What do you think?
Rate this book
A Birthday in Auschwitz-Birkenau: A True WW2 Jewish Holocaust Survival Story
The unforgettable story of Eli Reismann, who arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau on his 15th birthday and against all odds, survived living hell on his own.
May 1944, Poland . Just a few short days before his 15th birthday, Eli Reismann is sent with his entire family to Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp.
The carriage doors open with a deafening sound. SS soldiers stand on the platform, vicious German shepherds at their sides. Both are barking. The dogs bark as dogs do, and the SS soldiers bark orders – “Out, out, leave your luggage and belongings on the carriage and get in rows of three! Women on one side, men on the other side, elderly, children, and mothers with their babies separately.”
Eli’s life was never the same after that day. He lost all of his loved ones at the camp and managed to survive the horrors of the death march on his own merit, despite his poor physical condition and severe abuse by SS soldiers.
“A Birthday in Auschwitz-Birkenau” is the inspiring true story of Eli Reismann, who survived the Holocaust despite the many challenges he faced and immigrated to Israel where he raised a big family and built a successful career as a film producer.
May 1944, Poland . Just a few short days before his 15th birthday, Eli Reismann is sent with his entire family to Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp.
The carriage doors open with a deafening sound. SS soldiers stand on the platform, vicious German shepherds at their sides. Both are barking. The dogs bark as dogs do, and the SS soldiers bark orders – “Out, out, leave your luggage and belongings on the carriage and get in rows of three! Women on one side, men on the other side, elderly, children, and mothers with their babies separately.”
Eli’s life was never the same after that day. He lost all of his loved ones at the camp and managed to survive the horrors of the death march on his own merit, despite his poor physical condition and severe abuse by SS soldiers.
“A Birthday in Auschwitz-Birkenau” is the inspiring true story of Eli Reismann, who survived the Holocaust despite the many challenges he faced and immigrated to Israel where he raised a big family and built a successful career as a film producer.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2021
102 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 29, 2021
A truly inspiring, beautiful and powerful written story of Eli Reismann, born in Czechoslovakia. He shared his childhood memories about his family, home, friends, schooling, and life in Czech. He also describes every happy memory he shares with his grandparents who he loves them dearly. He was deported in May, 1944 and arrive in Auschwitz- Birkenau on his 15th birthday and against all odds, he was saved five times, survived a living hell on his own. He was lucky. As a result, he married Miriam and have three children, 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. He built a successful career as a film producer. The wording is so easy, because he explained so much intriguing, original, that filled with so many photos that is like we are living within his story. I couldn’t put it down.
September 24, 2021
A cinematic overview of the impact of the Holocaust
Israeli author Eli Reismann is a retired nonagenarian who has enjoyed a successful professional life as the co-founder of Kibbutz Dan Studios, and Dan Films in Tel Aviv, producing films for the Israeli film industry as well as television series. He served as a member of the Israeli Association of TV and Movie Producers and in the Israeli Academy of Filmmaking and TV. Yet more impressive than these achievements is Eli’s personal history dating back to his childhood in Czechoslovakia, his Holocaust interment and ultimate escape from Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the tumultuous path to Israel. The translation from the Hebrew is by Jonathan Friedson.
In his touching Preface, Eli recalls the moment of decision to write his memoir – during an Israel Remembrance Day event: ‘’The aggregation of all this turmoil together brought me back in one moment to the feelings of loss I felt when I arrived at the death camp, whilst I am a lad of a mere 14 years old. I remembered all of my family that were slaughtered in the Shoah and I suddenly felt a strong desire to write and tell my memories to my wife, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Until then, I didn’t have the mental strength to procure in writing my memories, which meant the horror that I went through and telling about how all those dear to me were murdered by the Germans and their allies.’
In a fascinating manner of writing, accompanied by many photographs, Eli Reismann offers on of the most profoundly touching memoirs of the Holocaust experience and the aftermath. His synopsis summarizes it well: ‘’May 1944, Poland. Just a few short days before his 15th birthday, Eli Reismann is sent with his entire family to Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. The carriage doors open with a deafening sound. SS soldiers stand on the platform, vicious German shepherds at their sides. Both are barking. The dogs bark as dogs do, and the SS soldiers bark orders – “Out, out, leave your luggage and belongings on the carriage and get in rows of three! Women on one side, men on the other side, elderly, children, and mothers with their babies separately.” Eli’s life was never the same after that day. He lost all of his loved ones at the camp and managed to survive the horrors of the death march on his own merit, despite his poor physical condition and severe abuse by SS soldiers.’ This is the inspiring true story of Eli Reismann, who survived the Holocaust despite the many challenges he faced and immigrated to Israel where he raised a big family and built a successful career as a film producer.’
In sharing the early parts of his childhood, prior to 1939, we learn about his family, home, friends, schooling and life in Czechoslovakia, a factor that makes the loss of al of that more credible and significant. This book is one of the finest that addresses the spectrum of the effects of the Holocaust. Highly recommended.
Israeli author Eli Reismann is a retired nonagenarian who has enjoyed a successful professional life as the co-founder of Kibbutz Dan Studios, and Dan Films in Tel Aviv, producing films for the Israeli film industry as well as television series. He served as a member of the Israeli Association of TV and Movie Producers and in the Israeli Academy of Filmmaking and TV. Yet more impressive than these achievements is Eli’s personal history dating back to his childhood in Czechoslovakia, his Holocaust interment and ultimate escape from Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the tumultuous path to Israel. The translation from the Hebrew is by Jonathan Friedson.
In his touching Preface, Eli recalls the moment of decision to write his memoir – during an Israel Remembrance Day event: ‘’The aggregation of all this turmoil together brought me back in one moment to the feelings of loss I felt when I arrived at the death camp, whilst I am a lad of a mere 14 years old. I remembered all of my family that were slaughtered in the Shoah and I suddenly felt a strong desire to write and tell my memories to my wife, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Until then, I didn’t have the mental strength to procure in writing my memories, which meant the horror that I went through and telling about how all those dear to me were murdered by the Germans and their allies.’
In a fascinating manner of writing, accompanied by many photographs, Eli Reismann offers on of the most profoundly touching memoirs of the Holocaust experience and the aftermath. His synopsis summarizes it well: ‘’May 1944, Poland. Just a few short days before his 15th birthday, Eli Reismann is sent with his entire family to Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. The carriage doors open with a deafening sound. SS soldiers stand on the platform, vicious German shepherds at their sides. Both are barking. The dogs bark as dogs do, and the SS soldiers bark orders – “Out, out, leave your luggage and belongings on the carriage and get in rows of three! Women on one side, men on the other side, elderly, children, and mothers with their babies separately.” Eli’s life was never the same after that day. He lost all of his loved ones at the camp and managed to survive the horrors of the death march on his own merit, despite his poor physical condition and severe abuse by SS soldiers.’ This is the inspiring true story of Eli Reismann, who survived the Holocaust despite the many challenges he faced and immigrated to Israel where he raised a big family and built a successful career as a film producer.’
In sharing the early parts of his childhood, prior to 1939, we learn about his family, home, friends, schooling and life in Czechoslovakia, a factor that makes the loss of al of that more credible and significant. This book is one of the finest that addresses the spectrum of the effects of the Holocaust. Highly recommended.
December 23, 2021
Interesting book
I have read many books that address the holocaust from a variety of people. It is heartbreaking that so many people could have stood up to the Nazis and failed to do so because of corruption, jealousy, fear, and/or a desire for mortal consequences for imaginary offences. What is even more frightening is that many of precursors this horrible historical period are present today in our society.
This book elaborates on the political and social environment before, during and after Auschwitz. If you read it, notice the numbers. Imagine for yourself what if you were confined in an area of 900 square feet with 100 other people, strangers of all ages and sexes, with no food, water or hygiene facilities for four days, not knowing what would happen when the door was opened.
I have read many books that address the holocaust from a variety of people. It is heartbreaking that so many people could have stood up to the Nazis and failed to do so because of corruption, jealousy, fear, and/or a desire for mortal consequences for imaginary offences. What is even more frightening is that many of precursors this horrible historical period are present today in our society.
This book elaborates on the political and social environment before, during and after Auschwitz. If you read it, notice the numbers. Imagine for yourself what if you were confined in an area of 900 square feet with 100 other people, strangers of all ages and sexes, with no food, water or hygiene facilities for four days, not knowing what would happen when the door was opened.
Read
June 5, 2022world war 2 was terrible. everyone knows that and everyone at least knows how it was happening and how many people died in it. but I am sure not many people know about people or the soldiers that had to experience this terrible war. the main hero was one of those lucky guys. who was in the military but his squad got destroyed by thousands of nazi. the main hero had to hide in bushes like a rat trying to hide from people and steal food from them. the book shows the main hero's every day in the middle of nowhere. I think that I’m really lucky that I could see one of those people who had to be on their own. and writing all they have experienced on a piece of paper.
April 24, 2022
Everyone Should Read
When I first got this book, I thought it was a paranormal. Boy was I wrong and I'm so glad I was.
I went on my son's class trip to the Holocaust Museum. I will never forget going there and now this testament to the horrors people lived through and those that never came home. Every teenager should have to study Mr and Mrs Reismann's lives during this time. It would certainly wake up many millennials to the truth and how to do important it is to study the past to not make the same mistakes in the future.
When I first got this book, I thought it was a paranormal. Boy was I wrong and I'm so glad I was.
I went on my son's class trip to the Holocaust Museum. I will never forget going there and now this testament to the horrors people lived through and those that never came home. Every teenager should have to study Mr and Mrs Reismann's lives during this time. It would certainly wake up many millennials to the truth and how to do important it is to study the past to not make the same mistakes in the future.
December 16, 2021
Good book
So very sad in part but, then again much to be thankful for in Eli and Miriam's life after the war. I appeciate the many times his life was saved in the camps as it sure was. No one will ever understand fully why this was allowed to happen so from here on never forget and never again.
So very sad in part but, then again much to be thankful for in Eli and Miriam's life after the war. I appeciate the many times his life was saved in the camps as it sure was. No one will ever understand fully why this was allowed to happen so from here on never forget and never again.
November 22, 2021
Miriam
Written by the survivor of Auschwitz it covers some of his childhood and his teen years. He was 15 when he entered the death camp and survived brutality for nearly a year. This book is well worth reading.
Written by the survivor of Auschwitz it covers some of his childhood and his teen years. He was 15 when he entered the death camp and survived brutality for nearly a year. This book is well worth reading.
Read
March 11, 2022Editing is needed
Good book. Historical and interesting. Needed to be edited better, lack of spaces, random letters. A nap would help too
Good book. Historical and interesting. Needed to be edited better, lack of spaces, random letters. A nap would help too
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews