The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler

I read a lot of books with “of Auschwitz” in the title, and I have loved every one of them. While these are stories that are hard to read, I truly feel they are important books that cannot be missed. The Brothers of Auschwitz was an emotional, raw story that left me in awe of the strength of some humans and horrified at the actions of others.

Dov and Yitzhak are two brothers living in a small village, largely untouched by the devastation of WWII. Then, in 1944, the Nazi’s invade their home and take them to Auschwitz. Years later, they share their story with a friend.

“Three months was enough for the Germans to turn healthy young men into a pile of disgusting rags.“
The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler

Like all stories centered around concentration camps, this one is hard to swallow. It’s raw and gritty with descriptions of the horrific actions that people endured. This book seemed to really hit me hard. The experiences were not watered down, the author wrote of the scenes with such detail that you feel like you are there.

The two brothers in this book are remarkable. I think their strength came from finding each other. I found it very interesting that the entire book is not centered around the concentration camp. The war is only the first part, and then we are provided insight into the aftermath of the war. The demons that continue to haunt survivors are laid out for us to witness as Dov and Yitzhak struggle to put a life together after the war.

Overall, I think this is a must-read book. This is a translated copy if you are reading it in english, and I did find that there were times where the translation was a little rough, but it’s still a wonderful story that is worth reading!

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend The Brothers of Auschwitz for readers that emotional WWII stories of concentration camps and family. Readers that enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz or The Child of Auschwitz will enjoy this book!

Where to Find This Book:

The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler is available at these sites!

HarperCollins ~ Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Barnes & Noble

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An extraordinary novel of hope and heartbreak, this is a story about a family separated by the Holocaust and their harrowing journey back to each other.

My brother’s tears left a delicate, clean line on his face. I stroked his cheek, whispered, it’s really you…

Dov and Yitzhak live in a small village in the mountains of Hungary, isolated both from the world and from the horrors of the war. But one day in 1944, everything changes. The Nazis storm the homes of the Jewish villagers and inform them they have one hour. One hour before the train will take them to Auschwitz.

Six decades later, from the safety of their living rooms at home in Israel, the brothers finally break their silence to a friend who will never let their stories be forgotten.

Told in a poetic style reminiscent of Atwood and Salinger, Malka Adler has penned a visceral yet essential read for those who have found strength, solace and above all, hope, in books like The Choice, The Librarian of Auschwitz and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Just the Facts:

The Brothers of Auschwitz by Malka Adler
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 464 pages
Publisher: One More Chapter
Pub Date: September 1, 2020

Malka Adler was born in a small village near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel.

She began her work as an author when she turned 50. After taking a creative writing course, she fell in love with the art.

Malka has written six books, four of which are about the Holocaust. She obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees in educational counselling at Bar Ilan University and is a family and couples’ therapist, writer and facilitator of several reading clubs.