By Thomas Buergenthal
I was prepared for this to be another heartwrenching story of the Jewish Holocaust, instead, I was inspired and surprised. This is a memoir of a young boy that survived and he is still not sure how. Through some sort of divine intervention he was able to stay in a ghetto with his family much longer than many others, when he was forced to Auschwitz there was no selection. Normally, when most children reached Auschwitz, they were selected out and immediately sent to the gas chambers, instead, he was able to stay with his father where he was protected.
Through happenstance and incidences of bravery, he was able to fall under the influence of those in power and was fed more than most and was not forced into hard labor. He worked as an errand boy or in a children's ward as a trash collector. Somehow, he avoided illnesses that caused his bunkmates to pass away.
Even when the Nazis decided to liquidate Auschwitz and march the inmates to Germany, Thomas was able to avoid the death that most of the other children endured. During the dreaded death march, Thomas did contract a serious case of frostbite, which caused him to have some of his toes amputated when he reached the next camp. In this hospital, he was cared for and met his friend and author Odd Nanson. Odd was able to give Thomas treats and bribe the hospital staff to keep Thomas safe.
Thomas' luck did not run out when he was liberated from the German's. He met up with the Polish army and became their mascot. He was made a miniature uniform, fed well, and given gifts by the servicemen. He was even given a pony and horse. Eventually, however, one soldier decided that the army was no place for an 11-year-old boy and helped Thomas relocate into a Jewish orphanage. Through the orphanage and its connections within the Jewish community around the world, Thomas was eventually reunited with his mother. With her loving care, Thomas was finally educated and eventually made it to the United States to pursue an education in law. Before he left Europe he did reacquaintance himself with his savior Odd Nanson, who wrote a memoir of his time in a German concentration camp and mentioned Thomas.
The incredible aspect of Thomas Buergenthal is the fact that yes he survived the Jewish Holocaust, but what he did with his experience and how he used it to drive him into international law is the impressive part. He became in incredible voice for human rights and served on several courts that brought human rights cases forward. I was very inspired by how he took something that could have been very negative into a definite positive.
I am giving this book a 5 out of 5 stars and believe it is appropriate for anybody 7th grade and up. It is very well written and I love the addition of the pictures. I think everyone has struggles and how we react to them is important, to know that something horrifying could be turned around into something pretty great is inspiring. Definitely well worth the read!
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