Memory fields

Mehr zum Buch

Moving seamlessly between past and present, Shlomo Breznitz's memoir unfolds through multiple voices, capturing a poignant and harrowing journey. During the Holocaust, Breznitz and his family fled from village to village in Czechoslovakia, ultimately facing the reality of Nazi persecution. Before their deportation to Auschwitz, his parents arranged for the Sisters of Saint Vincent to take their two recently converted children into the convent's orphanage. At just six years old, Shlomo—known as Juri—was separated from his parents and sister Judith, as the nuns segregated the children by gender and communication was limited. Juri shares his devastating experiences with fellow orphans, nuns, teachers, and Nazi officers, expressing feelings of isolation and fear of being discovered as a "stinking Jew" while striving to be a good Catholic. The memoir transcends childhood recollections, reflecting Breznitz's insights as a psychologist into the complexities of cruelty, kindness, fear, and courage, as well as the profound impact of memory on our lives. In the final chapter, nearly fifty years later, Breznitz returns to Czechoslovakia to revisit significant places in his past, seeking the nuns who saved him and his sister. This evocative narrative is beautifully rendered, offering a stunning exploration of survival and resilience.