Tatuazysta z Auschwitz

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Another Historical Fiction Novel that just sits on my likable 3 star shelf but not standing out from any of the other Historical Fiction books I have read this year. Of course, people whose relatives were shot, beaten, raped, hung, disappeared would see enemies everywhere, even in little starved girls who happened to have a German (not necessarily Jewish) family name - Klein - and knew how to speak German and were reported to have been 'consorting' (what an ugly word!) with the hated Nazi death camp supervisors.

A deeply compelling and thought-provoking read with complex and well-developed characters. An emotional story about survival, resilience, hope, and the human spirit. How can someone do this to another human being? He wonders if for the rest of his life, be it short or long, he will be defined by this moment, this irregular number: 32407.”There was such inhuman, unimaginable misery, such a terrible disaster, that it began to seem almost abstract, it would not fit with in the downs of consciousness”.

The narrative was incredibly tense because death was never far away. All it took was one annoyed guard to raise his rifle and pull his trigger, and that’s it: it’s all over. Death came randomly. There was no system, just merciless killing at the whim of the oppressors. Doctor Mendel (Doctor Death) was the best example. He was an evil man, cold and fear inducing. Whenever he entered a scene the trepidation of the characters was palpable. It’s like the temperature dropped. Morris did wonders to capture the presence of such a callous man. This is a story told with love about courage in the face of the horrors of the camps and loss of family, courage sustained by the strength of the human spirit and it's a love story that I'll never forget. There is not much more I can say other than what Lale himself tells Morris - that he wanted his story recorded so "It would never happen again." This book is based on a true story. I always love books based on true stories. In many ways, I think they are the best kind. I also love the pictures of Lale and Gita Sokolov. Lale told his story over the course of three years to the Author. Lale became the Tatowierer "Tattooist" of Auschwitz and Birkenau. Being the tattooist gives him special perks - more rations, better sleeping conditions, ability to move around the camp more freely. He also was able to exchange the money and prized possessions of those who died in the gas chambers for food and medicine. He was generous and provided for many. He saved lives and I wonder how many survived due to him acquiring medicine and extra food for them.Slatter, Sean (17 March 2023). "Stan co-commissions Synchronicity Films' 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz' ". if.com.au . Retrieved 12 April 2023. One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.