The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, Translated by Lilit Zekulin Thwaites

 

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Ebury Press (Fiction) (4 April 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1529104777
• ISBN-13: 978-1529104776

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

‘It wasn’t an extensive library. In fact, it consisted of eight books and some of them were in poor condition. But they were books. In this incredibly dark place, they were a reminder of less sombre times, when words rang out more loudly than machine guns…’

Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious books the prisoners have managed to smuggle past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the secret librarian of Auschwitz, responsible for the safekeeping of the small collection of titles, as well as the ‘living books’ – prisoners of Auschwitz who know certain books so well, they too can be ‘borrowed’ to educate the children in the camp.

But books are extremely dangerous. They make people think. And nowhere are they more dangerous than in Block 31 of Auschwitz, the children’s block, where the slightest transgression can result in execution, no matter how young the transgressor…

 

Review

The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on the life of an amazing teenager, Dita Kraus, who takes on much more than any young girl her age should.  At fourteen she finds herself in the Family Camp at Auschwitz with her mother and father, a camp that has special privileges, where they don’t have their hair shaved and the children have somewhere to play whilst their parents work.  The reasons behind this camp are not understood by the inmates, although the reason is explained during the book. Block 31 is a place where the children are meant to play during the day, but Fredy Hirsch with the help of others actually runs the block like a school, and Dita is their librarian of the eight precious books that have been smuggled in. Books and education are dangerous, and if found out they would all be killed.

This is such a remarkable story in so many ways; it attests to the bravery of all those interred at Auschwitz, they put their lives on the line for  extras to make life slightly  better and to give the children an education and a routine to try and take their minds off what is happening in the camp.  Dita is a determined young woman who takes her responsibility as the librarian seriously, there may only be eight books but in Auschwitz that is eight too many, an after gaining the attention of Dr Mengele she still won’t give in to fear.  The importance of books and their power to transport the reader to another place and time, to give knowledge is an important message in this book; as some of the family camp are taken to the ‘showers’ Block 31 uses the books to distract the children from what is going on around them.

There is no doubt that Dita’s story is remarkable, and one of courage and determination is such horrendous circumstances.  As well as her story we hear of others bravery as well; Fredy Hirsch who runs Block 31 and sees himself as the children’s protector, Rudi Rosenberg, a registrar in the quarantine camp who falls in love with Alice, also in the family camp, and an SS Guard Viktor who doesn’t believe in the Nazi regime and wants to escape.   These stories show how hope, belief and courage overcome the fear of what is going on around them and give them some optimism of maybe a life after the war.

Obviously this is a heartbreaking and harrowing story in parts, we all know the horrendous stories of Auschwitz and what happened there.  Antonio Iturbe doesn’t go into detail but the menace is evident in the character of Dr Mengele and the constant sinister glow of the ovens in the background, and the ash falling to the ground.

The Librarian of Auschwitz is a piece of fiction which needs to be remembered when reading this book.  Even so, Dita’s story, and that of those around her is remarkable and indicative of the strength of the human spirit in the face of horrors we cannot imagine. I found it to be an inspirational, erudite and emotional read, with unforgettable characters and a story told with respect and compassion.  There have been several books recently about some of the amazing and remarkable stories to come out of Auschwitz and I feel that these books should be read, we should never forget  the horrors of what happened there. The Librarian of Auschwitz is one of these books; Dita’s story is important and inspiring and reminds the reader of the bravery of those in the war.  A brilliant and informative read.

 

I would like to thank Penguin Random House for my copy of The Librarian of Auschwitz and Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for inviting me on the blog tour.

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