Heroic Children

After an author’s note, a foreword, a preface and an introduction that prepare the reader for gruesome details of life in concentration camps, in hiding, and on the run, the reader learns about Michael Thaler’s life in the Ukraine; about a brilliant violinist, Cecilia Boruchowitz, who performed before German audiences; and about Albert Sharon (Szajdholc), who went from Brussels to France and Italy to save himself and his family. Israel Starck, claiming to be older than he was in order to survive, worked in several slave labor camps, as did Shlomo Zalman Teichman. Gutta Sternbuch had worked with Janusz Korczak in the Warsaw Ghetto, while Isser Fisher and his family survived by being buried in a hole under a tree. Dolly Hirsch Bestandig and Esther Biegelman survived the concentration camps by staying out of sight -- Dolly in a garbage bin and Esther in a bunk in Bergen-Belsen. There are photographs of the subjects before and after World War II, as well as a glossary, a short bibliography, acknowledgments, and a very detailed index. The endpapers of the front and back covers are a useful map with colored dots indicating each subject’s journey to survive.
The title is somewhat of a misnomer, as most of the subjects were teenagers or young adults and in the case of children like Dolly, the account details her mother’s struggle to keep her alive. [Israel Starck tells his story with his daughter in A Boy Named 68818 (Feldheim, 2015).] The accounts are given in excruciating detail, which is a credit to the subject’s memory, but slow down the pace of the stories. Teller is a masterful storyteller, and his metaphors will either delight or irritate the reader:
“A harmonious chord was struck between them [Rachel and Aryeh], and they were married in 1939. But the backdrop to their wedding was a cacophony of doom.” There is also an emphasis on Jewish observance in the camps. The book is a worthy addition to libraries with large Holocaust collections, particularly Orthodox ones.

I try to read Holocaust books during the 9 days and on Tisha B'Av. This year I read this book. First of all, it is very inspiring to read about the strength and love for Torah and Mitzvos these children displayed. You may think you've read and heard all there is to hear, but these stories do bring out different concepts. Each child's story is well documented. There is an epilogue to each child, so you aren't left wondering what happened to them after the Shoah. Finally, there are lovely pictures, but before and after.
Some of the parts are heart wrenching. I would recommend this book for teenagers and up.

I've only just completed readings the accounts of the first two children; I am compelled to purchase copies for those dear to me who will appreciate this work.

Great will be the day when the God of Israel wipes all tears away from His children, and the inhabitants of the earth would in turn love Him and His people.

- A Christadelphian