza e angústia indescritíveis. Sei que, no que me resta de tempo por aqui, esquecerei pessoas e lugares que passaram e passarão por mim, mas as horas que vivi nesse túmulo gigante permanecerão sempre na minha memória.
Perturba-me qualquer atrocidade que um ser humano possa cometer contra outro, no entanto, com um esforço mental até o posso entender; as guerras, e a ambição pelo poder que lhe está inerente, fazem parte da natureza humana. Mas que homens planeiem e executem a extinção de um povo, pela religião, cor dos olhos, ou seja lá o que for, foge ao meu entendimento e chega a envergonhar-me pertencer à raça humana.
O relatado neste livro não é ficção. É a história verdadeira de Dita Polachava, hoje Dita Kraus, e de tantos outros seres, prisioneiros, torturados e assassinados pelo "crime" de serem judeus. É um relato de sofrimento e morte, mas também de luta e esperança, aqui, oferecidas pelos livros, pelos quais Dita se apronta a dar a vida, mas que, de certa forma, lhe a salvam.
Poderia escrever palavras e mais palavras sobre este livro. Falar sobre a profunda tristeza e revolta que senti durante a leitura. Mas não ouso...
As cinco estrelas, com que avalio este livro, são simbólicas. Que me perdoem os milhares de homens, mulheres e crianças, cujas cinzas estarão para sempre sepultadas em Auschwitz-Birkenau.
January 9, 2020
It is always a revelation when you read a book about someone who at such a young age took on a role that was not only dangerous but also one in which death awaited her if she was caught.
Dita Strauss was a mere fourteen years old when she and her parents arrived at Auschwitz. They were assigned to the family camp and as all were assigned to work, Dita went to work in the school. There she meets Freddy Hirsch, the Jewish leader in charge of the children of Auschwitz. He gives her an assignment. She is to be the protector of books that have been hidden. Dita is only fourteen and yet she strives to do her job as the books are a link to a world of sanity. She secrets the books away as she carries them to others.
Being in the "children's block", she was overseen by the infamous Dr Mengele. The author describes some of her interaction with him. They all knew he was Dr Death and his experiments on people were the stuff of nightmares.
Each transport brought to the family camp were given six months to live. They all knew that their lives were destined to end and yet, those who read and used the books as a teaching tool brought life and a small bit of happiness to those whose fate was to be exterminated. “The educators in the Kinderblock were the greatest heroes of all,” Dita said. “They knew they would die, yet dedicated themselves to the children, to make their last weeks as pleasant as they could.”
Told with all the horror of their lives and yet with a tenderness, love, and hope for the future that books often provide, this was a wonderful story that highlighted the courage of many especially that of a young fourteen year old child.
https://www.thejc.com/news/news-featu...
Dita Strauss was a mere fourteen years old when she and her parents arrived at Auschwitz. They were assigned to the family camp and as all were assigned to work, Dita went to work in the school. There she meets Freddy Hirsch, the Jewish leader in charge of the children of Auschwitz. He gives her an assignment. She is to be the protector of books that have been hidden. Dita is only fourteen and yet she strives to do her job as the books are a link to a world of sanity. She secrets the books away as she carries them to others.
Being in the "children's block", she was overseen by the infamous Dr Mengele. The author describes some of her interaction with him. They all knew he was Dr Death and his experiments on people were the stuff of nightmares.
Each transport brought to the family camp were given six months to live. They all knew that their lives were destined to end and yet, those who read and used the books as a teaching tool brought life and a small bit of happiness to those whose fate was to be exterminated. “The educators in the Kinderblock were the greatest heroes of all,” Dita said. “They knew they would die, yet dedicated themselves to the children, to make their last weeks as pleasant as they could.”
Told with all the horror of their lives and yet with a tenderness, love, and hope for the future that books often provide, this was a wonderful story that highlighted the courage of many especially that of a young fourteen year old child.
https://www.thejc.com/news/news-featu...
November 2, 2017
I won't say a word against the content, because it is worthy. I've read a few books about the Holocaust, both fiction and non fiction. I only vaguely knew about books, but never about the librarian running such a clandestine operation in a death camp like Auschwitz. I'm really glad I read about Dita Kraus (Dita Adler in the book). No matter how many times I read about Nazi atrocities it still doesn't fail to shock me.
But, overall, the book didn't work for me because of the way it was written (or translated). I would have liked it better if it was a straight non-fiction, or if it had a linear timeline. The flashbacks, the asides, the sudden shift in POV and even tense, it just did not work. I also didn't feel I really knew Dita - I got a better sense of her personality when I googled her partway through the reading of my book. The first story that popped up was about her lighting a torch for Holocaust remembrance in 2014, and the story transcribed her speech. She sounded wonderful and spunky and someone whose own words I'd like to listen to. Incidentally, at the end of the book, the author describes his meeting with Dita Kraus and how they went to Terezin together. And yes, she came alive in this recounting, like she wasn't in the entire book that preceded it. I really think that fictionalizing this account constrained the book, it should have been non fiction.
But it's worth reading the book, for the content alone. So I'm bumping up a star.
But, overall, the book didn't work for me because of the way it was written (or translated). I would have liked it better if it was a straight non-fiction, or if it had a linear timeline. The flashbacks, the asides, the sudden shift in POV and even tense, it just did not work. I also didn't feel I really knew Dita - I got a better sense of her personality when I googled her partway through the reading of my book. The first story that popped up was about her lighting a torch for Holocaust remembrance in 2014, and the story transcribed her speech. She sounded wonderful and spunky and someone whose own words I'd like to listen to. Incidentally, at the end of the book, the author describes his meeting with Dita Kraus and how they went to Terezin together. And yes, she came alive in this recounting, like she wasn't in the entire book that preceded it. I really think that fictionalizing this account constrained the book, it should have been non fiction.
But it's worth reading the book, for the content alone. So I'm bumping up a star.
March 14, 2021
A truly wonderful book! The authors’ weave a lovely tale about the importance of books in the brutal environment of the Nazi concentration camps.
It is packed with emotions that draws the reader into the heart of the story. Of course, as a committed reader, the importance of teaching children to read is a value I cherish.
It was a very fast read for me. I could not put it down.
I highly recommend.
It is packed with emotions that draws the reader into the heart of the story. Of course, as a committed reader, the importance of teaching children to read is a value I cherish.
It was a very fast read for me. I could not put it down.
I highly recommend.
April 20, 2018
The afterword was amazing! Have you read it? I need to compose my thoughts now for that review to follow.
December 13, 2017
"They are holding something that is absolutely forbidden in Auschwitz. These items, so dangerous that their mere possession is a death sentence, cannot be fired, nor do they have a sharp point, a blade, or a heavy end. These items, which the relentless guards of the Reich fear so much, are nothing more than books: old, unbound, with missing pages, and in tatters."
Dita Adlerova is barely starting her teen years when WWII breaks out. Originally from Prague, Dita's family along with other Jewish families are forced to move to the Terezin ghetto. While life in the ghetto is hardly perfect, circumstance deals a bad hand to Dita when she is transferred to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Placed in the uniquely special Block 31, where families are allowed to remain together, Dita acquires a unique title: Librarian of the clandestine school. Its a role that will sustain her, quite literally.
My genre of choice is historical fiction, specially that pertaining to WWII and the Holocaust. This book fit the bill and then some as it also was an homage to books and their extensive reach. Block 31 was unique for it was a family camp where families where allowed to remain together. While the parents were put to work, the kids were sent to "school". The leader, Fredy Hirsch, was only supposed to entertain the kids. He set up a clandestine school instead where he recruited teachers and set up a secret library. That is where Dita came in, she was tasked with protecting the books as they passed from teacher to teacher and was to hide them in Hirsch's office at the end of the day. In Auschwitz, this was quite dangerous work. While I agree with other reviwers that the pace and flow of the book is not perfect, that could have been lost in translation. Antonio Iturbe originally published 'La Bibliotecaria de Auschwitz' in 2012, in Spain. Overall, I very much liked this book. There are some issues but the content more than makes up for it. It was a powerful statement about the resilience of the human spirit.
Dita Adlerova, later Kraus, is a real person. At 14 years old, she became the Librarian of Block 31 and she took her job very seriously. She transported the books hidden in secret compartments under her dress. In essence, she was risking her life for books and some might not understand why it was worth it. For that matter, why even establish a school? As its known now, the only purpose of Block 31 was to try and fool the international communty that the Nazis were not killing the prisioners. However, when the Red Cross did not show up to inspect the camp, the Nazis went ahead and dismantled it by killing 3000 people in a single blow. Most of the kids perished. Still, I applaud that this school existed for it gave hope and even if it was fleeting, these 500 kids got to experience some joy. Dita did survive Auschwitz and later, Bergen-Belsen. She married Ota Kraus, who was one of the teachers of Block 31. Ota Kraus wrote 'The Painted Wall' which is about the clandestine school. I plan on reading it at a later date. What a impressive lady!
Dita Adlerova is barely starting her teen years when WWII breaks out. Originally from Prague, Dita's family along with other Jewish families are forced to move to the Terezin ghetto. While life in the ghetto is hardly perfect, circumstance deals a bad hand to Dita when she is transferred to Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Placed in the uniquely special Block 31, where families are allowed to remain together, Dita acquires a unique title: Librarian of the clandestine school. Its a role that will sustain her, quite literally.
My genre of choice is historical fiction, specially that pertaining to WWII and the Holocaust. This book fit the bill and then some as it also was an homage to books and their extensive reach. Block 31 was unique for it was a family camp where families where allowed to remain together. While the parents were put to work, the kids were sent to "school". The leader, Fredy Hirsch, was only supposed to entertain the kids. He set up a clandestine school instead where he recruited teachers and set up a secret library. That is where Dita came in, she was tasked with protecting the books as they passed from teacher to teacher and was to hide them in Hirsch's office at the end of the day. In Auschwitz, this was quite dangerous work. While I agree with other reviwers that the pace and flow of the book is not perfect, that could have been lost in translation. Antonio Iturbe originally published 'La Bibliotecaria de Auschwitz' in 2012, in Spain. Overall, I very much liked this book. There are some issues but the content more than makes up for it. It was a powerful statement about the resilience of the human spirit.
Dita Adlerova, later Kraus, is a real person. At 14 years old, she became the Librarian of Block 31 and she took her job very seriously. She transported the books hidden in secret compartments under her dress. In essence, she was risking her life for books and some might not understand why it was worth it. For that matter, why even establish a school? As its known now, the only purpose of Block 31 was to try and fool the international communty that the Nazis were not killing the prisioners. However, when the Red Cross did not show up to inspect the camp, the Nazis went ahead and dismantled it by killing 3000 people in a single blow. Most of the kids perished. Still, I applaud that this school existed for it gave hope and even if it was fleeting, these 500 kids got to experience some joy. Dita did survive Auschwitz and later, Bergen-Belsen. She married Ota Kraus, who was one of the teachers of Block 31. Ota Kraus wrote 'The Painted Wall' which is about the clandestine school. I plan on reading it at a later date. What a impressive lady!
May 18, 2020
I found this book to be very well-researched into the atrocities that occurred in Hitler's death camps, namely Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen; however, I thought the title to be a little misleading. The portions about Dita Kraus, the fourteen-year old "librarian", could have easily fit into a chapter or two since the majority of the story focuses on other Jewish prisoners (including a small portion about Anne and Margot Frank!) and some Nazi officials and/or guards and how they all fared during and after WWII. The author doesn't mince words when he describes the treatment meted out upon the prisoners. I especially thought the conversations and behaviours (sometimes cruel and greedy) between prisoners to be quite enlightening regarding the conditions in these camps. I recommend this book if you appreciate reading about the Holocaust.
December 8, 2024
3 stars
“Books are extremely dangerous; they make people think.”
This is a story of bravery, hope and the power of books. It explores one small spark of light that made a difference during the extreme horrific abuse and devastation of Auschwitz.
This is an important story that gives a voice to Dita, a fourteen-year-old Auschwitz prisoner, who took large risks for the greater good in one of the worst times in history.
I am always fascinated to learn stories about people’s courage during wartimes. I find these stories very thought-provoking and I often try to place myself in their situation. As horrifying as this story is, I found it extremely inspiring and uplifting to learn about the extremes people would go to for access to books. The bookish focus was a stand out part of the story for me.
While I appreciated learning about this inspiring piece of history, I did find myself lost in the plot several times. There were too many characters and many of them didn’t get fully fleshed out which lessened the strength of the story. The narrative switches throughout chapters were often unclear and felt disjointed. I would have preferred to have character titles with each chapter sharing a new perspective. Many chapters go off on tangents with new characters which I think the author did to try to give depth to the story and show the extremes from multiple perspectives, but it took away from the intensity because I didn’t stay fully connected with the main characters. I think this story could have been edited down to increase the reader connection.
Overall, I enjoyed this for being an educational read but it isn’t a stand out WWII historical fiction novel for me.
“Books are extremely dangerous; they make people think.”
This is a story of bravery, hope and the power of books. It explores one small spark of light that made a difference during the extreme horrific abuse and devastation of Auschwitz.
This is an important story that gives a voice to Dita, a fourteen-year-old Auschwitz prisoner, who took large risks for the greater good in one of the worst times in history.
I am always fascinated to learn stories about people’s courage during wartimes. I find these stories very thought-provoking and I often try to place myself in their situation. As horrifying as this story is, I found it extremely inspiring and uplifting to learn about the extremes people would go to for access to books. The bookish focus was a stand out part of the story for me.
While I appreciated learning about this inspiring piece of history, I did find myself lost in the plot several times. There were too many characters and many of them didn’t get fully fleshed out which lessened the strength of the story. The narrative switches throughout chapters were often unclear and felt disjointed. I would have preferred to have character titles with each chapter sharing a new perspective. Many chapters go off on tangents with new characters which I think the author did to try to give depth to the story and show the extremes from multiple perspectives, but it took away from the intensity because I didn’t stay fully connected with the main characters. I think this story could have been edited down to increase the reader connection.
Overall, I enjoyed this for being an educational read but it isn’t a stand out WWII historical fiction novel for me.
August 23, 2017
Ha sido una historia difícil, en algunos momentos me ha costado avanzar básicamente porque lo que narraba me ponía los pelos de punta y me remataba saber que todo era verdad, que todo eso ocurrió no hace mucho. Es una historia dura como casi todas las que narran la barbarie de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, pero es una historia también de gente fuerte, gente capaz de sobrevivir al horror y no dejar que consuma su vida, gente que es capaz de encontrar en los libros la luz para esos momentos oscuros y llenos de odio, donde las historias estaban prohibidas demostrando que la literatura es una herramienta enorme para abrir los ojos a la verdad, a la ilusión, a la vida. He sufrido con Dita, ponerme en su piel ha sido complicado por todo lo que le toca vivir, pero ha sido un lujo conocer su historia, conocer a esa mujer real que luchó siempre, y que sonrió a pesar de todo, porque era lo único que les quedaba.
December 31, 2019
5☆ Poignant and Heartbreakingly Authentic.
A Must Read!
First of all I just want to take a moment to admire the cover, it's absolutely stunning and I think it represents the book perfectly.
THE LIBRARIAN OF Auschwitz is a very poignant, raw, and thought provoking read, it's an atmospheric and powerful read.
It's based on a true untold story which makes it even more special and Heartbreakingly authentic.
I don't want to go into the plot very much as i think this is a book you need to discover for yourself, the blurb was captivating and certainly gives a glimpse into this poignant read.
Dita is just 14years old and has been chosen and trusted to be the class librarian of Block 31, now you might think oh well it's only a librarian, but books are banned and anyone caught with them are sentenced to death!
But Dita's passion for learning and books shone through and despite the immediate danger she accepts the position.
She's incredibly brave, strong, loyal and has a heart of gold.
Dita and her family are in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Where thousands of innocent lives are taken every day, horrific experiments are done on children, families are ripped apart, they are forced to live like cattle, fighting for beds with barely any food. It's horrific and really is quiet difficult to read. But it was a reality which makes it all the more raw and gut wrenching.
There is alot of characters and you really need to take your time with this book to fully absorb the characters and plot.
I did struggle at first getting to grips with who was who, but once I got my head around it, everything clicked into place.
Not all the Characters are likeable, for sooo many reasons, they are based on real characters, and some of them are horrific but harshly real, the Soldiers for example, how they treated people was unimaginable but it happened. But then you had characters like Dita and Fredy Hirsh who melted my heart.
Antonio Iturbe has created an atmospheric and heart breaking story packed full of emotion, reality, harsh truths, he took me right into the heart of Auschwitz and made me experience everything through the eyes of Dita and her struggles for survival. It was emotional, hard hitting and powerful but incredibly gripping and captivating that it had you turning the pages.
If you are looking for a read that's raw, based on a true untold story, powerful, Heartbreakingly authentic, thought provoking and a unique book, that once read will truly stay with you for a lifetime, then you must read THE LIBRARIAN OF Auschwitz!
Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
A Must Read!
First of all I just want to take a moment to admire the cover, it's absolutely stunning and I think it represents the book perfectly.
THE LIBRARIAN OF Auschwitz is a very poignant, raw, and thought provoking read, it's an atmospheric and powerful read.
It's based on a true untold story which makes it even more special and Heartbreakingly authentic.
I don't want to go into the plot very much as i think this is a book you need to discover for yourself, the blurb was captivating and certainly gives a glimpse into this poignant read.
Dita is just 14years old and has been chosen and trusted to be the class librarian of Block 31, now you might think oh well it's only a librarian, but books are banned and anyone caught with them are sentenced to death!
But Dita's passion for learning and books shone through and despite the immediate danger she accepts the position.
She's incredibly brave, strong, loyal and has a heart of gold.
Dita and her family are in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Where thousands of innocent lives are taken every day, horrific experiments are done on children, families are ripped apart, they are forced to live like cattle, fighting for beds with barely any food. It's horrific and really is quiet difficult to read. But it was a reality which makes it all the more raw and gut wrenching.
There is alot of characters and you really need to take your time with this book to fully absorb the characters and plot.
I did struggle at first getting to grips with who was who, but once I got my head around it, everything clicked into place.
Not all the Characters are likeable, for sooo many reasons, they are based on real characters, and some of them are horrific but harshly real, the Soldiers for example, how they treated people was unimaginable but it happened. But then you had characters like Dita and Fredy Hirsh who melted my heart.
Antonio Iturbe has created an atmospheric and heart breaking story packed full of emotion, reality, harsh truths, he took me right into the heart of Auschwitz and made me experience everything through the eyes of Dita and her struggles for survival. It was emotional, hard hitting and powerful but incredibly gripping and captivating that it had you turning the pages.
If you are looking for a read that's raw, based on a true untold story, powerful, Heartbreakingly authentic, thought provoking and a unique book, that once read will truly stay with you for a lifetime, then you must read THE LIBRARIAN OF Auschwitz!
Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
June 8, 2018
5 Stars
My thoughts are definitely inadequate as to how to convey the horrific atrocities that occurred during this time in history that many would like to forget or ignore.
This story needs to be known because it’s one of survival amongst such evil, as well as an amazing feat of triumph despite the astronomical losses.
The struggle to hold onto one’s humanity in such despair, to grab onto some semblance of normalcy, and the action of defiance that bred hope to live another day was all portrayed here to devastating effect.
I am emotionally ferklempt, and I’m simply unable to do this amazing true story justice in putting to words just how much this affected me.
My thoughts are definitely inadequate as to how to convey the horrific atrocities that occurred during this time in history that many would like to forget or ignore.
This story needs to be known because it’s one of survival amongst such evil, as well as an amazing feat of triumph despite the astronomical losses.
The struggle to hold onto one’s humanity in such despair, to grab onto some semblance of normalcy, and the action of defiance that bred hope to live another day was all portrayed here to devastating effect.
I am emotionally ferklempt, and I’m simply unable to do this amazing true story justice in putting to words just how much this affected me.
June 18, 2021
O carte foarte bine documentată, “Bibliotecara de la Auschwitz” ne arată că, până și în cele mai grele situații, omul are nevoie de cunoaștere. Este povestea Ditei Kraus, o tânără de doar 14 ani, care este cea mai tânără bibliotecară din lume și are grijă de cea mai mică bibliotecă din lume, care are doar 8 cărți: biblioteca de la Auschwitz.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/bib...
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://www.delicateseliterare.ro/bib...
August 27, 2018
“Death has become an industry that is profitable only if it is done wholesale.”
“The Librarian of Auschwitz” by Antonio Iturbe is classified as young adult, historical fiction (based in reality, obviously). However, this novel is so much more than that.
Fourteen year old Dita is imprisoned with her family in an Auschwitz concentration camp. When she is asked by a Jewish leader to take on the role of handling the books for the makeshift school, Dita immediately agrees. Books are hard to come by, as many of them have been burned and deemed ‘blasphemous’ and ‘against the Fuhrer’, so Dita knows the job is a dangerous one. But her love of books and the joy she knows they can spread to others surpasses her fears.
Not only is the novel as powerful as any novel from this era is, it also holds a special power. It spreads the love and passion of books that only those with a true adoration can admire. Dita is a spectacular character, brave and compassionate, but also stubborn and caring. Based on a real person, Dita is someone a reader can easily root for.
Depressing as the setting of the novel is, there is innocence and love between the pages, too. It reflects on the great blessings we have that we take for granted (for example, the availability and access we have to any and all books on any and all subjects), and the travesties that we, as a Human Race, have inflicted on others.
This novel, based on subject matter, was not an easy read, but it was one that I quickly became engrossed in. I cheered for Dita and her friends from the first page and I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Iturbe’s epilogue, entitled “Whatever happened to…”, where he fills us in on the outcomes of some of the “real” characters from the novel.
It is thick with characters, with confusing and often similar names, so it is easy to get some of the characters mixed up, but overall the novel was entertaining, powerful and heart-warming. The ending was delightful and satisfying, bringing hope to a reader after such an emotional story.
To quote Dita,
“A book is like a trapdoor that leads to a secret attic; you can open it and go inside. And your world is different”
and out of respect for her and this novel, I will read as often and as many books as I can and be grateful for the unbridled access. Well done, Mr. Itrube. Bravo indeed.
“The Librarian of Auschwitz” by Antonio Iturbe is classified as young adult, historical fiction (based in reality, obviously). However, this novel is so much more than that.
Fourteen year old Dita is imprisoned with her family in an Auschwitz concentration camp. When she is asked by a Jewish leader to take on the role of handling the books for the makeshift school, Dita immediately agrees. Books are hard to come by, as many of them have been burned and deemed ‘blasphemous’ and ‘against the Fuhrer’, so Dita knows the job is a dangerous one. But her love of books and the joy she knows they can spread to others surpasses her fears.
Not only is the novel as powerful as any novel from this era is, it also holds a special power. It spreads the love and passion of books that only those with a true adoration can admire. Dita is a spectacular character, brave and compassionate, but also stubborn and caring. Based on a real person, Dita is someone a reader can easily root for.
Depressing as the setting of the novel is, there is innocence and love between the pages, too. It reflects on the great blessings we have that we take for granted (for example, the availability and access we have to any and all books on any and all subjects), and the travesties that we, as a Human Race, have inflicted on others.
This novel, based on subject matter, was not an easy read, but it was one that I quickly became engrossed in. I cheered for Dita and her friends from the first page and I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Iturbe’s epilogue, entitled “Whatever happened to…”, where he fills us in on the outcomes of some of the “real” characters from the novel.
It is thick with characters, with confusing and often similar names, so it is easy to get some of the characters mixed up, but overall the novel was entertaining, powerful and heart-warming. The ending was delightful and satisfying, bringing hope to a reader after such an emotional story.
To quote Dita,
“A book is like a trapdoor that leads to a secret attic; you can open it and go inside. And your world is different”
and out of respect for her and this novel, I will read as often and as many books as I can and be grateful for the unbridled access. Well done, Mr. Itrube. Bravo indeed.
March 17, 2018
I was satisfied with this book, as a librarian myself I enjoyed reading about an unknown side story in the Holocaust that focuses in books, while the story happened in a tragic background ( a German concentration camp) , it focuses in how the main character “Dita” was able to hide books from the Germans while in the camp and help kids learn from them as long she could . Since this story has a background in truth we learn a lot about the daily life in a concentration camp and how horrible it was to live in one. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about one of the darkest chapters of our history, anyone who likes books about books and wants to know more about WW 2 . This book is not for the faint of heart .
December 13, 2016
“Haverá quem não partilhe este fascínio pelo facto de alguns terem arriscado a vida para manterem aberta uma escola secreta e uma biblioteca clandestina em Auschwitz-Birkenau. Haverá sempre quem pense que foi um acto de coragem inútil num campo de extermínio, quando há outras preocupações mais prementes: os livros não curam doenças, nem podem ser usados como armas para derrotar um exército de verdugos, não enchem o estômago nem matam a sede. É verdade: a cultura não é necessária para a sobrevivência do homem, bastam o pão e a água. É verdade que com pão para comer e água para beber o homem sobrevive, mas só com isso morre a humanidade inteira. Se o homem não se emociona com a beleza, se não fecha os olhos e põe em marcha os mecanismos da imaginação, se não é capaz de interrogar-se e vislumbrar os limites da sua ignorância, é homem ou é mulher, mas não é pessoa; nada o destingue de um salmão, de uma zebra ou de um boi-almiscarado.”
ANTONIO G. ITURBE
E que a força da música atravesse as paredes e galgue as cercas de arame farpado...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wod-M...
ANTONIO G. ITURBE
E que a força da música atravesse as paredes e galgue as cercas de arame farpado...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wod-M...
January 18, 2019
*https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
3.5 stars
The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus. It is a story born of Dita’s experiences and the rich imagination of the author.
The story is set in the family camp at Auschwitz. The family camp was a cover the Germans concocted to deceive the world as to what was really happening in Auschwitz. While parents laboured during the day the children were gathered in Block 31. The aim was for them to play games, sports and sing songs. Learning was prohibited. Dita Adler, 14 years old, was the caretaker of the clandestine children’s library consisting of eight books. If the Germans ever found out about these books it would mean instant death.
The main theme of the story is how books and reading are something to be cherished and our right to read is something to risk death over. Dita protected these books with her life, lovingly restoring them and handing them out to the teachers each day.
The story follows Dita and her mother, Liesl, as they are taken to Auschwitz and the daily life in the family camp through sickness, death, hunger and fear as thousands of prisoners come and go in the camps around them.
The true violence of Auschwitz is very low key in this story which makes me feel it would be suited to a younger audience as a first introduction to the atrocities of the time, 13 years +. That’s not to say there is no violence, a prisoner is hung and a girl beaten.
The story had a lot of telling which caused it to lack emotion and I felt distanced from the suffering until the last 100 pages of the book where it became so much more immersive.
The Librarian of Auschwitz is impeccably translated to English by Lilit Zekulin Thwaites.
Iturbe includes a moving postscript which explains his reason for writing the book and his meeting with the woman that inspired this story, Dita herself, who is still as strong, outspoken and passionate in her eighties as she was as a young girl.
You can never, ever read too many stories about Auschwitz.
3.5 stars
The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus. It is a story born of Dita’s experiences and the rich imagination of the author.
The story is set in the family camp at Auschwitz. The family camp was a cover the Germans concocted to deceive the world as to what was really happening in Auschwitz. While parents laboured during the day the children were gathered in Block 31. The aim was for them to play games, sports and sing songs. Learning was prohibited. Dita Adler, 14 years old, was the caretaker of the clandestine children’s library consisting of eight books. If the Germans ever found out about these books it would mean instant death.
The main theme of the story is how books and reading are something to be cherished and our right to read is something to risk death over. Dita protected these books with her life, lovingly restoring them and handing them out to the teachers each day.
The story follows Dita and her mother, Liesl, as they are taken to Auschwitz and the daily life in the family camp through sickness, death, hunger and fear as thousands of prisoners come and go in the camps around them.
The true violence of Auschwitz is very low key in this story which makes me feel it would be suited to a younger audience as a first introduction to the atrocities of the time, 13 years +. That’s not to say there is no violence, a prisoner is hung and a girl beaten.
The story had a lot of telling which caused it to lack emotion and I felt distanced from the suffering until the last 100 pages of the book where it became so much more immersive.
The Librarian of Auschwitz is impeccably translated to English by Lilit Zekulin Thwaites.
Iturbe includes a moving postscript which explains his reason for writing the book and his meeting with the woman that inspired this story, Dita herself, who is still as strong, outspoken and passionate in her eighties as she was as a young girl.
You can never, ever read too many stories about Auschwitz.
November 12, 2017
Antonio Iturbe did a ton of research, cobbling together the actual experiences of 14-year old Dita Kraus, who survived both Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen and other real stories, such as the most well documented escape from Auschwitz. Dita and her parents were first relegated to the Terezin ghetto, before being sent to the concentration camp. Dita is brave and steadfast, and becomes the librarian of a barrack used as a school in case of an inspection. She hides a small handful of diverse books. Real horrors, but the book was slow in many places and many of the characters less than interesting.
March 12, 2018
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but I must admit that I was hoping for more. The story itself is fascinating and that’s what kept me reading. The writing was pedestrian, which was a disappointment. Still, I would recommend the book to those looking for an inspirational story concerning Auschwitz.
The narrative closely follows Dita Kraus, a 14 year old girl in the Auschwitz family camp and her experiences as the keeper and protector of eight forbidden books. I was interested that one of them was a history text by H.G. Wells, as I have been cataloguing a large collection of Wells’ writing during my work hours. I was also glad to see that they had several people that they designated as “living books” because they could tell certain stories (one woman could recount The Count of Monte Cristo). The concept of living books has recently been used at our city’s public library, so I was thrilled to see an example of the history of the practice.
If this time period and setting are interests of yours, I would recommend this book.
The narrative closely follows Dita Kraus, a 14 year old girl in the Auschwitz family camp and her experiences as the keeper and protector of eight forbidden books. I was interested that one of them was a history text by H.G. Wells, as I have been cataloguing a large collection of Wells’ writing during my work hours. I was also glad to see that they had several people that they designated as “living books” because they could tell certain stories (one woman could recount The Count of Monte Cristo). The concept of living books has recently been used at our city’s public library, so I was thrilled to see an example of the history of the practice.
If this time period and setting are interests of yours, I would recommend this book.
October 30, 2021
Simplemente maravilloso. 😍❤️
January 17, 2018
DNF
I love WWII history and learning more about the Holocaust, but I have to say that this book was extremely boring. To me it read more like a history textbook than an amazing story. One thing I do have to say is that the translation from Spanish to English was very good. I might revisit this book again when I am in the mood for a historical fiction, but decently not any time soon.
I love WWII history and learning more about the Holocaust, but I have to say that this book was extremely boring. To me it read more like a history textbook than an amazing story. One thing I do have to say is that the translation from Spanish to English was very good. I might revisit this book again when I am in the mood for a historical fiction, but decently not any time soon.
May 2, 2018
The Librarian of Auschwitz is a sobering account of one girl's survival at Auschwitz. I've read a number of books detailing the Nazi's most infamous death camp Auschwitz so was expecting the devastating descriptions of the appalling living conditions and inhumane treatment of the prisoners. What I wasn't expecting was the glimpse of hope and humanity the prisoners of building 31 managed to preserve.
Who knew that a family unit existed at Birkeneau? For what purpose would such a unit exist??? In an environment in which people are being killed daily and survival rate is low, unit 31 provided at least a small portion of the prisoners with a moment to disconnect with their reality. Books - a contraband punishable by death - are used to teach the children in unit 31, to escape the harsh reality and feel a sense of normalcy. Dita, a 14-year-old girl, arrives at the family compound and is given the risky yet prestigious job as librarian at the secret school. The SS are unaware of the library's existence so everyday brings the risk of discovery; yet Dita would have it no other way. To her, books are a saviour and a reason to keep fighting and living.
I found the actual story took awhile to find its rhythm. About midway through however it succeeded in getting my attention and at that point was hard to put down. The plot is also unique from other Holocaust books in that it continues past Auschwitz and into other camps and liberation. Given that the story is based on Edita Krause's actual experience, and her life intersects with other historical prisoners at Auschwitz, other accounts are weaved into the storyline such as Freddy Hirsch and Anne Frank.
This is a book that will bring horrid images to mind, tears to your eyes and feelings of hopelessness and despair. It is a valuable read however in that it shares a piece of history to remind us of the importance of peace, humanity and equality.
Who knew that a family unit existed at Birkeneau? For what purpose would such a unit exist??? In an environment in which people are being killed daily and survival rate is low, unit 31 provided at least a small portion of the prisoners with a moment to disconnect with their reality. Books - a contraband punishable by death - are used to teach the children in unit 31, to escape the harsh reality and feel a sense of normalcy. Dita, a 14-year-old girl, arrives at the family compound and is given the risky yet prestigious job as librarian at the secret school. The SS are unaware of the library's existence so everyday brings the risk of discovery; yet Dita would have it no other way. To her, books are a saviour and a reason to keep fighting and living.
I found the actual story took awhile to find its rhythm. About midway through however it succeeded in getting my attention and at that point was hard to put down. The plot is also unique from other Holocaust books in that it continues past Auschwitz and into other camps and liberation. Given that the story is based on Edita Krause's actual experience, and her life intersects with other historical prisoners at Auschwitz, other accounts are weaved into the storyline such as Freddy Hirsch and Anne Frank.
This is a book that will bring horrid images to mind, tears to your eyes and feelings of hopelessness and despair. It is a valuable read however in that it shares a piece of history to remind us of the importance of peace, humanity and equality.
June 9, 2013
Perfectamente documentado y narrado. Una historia cruda y desgarradora que atrapa de principio a fin.
La real historia de Dita Dorachova una niña de 14 años que durante su encierro en el campo de concentración de Aushwitz, arriesgo su vida para convertirse en la guardiana de 8 libros que eran utilizados en el pabellón 31 para enseñar, entretener o distraer a los niños durante el infierno nazi.
Es difícil entender arriesgar la vida por unos cuantos libros, pero me quedo con la conclusión del escritor al final que dice así:
"habrá quien piense que es un acto de valentía inútil en un campo de exterminio, cuando hay otras preocupaciones mas perentorias; los libros no curan las enfermedades ni pueden utilizarse como armas para doblegar a un ejercito de verdugos, no llenan el estomago ni quitan la sed. Es cierto, la cultura no es necesaria para la supervivencia del hombre, únicamente es el pan y el agua. Es verdad que con el pan de comer y el agua de beber sobrevive el hombre, pero que solo con eso muere la humanidad entera."
La real historia de Dita Dorachova una niña de 14 años que durante su encierro en el campo de concentración de Aushwitz, arriesgo su vida para convertirse en la guardiana de 8 libros que eran utilizados en el pabellón 31 para enseñar, entretener o distraer a los niños durante el infierno nazi.
Es difícil entender arriesgar la vida por unos cuantos libros, pero me quedo con la conclusión del escritor al final que dice así:
"habrá quien piense que es un acto de valentía inútil en un campo de exterminio, cuando hay otras preocupaciones mas perentorias; los libros no curan las enfermedades ni pueden utilizarse como armas para doblegar a un ejercito de verdugos, no llenan el estomago ni quitan la sed. Es cierto, la cultura no es necesaria para la supervivencia del hombre, únicamente es el pan y el agua. Es verdad que con el pan de comer y el agua de beber sobrevive el hombre, pero que solo con eso muere la humanidad entera."
July 7, 2020
Η βιβλιοθηκάριος του Άουσβιτς. Ένα βιβλίο που παρά το πολύ συνηθισμένο (για τη λογοτεχνία) θέμα του δευτέρου παγκοσμίου πολέμου, σίγουρα καταφέρνει και κάνει τη διαφορά.
Έχω διαβάσει πολλά βιβλία για τον δεύτερο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο και έχω αντιληφθεί ότι εκτός από εμένα υπάρχουν και πολλοί άλλοι αναγνώστες που αγαπούν να διαβάζουν για αυτήν την περίοδο. Λοιπόν, μπορώ να πω ότι ένα βιβλίο σαν αυτό έλειπε, τουλάχιστον από τη δική μου αναγνωστική συλλογή. Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο που διαβάζω και αφορά σχεδόν εξ' ολοκλήρου τη ζωή μέσα σε στρατόπεδο συγκέντρωσης. Αν και η Ντίτα είναι από τους τυχερούς αφού η δουλειά της είναι σε εσωτερικό χώρο και δεν είναι σωματικά εξαντλητική, η καθημερινότητά της είναι πολύ σκληρή. Η πείνα, το κρύο και ο φόβος περιγράφονται εξαιρετικά, η ατμόσφαιρα όλου του βιβλίου είναι ζοφερή και κλειστοφοβική. Πραγματικά ο συγγραφέας καταφέρνει να μεταδώσει το φόβο με τον οποίο ζούσαν οι κρατούμενοι, σφίχτηκε η καρδιά μου πολλές φορές. Επίσης η κούραση και η πείνα, είναι άλλες δυο αισθήσεις σχεδόν απτές μέσα από τις περιγραφές, έκλεινα το βιβλίο κάθε φορά εξαντλημένη ψυχολογικά.
Δεν έχει μέσα σκηνές βίαιες... 'Οπα, τελείως λάθος και αναληθές είναι αυτό... Όλο το βιβλίο είναι εξαιρετικά σκληρό, τι λέμε τώρα, ο θάνατος και η βία είναι σε κάθε σελίδα του. Φανταστείτε ότι στο τμήμα του στρατοπέδου που ήταν κρατούμενη η Ντίτα δραστηριοποιούνταν ο Μένγκελε, οπότε οι ιατρικές του έρευνες αναφέρονται συχνά στην πλοκή. Αυτό που προσπαθώ να πω είναι ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει προτιμήσει να αναφέρει περιληπτικά σκηνές που θα μπορούσαν να με στοιχειώσουν πραγματικά, τόσο όσον αφορά τις τιμωρίες των ναζί όσο και τις μεθόδους του Μένγκελε. Ακόμη και η απελπισία και το πένθος, η πείνα και η σωματική κόπωση περιγράφονται σχετικά διακριτικά, χωρίς να με φορτίσουν όσο θα μπορούσαν.
Σίγουρα μέσα στο βιβλίο υπάρχουν και αισιόδοξα μηνύματα, όπως η αξία του να αγωνίζεσαι και να μην τα παρατάς ποτέ, η αξία της αγάπης και του να βοηθάς τον συνάνθρωπο. Φυσικά και μέσα από το βιβλίο προάγεται και η αξία της ανάγνωσης ενός μυθιστορήματος και της δύναμης που έχει για την ψυχολογία μας ,μια καλή ιστορία. Σε εμένα όμως από αυτό το βιβλίο θα μείνει η φρίκη για το πόσο κακός μπορεί να είναι ο άνθρωπος όταν οι συνθήκες του το επιτρέψουν, δίνοντάς του την απόλυτη εξουσία να αποφασίσει για τη ζωή ή το θάνατο των συνανθρώπων του
https://thematofylakes.gr/
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
Έχω διαβάσει πολλά βιβλία για τον δεύτερο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο και έχω αντιληφθεί ότι εκτός από εμένα υπάρχουν και πολλοί άλλοι αναγνώστες που αγαπούν να διαβάζουν για αυτήν την περίοδο. Λοιπόν, μπορώ να πω ότι ένα βιβλίο σαν αυτό έλειπε, τουλάχιστον από τη δική μου αναγνωστική συλλογή. Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο που διαβάζω και αφορά σχεδόν εξ' ολοκλήρου τη ζωή μέσα σε στρατόπεδο συγκέντρωσης. Αν και η Ντίτα είναι από τους τυχερούς αφού η δουλειά της είναι σε εσωτερικό χώρο και δεν είναι σωματικά εξαντλητική, η καθημερινότητά της είναι πολύ σκληρή. Η πείνα, το κρύο και ο φόβος περιγράφονται εξαιρετικά, η ατμόσφαιρα όλου του βιβλίου είναι ζοφερή και κλειστοφοβική. Πραγματικά ο συγγραφέας καταφέρνει να μεταδώσει το φόβο με τον οποίο ζούσαν οι κρατούμενοι, σφίχτηκε η καρδιά μου πολλές φορές. Επίσης η κούραση και η πείνα, είναι άλλες δυο αισθήσεις σχεδόν απτές μέσα από τις περιγραφές, έκλεινα το βιβλίο κάθε φορά εξαντλημένη ψυχολογικά.
Δεν έχει μέσα σκηνές βίαιες... 'Οπα, τελείως λάθος και αναληθές είναι αυτό... Όλο το βιβλίο είναι εξαιρετικά σκληρό, τι λέμε τώρα, ο θάνατος και η βία είναι σε κάθε σελίδα του. Φανταστείτε ότι στο τμήμα του στρατοπέδου που ήταν κρατούμενη η Ντίτα δραστηριοποιούνταν ο Μένγκελε, οπότε οι ιατρικές του έρευνες αναφέρονται συχνά στην πλοκή. Αυτό που προσπαθώ να πω είναι ότι ο συγγραφέας έχει προτιμήσει να αναφέρει περιληπτικά σκηνές που θα μπορούσαν να με στοιχειώσουν πραγματικά, τόσο όσον αφορά τις τιμωρίες των ναζί όσο και τις μεθόδους του Μένγκελε. Ακόμη και η απελπισία και το πένθος, η πείνα και η σωματική κόπωση περιγράφονται σχετικά διακριτικά, χωρίς να με φορτίσουν όσο θα μπορούσαν.
Σίγουρα μέσα στο βιβλίο υπάρχουν και αισιόδοξα μηνύματα, όπως η αξία του να αγωνίζεσαι και να μην τα παρατάς ποτέ, η αξία της αγάπης και του να βοηθάς τον συνάνθρωπο. Φυσικά και μέσα από το βιβλίο προάγεται και η αξία της ανάγνωσης ενός μυθιστορήματος και της δύναμης που έχει για την ψυχολογία μας ,μια καλή ιστορία. Σε εμένα όμως από αυτό το βιβλίο θα μείνει η φρίκη για το πόσο κακός μπορεί να είναι ο άνθρωπος όταν οι συνθήκες του το επιτρέψουν, δίνοντάς του την απόλυτη εξουσία να αποφασίσει για τη ζωή ή το θάνατο των συνανθρώπων του
https://thematofylakes.gr/
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
September 25, 2015
” E adevărat: cultura nu este necesară pentru supraviețuirea omului, necesare sunt doar pâinea și apa. Este adevărat că omul supraviețuiește dacă are pâine să mănânce și apă să bea, dar mulțumindu-se doar cu atât moare întreaga omenire. Dacă omul nu se emoționează în fața frumuseții, dacă nu închide ochii și nu-și pune în funcțiune mecanismele imaginației, dacă nu este în stare să-și pună întrebări și să întrezărească limitele ignoranței sale, fie că este bărbat sau femeie, atunci înseamnă că nu este o persoană; înseamnă că nimic nu-l distinge de un somon, de o zebră, sau de un bou.”
Antonio G.Iturbe, Bibliotecara de la Auschwitz, pagina 398.
Antonio G.Iturbe, Bibliotecara de la Auschwitz, pagina 398.
January 24, 2019
9,5 de 10*
Comentário completo em:
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Comentário completo em:
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