Shores Beyond Shores: From Holocaust to Hope - A Bergen-Belsen Survivor's True Story

by Irene Hasenberg Butter, John D. Bidwell, Kris Holloway

NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD FINALIST “Irene Butter’s book is a triumph of clarity and concision, written with a passionate intent to inform and with not a shred of self-pity. It is by turns profound and intimate, and bears witness to the resilience of a family who drew strength from one another even through the darkness of the Holocaust. It is a shockingly honest and hopeful book.” Andrew Solomon , National Book Award Winning Author of The Noonday Demon and author of Far From The Tree Parent's Children, And The Search For Identity “Irene Butter’s story is not your standard holocaust memoir. Instead, it recounts what happened to one family both during and after the war, and captures vividly the time from release from concentration camp to greeting a life back. It is compelling reading, and makes one realise how what happened in the immediate aftermath may have overshadowed the rest of Irene Butter’s life..” Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger

Irene Butter’s memoir of her experiences before, during and after the Holocaust is not a recounting of misery and tragedy; rather it is the genuine story of a girl coming to terms with a terrible event and choosing to view herself as a survivor instead of a victim. When the Dutch police knock on their door, Irene and her family are forced to leave their home and board trains meant for cattle. They are taken to Nazi-controlled prison camps and finally to Bergen-Belsen , where Irene is a fellow prisoner with Anne Frank . With limited access to food, shelter, and warm clothing, Irene’s family needs nothing short of a miracle to survive. Irene’s memoir tells the story of her experiences as a young girl before, during, and after the Holocaust , highlighting how her family came to terms with the catastrophe and how she, over time, came to view herself as a survivor rather than a victim. Throughout the book, her first-person account celebrates the love and empathy that can persist even in the most inhumane conditions.

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Eliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible and inspiring account. I admire Irene Butter greatly for her courage in speaking up about her experience. It is crucial that younger generations continue to learn about and remember the Holocaust, and this author gives a voice to the experience of a young girl going through a very dark reality. Through her honest and emotion-packed storytelling, she allows us who have never experienced such darkness to relate to young Reni in her confusion, helplessness, and hope and to understand her on a deeper level.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein sehr wichtiges Buch!
Irene Hasenberg, Jahrgang 1930, ist eine Überlebende des Holocausts und berichtet über ihre Flucht aus Berlin als Kind, über das Exil in Amsterdam, den Überlebenskampf in Bergen-Belsen und schließlich die Rettung in die Freiheit.
Anders als andere Berichte über den Holocaust werden hier nicht ausschließlich die Grausamkeiten des Nazi-Regimes beschrieben, sondern auch der Alltag eines kleinen Mädchens, das sich in jeder Situation neu zurechtfinden muss und mit der Resilienz eines Kindes und in der Geborgenheit ihrer Familie niemals aufgibt und trotz allem Liebe, Freundschaft und Mitgefühl erlebt.
Ich habe das Buch in der deutschen Ausgabe gelesen, erschienen im Schöffling Verlag. Vielen Dank an dieser Stelle für das Leseexemplar!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read it more than once - highly recommend as there is much depth in this well written life story. Many lessons that can be applied in our current society too.