Lorri M. Book Review: Country of Ash: A Jewish Doctor in Poland 1939-1945

Country of Ash: A Jewish Doctor in Poland 1939-1945, by Edward Reicher, is a compelling memoir, and one that speaks forthrightly about the Holocaust and how it affected Reicher and his family.

The horrific incidents and events that took place between 1939-1945 are depicted with candor, leaving no detail undisclosed. From the Lodz ghetto to the Warsaw ghetto and all locations in between, Reicher writes about the horrors of the Jewish ghetto life, the inhumanities that the Jewish population faced and had to deal with, and the agonizing moments of family separation.

At one point he had to make a choice between his severely ill father in his house, and his wife and child back home. He chose to stay with his father, because he felt he would not be able to go on without him. He felt that his family would be able to survive, and prayed he made the right decision.

Being a doctor who specialized in skin disorders, he was forced to treat the Germans. which he did. He was not given special privilege for his efforts. Reicher literally saved Germans from the agony of skin diseases, including syphilis and gonorrhea. He did so out of duty as a doctor. He also treated other Jews who ended up turning on him, and did nothing to help him. He eventually was able to hide on the Aryan side of Warsaw, disguised and running from place to place.

Reicher witnessed a lot of abusive actions and witnessed Jews being murdered. He, himself, suffered abuse, but he writes about that in a minor fashion compared to what other Jews endured. He had involvement with Chaim Rumkowski, a man that he described as a madman, and a self-appointed “King of the Jews”. He courageously testified against Hermann Hofle, and how Hofle helped send hundreds of thousands of Jews to their deaths in Poland.

Reicher survived the Holocaust, along with his wife and daughter. His daughter, Elisabeth Bizouard-Reicher translated her father’s book to French from Polish, and now, it has been translated to English by Magda Bogin.

Country of Ash: A Jewish Doctor in Poland 1939-1945 is not only a tribute to the strength, determination, and fortitude, but a tribute to all of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It is a tribute to those who were not Jewish, yet did strive to offer a place to hide and offer food to Reicher and/or his family. It is a memoir that honors Reicher’s daughter, Elisabeth Bizouard-Reicher’s determination to see her father’s memoir in print for all the world to read the horrors and inhumanities suffered by the Polish Jews.

Country of Ash is intense, graphic with its depictions, and a brilliantly written account of one man’s environment and interactions during the Holocaust. It is written without flourish or exaggeration, but written as Edward Reicher witnessed events, and as he found himself involved in the many crossroads of decision and action.

It is not a book I will soon forget due to the extensiveness and intensity of the content, which makes it a difficult read. But, read, I had to, because I wanted to know the truth of his story. It is not a book I will soon forget.
May 16, 2013 – 7 Sivan, 5773

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Lorri M. Review: Where She Came From

Where She Came From: A Daughter’s Search for Her Mother’s History, by Helen Epstein is an extremely compelling memoir. We journey with Helen Epstein as she searches for her familial past, and searches for answers regarding her family members who were murdered during the Holocaust.

The book is difficult to put down, once you start to read it. I was engrossed in this book from the first page…although it was a slow read for me, because I wanted to grasp the intensity of the generational saga, and grasp the historical facts, correctly.

Epstein has more than proved herself as a writer in this dramatic memoir of family generations, identity, and history. We journey with her through time, through the positive and negative aspects, through the good and not so good, through the hardships and adversity. The reader is given remnants of life in a familial tapestry, through history, through the horrors of war, and how it affects all the generations, from past to present, and also how it can and will affect future generations.

From assimilating into society and racial and religious identity, to how one views themselves and what they identify with, Where She Came From is written with insight, often brutal in Epstein’s vivid descriptions. She writes with love, with yearning and the emotions of loss, she writes with clarity. Where She Came From is an extremely inspiring book.

How does one start over after enduring such atrocities and horrors? Is there laughter in your life, once again? How does the past affect the present? Does God exist? These are just a few of the questions Where She Came From leaves the reader to ponder, and Epstein pondered those issues and questions, and many more. She manages to weave a tapestry of her family, each moment in time adds to the fabric of her own identity, as she comes closer to some of her ancestral answers. We laugh with her, and cry with her, and we are inspired by Where She Came From.

Successive generations live with the past every day of their lives…it seems inevitable, and Epstein reinforces that theory through her writing. Epstein’s writing draws us in, and her memoir is intriguing, insightful and concise, but mainly it is extremely inspiring. In my opinion it is a must read for everyone, as its educational value is priceless.

Where She Came From is both compelling as a memoir and as a historical book. It is an incredible resource for schools, colleges, universities, and anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of life before, during and after the Holocaust.

I applaud Helen Epstein for such an exceptional read!

All rights reserved © Copyright 2007 – 2013 – All Rights Reserved – No permission is given or allowed to reuse my photography, book reviews, writings, or my poetry in any form/format without my express written consent/permissio

Lorri M. Review: Triumph and Tragedy

Triumph and Tragedy, by Rabbi Joel Padowitz is a book that takes the reader on an amazing journey of 1,000 years, in the life of Poland and its Jewish communities.

The book might seem like a travel guide to some, but let me tell you, it is much more than that, and it is a compelling read. Beginning with the year 966 through the Holocaust, the reader is taken down the road of antisemitism at its worst, and individuals at their best. The Jewish communities in Poland have always had antisemitism as their burden in life, and have been blamed for much of what happened in Poland, throughout the years.

The Black Death (the Plague), for instance, is one prime example of blaming Jews for the epidemic of deaths that rampaged through the country, and all of Europe. Due to the fact that the healers of the time did not understand the medical reasons for the plague, they put the blame on Jews, and said that they intentionally poisoned the wells. Therefore, tens of thousands of Jewish people were massacred. Life was literally lived on the edge for the Jewish survivors.

The Golden age brought a bit of acceptance to the Jews, with Sigismund I on the throne, which lasted for forty years. Although he protected the Jews and they were accepted in Polish society, the underlying faction of antisemitism still festered. Kabbalah became a mystical force, which the outside world could not comprehend. The mysticism aspect frightened Christians and other non-Jews. This fear continued through the 18th century with the rise of the Hassidic communities in Poland, and their unique traditions, mannerisms, and foundation of learning.

Eventually Russia took over the Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth, and the Jewish population were under Russian rule. The Jews were forced to live in the Pale of Settlement, involving almost five million Jews. There were restrictions, and of course, antisemitism was prevalent. Pogroms existed, Jews were beaten, killed, and atrocious living conditions were forced upon them. Yet, life continued, and with it, so did hope.

The pre-war events leading up to the Holocaust made life almost impossible for the Jewish communities. Wearing of a yellow star became mandatory for Jews, along with less than ideal living conditions, animal treatment of Jews, loss of homes and businesses, being forced into ghetto situations, and so much more. And, of course, there was the dreadful and horrific Holocaust, and its gruesomeness, repercussions and horrendous outcomes. But, Rabbi Padowitz does not want the reader to dwell only on that aspect, within Triumph and Tragedy.

Within the pages are photographs, artistic works, writings, documents, graphs, etc., that underscore the rich Jewish culture that was thriving in Jewish Poland. That is what Rabbi Padowitz wants the reader to be aware of. Throughout the antisemitism, the Jews managed to produce artistic culture within their communities. They managed to be able to keep their traditions alive within the walls of life. Although some assimilated into the non-Jewish environment in their daily living, their contributions were strong.

Throughout the history of Jewish antisemitism, the life flame flickered, life went on, businesses were built, shops catered to everyone, cultural traditions continued, and the Jews led their lives with hope. During the Holocaust they were a force, an underground force. There were also individuals (both Jewish and non-Jewish) who did their best to save the Jews. The Jews were a life force that would not let the fires of their lives burn out.

The book is so well organized, and for me that was an example of Rabbi Padowitz’s desire to incorporate the years in a readable format for all readers. Various segments include the most visited Polish sites, and also articles on specific individuals who endeavored to change the face of atrocity. What began as a guide for the Jews traveling to Poland, through the JRoots organization (Jewish Journeys Connecting Generations), became a book of Jewish culture, filled with historic importance. This reader was fascinated with the knowledge contained throughout the book, and its educational importance can not be emphasized enough. Jewish readers will be transported back in time, and come to the present with a deeper understanding of the Polish Jewish population. Some might be inspired to visit Poland, in search of not only their ancestral background, but their own Jewish identity.

I highly recommend Triumph and Tragedy: Journeying Through 1,000 Years of Jewish Life in Poland, by Rabbi Joel Padowitz. It is not only filled with educational and Jewish importance, but also a book that is filled with hope, with the voice of Jewish life, and inspiring on so many levels.

Thank you to Stuart Schnee, PR, and to JRoots, for my complimentary copy. I feel privileged to have received it.

April 28, 2013 – 28 Nisan, 5773

All rights reserved © Copyright 2007 – All Rights Reserved – No permission is given or allowed to reuse my photography, book reviews, writings, or my poetry in any form/format without my express written consent/permission

Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day

Let us not forget those who died during the Shoah/Holocaust.

This poem was written during WWII, on the wall of a cellar, etched on the wall, by a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp, in Cologne, Germany.

“I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
And I believe in love,
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God,
even when he is silent.

I believe through any trial,
there is always a way
But sometimes in this suffering
and hopeless despair
My heart cries for shelter,
to know someone’s there
But a voice rises within me, saying hold on
my child, I’ll give you strength,
I’ll give you hope. Just stay a little while.

I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
And I believe in love
even when there’s no one there
But I believe in God
even when he is silent
I believe through any trial
there is always a way.

May there someday be sunshine
May there someday be happiness
May there someday be love
May there someday be peace….“

– Unknown

The organizations below are excellent Holocaust/Shoah resources:

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Yad Vashem

Wikipedia

April 7, 2013 – 27 Nisan, 5773

Book Review: By Blood: A Novel

By Blood: A Novel, by Ellen Ullman is a novel that is filled with a unique perspective, as far as the narrator, who is one of the main characters, is concerned.

The narrator is a voyeur of sorts, not in the sense of being a visual “peeping Tom” type, but in the aspect of listening to a patient and her therapist from behind the wall of his office. The wall is on the other side of the shared wall in the therapist’s office. The narrator came upon the fact that he could hear their conversations when the therapist turned off the sound machine, because the patient was distracted by it. Both patient and therapist have no idea he is listening.

He ends up becoming obsessed with the patient and her story. She is adopted and wants to learn about her birth parents. She feels disconnected from her adopted family, and disconnected from life, and she thinks this might help her to feel more grounded. Her desire to know the foundations of her birth is strong, and she hopes it will bring her some answers and also some resemblance to another person. She is feeling the fact that she doesn’t look like anyone she knows.

The story takes place during the 1970s, in San Francisco. It is a time of protests, government scorn, and lifestyle issues. The patient (the second main character) is going through an identity crisis, ancestral, genetically, and lifestyle based (she is a lesbian). She is aware that she was born in Germany, and aware that the war and postwar had their affects on her being given up for adoption. She was finally able to find out where she was born and that she was given up through questioning her adoptive mother. She was brought to a Catholic organization in America, and from there given over to her grandfather, who adopted her. From there, she eventually was adopted by his own son, and we learn the reasons why.

The narrator, hearing her story becomes intensely fascinated with it, and becomes obsessed with the urge to find her birth mother. He has his own set of issues, emotional and mental ones, therefore the obsession. Some of his issues also deal with genetics.. He ends up finding out the information, piece by piece, and with each new fact, he assumes an alias and sends the information to the patient.
The story takes many twists and turns, and the mystery is solved. The patient eventually meets her birth mother and is told the facts of her birth. She also meets another family member and notices the resemblance between the two of them immediately. She feels a connection, one that she has never felt before.

The patient relays everything to the therapist through their sessions, and the narrator hears everything said in each session. Suffice it to say, that the sessions are therapeutic for the three of them: the narrator, the patient and the therapist.
I will not detail any more of the story line because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. The premise is an interesting one, and the details within the pages are extremely vivid, with strong imagery. There is much to ponder, such as nature versus nurture. Where does our foundation actually come from? Does our DNA, our genetic composition, play a significant part in our personality? Does our family environment count for the person we become?

Ullman writes with a unique voice, and one that generates masterful prose, prose often sounding a bit out of sync with today’s expressions and writings. For me, that was due to the time period, and the fact that it was post World War II. I didn’t find it unusual to hear some antiquated sounding prose, or prose that sounded a bit too cultured at times.

I do recommend By Blood: A Novel, written by Ellen Ullman, and feel the uniqueness of the story is important in the context of Jewish identity, World War II, familial connections, nature versus nurture, and self-identity.

On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, I rate it 3.5.

Holocaust International Remembrance Day

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Please take a moment to reflect and remember.

Recovered items on display at Israeli Holocaust Memorial.

Yad Vashem Commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

Wikipedia link.

Simon Wiesenthal Center

Silale, Lithuania, where some of my paternal ancestors lived, and where some were murdered in the Holocaust.

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I have not been blogging for almost two weeks. I have had a severe case of the flu or some virus. I am almost 100%, but not quite. It has been an exhausting several days. My body is still feeling the affects and effects.