For readers of Schindler’s List, The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas comes a heart-breaking story of the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.
I tattooed a number on her arm. She tattooed her name on my heart.
In 1942, Lale Sokolov arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival – scratching numbers into his fellow victims’ arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust.
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 was determined not only to survive himself, but to ensure this woman, Gita, did, too.
So begins one of the most life-affirming, courageous, unforgettable and human stories of the Holocaust: the love story of the tattooist of Auschwitz.
My Review: The Tattooist of Auschwitz is the true story of Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew held during WWII in Auschwitz. This beautifully written book tells Lale’s harrowing true story of survival during the most unimaginable atrocities. There are very few words one can use to describe their feelings towards what happened to the innocent millions during WWII at the hands of the most ruthless and evil Nazi’s, but throughout this book Lale’s determination and hope was a shining beacon.
The romance and love between Gita and Lale was heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures and proves that the human spirit can’t be crushed by evil and that despite the horrors they witnessed and the violence they experienced during their 3 years at Auschwitz, they were able to help and provide comfort for many others.
This book really needs to be read by EVERYONE as it’s a wonderful reminder of survival, hope and love.
About the Author:
To read more behind this incredible book, below are some links:
- BBC News – Click here
- Independent – Click here
- The Mirror – Click here
- The Mail Online – Click here
- The Guardian – Lal Sokolov Obituary – Click here