Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #295725 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Synopsis
Boxer and member of the French Resistance Kessel recounts the horrifying time he spent in Nazi captivity-almost three years-including an execution that he narrowly survived.

Customer Reviews

Hung before 25,000 witnesses. A gripping story of survival.
This excellent book covers the remarkable true story of Sim Kessel, a French Jew, throughout his experiences as a member of the French Resistance followed by his arrest by the Nazis and his subsequent detention at Auschwitz/Birkenau Concentration Camps.

His numerous brushes with death at the hands of the Nazis throughout his detention are covered in some detail, including the forced death march to other Concentration Camps prior to eventual liberation at the hands of the allies at the war's end.

There are too many harrowing incidents throughout this book to cover in a review.

It is extremely moving as Kessel describes the absolute enthusiasm in which his fellow French citizens and French Policemen participated, and indeed clearly enjoyed, rounding up their fellow Jews prior to handing them over to Nazi forces.

The book at times reads like a novel and grips you from beginning to end.

The horrifying experiences of Kessel includes his shocking execution for his part in a failed (almost successful) escape attempt. Kessel was publicly hung together with his four co-escapers on a gallows in front of an audience of some 25,000 prisoners who forced to watch the execution as a deterrent to other would be escapees.

Each prisoner was hung one at a time, with Kessel last. Viewing the deaths of his comrades, Kessel closed his eyes and awaited his own death. The trap door sprung and he fell to his death.... but the rope broke. Unaware of this due to a loss of consciousness, Kessel was then dragged away to be shot in the back of the head by another prisoner named Jacob, whose forced employment was to execute many individual prisoners in this way. Pre-war Jacob having been the trainer to former world heavyweight boxing champion Max Schmeling.

Again awaiting his death, Kessel, himself a former professional boxer, befriended Jacob through their involvement in boxing. The latter subsequently providing Kessel with the identity of an already slain prisoner which he retained throughout the remainder of his detention.

This is a very moving testimony, not only to Sim Kessel, but to the many millions who did not survive. A highly recommended read.

An Amazing and Horrific Story
If the story in this book formed the basis of a cinema film, people would believe it was too fanatastic to be true.

Yet this is a story of real life. It is a story of survival in the face of what appeared to be total odds against. It shows what can be overcome but it also clearly outlines the horror of Auschwitz and the Holocaust.

Be warned the book is 'a cannot put down' once you start reading it.

The author has an amazingly perceptive insight into the character of the various people whom he encountered and conveys this in a factual manner which makes the sheer horror of what they were doing even sharper.

This is more than just the story of one man, remarkable though that is. It sheds light on just how ordinary individuals can behave (for good but mainly for evil) in such an horrific society and environment.

Brilliant
This is a truly fabulous book. Tremendously moving and a very powerful testimony to some of the most horrific atrocities that man can commit.

I wanted to read the real insights, to truly understand whether the horrific stories one hears could be true, from someone who had been there, seen it and survived.

I read this book in conjunction with other auschwitz survivor stories and they provide a fascinating view from a range of different perspectives - all corroborating different details.

this is a tremendous read. disturbing, powerful but one not to miss if you, like me, wish to ensure we never forget.