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_askthebookbug's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve read a lot of books about the holocaust and Auschwitz in general but not once did I stumble across a man called Witold Pilecki. Auschwitz was a place of horrors where the spirits of people were broken into pieces, never to recover again. But what surprised me was how a band of courageous men managed to form a resistance cell even in this place of death. One of the reasons why Pilecki is an absolute hero is because of the fact that he voluntarily surrendered to the Nazis so that he can get a firsthand view of the concentration camp and to help send the intel to the outside world. Not only did he survive in the camp, he also formed a group to fight against the Schutzstaffel Guards. I’ll be ever thankful to Jack Fairweather for writing about this unsung hero.
Pilecki served in the Polish Army during the Polish Soviet War and on the onset of the WW2, he volunteered to be captured by the Germans and be sent to the dreadful concentration camp. His courage to bid goodbye to his family without knowing if he’ll get to see them again, was something unimaginable. You must understand that Auschwitz wasn’t yet a fully formed camp at the time. The Germans were trying everything by trial and error, not expecting to see an influx of thousands of Jews and others into the camp every single day. Their crematoriums weren’t equipped to burn so many bodies. Pilecki witnessed these horrors, not quite believing the lengths to which the Nazis would go to eradicate the so called ‘inferior race’.
On one hand, he tried desperately to stay alive and on the other, he gathered hundreds of men who were willing to fight against the Nazis inside the camp. The power dynamic was certainly askew, but they still managed to outsmart the SS guards on many occasions. Pilecki’s main mission was to send reports to the Western Allies about the camp’s ongoing operations. Time and again, I was left so heartbroken to see how no one tried to help the Jews and Poles. All the reports that Pilecki sent were discarded on the grounds of carrying not much evidence. Pilecki lived in the camp for three years when he finally decided to take matters into his own hands and escaped the prison.
Pilecki’s life is both heroic and tragic. Although his mission to show the world about the concentration camp was disregarded by many, he never stopped fighting. It’s only fate’s cruel play that his end was unfair as well. To read about a man like Witold Pilecki gave me goosebumps. I’ve already said too much and so I must stop. But Jack’s unrelenting research in bringing to light one of the greatest heroes during the WW2, is something truly incredible to witness.
I can’t recommend this book enough. This book and the men and women who fought for the good of others in the face of the worst times humans ever had to endure, have my immense respect.
Pilecki served in the Polish Army during the Polish Soviet War and on the onset of the WW2, he volunteered to be captured by the Germans and be sent to the dreadful concentration camp. His courage to bid goodbye to his family without knowing if he’ll get to see them again, was something unimaginable. You must understand that Auschwitz wasn’t yet a fully formed camp at the time. The Germans were trying everything by trial and error, not expecting to see an influx of thousands of Jews and others into the camp every single day. Their crematoriums weren’t equipped to burn so many bodies. Pilecki witnessed these horrors, not quite believing the lengths to which the Nazis would go to eradicate the so called ‘inferior race’.
On one hand, he tried desperately to stay alive and on the other, he gathered hundreds of men who were willing to fight against the Nazis inside the camp. The power dynamic was certainly askew, but they still managed to outsmart the SS guards on many occasions. Pilecki’s main mission was to send reports to the Western Allies about the camp’s ongoing operations. Time and again, I was left so heartbroken to see how no one tried to help the Jews and Poles. All the reports that Pilecki sent were discarded on the grounds of carrying not much evidence. Pilecki lived in the camp for three years when he finally decided to take matters into his own hands and escaped the prison.
Pilecki’s life is both heroic and tragic. Although his mission to show the world about the concentration camp was disregarded by many, he never stopped fighting. It’s only fate’s cruel play that his end was unfair as well. To read about a man like Witold Pilecki gave me goosebumps. I’ve already said too much and so I must stop. But Jack’s unrelenting research in bringing to light one of the greatest heroes during the WW2, is something truly incredible to witness.
I can’t recommend this book enough. This book and the men and women who fought for the good of others in the face of the worst times humans ever had to endure, have my immense respect.
melaniearchercat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
tamaraepps's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Hate crime, Confinement, Violence, Slavery, Physical abuse, War, Death, Murder, Child death, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Blood and Torture
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
greentea1's review against another edition
4.5
Picked this up when visiting auschwitz, definitely worth a read. It was definitely interesting and also frustrating to read the story/journey
isla8's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
5.0
crowley22's review against another edition
5.0
A truly extraordinary, captivating and horrifying account of one of the bravest actions which could ever be imagined.
Fairweather brings to life Witold Pilecki and his struggles to bring about an end to the suffering brought upon those in Auchwitz, in a way which truly connects you directly with the subject, rarely done in biographies. Fairweather also writes an extremely digestible novel which is near impossible to stop reading once started.
Prior to reading this book, I do not believe I really understood the daily trauma of those leaving in concentration camps. I have read biographies of nazis and other books focusing on the war as a whole, and seen plenty of movies which focus on the Holocaust, yet I feel like that movies and overviews can only do so much. This book really brought home to me the horrors of the camps.
The personal heroism displayed by Witold Pilecki is astonishing, his patriotism and his constant determination are inspirational. A man who never gave up fighting for the right thing, in-spite of near assured defeat and overwhelming odds. In a Situation were most would give up, in a place were the majority would die, Witold does not give up.
A must read.
Fairweather brings to life Witold Pilecki and his struggles to bring about an end to the suffering brought upon those in Auchwitz, in a way which truly connects you directly with the subject, rarely done in biographies. Fairweather also writes an extremely digestible novel which is near impossible to stop reading once started.
Prior to reading this book, I do not believe I really understood the daily trauma of those leaving in concentration camps. I have read biographies of nazis and other books focusing on the war as a whole, and seen plenty of movies which focus on the Holocaust, yet I feel like that movies and overviews can only do so much. This book really brought home to me the horrors of the camps.
The personal heroism displayed by Witold Pilecki is astonishing, his patriotism and his constant determination are inspirational. A man who never gave up fighting for the right thing, in-spite of near assured defeat and overwhelming odds. In a Situation were most would give up, in a place were the majority would die, Witold does not give up.
A must read.