The incredible true story of two Holocaust survivors who fell in love in Auschwitz, only to be separated upon liberation and lead remarkable lives apart following the war—and then find each other again more than 70 years later.
“Lovers in Auschwitz adds to the history of resistance during the Holocaust, and is an example of a rare story of joy during an incredibly dark time.”
—Time Magazine
“Moving and tragic … A true tale of love amid unimaginable suffering.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A vivid portrait of the brutality of daily life at Auschwitz, alongside formidable tales of people who risked their lives to save others—even strangers—through sabotage, sympathy, and love. Mesmerizing and inspirational.”
—Judy Batalion, New York Times bestselling author of The Light of Days
“A story of hope in one of humanity’s most hopeless places, Lovers in Auschwitz honors those who were lost while producing fresh insights into the nature of survival, the resilience of memory, the unseen debts we all owe one another, and, yes, the transformative power of love.”
—Robert Kolker, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road and Lost Girls
About the speakers:
Michael Berkowitz (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/hebrew-jewish/people/academic-staff/prof-michael-berkowitz) is a Professor of Modern Jewish History at University College London. One of the subjects of Lovers in Auschwitz, Helen "Zippi" Spitzer, was a key source for his 2007 book The Crime of My Very Existence. Michael will be presenting together with Keren Blankfeld (https://kerenblankfeld.com/) regarding her forthcoming book Lovers in Auschwitz: A True Story. Keren is an award-winning journalist and the granddaughter of four World War II refugees. She has been a guest on CNN, BBC World News, and E! Entertainment.
About the Story:
Zippi Spitzer and David Wisnia were captivated by each other from the moment they first exchanged glances across the work floor. It was the beginning of a love story that could have happened anywhere. Except for one difference: this romance was unfolding in history’s most notorious death camp, between two young prisoners whose budding intimacy risked dooming them if they were caught.
Incredibly, David and Zippi survived for years beneath the ash-choked skies of Auschwitz. Under the protection of their fellow inmates, their romance grew and deepened, even as their brushes with death mounted and David’s luck in particular seemed close to running out. As the war’s end finally approached and the time came for them to leave the camp, David and Zippi made plans to meet again. But neither of them could imagine how long their reunion would take or how many lives they would live in the interim. They had no inkling, either, of the betrayals that would await them along the way. But David did suspect that Zippi harbored a secret—one that could explain the mystery of his survival all those years ago.
An unbelievable tale of romance, sacrifice, loss, and resilience, Lovers in Auschwitz is a saga of two young people who found themselves trapped inside a waking nightmare of the Nazis’ creation, yet who nevertheless discovered a love that sustained them through history’s darkest hour.
