Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz by Olga Lengyel
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Book Reviews of Five Chimneys: The Story of Auschwitz
Book Review: No Nonsense, Articulate and to the point, historical view of Auschwitz
Summary: 5 Stars
An accurate reference of the history of one persons life and the atrocity of the Nazi, Auschwitz death camp. One can only hope that this book remains in the public eye so that this kind of history is never repeated. We need to pass on this kind of information to future generations.
I have read several other books in reference to the Holocaust and what is different about this book is the matter of fact way the author dealt with the issues. I am not in any way critical of this author or her method of writing.(She did a wonderful job) I am simply saying that she does stay with the issues at hand and does not offer much in regard to a personal reflection of herself or her family.(She does respect the medical aspect of confidentiality) From the standpoint of a person who obviously was educated and cared for the well being of mankind, this had to be a difficult task for this author, to write this book. Consequently from a historical and reference standpoint this book tells the story and succeeds in relating to the reader the atrocities of Auschwitz. This is a must read for anyone who values life and questions the evil capabilities of mankind. A follow-up to this book would be to read: Auschwitz by Dr. Miklos Nyiszli. These two books and the authors will pretty much sum up the difference in professionals, their conduct in difficult situations, and the story of death at Auschwitz.
Book Review: Completely Haunting
Summary: 5 Stars
I actually stumbled upon this book because it was referenced in "A Death in Vienna" by Daniel Silva (his fictional spy novels involving a character Gabriel Allon mostly had a holocaust theme). After reading Five Chimneys there was no question in my mind why Albert Einstein praised this book as such an important work. Olga Lengyel's horrific and heartwrenching tale filled me in on so much I did not know about the Nazi death camps - including the fact that many people who were neither Jews nor minorities were sent there "just because." The book was very emotionally draining (especially when Lengyel talks about what happened to pregnant women and the babies they delivered) but the book left me completely changed. The unimaginable courage and hope that Lengyel and other prisoners conveyed was a tribute to the human spirit.
In our daily quest to get more money, drive a bigger car, buy a better house - we forget the reality of how little we really need to be human beings. This book will be required reading for my children when they are older. I am completely humbled and grateful to Ms. Lengyel for her ability to replicate such painful experiences into this book.
Book Review: Courageous, Riveting and Brutally Honest!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
A riveting, spellbinding, sad, heartbreaking, page-turning read! Olga Lengyel's memoir of her years as a prisoner of war in Auschwitz and Birkenau during the German occupation is at best brutally honest, forthright and glaringly real. It is truly, truly hard to fathom that people actually survived this very dark period of history. I only wish her family had lived with her and couldn't even begin to understand how you learn to continue to live on after enduring something like that.
The book is a testament to this Olga's immense strength, courage, bravery, vigour, and the sheer guts it took to live through the years of torture, death and humiliation that she did. I pray that nothing like this is EVER, EVER allowed to happen again. Can we not learn to live peaceful lives beside each other, our fellow human beings?
Ms. Lengyel, I feel for you, sympathize with you, honour you and give you a standing ovation for having the courage to even sit down and pen this memoir which must have been terribly painful for you. This is a book that EVERYONE SHOULD READ and one that has now become part of my permanent collection.
Book Review: Good but quite sickening
Summary: 5 Stars
This poor woman, who saved herself by convincing a selection doctor that the captive women need a health clinic, saved many lives as she worked in the underground of the concentration camp. She details the sick "experiments" that took place there and how she cared for its poor victims if they were returned to the barracks. She also talks how she unknowningly sent her mother and older son to the "left" during the initial off train selection and physically escaped one selection group herself. She even details how she had to commit murders in order to save lives (hint: Auschwitz did not have a materinity ward). There are many details here about the holocaust. This book, though with so many movies now many events are familar, really attaches names to these occurances and makes it personal.
I read this in one sitting and I don't want to read another book on the subject again. It was so sick what happened to millions of people, what they were forced to participate in, and yet mass mutilations and murder around the globe still take place.
Book Review: Death of a human spirit
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been priveleged to read books on those people who survived the Holocaust. Until I read "Five Chimneys" I had not gotten a woman's perspective of this horror. From the first page on and through her work she portrays the day to day horror that the Nazis inflicted on her and her family. A Mother's heart is shown in her love for her sons that she left behind, as well as for her husband whom she vigorously searches for. I've often read where survivors write of unusual events that would be inexplicable due to the relationship between the Nazis and the prisoners. One that stands out in this book is Mrs. Lengyel's "relationship" with ss doctor Fritz Klein. In spite of all the evil, a somewhat "human" side is portrayed here by her. I would recommend this book to any serious student of the Holocaust, not only for its content, but also for the courage of Mrs. Lengyel to write this account.