The Children’s Block- Otto B Kraus- Historical Fiction
A work of fiction based on fact. Cold hard fact that the author lived through. Fact that
every man woman and child should know and learn about until the ends of time. The
Czech edition was entitled “Smoke is my brother”. Says so very much…..I read this
having previously read “ The Tattooist of Auschwitz” so knew what I was in for…. so
I thought. Alex is a teacher and undercover he teaches the children in their block in
Auschwitz, never knowing what the next day let alone hour may hold. He keeps a
diary that is carefully concealed. Whether it will ever be found or who by he does
not know. If found by the guards it will be burnt to yet more smoke. I learnt so
much. That when Germany first took rule there were lots of things that the Jewish
were not allowed. To even buy fresh fruit or to listen to music. Strange rules
hidden amongst the things we know about clothes and doors being marked to make
them stand out. That in the camps there were often ten thousand a day sent to the
gas chambers. This is a disturbing read but as I mentioned beforehand one that
should be read so that is can never ever happen again. As I write this, I learnt of
the camps around today where we really don’t quite know what is going on. How can
mankind be so very unkind? A read to remember.
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