Recently
I watched an interview with a twin who was subjected to Dr. Josef
Mengele's experiments at Auschwitz. Her voice rang in my head as I
read Auschwitz Lullaby
by Mario Escobar. The atrocities of which Mengele was guilty were
great, and he was never brought to justice on this side of eternity.
In this book Escobar tells the story of Helene Hannemann, largely
adhering to the actual facts of her time at Auschwitz with her five
children. Helene, an Aryan, voluntarily accompanied her Gypsy husband
and their children when the soldiers came to take them away. Her
determination to care for her children and those of other Gypsy
families in the camp improved the circumstances for many during their
imprisonment. Hannemann worked under the direction of Dr. Mengele,
running a nursery and school for the Gypsy children, some who were
then taken to be included in his experiments. Her goal remained the
same throughout her time there, to protect and care for the children.
Escobar's
well-written, somewhat fictionalized account of her life allows
Helene Hannemann to be an inspiration to another generation of
parents, a generation that may be in need of a lesson in sacrifice.
Helene could have spared her life, could have walked away from the
filth, disease and death that was Auschwitz, but instead she
sacrificed each hour, each minute, for the children.
I
highly recommend Auschwitz Lullaby
not only for fans of historical fiction, but for all who have a heart
for children, and those in this generation who may need to be
reminded of the gift they are. Received a complimentary copy of this
book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this
review are completely my own.
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