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Auschwitz Prisoner 31119: The Shocking True Story of a World War II Holocaust Survivor
She was liberated from hell on Earth. But will she ever be free from Auschwitz?
Poland, 1943. Dark skies and barbed wire fences were all Bluma Plaskovsky saw as she stepped down from the train onto the main platform of Auschwitz-Birkenau. After surviving the Wehrmacht’s decimation of her hometown, Bluma and what remained of her family were finally put on the long, harsh train ride through inhuman conditions that seemed to last an eternity.
Then the freight doors opened, and their fates were sealed.
For years Bluma lived her worst nightmare, as Auschwitz prisoner 31119. Working as a “blue scarf” — designated for the hard, menial labor around the camps — she witnessed firsthand the hope and kindness humanity is capable of, even under the worst conditions of horror and despair. After the camp is finally liberated, Bluma takes whatever family she has left to try and rebuild their lives. But as she soon learns, escaping Auschwitz is harder than she thought. And her experiences will be tattooed on her for the rest of her life.
This is the shocking survival story of Bluma Plaskovsky, Auschwitz prisoner number 31119, as told to her son Yitzchak with touching humility and admirable willpower. Her story is intertwined with Yitzchak’s own quest for justice, not only for his mother, but for all the survivors and their families who were, and still are, touched by the trauma of the Holocaust.
Poland, 1943. Dark skies and barbed wire fences were all Bluma Plaskovsky saw as she stepped down from the train onto the main platform of Auschwitz-Birkenau. After surviving the Wehrmacht’s decimation of her hometown, Bluma and what remained of her family were finally put on the long, harsh train ride through inhuman conditions that seemed to last an eternity.
Then the freight doors opened, and their fates were sealed.
For years Bluma lived her worst nightmare, as Auschwitz prisoner 31119. Working as a “blue scarf” — designated for the hard, menial labor around the camps — she witnessed firsthand the hope and kindness humanity is capable of, even under the worst conditions of horror and despair. After the camp is finally liberated, Bluma takes whatever family she has left to try and rebuild their lives. But as she soon learns, escaping Auschwitz is harder than she thought. And her experiences will be tattooed on her for the rest of her life.
This is the shocking survival story of Bluma Plaskovsky, Auschwitz prisoner number 31119, as told to her son Yitzchak with touching humility and admirable willpower. Her story is intertwined with Yitzchak’s own quest for justice, not only for his mother, but for all the survivors and their families who were, and still are, touched by the trauma of the Holocaust.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 24, 2022
A heartrending and powerful read...
Yitzchak Borowsky is an attorney and a litigator who has worked in the private sector for over 46 years. Prior to that, he was a senior assistant to the district attorney in Tel Aviv. Because he was the son of a Holocaust survivor, he was obligated to take care of his mother's post-traumatic stress, which had worsened significantly since the death of her husband in 1978. Together with his brother Emmanuel, he devoted every ounce of his energy to the battle for justice on behalf of all Holocaust survivors, pitting themselves against the bureaucratic hurdles and intolerance of both German and Israeli authorities.
His book, "Auschwitz Prisoner 31119," was written in honor of his mother Bluma Plaskovsky (1925-2016). In it, he discusses the legal hurdles he faced as well as his mother's mental struggles during her time in Auschwitz. It is a moving account of their mother's life both during and after the Holocaust, as well as the repercussions and effects that the Holocaust had on the rest of the family.
A shocking story of survival together with a quest for justice not only for his mother, but for all survivors and their families who were, and still are, touched by the trauma of the holocaust makes this book a heartrending and powerful read. Highly recommended. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Yitzchak Borowsky is an attorney and a litigator who has worked in the private sector for over 46 years. Prior to that, he was a senior assistant to the district attorney in Tel Aviv. Because he was the son of a Holocaust survivor, he was obligated to take care of his mother's post-traumatic stress, which had worsened significantly since the death of her husband in 1978. Together with his brother Emmanuel, he devoted every ounce of his energy to the battle for justice on behalf of all Holocaust survivors, pitting themselves against the bureaucratic hurdles and intolerance of both German and Israeli authorities.
His book, "Auschwitz Prisoner 31119," was written in honor of his mother Bluma Plaskovsky (1925-2016). In it, he discusses the legal hurdles he faced as well as his mother's mental struggles during her time in Auschwitz. It is a moving account of their mother's life both during and after the Holocaust, as well as the repercussions and effects that the Holocaust had on the rest of the family.
A shocking story of survival together with a quest for justice not only for his mother, but for all survivors and their families who were, and still are, touched by the trauma of the holocaust makes this book a heartrending and powerful read. Highly recommended. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
May 24, 2023
I've read both fiction and non-fiction on the subject of the Holocaust. This is the first book I've read that discusses in detail the story of the survivors who found their way to the new Israeli state, their lives with PTSD and the financial reparations due these heroic people. It is not a pretty story and this is a thorough non-fictional account. Yitzchak Borowsky documents his mother's story from her teen-aged years to her demise with Alzheimer's disease. Inspite of her retinal damage, her spinal deterioration, being shot in the stomach, and PTSD, the battle to secure the financial compensation from Israel and Germany was thwarted from every direction. I had no idea. The truth is that politics and money victimized the survivors just as much as the horror of WWII.
November 19, 2022
‘She did not weep - she defeated them by her restraint and intelligence’ - A powerful tribute
Israeli author Yitzchak Borowsky, an attorney and litigator, honors his mother Bluma Plaskovsky (1925 - 2016), a Holocaust survivor, in this sensitive book ‘about the life story of our mother Bluma (Plaskovsky) during and after the Holocaust, and its ramification and impact on the whole family.’ The book has been translated from the Hebrew by Sara Davis.
As the author shares in his Introduction, ‘It is the story of a young Jewish girl from Poland, on whom and on whose family the horrors of the Holocaust left their mark for all eternity, deciding her fate - to be stricken with post trauma - and that of her children, who lived with her under the same roof, and suffered the ramifications o that condition.’ The impact of this memoir/epitaph is powerful, stepping away from the many Holocaust books into a study of not only the history of WW II and Birkenau, but the devastating sequelae of the Holocaust as manifested in the PTSD of the author’s mother. The manner of writing is excellent - vivid and sensitive, and enhanced by photographs - and adds to the historical examination of many aspects of the Holocaust that have not been revealed. This is a very important addition to the study of the Holocaust. Highly Recommended.
Israeli author Yitzchak Borowsky, an attorney and litigator, honors his mother Bluma Plaskovsky (1925 - 2016), a Holocaust survivor, in this sensitive book ‘about the life story of our mother Bluma (Plaskovsky) during and after the Holocaust, and its ramification and impact on the whole family.’ The book has been translated from the Hebrew by Sara Davis.
As the author shares in his Introduction, ‘It is the story of a young Jewish girl from Poland, on whom and on whose family the horrors of the Holocaust left their mark for all eternity, deciding her fate - to be stricken with post trauma - and that of her children, who lived with her under the same roof, and suffered the ramifications o that condition.’ The impact of this memoir/epitaph is powerful, stepping away from the many Holocaust books into a study of not only the history of WW II and Birkenau, but the devastating sequelae of the Holocaust as manifested in the PTSD of the author’s mother. The manner of writing is excellent - vivid and sensitive, and enhanced by photographs - and adds to the historical examination of many aspects of the Holocaust that have not been revealed. This is a very important addition to the study of the Holocaust. Highly Recommended.
February 19, 2023
Sad story
It is a book about the authors mother and what she suffered during the holocaust. It was hard to read because he ( the author) kept throwing in talk of reparations and it was all just to hard to understand.
It is a book about the authors mother and what she suffered during the holocaust. It was hard to read because he ( the author) kept throwing in talk of reparations and it was all just to hard to understand.
October 19, 2023
I think I wanted to give this book 3.5 stars. But that's not an option so I've gone for 3.
It is (as all Holocaust survivor stories are) tragic, and not an 'easy read'
I found the way the book was written quite hard to follow at times. It doesn't always follow a timeline. I think the author did this to reflect how his mum told him her story, bit by bit, and not in order. As it was also a story about Alzheimers disease I suppose that's logical, but it made it hard to follow.
The chapters about the fight for monetary compensation were interesting but complicated. I found the language used wasn't always accessible to someone with no legal knowledge.
The Book could also have done with a proof read and edit before publication. The most glaring error for me was the referral to the Polish Governor General as "Otto Frank". If my memory is correct the Governor General was Hans Frank.
Otto Frank was the Father of the famous diarist Anne.
Despite those criticisms it's definitely worth a read.
It is (as all Holocaust survivor stories are) tragic, and not an 'easy read'
I found the way the book was written quite hard to follow at times. It doesn't always follow a timeline. I think the author did this to reflect how his mum told him her story, bit by bit, and not in order. As it was also a story about Alzheimers disease I suppose that's logical, but it made it hard to follow.
The chapters about the fight for monetary compensation were interesting but complicated. I found the language used wasn't always accessible to someone with no legal knowledge.
The Book could also have done with a proof read and edit before publication. The most glaring error for me was the referral to the Polish Governor General as "Otto Frank". If my memory is correct the Governor General was Hans Frank.
Otto Frank was the Father of the famous diarist Anne.
Despite those criticisms it's definitely worth a read.
August 20, 2023
Not just the Holocaust but Afterwards
I found this book fascinating. Bluma went through the Hell of the Holocaust, but the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which affected her from that time onwards. Her condition affected her two sons lives as well, but her various conditions ranging from Fear, physical conditions caused by her treatment in the camps, experients conducted on her by Dr Mengele in the camps, being shot by a german soldier while he was trying to rape a friend of her from the camp straight after the war and the resulting damage to her small colon. The damage to her Spine which was also explained. The reparation hell shich she was deprived of because of both the Israeli Government and German Government's dreadful agreements about the Holocaust survivors portions thereof. This book is very a very thorough account of Bluma's life, marriage, life in Israel and death written by her son, in a very loving and factual way. Very interesting.
I found this book fascinating. Bluma went through the Hell of the Holocaust, but the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which affected her from that time onwards. Her condition affected her two sons lives as well, but her various conditions ranging from Fear, physical conditions caused by her treatment in the camps, experients conducted on her by Dr Mengele in the camps, being shot by a german soldier while he was trying to rape a friend of her from the camp straight after the war and the resulting damage to her small colon. The damage to her Spine which was also explained. The reparation hell shich she was deprived of because of both the Israeli Government and German Government's dreadful agreements about the Holocaust survivors portions thereof. This book is very a very thorough account of Bluma's life, marriage, life in Israel and death written by her son, in a very loving and factual way. Very interesting.
April 11, 2023
What an unbelievably heartbreaking story of a women who suffered in the holocaust. She survived but her life was one medical issue after another. The author is her son and he wanted to honor her by telling her story. His mom was very strong and survived until the age of 92. She faced many obstacles in her life but never gave up. The details and pictures in this book were so disturbing and it’s something you never forget. He took care of his mom and never left her side. Towards the end of her life she helped people who were suffering like her. It took her over 50 years to get compensation from the government but she chose to help others and to me that’s a hero.
March 11, 2024
Very Enlightening
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mr. Borowsky's book. It answered a lot of questions that were on my mind. It was different in that it addressed some of the victims' lives after the Holocaust, beginning when they were released from captivity. Very few of the numerous Holocaust books that I have read have discussed happenings "after" their horrendous captivity. I will continue reading Holocaust books as long as I am able. My father was killed in Okinawa during WWII, so I have a vested interest. I just wish there was something I could do to help these poor people.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mr. Borowsky's book. It answered a lot of questions that were on my mind. It was different in that it addressed some of the victims' lives after the Holocaust, beginning when they were released from captivity. Very few of the numerous Holocaust books that I have read have discussed happenings "after" their horrendous captivity. I will continue reading Holocaust books as long as I am able. My father was killed in Okinawa during WWII, so I have a vested interest. I just wish there was something I could do to help these poor people.
March 31, 2023
Powerful and insightful. Sometimes hard to follow, but understandable when you consider that the writer grew up in Israel, and these stories came out piecemeal from a mother who was, at the time the story was told, suffering from Alzheimer's. It is also a powerful reflection on how we, as a society, treat survivors of some of history's worst abuses and tragedies.
October 1, 2023
The least informative/emotive survivor story, as that’s not what this is about. There’s a handful of quotes and small mentions of things that happened, but this story is mainly about the son of a survivor, who’s a lawyer and trying to get more reparations money. Which is obviously fair enough but the title is very misleading.
February 26, 2023
An eye opener as to what the Nazis did during WWII
There was no dislike, I have always been interested in WWII and had heard about the atrocities that the Germans did to the Jews
But this book describes the treatment of Jews by the Germans was even worse.
There was no dislike, I have always been interested in WWII and had heard about the atrocities that the Germans did to the Jews
But this book describes the treatment of Jews by the Germans was even worse.
March 18, 2023
mostly a good read.
This book was interesting except for about 50 page that I skipped through. The part about the reparations to the survivors of the Holocaust was okay but went over the same topic to many times. The beginning and ending of the book were very good.
This book was interesting except for about 50 page that I skipped through. The part about the reparations to the survivors of the Holocaust was okay but went over the same topic to many times. The beginning and ending of the book were very good.
Read
May 5, 2023Heartbreaking
This book tells the shocking story of how a lot of holocaust victims were treated not only in Israel there new country, but also the lawless Germans that were put in positions that were created to compensate them.
This book tells the shocking story of how a lot of holocaust victims were treated not only in Israel there new country, but also the lawless Germans that were put in positions that were created to compensate them.
May 10, 2023
I kept looking for the story
This reads more like documentation of research not a story. I kept thinking I was just reading a prologue and the story was coming, but sadly it never did!
This reads more like documentation of research not a story. I kept thinking I was just reading a prologue and the story was coming, but sadly it never did!
June 30, 2023
apologize
I am so sorry for what happened to your mother. This was a very
Insightful book of what happened during her forced imprisonment and how she was treated for many years by German and Israeli gov.
I am so sorry for what happened to your mother. This was a very
Insightful book of what happened during her forced imprisonment and how she was treated for many years by German and Israeli gov.
September 2, 2023
Very interesting story of the life of a woman whose courageous battle as a prisoner led to her survival. The story is great but there are many parts that are repeated which makes it difficult to read and could be skipped.
September 12, 2023
Excellent Story of tragedy and love
This awesome book, lovingly written with painful memories of human tragedies about innocent people is a excellent must read. It is written with love and honor from a son who have his all for his mother of Blessed Memory.
This awesome book, lovingly written with painful memories of human tragedies about innocent people is a excellent must read. It is written with love and honor from a son who have his all for his mother of Blessed Memory.
December 22, 2023
Awakening
This is a must read for anyone so that they reach an understanding of one person and of many, many others suffering at the hands of Hitler and his armies and his followers!
This is a must read for anyone so that they reach an understanding of one person and of many, many others suffering at the hands of Hitler and his armies and his followers!
March 17, 2024
Auschwitz Prisoner
This is a true story told by her son of the life of a woman, his mother, who spent several years at Auschwitz as an abused prisoner. She suffered the rest of her life physically and emotionally.
This is a true story told by her son of the life of a woman, his mother, who spent several years at Auschwitz as an abused prisoner. She suffered the rest of her life physically and emotionally.
March 7, 2023
There was a lot of repetition in telling his mother’s story and because of that I began to lose interest.
March 17, 2023
a hard read for me
This book tells of a gross miscarriage of justice for one woman and how her son helped try to make it right.
This book tells of a gross miscarriage of justice for one woman and how her son helped try to make it right.
March 19, 2023
Love it
I love this book I'm so sad that happened to them I like how this book explained what happened and it had pictures of the place that they were kept this book was amazing
I love this book I'm so sad that happened to them I like how this book explained what happened and it had pictures of the place that they were kept this book was amazing
April 26, 2023
Amazing
Real life of a survivor. My grandma was with her at the camps. My grandma never talked about it. Never
Real life of a survivor. My grandma was with her at the camps. My grandma never talked about it. Never
October 1, 2023
2.5 stars
I wanted to give this 2.5 stars not 3. However, I can't so 3 stars it is. I do think that this was an okay book, but it repeated itself over a few times.
I wanted to give this 2.5 stars not 3. However, I can't so 3 stars it is. I do think that this was an okay book, but it repeated itself over a few times.
October 1, 2023
Unfortunately I can't give this a 2 1/2 star rating so 3 will have to do since I can't give it a 2. I was fine until the end where I felt lost. I can't give this a 2, because others may not be lost.
October 3, 2023
Just someone's Diary
Not Good enough to be made a book. It is just about how much money he could get.
I flipped through Alot of pages.
Worth just the 99 pence
Not Good enough to be made a book. It is just about how much money he could get.
I flipped through Alot of pages.
Worth just the 99 pence
December 26, 2023
Heartbreaking that the end of her life with Alzehimers might have been her best years.
Amazing and horrific that the government entities involved did not care for these survivors to their death.
Amazing and horrific that the government entities involved did not care for these survivors to their death.
March 24, 2024
Not what I expected
February 22, 2025
Very emotional glad she lived her life till old age. Sorry that Germany dragged her for so long in financial help.
Procedure for help let us learn what Holocaust survivors go thru in the process.
Procedure for help let us learn what Holocaust survivors go thru in the process.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews