“Eva’s Story”: Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss’ biography

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]olocaust survivor Eva Schloss’ vivid biography is a gripping first-hand account of her battle through the Holocaust and is one that carries much historical significance. 

Schloss, who recently came to Warwick for a Question and Answer session, wrote her memoir over forty years after the end of the war. However, she recalls her experiences with crystal clear, disturbing detail.

The book tracks her life from her tranquil upbringing in Vienna. The picturesque tale becomes swiftly darker as she and her family are forced to flee from the increasingly powerful Nazis. From here on out we follow Eva as her life is rapidly torn apart by anti-Semitic policy, culminating in her family’s deportation to the concentration camps.

The most harrowing section of the book is her retelling of her time in Auschwitz-Birkenau. At times the point-of-view switches from Eva to her mother, when the two of them become separated, allowing the reader more insight into the reality of daily life at the camp. Chapter headings referring to key events of the war also keep the reader aware of the historical context.

The most harrowing section of the book is her retelling of her time in Auschwitz-Birkena

Famous individuals crop up in her story, including a spine chilling encounter with camp doctor Josef Mengele, the ‘Angel of Death’. The book also has the compelling aspect of Eva’s connection with Anne Frank. Eva and Anne become friends in Amsterdam and Otto Frank, Anne’s father, also weaves in and out of the story. Several Holocaust survivors’ books are embellished with being the story Anne Frank never got to tell, however this is the only one that deserves such as title.

The book is written in an informal and compelling way. So much so that one can forget that what you are reading is a true story. It is an important read, but not just because the Holocaust needs to be remembered. Anne Frank’s diary, the most frequent primary source of this era that teachers broach, is often seen as a story of hope. It ends abruptly just before she is captured and we only read a brief description of her fate. This can have a diluting affect on the horrors of the Final Solution.

It is an important read, but not just because the Holocaust needs to be remembered

Eva’s Story, by contrast, directly brings the reader into Auschwitz and exposes them to the fear, suffering and despair than the innocent inmates had to endure. Although immensely distressing, this books puts a personal light on what can seem a distant event, and Eva’s strength and determination throughout makes this an incredibly motivational read.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons / Ras67 (Header)