Customer Reviews

Smoke over Birkenau

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I have read many books on the Holocaust, and I have to say that each one is unique - the horrors of the experiences as narrated by those who actually experienced them are always tinged with a personal touch and make for a disturbing yet unforgettable reading experience.

Liana Millu's "Smoke Over Birkenau" [translated here from the Italian] recounts her experiences in Birkenau during the Holocaust. Many compare her experiences as the female version of Primo Levi's [another Italian Jew] "Survival in Auschwitz". The stories in here describe the immense suffering endured by the camp's inmates and as witnessed by Liana during her incarceration. Years after reading this [and I've reread it many times since], I can still recall some of the details in these stories - they are simply unforgettable. Stories such as Lili Marlene whose beauty dooms her when she attracts the attention of a male Kapo who is already 'spoken' for, the one about the female inmate Maria who tries in vain to conceal her pregnancy and stubbornly refuses to abort thus sealing her ultimate fate, the tragic fate of a mother and son who choose to end their lives rather than endure the Nazis' bestiality,and many more. These stories of women who endured the unimaginable will resonate with readers and is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the Holocaust - it truly brings to light man's capacity for evil and at the same time provides a compelling portrait of human resilience, courage and faith in the darkest of times.

Gripping and beautifully written. Another powerful holocaust story of survival in the most extreme and terrifying conditions. Liana is to be praised for her courage and deep inner strength. Her story is one of tragedy and hope.

Set down in the middle of Birkenau, an infamous concentration camp, Lili (Liana) tells readers her story of pain, hope, and dispair. Time is lost, and that loss causes many amazing things to happen. Truthful tales of death, life, and living death wrench the reader in every direction manageable. Easily read by any person in their teenage years or older.

I don't see how people could live under these conditions. I guess that it is true that people can adjust to any condition. A good, but hard reading for anyone to see how people can live under any conditions.

i guess i'm confused. i am sitting here with a copy of "smoke over birkenau" by seweryna szmaglewska, translated from the polish by jadwiga rynas. henry holt and company n.y. copyright 1947. first printing. Did she change her name?