Historical Non-Fiction Continued – WWII & Holocaust Memoirs

As promised I will present several favorite works from my historical fiction shelf. However, I cannot allow myself to move on just yet, without mentioning a few classic non-fiction books that merit distinction! In my first post I stated that I had learned as much from Fiction as from Non-Fiction; I also can say I have learned more about history from a memoir or diary than from a text book.

There are two memoirs that set the bar for historical non-fiction from the WWII period. These are Anne Franke’s “The Diary of a Young Girl,” and Elie Wiesel’s “Night.” In “The Diary of a Young Girl” Anne Franke reveals her day to day life, her dreams, and her beliefs. Her famous quote from the diary, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart” may strike a dissonant chord to the reader who knows what happened to Anne after she could no long complete her journal, but I rejoice that her message of innocence and faith lives on triumphantly for generations who read her words.

Elie Wiesel’s “Night” is a brief but weighty narrative of his captivity by the Germans and focuses on his relationship with his father. I read this at about age 20, and one aspect of it has stuck with me for decades, Eliezer’s commitment to his father and how it waned as his own exhaustion became unsurmountable and his faith in God declined. Wiesel does not gloss over the atrocities of the prison camp, and this book is not easy or enjoyable to read. Wiesel did survive; he received the Nobel Peace Prize and lived to age 87, a victory over those who wanted him and all Jews dead.

I want to introduce a more recently published memoir “In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer” by Irene Gut Opdyke. My edited review from 2017 follows: I’m giving this wonderful book 5 stars; it is the best book I’ve read in a year. Although set in a time and place that has inspired a prolific amount of recent literature, Irene’s story is vivid and fresh. The plot unfolds within the heinous framework of Nazi occupation and the Holocaust, but the theme is one of inspiration and victory. Irene’s ability to create meticulously detailed plans along with her astute split-second decision-making reveal character and allow her to set actions in motion which protect her loved ones. Irene is brilliant and selfless, and I am thankful for her sharing her “memories of a Holocaust rescuer” with those of us who have not been tested in such ways.

If you have read any of these books I’d love to know your thoughts and your feedback.