Head of the Line: A Holocaust Survivor's Memoir [Paperback]

Michael Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 2000

"I came through the Holocaust because of a series of often inexplicable circumstances, all of which were beyond my control. For instance, my 6-foot-2-1/2-inch height positioned me at the head of the line in forced marches across Europe. For a time, I benefited from this -- at least minimally...."

As the title states, _Head of the Line_ is Michael (Jakubowics) Jackson's chronicle of his experiences during the Holocaust: from 1941, when his and other Jewish families were rounded up and driven from their homes in the former Czechoslovakia; through his years in hiding, followed by forced registration as a slave-laborer in a Hungarian military camp; to his horrific experiences during 1944-’45 in the German concentration camps of Flossenburg, Hersbruck, and Dachau.

_Head of the Line_ is written with great humility. The author emphasizes that if his fate was to survive the Holocaust, then his obligation was to record this tragic history, as a lesson to future generations. This memoir is a loving testimonial to his fallen family, a deeply moving personal account that also illuminates the larger circumstances of the crimes against humanity perpetrated against the European Jewish community during World War II.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The sole-survivor of his large immediate family (14 souls), Michael Jakubowics was 25 years old when he was liberated from Dachau in 1945, and spent over two years in hospital recuperating. When he was strong enough, he was then discharged to a displaced persons camp in the American Occupation Zone of post-war Germany. There he met another Holocaust survivor, Nina Lubraniecka. In 1948, they married and emigrated to the United States, where they anglicized their name to Jackson, raised a son and daughter, and began rebuilding their lives and family.

Product Details

• Paperback: 307 pages
• Publisher: Moriah Offset Corp (December 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970656408
• ISBN-13: 978-0970656407
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,075,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Miraculous Story of Survival, May 18, 2001

By 

James Issokson (Framingham, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Head of the Line: A Holocaust Survivor's Memoir (Paperback)

It's hard to imagine that a society could tolerate the killing of 6 million Jews. It's even harder to imagine how this happened only six decades ago. I have studied and read many Holocaust books, but I can not remember one that affected as deeply as Michael Jackson's memoir and story of survival in Head of the Line: A Holocaust Survivor's Memoir. Mr. Jackson not only recounts a personal tale, but he tells the story of European Jews prior to World War Two. His use of Yiddish reminded me of a language past that my grandparents spoke about. Mr. Jackson gives a first-hand account of growing up as a Jew in the Carpathian Mountain region of pre-World War II Czechoslovakia. He proudly recounts his days growing up surrounded by a large extended family that treasured life, religion and freedom. His memoir traces his journey through the Holocaust as he bore witness to the atrocities of the war and the destruction of his family. He tells his story of survival in detail, from his deportation from his home, to forced labor marches and slavery to Dachau and eventually America. It is through acts of unexplained miracles, courage and a strong will to survive that Mr. Jackson is able to share his story. In just a few years time, we will rely on books like Mr. Jackson's to teach and explain the Holocaust. It is from this memoir that I will teach my children and my children's children about the Holocaust. It is for that reason that I recommend this book. Mr. Jackson's memoir will forever remain on my bookshelf.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Slaves Outside the Camps, March 9, 2007

By 

S. Quinn "nonfiction lover" (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Head of the Line: A Holocaust Survivor's Memoir (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book not only because it was well written and easy to follow, but mainly because it depicted yet another way in which the Jewish population was "used" for slave work during the war. It's news to me that some Jewish people worked/slaved for the Germans but weren't actually assigned to a concentration camp.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Told, October 8, 2006

By 

Arlyne Euler "HISTORY BUFF" (THOMPSONS STATION, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Head of the Line: A Holocaust Survivor's Memoir (Paperback)

A very well told memoir. Heartrending and yet uplifting. Certainly a different tale from many and adds more detail to this awful period. Very worthwhile reading.