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A Long Way to Auschwitz: A True Jewish Holocaust Survival Story of Cruelty, Courage, and Luck
His road leads to the place of nightmares. But will that stop be his last?
Hungary, 1939. Like most Hungarian Jews during the onset of World War II, Shomo Stern is sent to the front lines with the Forced Labor Services – to be worked to death under the thumb of the Nazi war machine. Fighting the bitter European winter, the battalions witness horrific events in the wake of the Nazi advance.
Then the rumors start. Rumors of trains packed full of Jews, never to be seen again…
Shomo will not let that be his fate.
While other Forced Labor battalions are decimated, Stern and his comrades survive crippling hunger, blistering cold, and impossible tasks. With nothing but his courage, ingenuity, and no small amount of luck, Shomo fights time and time again for his life and his freedom. But his road ultimately only leads him one way.
He survived the long way to Auschwitz. But can he survive the horrors it hides?
Hungary, 1939. Like most Hungarian Jews during the onset of World War II, Shomo Stern is sent to the front lines with the Forced Labor Services – to be worked to death under the thumb of the Nazi war machine. Fighting the bitter European winter, the battalions witness horrific events in the wake of the Nazi advance.
Then the rumors start. Rumors of trains packed full of Jews, never to be seen again…
Shomo will not let that be his fate.
While other Forced Labor battalions are decimated, Stern and his comrades survive crippling hunger, blistering cold, and impossible tasks. With nothing but his courage, ingenuity, and no small amount of luck, Shomo fights time and time again for his life and his freedom. But his road ultimately only leads him one way.
He survived the long way to Auschwitz. But can he survive the horrors it hides?
357 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
November 28, 2022
A Long Way to Auschwitz -an amazing tale.
This is a quite amazing story of the bravery and resilience of one man pitting his wits and courage and decency against the truly evil Nazi ‘machine’ that was engulfing Europe. I found his description of his childhood and home vivid and his separation from his family was very sad. I did wish at this stage that there were some maps in the book as I found his travels in Russia and then back west a bit difficult to follow, especially as some of the towns have changed their names. I would also have liked to read a little more of his life after his miraculous rescue from Dachau, whether he returned to his home village and his eventual marriage and settling in Israel but overall, it was an excellent read.
This is a quite amazing story of the bravery and resilience of one man pitting his wits and courage and decency against the truly evil Nazi ‘machine’ that was engulfing Europe. I found his description of his childhood and home vivid and his separation from his family was very sad. I did wish at this stage that there were some maps in the book as I found his travels in Russia and then back west a bit difficult to follow, especially as some of the towns have changed their names. I would also have liked to read a little more of his life after his miraculous rescue from Dachau, whether he returned to his home village and his eventual marriage and settling in Israel but overall, it was an excellent read.
October 4, 2022
5 stars all the way!!!
I loved and hated reading this book. So much of it was very hard to "see" in my mind's eye. But the story is all amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world. Everyone should read this...Everyone!!
I loved and hated reading this book. So much of it was very hard to "see" in my mind's eye. But the story is all amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world. Everyone should read this...Everyone!!
August 26, 2025
For Real
If you want to know what horrors really happened in Auschwitz’s camps, this book fills in all the blanks. I know people who lost loved ones in different camps. if you are of the baby boomer generation what your parents tell you about WWII is true.
If you want to know what horrors really happened in Auschwitz’s camps, this book fills in all the blanks. I know people who lost loved ones in different camps. if you are of the baby boomer generation what your parents tell you about WWII is true.
December 9, 2025
Always amazed by holocaust survivors. Their will to survive, their continued faith, and their courage. When faced with evil, they overcame so much. This particular account was well documented. May we never forget.
March 10, 2023
A Long Way To Auschwitz
And a long way FROM there as well! I had to keep reminding myself that "he made it or I wouldn't be reading this"! What an amazing inner strength God planted in Shomo upon his conception! Before I go further though I want to get the negative out of the way because I want to end on a positive. I found this book difficult to read but not only from the subject matter, I expected that. It was the book itself! IDK how the system works, but it seemed to me that the book required a better proofreader &/or editing staff prior to being printed. This MAY be due to my reading the ebook version, but most ebooks are much better polished now (2023) than in the beginning. OK, negative review done! This book told me things I had never read in the many other WWII/Holocaust Survivor books I've read. Mostly his personal stories of "enemies" who weren't quite enemies, such as Csutoras & Fritzi. But also stories about ways the Allies might have helped the people of the concentration camps WHILE also militarily stopping the Nazis. The biggest surprise to me though was how the Papacy not only turned a blind eye to the atrocities throughout the war, but how it helped monsters like Mengele to escape to South America! I am not Catholic, so IDK what, if anything, is taught about this today, & I would never put the blame on the congregation at large, but I AM a Christian & I know that those "higher ups" who did take part, actively or passively, will meet the same Judge that Mengele, Hitler, & the rest of their ilk will meet on Judgement Day! I wish I could go back & somehow change things for the better for the Jews & the other Nazi "undesirables", but I can't. I can only give Thanks for those who survived to tell the world what really went on, & for those who didn't survive yet still managed to tell their part of the story, such as Anne Frank & others who left diaries & journals behind. An uncle of mine was amongst the US liberators of Dachau. I don't believe he ever got over what they found. I wonder if he & Shomo ever met? I hope they might have. I'm just happy at this moment that Shomo was a.ong the living. May God bless him & his family!
And a long way FROM there as well! I had to keep reminding myself that "he made it or I wouldn't be reading this"! What an amazing inner strength God planted in Shomo upon his conception! Before I go further though I want to get the negative out of the way because I want to end on a positive. I found this book difficult to read but not only from the subject matter, I expected that. It was the book itself! IDK how the system works, but it seemed to me that the book required a better proofreader &/or editing staff prior to being printed. This MAY be due to my reading the ebook version, but most ebooks are much better polished now (2023) than in the beginning. OK, negative review done! This book told me things I had never read in the many other WWII/Holocaust Survivor books I've read. Mostly his personal stories of "enemies" who weren't quite enemies, such as Csutoras & Fritzi. But also stories about ways the Allies might have helped the people of the concentration camps WHILE also militarily stopping the Nazis. The biggest surprise to me though was how the Papacy not only turned a blind eye to the atrocities throughout the war, but how it helped monsters like Mengele to escape to South America! I am not Catholic, so IDK what, if anything, is taught about this today, & I would never put the blame on the congregation at large, but I AM a Christian & I know that those "higher ups" who did take part, actively or passively, will meet the same Judge that Mengele, Hitler, & the rest of their ilk will meet on Judgement Day! I wish I could go back & somehow change things for the better for the Jews & the other Nazi "undesirables", but I can't. I can only give Thanks for those who survived to tell the world what really went on, & for those who didn't survive yet still managed to tell their part of the story, such as Anne Frank & others who left diaries & journals behind. An uncle of mine was amongst the US liberators of Dachau. I don't believe he ever got over what they found. I wonder if he & Shomo ever met? I hope they might have. I'm just happy at this moment that Shomo was a.ong the living. May God bless him & his family!
August 4, 2022
What an incredible life story Simon Kohavi wrote about his father's experience during World War II, this book is a must read to understand what the Jews of Slovakia and Hungary went thru during the Holocaust.
I have read countless of books about the experiences of the Jewish people during this horrific period in history but knew very little about what happened to the Hungarian Jews and how did they get deported so late during the war to Auschwitz, this book explained and clarified a lot of the questions that I had.
Written originally in Hebrew and translated to English you you'll never guessed that English wasn't the original language of the book, the translation was spotless.
The way the book was written immediately grabs the reader from beginning to end and even though the subject of the book is not an easy one is really hard to stop reading.
This book is a testament of the courage and resilient of Simon's father against the evil and his will to survive against all odds.
I have read countless of books about the experiences of the Jewish people during this horrific period in history but knew very little about what happened to the Hungarian Jews and how did they get deported so late during the war to Auschwitz, this book explained and clarified a lot of the questions that I had.
Written originally in Hebrew and translated to English you you'll never guessed that English wasn't the original language of the book, the translation was spotless.
The way the book was written immediately grabs the reader from beginning to end and even though the subject of the book is not an easy one is really hard to stop reading.
This book is a testament of the courage and resilient of Simon's father against the evil and his will to survive against all odds.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2022
If only a first-hand account of life in Auschwitz and surviving the January, 17th 1945 Death March from Auschwitz, this would be among them most impactful and well-written Holocaust memoirs I have read. The author takes us through his "long way" there from impressment into the Hungarian Army's Labor Service, the Russian Front, Birkenau, and more. He spent much time in areas that are Ukraine today, such as Sumy. Along the way he stresses how unfortunately well-known to an anti-Semitic population that lethal concentration camp system was. Raised on viewing Jews as human parasites and gifted with the resources and properties of those taken away, their schadenfreude was overt:
The detail here explores areas of the Nazi effort I do not recall learning of before, such as the fanatical Feldgendarmerie military police:
Why did Jews, many of them religious apparently go so passively in their numbers into the ghettos and camps? That may be an unfair characterization. Still, many have approached it and I recall first considering it reading Man's Search for Meaning a few decades ago. This author sees it from the aspect of a pointed critique of religion...
...when was needed was more fight:
In the towns and villages where Jews still lived, only a very few remained. The exterminations in the death camps in Poland were at their peak. Our commanders, except for Csutoras, made sure to mention this fact several times a day, whenever they wished to plunge us into despair and depression. Morbid feelings about the fate of our Jewish brethren gave us no peace. Today, when I hear Germans, Poles, Ukrainians, or Hungarians claim that they did not know that during the war Jews were being annihilated by the millions, I can only laugh. If in a remote Hungarian village on the way to Russia, everyone knew what was happening to the Jews, then they knew everywhere. “Good” news travels fast.
...
In the areas where the train slowed down, and at the stations where it stopped, Slovak villagers asked us to throw our valuables out of the car. They explained apathetically that we were being led to slaughter. For the message to be clear, they made a gesture of cutting their throats. No one offered help; no water, no food, no helping us to escape. They had already taken over the houses and property of the Jews, and now they wanted what few possessions people had managed to take with them on their final journey.
The detail here explores areas of the Nazi effort I do not recall learning of before, such as the fanatical Feldgendarmerie military police:
In my role as an interpreter, I was also assigned to the Feldgendarmerie, the military police in enemy territory, which was part of the Wehrmacht - the ‘defense force’ the German army. The troops of the Feldgendarmerie ruled over the population and hunted Jews and the partisans. Later, when the German army departed, the locals would deal with defectors. Feldgendarmerie officers could execute German soldiers without a trial, not to mention Jews or partisans. The soldiers and officers of the unit were extremist Nazis who adhered to every period and comma in military law and were the last to surrender to the Allies.
Why did Jews, many of them religious apparently go so passively in their numbers into the ghettos and camps? That may be an unfair characterization. Still, many have approached it and I recall first considering it reading Man's Search for Meaning a few decades ago. This author sees it from the aspect of a pointed critique of religion...
These conceptions of religion had a decisive weight in the fact that almost no revolts in the ghetto was organized. Not in Munkács and not in most of the other ghettos; not in Hungary or in any other occupied country. The strong religious concept of complete dependence on God rendered the Jews completely passive.
...when was needed was more fight:
I knew then, and it is clear to me today, that collective resistance could have been of great value. Half a million Hungarian Jews were concentrated in the ghettos and loaded onto trains, and this was accomplished with a relatively small number of German-Hungarian forces. Every soldier that met no resistance sent hundreds and possibly thousands of people to their deaths. The war was coming to an end. Any delay would have been welcome. Any commotion could have saved lives. In the ghettos it was possible to rebel. Later in the concentration camps, the possibility of rebellion became much more difficult.
January 17, 2025
The most harrowing story I've ever read. "A Long Way to Auschwitz" is putting it lightly regarding the journey the author took to get there. The author provides us with his account of navigating and surviving the holocaust. The book was gripping but yet difficult to read due to the brutality being committed by the Nazi Party. I found myself acquiring watery eyes from time to time, feeling so much for what the author and his people were going through. Furthermore, as I advanced through the book, I began to get anxious from time to time.
This book is not for the faint of heart. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of atrocities the author described as he was traversing Europe during his days as a political prisoner. Sex Trafficking, torture, starvation, and people dying from electric shows so their body fat could be made into bars of soap ("Rein Idisches Fett" - Pure Jewish Fat) were some of the atrocities the author observed or endured. It was these bars of soap that were handed out at the concentration camps. As one trafficked Jewish young woman (serving the German army) said to the author, "Nothing frightens me anymore, I hate myself for not taking my own life".
In addition to eliciting strong emotions and a captivating journey, the book also served as a succinctly written historical text for Jewish history/culture, World War II, and the Holocaust. The author begins with the birth of the European Nations after World War I and the adoption of Christianity from the Roman Empire in which the persecution of Jews first began; antisemitism was spreading like wildfire. "Christianity had diverged from Judaism and fostered a mythos of hatred for those who had remained Jews, encouraging the spilling of their blood". Additionally, the author describes the well-thought-out propaganda created by the Nazi Party, which served to manipulate millions of European people into slowly degrading the Jewish people and blaming them for the economic crisis plaguing Germany. Unfortunately, the erroneous blaming of Jews was nothing new in history at that time. The author makes a point to explain why there was never any Jewish revolt throughout history as the Jewish people had been victims of persecution, years before the holocaust. "Rabbis, our religious leaders, forbade Jews to fight back... they believed that the will of the Jewish people depended on the will of God. When God decides that the time has come, he will send the Redeemer who will return the people of Isreal to their homeland. Until then, the Jews lowered their heads, lived in exile, and endured everything that they were destined to endure... The strong religious concept of complete dependence on God rendered the Jews completely passive". Lastly, to my dismay, it appears the Catholic Church was sympathetic to German anti-semitism; Pope Pius XII did not attempt to help the Jews as they were being exterminated. According to the author, "In many places, church bells rang joyously at the expulsion of the Jews, and their property was confiscated". Unfortunately, the Vatican was never held accountable after the war.
The journey begins as the author is taken as a political prisoner in a labor service for the Hungarian Army (a battalion), which was serving the Germans. From 1940 to 1944, the battalion had been through Galicia, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia; traversing through dozens of small towns. Up until 1944, the Hungarian Jews had not been systematically killed or sent to concentration camps, which is why the author was still alive by 1944. However, most Jewish battalions perished due to starvation and the blistering cold, which is what makes the author's will to survive so captivating.
After his time in the battalion, the author was transported by train to Auschwitz; the trip having the worst conditions imaginable. Afterward, the author writes about his time surviving Auschwitz. At this infamous concentration camp, some of the workers who ran its operations were Poland Jews. What I found interesting was how poorly they treated Hungarian Jews. It appears the Poland Jews loathed the Hungarian Jews because the Poland Jews were immediately sent to the concentration camps or systematically murdered by 1941. Hence, they were angry the Hungarian Jews did nothing to stop this or escape since they were not systemically targeted until 1944. However, the Polands were not aware that the Hungarian Jews had been taken as political prisoners to serve in Battalions for the Hungarian army since late 1940 in addition to many Hungarian Jews being separated from their families.
Middle and High School taught the events of the Holocaust very well. However, nothing could have prepared me for the atrocities I read in this book. Outstanding book and very well written but not for those who are squeamish.
This book is not for the faint of heart. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of atrocities the author described as he was traversing Europe during his days as a political prisoner. Sex Trafficking, torture, starvation, and people dying from electric shows so their body fat could be made into bars of soap ("Rein Idisches Fett" - Pure Jewish Fat) were some of the atrocities the author observed or endured. It was these bars of soap that were handed out at the concentration camps. As one trafficked Jewish young woman (serving the German army) said to the author, "Nothing frightens me anymore, I hate myself for not taking my own life".
In addition to eliciting strong emotions and a captivating journey, the book also served as a succinctly written historical text for Jewish history/culture, World War II, and the Holocaust. The author begins with the birth of the European Nations after World War I and the adoption of Christianity from the Roman Empire in which the persecution of Jews first began; antisemitism was spreading like wildfire. "Christianity had diverged from Judaism and fostered a mythos of hatred for those who had remained Jews, encouraging the spilling of their blood". Additionally, the author describes the well-thought-out propaganda created by the Nazi Party, which served to manipulate millions of European people into slowly degrading the Jewish people and blaming them for the economic crisis plaguing Germany. Unfortunately, the erroneous blaming of Jews was nothing new in history at that time. The author makes a point to explain why there was never any Jewish revolt throughout history as the Jewish people had been victims of persecution, years before the holocaust. "Rabbis, our religious leaders, forbade Jews to fight back... they believed that the will of the Jewish people depended on the will of God. When God decides that the time has come, he will send the Redeemer who will return the people of Isreal to their homeland. Until then, the Jews lowered their heads, lived in exile, and endured everything that they were destined to endure... The strong religious concept of complete dependence on God rendered the Jews completely passive". Lastly, to my dismay, it appears the Catholic Church was sympathetic to German anti-semitism; Pope Pius XII did not attempt to help the Jews as they were being exterminated. According to the author, "In many places, church bells rang joyously at the expulsion of the Jews, and their property was confiscated". Unfortunately, the Vatican was never held accountable after the war.
The journey begins as the author is taken as a political prisoner in a labor service for the Hungarian Army (a battalion), which was serving the Germans. From 1940 to 1944, the battalion had been through Galicia, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia; traversing through dozens of small towns. Up until 1944, the Hungarian Jews had not been systematically killed or sent to concentration camps, which is why the author was still alive by 1944. However, most Jewish battalions perished due to starvation and the blistering cold, which is what makes the author's will to survive so captivating.
After his time in the battalion, the author was transported by train to Auschwitz; the trip having the worst conditions imaginable. Afterward, the author writes about his time surviving Auschwitz. At this infamous concentration camp, some of the workers who ran its operations were Poland Jews. What I found interesting was how poorly they treated Hungarian Jews. It appears the Poland Jews loathed the Hungarian Jews because the Poland Jews were immediately sent to the concentration camps or systematically murdered by 1941. Hence, they were angry the Hungarian Jews did nothing to stop this or escape since they were not systemically targeted until 1944. However, the Polands were not aware that the Hungarian Jews had been taken as political prisoners to serve in Battalions for the Hungarian army since late 1940 in addition to many Hungarian Jews being separated from their families.
Middle and High School taught the events of the Holocaust very well. However, nothing could have prepared me for the atrocities I read in this book. Outstanding book and very well written but not for those who are squeamish.
October 4, 2022
Inspirational book
The authors early life experiences, his time in the labor corp during the war is what I believed saved him in the camps. And also the support and teachings of a very loving mother and other family members. The story is rough and of course is difficult to read. None of this should have ever happened. And it pains me to know that so much could have been done by the Americans my people before and during the war to help these poor people. This all happened before my time on this earth. And it also pains me that so many of the evil people got away with there deeds and justice was not served in their lifetime. But, I firmly believe that got justice in the after life. It is always the cry never again but it has happened in other parts of the world just not on this scale. God bless you sir for sharing your story with the world. My prayer is that you will find some peace and grace in your life.
The authors early life experiences, his time in the labor corp during the war is what I believed saved him in the camps. And also the support and teachings of a very loving mother and other family members. The story is rough and of course is difficult to read. None of this should have ever happened. And it pains me to know that so much could have been done by the Americans my people before and during the war to help these poor people. This all happened before my time on this earth. And it also pains me that so many of the evil people got away with there deeds and justice was not served in their lifetime. But, I firmly believe that got justice in the after life. It is always the cry never again but it has happened in other parts of the world just not on this scale. God bless you sir for sharing your story with the world. My prayer is that you will find some peace and grace in your life.
October 22, 2022
Jean38no
I wept , I laughed, I rejoiced . Somehow of all the hundreds books I read on the Holocaust . This book is one that reached inside of me and grabbed me. I felt what the author felt. The cold, the hunger. Wondering always how anyone could treat another human being so cruel. Being Afro American . I felt a particular affinity in this story to how the slaves in America were treated. They found justification because of skin color. The Germans justified their behavior because of religion. I only hope the more people that read these accounts of both . The less racism we have in the world . Maybe there will come a day we can all live together in peace. The author really made you feel you were there during that time. You saw the camps . The places of forced labor . The different nationalities what each were doing during this time. A very good read
I wept , I laughed, I rejoiced . Somehow of all the hundreds books I read on the Holocaust . This book is one that reached inside of me and grabbed me. I felt what the author felt. The cold, the hunger. Wondering always how anyone could treat another human being so cruel. Being Afro American . I felt a particular affinity in this story to how the slaves in America were treated. They found justification because of skin color. The Germans justified their behavior because of religion. I only hope the more people that read these accounts of both . The less racism we have in the world . Maybe there will come a day we can all live together in peace. The author really made you feel you were there during that time. You saw the camps . The places of forced labor . The different nationalities what each were doing during this time. A very good read
April 25, 2023
Being the adult child of refugee parents, this book did not reflect the First Witness Voices
My parents told stories about the horrors of the Camps, SS, Gestapo and the local residents contributing to the trauma, violence and death to their neighbors. This book was written from a family member's hand written notes and not until the story teller's memory was distracted by 50+ years of living in Israel.
There were no emotional connection for someone like me, who could feel my mother's anguish and my father's trauma as they weaved their stories from the front of their minds to their tongues. The author failed miserably by not explaining the role of culture, on inflation, war debt, corrupt Religions and floundering governments. What I heard was a lone voice about a sole person in a solitary situation. What I heard from my parents was death and dying consumed them.
My parents told stories about the horrors of the Camps, SS, Gestapo and the local residents contributing to the trauma, violence and death to their neighbors. This book was written from a family member's hand written notes and not until the story teller's memory was distracted by 50+ years of living in Israel.
There were no emotional connection for someone like me, who could feel my mother's anguish and my father's trauma as they weaved their stories from the front of their minds to their tongues. The author failed miserably by not explaining the role of culture, on inflation, war debt, corrupt Religions and floundering governments. What I heard was a lone voice about a sole person in a solitary situation. What I heard from my parents was death and dying consumed them.
December 3, 2022
A Long Way to Auschwitz: A True Jewish Holocaust Survival Story of Cruelty, Courage, and Luck was written by Simon H Kohavi. This is the story of his father and the horrific things he saw and did during World War II. He was lucky in that not all the members of his immediate family were killed.
We follow him as he is volunteered for the Jewish Labor Service and travels with them to Russia and back, was in a ghetto, in Birkenau and Auschwitz, was on the Death March, and finally liberated in Dachau. He doesn’t sugar-coat his actions nor the actions of those in charge of him.
The book is well-written and uses his POV as he speaks. Between sections of the story, he gives a condensed version of what caused the war and how the war is progressing. The book is well worth reading.
We follow him as he is volunteered for the Jewish Labor Service and travels with them to Russia and back, was in a ghetto, in Birkenau and Auschwitz, was on the Death March, and finally liberated in Dachau. He doesn’t sugar-coat his actions nor the actions of those in charge of him.
The book is well-written and uses his POV as he speaks. Between sections of the story, he gives a condensed version of what caused the war and how the war is progressing. The book is well worth reading.
September 19, 2022
A Long Way to Auschwitz
This book read almost like a documentary but heart and soul was woven through it leaving this reader wanting to be a better person. I was amazed that family managed to stay in contact although I know this was a rarity. I always thought that more of the people living around these killing factories must have been aware but was surprised to read that most people in these countries knew what was happening including the upper echelon in the British and USA military. Such evil can abound but there was also light in that darkness that touched my heart. Thank you, Simon Monaco for telling your story.
This book read almost like a documentary but heart and soul was woven through it leaving this reader wanting to be a better person. I was amazed that family managed to stay in contact although I know this was a rarity. I always thought that more of the people living around these killing factories must have been aware but was surprised to read that most people in these countries knew what was happening including the upper echelon in the British and USA military. Such evil can abound but there was also light in that darkness that touched my heart. Thank you, Simon Monaco for telling your story.
December 19, 2022
Great book
This book explained why it seemed that the Jewish people did not fight hard enough to stop this', they relied on their religious leaders who through the centuries told them their god had a plan. It explained that because of all of the terrible thing that were done to them in the past, they were separated all over the world without a home and a central religious body to guide them. It showed the pure evil that it was. This evil was not just from the German people who worshiped Hitler but from people who you would considered normal people. It told how the United States and other countries had these same people who did nothing to stop this.
This book explained why it seemed that the Jewish people did not fight hard enough to stop this', they relied on their religious leaders who through the centuries told them their god had a plan. It explained that because of all of the terrible thing that were done to them in the past, they were separated all over the world without a home and a central religious body to guide them. It showed the pure evil that it was. This evil was not just from the German people who worshiped Hitler but from people who you would considered normal people. It told how the United States and other countries had these same people who did nothing to stop this.
December 30, 2025
Stunning story of survival
This narrative stands as an extraordinary testament to the human spirit, weaving together profound themes of survival, emotional resilience, love's transformative power, and unwavering defiance against overwhelming challenges. Despite its concise chapter structure, each segment is densely packed with emotional depth and narrative intensity, offering readers a compelling and immersive literary experience that transcends traditional storytelling. The text's brevity belies its profound emotional impact, creating a powerful and memorable exploration of human endurance and complexity. It was challenging to stop reading to go to work.
This narrative stands as an extraordinary testament to the human spirit, weaving together profound themes of survival, emotional resilience, love's transformative power, and unwavering defiance against overwhelming challenges. Despite its concise chapter structure, each segment is densely packed with emotional depth and narrative intensity, offering readers a compelling and immersive literary experience that transcends traditional storytelling. The text's brevity belies its profound emotional impact, creating a powerful and memorable exploration of human endurance and complexity. It was challenging to stop reading to go to work.
September 18, 2022
Deeply moving and personal
An exceptionally well written account with incredible facts bought in. This is not "just another holocaust survivor's tale"(forgive me please)- this story brings to light facts that I was never aware o f and answers many questions that I have always had, the most obviously "why didn't the Jewish people do more to run or hide?" also about the lack of leadership amongst the people.
I honestly battled to put the book down at the end of my reading time. My score 10/5
An exceptionally well written account with incredible facts bought in. This is not "just another holocaust survivor's tale"(forgive me please)- this story brings to light facts that I was never aware o f and answers many questions that I have always had, the most obviously "why didn't the Jewish people do more to run or hide?" also about the lack of leadership amongst the people.
I honestly battled to put the book down at the end of my reading time. My score 10/5
October 4, 2022
I read a lot of books about the Holocaust and they all impact me. This book has made the biggest impact. There is so much information about Simon's life during WWII. I thought it would be all about him in Auschwitz. But it is more than that. He talks about being in the Forced Labor Unit for about five years, then goes home to be deported as a Hungarian Jew to Auschwitz. The entire book was intriguing and an unforgettable read. I think if you are someone who reads these types of books, this book is a must read.
November 14, 2022
Wow...this was a most difficult read in that it is so gripping and emotional. I was totally engrossed in every moment of reading this book. It is very well-written. The author did an amazing job of sharing his father's story.
I have read several accounts of holocaust survivors and am simply amazed at the strength and endurance these individuals showed. This period of history is both fascinating and heartbreaking. By not letting these accounts go unnoticed, we can honor those who struggled and appreciate the freedoms we now hold dear.
I have read several accounts of holocaust survivors and am simply amazed at the strength and endurance these individuals showed. This period of history is both fascinating and heartbreaking. By not letting these accounts go unnoticed, we can honor those who struggled and appreciate the freedoms we now hold dear.
January 21, 2023
Hard to read but worth it!
I have read several accounts of the events surrounding the holocaust but this is the first one that answered why. Why did so many support the efforts of the Nazis? So much of the populace was taught through school and church the Jews were the enemy. As a Christian it is heartbreaking to know churches were complicit in the fate of the Jewish people. We are linked to the Jewish people through Jesus. Wonderful account of courage and resourcefulness in the face of unspeakable tragedy.
I have read several accounts of the events surrounding the holocaust but this is the first one that answered why. Why did so many support the efforts of the Nazis? So much of the populace was taught through school and church the Jews were the enemy. As a Christian it is heartbreaking to know churches were complicit in the fate of the Jewish people. We are linked to the Jewish people through Jesus. Wonderful account of courage and resourcefulness in the face of unspeakable tragedy.
May 6, 2024
Brilliant!
This is a story that you will remember. And, you will cry. This is a intense account of the horrors the Nazi's perpetrated on helpless, innocent people. Even within the context of awful circumstances the author has made this a very readable account. I have read a lot of accounts of World War II. This one stands out because of the varied, and well detailed, experiences that he had. And, I must say that the author is brilliant. I highly recommend reading this book.
This is a story that you will remember. And, you will cry. This is a intense account of the horrors the Nazi's perpetrated on helpless, innocent people. Even within the context of awful circumstances the author has made this a very readable account. I have read a lot of accounts of World War II. This one stands out because of the varied, and well detailed, experiences that he had. And, I must say that the author is brilliant. I highly recommend reading this book.
April 11, 2025
Haunting Memories Brought to Life
Simon Kohavi (Shlomo Stern) survived the Holocaust, 3 concentration camps, and several death marches. This book shares his experiences in detail.
I have read many books about this greatest horror of the 20th century, but no other has brought the daily experience to life like this one. Please read this book. Please encourage others to read it. This should be mandated reading for young people, from adolescence onward.
We need to ensure that this terror never happens again..
A++ Bravo!
Simon Kohavi (Shlomo Stern) survived the Holocaust, 3 concentration camps, and several death marches. This book shares his experiences in detail.
I have read many books about this greatest horror of the 20th century, but no other has brought the daily experience to life like this one. Please read this book. Please encourage others to read it. This should be mandated reading for young people, from adolescence onward.
We need to ensure that this terror never happens again..
A++ Bravo!
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October 3, 2022First-Hand Witness Account
This is a well-written biography of a experience nobody should ever have. The stories of the forced labor battalion's efforts in Russia, Hungry, and Poland are difficult to put down. His experiences in the various death and concentration camps are difficult to forget. Everyone needs to read first-hand witness accounts like this one so the World Never Forgets! I know I won't.
This is a well-written biography of a experience nobody should ever have. The stories of the forced labor battalion's efforts in Russia, Hungry, and Poland are difficult to put down. His experiences in the various death and concentration camps are difficult to forget. Everyone needs to read first-hand witness accounts like this one so the World Never Forgets! I know I won't.
March 2, 2023
Fantastic!
This book kept me awake nights; I couldn't put it down! I have always felt a kindred spirit with Jewish people and although I had no idea what they went through, I never imagined how horrific it was. Such heroics, such bravery. I refuse to accept people trying to reduce what the Jews lived (and died) through by trying to say the holocaust never happened. May all of their memories be a blessing.
This book kept me awake nights; I couldn't put it down! I have always felt a kindred spirit with Jewish people and although I had no idea what they went through, I never imagined how horrific it was. Such heroics, such bravery. I refuse to accept people trying to reduce what the Jews lived (and died) through by trying to say the holocaust never happened. May all of their memories be a blessing.
May 23, 2023
Shocking and disturbing
So well written with the truth of the events that should never have happened. I had to put it down at times for a breath, after being shocked and upset with more honest real facts. May the likes of the Holocaust never happen again and that racism may be crushed. Thank you for sharing your nightmare wartime existence with us Simon and that your family and the unbelievable amount of victims may Rest in Peace.
So well written with the truth of the events that should never have happened. I had to put it down at times for a breath, after being shocked and upset with more honest real facts. May the likes of the Holocaust never happen again and that racism may be crushed. Thank you for sharing your nightmare wartime existence with us Simon and that your family and the unbelievable amount of victims may Rest in Peace.
June 16, 2023
Sad and very moving.
So many emotions throughout the reading of this sad, sad story. I lived through the war years in terror as a child, but can only imagine the horror the author,and so many millions suffered through. You, Sir are to be much admired for your pain and suffering. As are all who had to experience the agonies. My fervent prayer is for an end to all racism. Thank you for sharing your story.
So many emotions throughout the reading of this sad, sad story. I lived through the war years in terror as a child, but can only imagine the horror the author,and so many millions suffered through. You, Sir are to be much admired for your pain and suffering. As are all who had to experience the agonies. My fervent prayer is for an end to all racism. Thank you for sharing your story.
March 3, 2025
A must read
After reading this and other first-person accounts of their experiences, I find it so apololing how human beings can think it is ok to treat others so horribly.
I appreciate those who are brave enough to share their stories so that we may be aware and learn to treat others with respect and compassion no matter who they are.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. May you and your family be blessed!
After reading this and other first-person accounts of their experiences, I find it so apololing how human beings can think it is ok to treat others so horribly.
I appreciate those who are brave enough to share their stories so that we may be aware and learn to treat others with respect and compassion no matter who they are.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. May you and your family be blessed!
December 16, 2025
One man's account of his Holocaust story and how his determination and some lucky circumstances enabled him to survive. The story is written in relatively short chapters which I thought made it a more manageable read. I could read a chapter or two at a time and then switch to a lighter read for awhile. Overall, I found this to be an open and honest (in my opinion) telling of a principled, moral survivor.
September 18, 2022
The Horrible Reality of Nazi Racism!
The reality of Kohavi's true story reaches far beyond the fictional hardcore made-up tales of the Nazi and their allies' racist mindset for total disregard of human suffering and death! If only every high school student could be required to read his true experiences.
The reality of Kohavi's true story reaches far beyond the fictional hardcore made-up tales of the Nazi and their allies' racist mindset for total disregard of human suffering and death! If only every high school student could be required to read his true experiences.
September 29, 2022
beautifully written, a strong-stirring history of a courageous man
Kohavi is a man who anyone would love to spend time with. He weaves his hardships of life and death with such color and riches that you are able to endure the horrors of his imprisonment. He speaks honestly about what racism means to humanity. This book should be studied in book clubs.
Kohavi is a man who anyone would love to spend time with. He weaves his hardships of life and death with such color and riches that you are able to endure the horrors of his imprisonment. He speaks honestly about what racism means to humanity. This book should be studied in book clubs.
October 31, 2022
From a reader in Pa.
This was a fast book to read.I would recommend it for high school and college aged students.They must believe and learn what racism does to an individual.The young people of today need to see what optimism and choosing life can do for them.After reading this book,I feel like I have a personal connection to the author.
This was a fast book to read.I would recommend it for high school and college aged students.They must believe and learn what racism does to an individual.The young people of today need to see what optimism and choosing life can do for them.After reading this book,I feel like I have a personal connection to the author.
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