The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum

The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum – 280 pages 

Copy from Amsterdam Publishers for an honest review

Book Blurb:

The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum: Rosie was always told her red hair was a curse, but she never believed it. She often dreamed what it would look like under a white veil with the man of her dreams by her side. However, her life takes a harrowing turn in 1944 when she is forced out of her home and sent to the most gruesome of places: Auschwitz. Upon arrival, Rosie’s head is shaved and along with the loss of her beautiful hair, she loses the life she once cherished. Among the chaos and surrounded by hopelessness, Rosie realizes the only thing the Nazis cannot take away from her is the fierce redhead resilience in her spirit. When all of her friends conclude they are going to heaven from Auschwitz, she remains determined to get home. She summons all of her courage, through death camps and death marches to do just that.
This victorious biography, written by Nechama Birnbaum in honor of her grandmother, is as full of life as it is of death. It is about the intricacies of Jewish culture that still exist today and the tender experiences that are universal to all humanity: family, coming of age, and first love. It is a story that celebrates believing in yourself no matter the odds. This is a story about the little redheaded girl who thought she could, and so she did.

My Review: 4.5 stars

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The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum was a beautiful, biographical tribute from granddaughter to grandmother. This was not an easy read. Any non-fiction or biographical sort of book about the death camps under Hitler’s regime are horrifying and unpleasant to read. Many turn away, unable to read them because of the disturbing content. I understand what they mean, but personally, I feel that I owe it to each and every person who lived or died at a concentration camp to read his or her story.

This book alternates timelines between stories of Rosie growing up as a young girl and her time in the camps. It was well done as the stories of her youth acted as palette cleansers in between the darkness she endured. The author didn’t shy away from the tough parts of her grandmother’s memories but she also made sure to leave the reader surrounded by hope, which is how her grandmother lived her life. Rosie was certain she would survive the war and go home. She never entertained an alternative. 

This allowed the reader to ponder fate versus luck verus destiny. Why some survived and others didn’t. It’s painful to think about this, but I believe Rosie’s positive attitude and smarts helped her survive.

Many meaningful messages were strewn into the pages that focused on loving one another, accepting our differences and not repeating the past. For those that appreciate Holocaust non-fiction, I believe it would be a great addition to your collection. 

Quotes I liked:

Evil does not only happen when a person is abnormally bad. Evil happens when good people do not see the good in other people. Evil happens when we judge each other. Evil happens when we put ourselves higher than others. Evil happens when we stand by someone else’s evil and do not speak up.”