Most of us can’t bear the idea of children, the most vulnerable members of society, being forced to live without protection. But that was the reality for the many children who survived the Holocaust through hiding. Whether they were running over mountain ranges between countries, concealing themselves in rescuers’ homes, or hiding in basements or secret attic chambers, these children were on their own. In this outstanding book, as they finally pull their stories out of the dark and tell them to us, we can’t help but feel fortunate and blessed to hear their words.
A testament to lives lost and found, Out of Chaos presents a solid collection of the stories and poems of twenty four child survivors. Each is carefully placed near others that share a common theme, and all are professionally and lovingly edited by Elaine Saphier Fox, a labor and employment lawyer, who served as chair of the 2010 conference of the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors. Fox has put together a sensitive portrait of survival on a grand scale, a mix of perspectives that teem with emotion yet appeal to the intellect at the same time. Much can be learned from this volume — about the Holocaust, about human nature, about childhood and, arguably most important, about carrying on against all odds.
The recollections are diverse, and the document overall is deeply affecting. It is impossible to read it without feeling empathy for the children. Sections cover different geographical areas — Belgium, France, Poland — and varied survival experiences. A large number of illustrations, 84 in all, show family life at home and in ghettoes, the classroom, and in orphanages. Brief biographies at the end of the book give the reader a summary of each contributor’s life story.
The hidden children’s stories are all told, of course, by their adult selves looking back in time. Yet they possess a clarity that casts away any doubt the recollections are tainted by faulty memory. Several of the essayists tell how being able to speak out about their experiences validates them and makes them more real; being hidden for many of them meant being neither seen nor heard. And now, through this volume, with their voices ringing out with the clear and simple force of truth, we are invited to join in the triumph of their survival and to share their joy.
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Linda F. Burghardt is a New York-based journalist and author who has contributed commentary, breaking news, and features to major newspapers across the U.S., in addition to having three non-fiction books published. She writes frequently on Jewish topics and is now serving as Scholar-in-Residence at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County.
