The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Heather Morris

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The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, two Slovakian Jews who survived Auschwitz and eventually made their home in Australia. In that terrible place, Lale was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival - literally scratching numbers into his fellow victims’ arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. Lale used the infinitesimal freedom of movement that this position awarded him to exchange jewels and money taken from murdered Jews for food to keep others alive. If he had been caught, he would have been killed; many owed him their survival.

There have been many books about the Holocaust - and there will be many more. What makes this one so memorable is Lale Sokolov’s incredible zest for life. He understood exactly what was in store for him and his fellow prisoners, and he was determined to survive - not just to survive but to leave the camp with his dignity and integrity intact, to live his life to the full. Terrible though this story is, it is also a story of hope and of courage. It is also - almost unbelievably - a love story. Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale - a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer - it was love at first sight, and he determined not only to survive himself but to ensure that Gita did, too. His story - their story - will make you weep, but you will also find it uplifting. It shows the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.

Like many survivors, Lale and Gita told few people their story after the war. They eventually made their way to Australia, where they raised a son and had a successful life. But when Gita died, Lale felt he could no longer carry the burden of their past alone. He chose to tell his story.

My review

This book was phenomenal. I had heard so much about it I wanted to get my hands on it as fast as possible. WW2 is something that I have always found interesting, be it the camps or the stories from other sides.

This story being a true one, will resinate with anyone that reads it. It draws you in and makes you go ‘oh I wasn’t aware that that had happened’ or even why it had. I enjoyed this book throughly and cannot describe how much.

Lale, his trials and tribulations were all stated in this book. It is great to be able to hear stories from inside the camp, where there were friendships and relationships blossoming in such a terrible place. It showed that some of the guards weren’t evil just put in a bad situation. 

If you enjoy learning about WW2 then this is the book for you.

5 stars