There is a brilliant quote on the back of “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris, which reads: “For here, in the very worst of circumstances, is the very best of humanity”.
The quote highlights what Morris’ novel is about: finding hope when no one else does, remembering your life’s purpose when its uncertain whether you’ll see the sunrise and about the highest level of courage and friendship that could possibly exist.
Prisoner 32407 – Lale
Lale Sokolov, born Ludwig Eisenberg in 1916 in the former Kingdom of Hungary, was transported Auschwitz on April 23rd, 1942. To the Nazis he was prisoner 32407 – a tattoo on every victim’s forearm reminded them of their number.
Lale was responsible for tattooing these numbers on fellow victims – he was the tattooist of Auschwitz.
Prisoner 34902 – Gita
Being the tattooist of Auschwitz gave Lale special rights, extra food rations and the ability to move around Auschwitz without attracting much attention. How he used his position shows the reader the very best in humanity and how love in imprisonment looks like: One day Lale tattooed Gita and couldn’t forget her – this story is also about her.
Disguised History
The fact checked story of Lale’s imprisonment offers eye-opening, frustrating and mind-blowing insights into how life was like for victims of the Holocaust. I was amazed at how victims were able to find hope on the darkest days, how self-evident it was to share your watery potato soup with a sick inmate, when all you had to eat yourself were breadcrumbs.
“The tattooist from Auschwitz” is presenting real-life history, of real people. These events happened! It makes the story even more surreal – and makes me mad! How can so many people blindly support such an act of terror and racism?
How “The Tattooist o Auschwitz” made me feel
Lale and Gita’s story make history more tangible. What does oppression mean? How do the victims feel? How do the victims deal with it and how have some survived? It is all there in this book – you just need to read it.
I also felt hopeful when reading the book. Hopeful about humanity – that we are fundamentally good people. And if there were man, women and children who were able to literately survive hell, then there is a way for all of us to survive our deepest struggle and pain.
From the moment Lale arrives at the gates of Auschwitz and reads the words “Arbeit macht frei” (engl. “Labor makes you free”) to his death, Morris tells his story magnificently. It is compelling, thrilling and heartful.
A Personal Note
The posts about other books came a lot more natural to me. That’s why they are longer than this one. But the length of this post does not reflect how I feel about “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”.
This post is what came to my mind and what I wanted you to know. It is, I hope, all you need to motivate and inspire you to read it and get another step closer to solving The Reading Dilemma.
Joe
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Do you have a questions, tip or any other idea or thought on your mind? Please feel free to get in touch with me!