Auschwitz Lullaby

Well written and awakens all your senses. Gritty and terrible on how Jewish prisoners were treated. I made myself read parts that were almost unbearable.

Let me start by saying that I seldom give a book 5 stars. Only if I think it will become a literary classic, ie, Memoirs of a Geisha, Life of Pi, Sophie’s Choice, etc.I will say that this was definitely one of the better books about the Holocaust that I have read. It really captures the heroism and the ineffable horror of this era with this true story of a German woman who started a small school for Gypsy children in a concentration camp staffed by Joseph Mengele. I won’t even refer to the man as a doctor. I applaud this book for doing so without being overly sappy or trite. I learned about noma, a horrific skin disease that generally affects people who are malnourished and living in highly unsanitary conditions. The children in the camps were plagued with this disease and often died as a result due to the weakened state they were in. Just one more layer of horror to add to the mix... But the resilience of the women and children in the story is truly inspiring and it is so,etching that I will always remember.

Gift

Reading this book for me was like sitting in the first car of a roller coaster. You start off slowly, pick up speed and roar past realistic venues of racing through the insane cruelties of Nazi Germany's deadliest concentration camps, Auschwitz. Along the way you meet a devoted mother of four telling her story to you with details of all of the people she met and worked with during her short year in the camp. A German woman and wife of a Gypsy man with four young children. The book was so well written that I felt like I knew the people, surroundings and fears they had constantly. This book was hard to put down and I can't wait to read another of Mr. Escobar's books.

I so looked forward to this novel that I preordered it so it would arrive on its release date. The premise seemed so fascinating (an Aryan mother bravely choosing to follow her family to a Nazi camp) that I could hardly wait to begin.I knew from the outset that it wouldn't be a light read (given the topic) that probably wouldn't end well. Helene Hannemann was a courageous woman who refused to abandon her family when they were taken to Auschwitz. While inside, she fought to improve their lives and the lives of other children. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with her sweet children and her recollections of the life she and her husband shared. That brief bit of joy was engulfed by a heartbreaking and touching story that put a lump in my throat at times. I also enjoyed reading about the friendships Helene made while imprisoned in Auschwitz.My problem with the book (thus, my three-star rating) was that Helene's actions just didn't seem realistic for one imprisoned in a Nazi death camp.SPOILER: In her interactions with Josef Mengele, she constantly questioned and challenged him. She wasn't rude yet she was very firm. In one situation, he asked her to do something and she replied that she'd give him her answer the next day. Having read many other books on WWII (both fiction and nonfiction), I've never heard of any prisoner behaving this way and frankly, I didn't buy it. I kept thinking, "This couldn't have happened. She would have been killed for much less." END SPOILER.Having said that, I am glad I learned a bit about how the Romani people lived under Nazi rule and am inspired to read more of their stories.

This heartbreaking book is the story of the murders of all the Jews in a Nazi Death Camp. It is also the story of a Jewish woman who tried to make life bearable for the people, particularly the children, in the camp. This Jewish woman chose to die with her children rather than to leave them behind without her to face death. This book is one of those books that leaves an indelible mark on every reader.I am glad that I chose to read this book even though it would have been easier to put the book down and find a pleasant book to read. I encourage you to read the book if you have an interest in this topic.

This book showed a different side than many other writings of Auschwitz. To have an aryan who was offered many times to be freed but who chose to stay because of her great love for her children and her husband is certainly not the norm in the prison camps. Of course the union of an aryan and a gypsy was not the norm back then either.The author, Mario Escobar, does an exquisite job of weaving the tale to make sense of it all. Reading about this time in our world history is fascinating yet horrifying. We can never forget that this is true, the holocaust. Some people want to deny it, but we must never deny. We must remember.

I'm always amazed by the evil that transpired in the concentration camps. Yet, I'm always inspired by some of the stories to come from such cruel places. While some say that evil begets evil, I feel that for some, true humanity will spring forth. This story tells of a family who went to their death, but took the high road while doing so. I can't imagine, nor even comprehend what many hundreds of thousands, millions even, went through. It was conflicting to read about the atrocities in Auschwitz, then also read about some of the sweetest moments. I mourn for those who were killed there. I pray it will never happen again.Mario Escobar was able to capture these moments and detail the life of one family as they traversed this hell on earth. I felt this was one of the best accounts of the gypsies and what they went through. A Remarkable story.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started this book - lullaby in the title is a bit disarming. This book kept me on my toes throughout with its graphic scenes and recounting actual events and people. I didn't realise until the end that it related to a real person's life story. Left me with a real sense of loss after it ended.

Bought for dad but he died before he could watch it. Gave it to my cousin, its not my sort of thing

I did like the mother who stood by her children and the people who helped her in the school great

Brilliant book. Gives you a whole new insight of the camps. I've read a lot of books regarding the camps. But this is by far one the best books regarding the prisoners care of children within the camp

Wonderfully written touching story. It's hard to review someone else's life story, but I can say author did a great job in telling it the best way possible . Be prepared for an emotional ride.