Escape from the Nazis: The Incredible and Inspiring Saga of Two Young Jews on the Run in World War II Poland [Hardcover]

Benjamin Mandelkern (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1988

Ben Mandelkern was only 23 when the Nazis invaded his native Poland in September 1939. From then until the end of the war he one concern--survival.

Like other Polish Jews, Ben and his young wife, Helena, came face to face with the evil of Nazism as their families and friends were murdered by the SS. Ben himself was captured, but in an incredible display of clear-headedness and courage managed to escape from the train transporting him to Treblinka. Seperated from Helena he stayed one step ahead of their persecutors, participating in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising before finally being liberated by the Russians in 1945. Free at last, he struggled desperately to reunite with his beloved wife.

Escape from the Nazis is Mandelkern's remarkable saga, a tale of terror and remarkable heroism, and a love story like no other.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

BENJAMIN MANDELKERN was born in 1916. He came to Canada in 1950 and lived in Montreal until 1968, when he moved to Toronto. He wrote Escape from the Nazis to satisfy the curiosity of his children and grandchildren about his life story.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 211 pages
• Publisher: Lorimer; First edition (January 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550280554
• ISBN-13: 978-1550280555
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,831,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Escape from the Nazis: The Incredible and Inspiring Saga of Two Young Jews on the Run in World War II Poland (Hardcover)

I am a Holocaust educator and have read literally hundreds of Holocaust books. Ben's story is one of the most remarkable I have ever read. Once you begin to read this story you can't put it down. I have been writing to Ben for 10 years now. After I read his book I was so moved by it that I sat down and wrote Ben a letter in care of the publishing company. I had the priviledge of finally meeting him this summer before embarking on a Holocaust and Hope journey to Germany,Poland and Israel. Knowing Ben has made my life richer. I would encourage anybody to read his book. Alot of my friends have read it and they,too,share my sentiments!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Grandfather's Expression, July 28, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Escape from the Nazis: The Incredible and Inspiring Saga of Two Young Jews on the Run in World War II Poland (Hardcover)

I might have a slightly biased view of this book, because I am one of Ben's grandsons. I remember people telling me that he started this book as a way to relate his experiences in the war to his family in particular, his grandchildren. First it was the knife story, and maybe some others. In fact, the original title for the work was "Grandpa's Stories," but was later changed by the publisher. Anyway, the pages soon multiplied and my grandfather was in the midst of an entire book which I would hear in later years brought back painful memories for him. Now, about ten years later, I see people with the book who tell me that once they've started reading it (or very often re-reading it), they couldn't stop until the last page.