The book ”Why me?-How to survive Auschwitz I. Nuengamme and Watenstedt”
Why Me? How to Survive Auschwitz I, Neuengamme, and Watenstedt
A Personal Reflection on Survival
”Why me?” is a question that I have asked myself many times. If my father had not survived the day-to-day hell of the German concentration camps, neither my brother nor I would be here today.
”Why me?” was also surely a question my father thought about as well. Many prisoners faced extremely difficult circumstances where life hung on a thread. However, despite everything, he pulled through.
Documenting the Reality of the Camps
In the early 1990s, my father visited many schools. He shared the story of his imprisonment and his experiences in the concentration camps. During these visits, he focused mainly on facts describing the camps and how they were organized.
In my version, however, I chose to describe more of the brutal incidents he witnessed. In addition, I share the pure luck that saved him and his brother. Neither of them had Jewish origin. Nevertheless, the warmth and strength of brotherhood, along with never-failing hope, carried him through daily hardships.
Heroic Acts and Untold Stories
There were many heroic situations where my father succeeded in making life bearable for his fellow prisoners. As a result, he probably saved lives. Although he was reluctant to speak about these incidents during school visits, I chose to highlight them in my book.
”Why me?” is a recurring thought throughout the text. Consequently, it leads us to delve deeper into extreme events that we still reflect on today.
Further Reading and Preparation
For those wanting to go beyond my book and read a more detailed account, my father’s book, ”Arbete ger frihet (Arbeit Macht Frei)”, is still available in Swedish. Furthermore, these books provide impactful narratives shedding light on untold stories from the concentration camps.
Overall, this book is excellent reading in preparation for visits to Holocaust Memorial Sites.
If you have any questions or would like to enquire about a volume order, please contact us.
Specifications
- Author: Stefan Kazikowski
- Hardcover: 196 pages
- ISBN: 978-91-859025-14-1
- Format: 155 x 223 mm
- Published: 18th of April 2022
