"THE MAN WHO BROKE INTO AUSCHWITZ," by Denis Avey and Rob Broomby, DaCapo Press, $25, 288 pages (nf)
Denis Avey is a good man caught up in a tragic series of events in a war that sought the destruction of an entire people.
He tells his story in "The Man Who Broke Into Auschwitz" with heart, soberness and clarity.
There's no pretense here or any attempt to glorify the details. As a result you have a simple moving and gripping story that puts one into the death camps and on the death march.
It's a story of a British "lad" who goes into World War II with images of adventure and hero moments. He isn't prepared for the brutality, the inhumanity and the utter disregard for human life.
He survives but at a terrible personal cost.
His stories are sensitive and sad as he describes working alongside Jewish "Stripeys" who are systematically being ground to nothing in the concentration camp next to that where he and his fellow soldiers are housed. His compassion clearly comes through along with despair at being prevented from helping his fellow man.
This is not an easy story to read, but at the same time it's hard to put down as Avey talks about sacrifice and service for one's country that translates into sand storms, lice and little or no food.
His switch with a Jewish prisoner takes him into Auschwitz for a couple of nights and gives him and his readers a glimpse into how utterly awful the conditions were: sleeping three to a bunk in filth and foul air and nothing to eat but a strong-smelling cabbage soup made with rotten vegetables.
He talks of beatings and deaths needlessly inflicted on helpless men, women and even babies. (Beware of a smacking in of a baby's face story that will live with you.)
It makes it clear that none of the worst Holocaust stories are fabricated.
One would be hard pressed to come up with such vivid instances of cruelty without having lived it.
Here's a story that ought to be read in high school history classes and by people who think they've got it rough. It's well written, researched and is thought-provoking.
There are many lessons to be learned from Avey's story, not the least of which is we all have worth and no one should have to live and die like the Jewish people have done.
Sharon Haddock is a professional freelance writer with 30 years experience, 17 of those at the Deseret News. Her email is haddoc@desnews.com.