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A review by kmardahl
Hanns and Rudolf: The True Story of the German Jew Who Tracked Down and Caught the Kommandant of Auschwitz by Thomas Harding
5.0
The five stars do not indicate that this is a good book in the classic sense of the term "good". It is a very well-written book, but it is a necessary kind of book. One of those stories that must be told for the sake of future generations.
After visiting Auschwitz nearly two years ago, I was curious to read books about the place. I think I wanted to find an explanation for how something as horrible as the events at Auschwitz could ever happen. I think I was also hoping for a bit of justice somewhere. Someone paying even a fraction of the price for the horrors. This is one such book. Hanns Alexander and his family were fortunate enough to escape Germany before Jews were rounded up and sent off to concentration camps. Relocating to London, he soon found himself in a position to bring some of the war criminals to justice, the most important one being Rudolf Höss, the Kommandant of Auschwitz. That is, that one who set up the system for the Nazis' mass murder of Jews and other people unwanted by the Nazi regime.
Rudolf Höss wrote his own version of his life, which has been published in many languages. I don't think I could stomach book. The way Thomas Harding tells his story juxtaposed with the story of his great uncle is well-done and thought-provoking. Harding tells the story of two people and the very different values they each developed in life and what drove the one to hunt down the other.
I did wonder whether I could handle this story and considered just reading the intro and the end. I thought I could get the basic set-up and feel the justice in the capture of Höss. This isn't the type of book you "curl up with". I happen to be fighting a bad cold at the moment and was able to read it all in one sitting, thanks especially to the story's layout and clear writing. I also read all the footnotes as I went along. They contain more details and background explanations.
In the past year, I have read two other books about survivors of Auschwitz - one a true story and one fiction. I think this is it for a while. There is only so much of this story one can stomach. I'd recommend this book as one the why stories - why would someone do this. Not that you understand or sympathise with Höss, but you can get a glimpse into what might be behind such behaviour. You also get a glimpse into what drives others to bring such people to justice. I definitely recommend this book if you are curious about any of these things.
After visiting Auschwitz nearly two years ago, I was curious to read books about the place. I think I wanted to find an explanation for how something as horrible as the events at Auschwitz could ever happen. I think I was also hoping for a bit of justice somewhere. Someone paying even a fraction of the price for the horrors. This is one such book. Hanns Alexander and his family were fortunate enough to escape Germany before Jews were rounded up and sent off to concentration camps. Relocating to London, he soon found himself in a position to bring some of the war criminals to justice, the most important one being Rudolf Höss, the Kommandant of Auschwitz. That is, that one who set up the system for the Nazis' mass murder of Jews and other people unwanted by the Nazi regime.
Rudolf Höss wrote his own version of his life, which has been published in many languages. I don't think I could stomach book. The way Thomas Harding tells his story juxtaposed with the story of his great uncle is well-done and thought-provoking. Harding tells the story of two people and the very different values they each developed in life and what drove the one to hunt down the other.
I did wonder whether I could handle this story and considered just reading the intro and the end. I thought I could get the basic set-up and feel the justice in the capture of Höss. This isn't the type of book you "curl up with". I happen to be fighting a bad cold at the moment and was able to read it all in one sitting, thanks especially to the story's layout and clear writing. I also read all the footnotes as I went along. They contain more details and background explanations.
In the past year, I have read two other books about survivors of Auschwitz - one a true story and one fiction. I think this is it for a while. There is only so much of this story one can stomach. I'd recommend this book as one the why stories - why would someone do this. Not that you understand or sympathise with Höss, but you can get a glimpse into what might be behind such behaviour. You also get a glimpse into what drives others to bring such people to justice. I definitely recommend this book if you are curious about any of these things.