The Horrors of the Holocaust Come Alive in Malka Adler’s ‘The Brothers of Auschwitz’ [REVIEW]

A young family torn apart by hate. Death and tragedy await at every turn. Yet somehow, despite despair, loss, and overwhelming grief, seeds of hope survive. Based on a true story, meet The Brothers of Auschwitz. Their dramatic, unforgettable tale will change you forever.

The war was almost over. Even though the brothers had watched world events unfold and knew that the Jewish people were despised, they also believed that they had somehow survived unscathed. They had cows, a cat, neighbors they loved, and most of all, they had one another.

Then came the day when their father returned from the synagogue looking utterly defeated and ordered them to pack what they could in bedsheets and tablecloths, because in an hour they would be evicted from their home. He didn’t know where they would go or what would happen to them. But the children knew. They realized that nothing good would happen to them. Unfortunately, their worst fears would be proven true.

It is amazing how quickly life changes. Before a month passes, the family boards cattle cars and is shipped to Auschwitz, a concentration camp where they are separated forever, without even a chance to say goodbye. It will be the last time they will ever see their loved ones again. Despite all that, however, two brothers survive only to share their experiences 60 years later. Their story will without fail move you to tears, but it will also inspire you as you discover their determination, courage, and their astounding hope.

With The Brothers of Auschwitz, Malka Adler pulls back the veil of time to reveal the true account of siblings Dov and Yitzhak, two men who by all outward appearances are nothing alike. Yet they are forever bound together by the horror of the holocaust, by shared grief, and by blood. From the opening pages of this tale, readers will realize that they are going to close the book at the end with mixed feelings, but most of all with respect and empathy for all those touched by one of the most horrific moments in history.

This is a transformative story that transcends time and one which should become mandatory reading in history classes everywhere because it honors those taken from this world too soon and begs us to examine the lessons their stories teach us. And hopefully, if we take this story to heart, perhaps we can resist ever repeating such monstrous atrocities again and remember why it is imperative we strive to overcome our own prejudices going forward. Most of all, The Brothers of Auschwitz will fill you with gratitude and the determination to never take family, community, and freedom for granted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Malka Adler was born in a small village near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel.

She began her work as an author when she turned 50. After taking a creative writing course, she fell in love with the art.

Malka has written six books, four of which are about the Holocaust. It was never clear to her why she was drawn to this subject again and again.

Only recently, perhaps, has she begun to understand, after finding out accidentally that most of her father’s family together with all the Jews of Komotini in Greece were sent to Treblinka in 1943. Malka was named after one of her aunts who perished at the camp together with her three children.

Malka is married, has three sons and is a grandmother herself.

She obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees in educational counseling at Bar Ilan University and is a family and couples’ therapist, writer and facilitator of several reading clubs.

THE BROTHERS OF AUSCHWITZ
By Malka Adler and translated by Noel Canin
464 pp. One More Chapter. $16.99

The Brothers of Auschwitz is brought to you in association with TLC Book Tours.

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