Friday, November 16, 2012

In My Hands

"In My Hands-Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer" by Irene Gut Opdyke

 I'm not sure where I heard about this book but I am named after Corrie Ten Boom so it seems that anything to do with the holocaust interests me.  I bought a used book and to my surprise it is signed by the author!  This book was simply amazing.  It is about a women who protects numerous Jews during the holocaust.  She works for a general in the army and hides 10 Jews in his cellar!  The courage this one woman had is simply beautiful.  "It is a terrible irony of war, that nature itself does not rebel when man turns against his brother.  I have seen nightmares take place on beautiful spring days.  The birds can hop from one branch to another, tipping their heads and honing their small beaks against the bark while a child dies in the mud below."  "We did not speak of what we had seen.  At the time, to speak of it seemed worse than sacrilege: We had witnessed a things so terrible that it acquired a dreadful holiness.  It was a miracle of evil.  It was not possible to say with words what we had witnessed, and so we kept it safely guarded until the time when we could bring it out, and show it to others, and say, 'Behold.  This is the worst thing man can do.'"  The horrible things that this woman and others saw is really beyond comprehension.  When I read of the holocaust I always find myself asking, how could people be so cruel?  How could the killing of millions be allowed?  And always the hardest question, what would I have done had I lived at that time?  I would highly recommend this book although it is not for the faint of heart.  But it does tell of the courage of one woman who refused to believe anything other than the fact that ALL are created equal. 
 

 

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