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Whenever I have watched the black and white film 'Schindler's List' I have been intrigued by the appearance of a little girl wearing a red coat. My intrigue however, cannot be compared to the shock that Roma Ligocka must have felt when she saw the film. Along with other holocaust survivors, Roma went along to the premiere and recognised herself - the girl in the red coat. To be confronted by a past that held many horrific memories, Roma realised the extent of her failure to come to terms with the anguish of it. As a Polish Jew who grew up in the Kraków ghetto during World War II, Roma and her family suffered appallingly in the harrowing conditions. Yet, as one of few 'hidden children' to survive the Holocaust, Roma is now leading a successful life. 'The Girl in the Red Coat' is an autobiographical novel, well written and most compelling. As events of those cruel years are revisited, I found myself being taken back in time and sympathising with Roma. However, she has risen above the sorrow, acknowledged the past and possibly laid to rest much of the trauma. The book has an impact that is powerful and most thought provoking. Highly recommended - I could not put this book down.
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 This photograph was taken by my father (43rd Wessex Division) in May 1945, less than a month after the liberation of Belsen Concentration Camp on 15 April.
He wrote on the back of the photograph, "Belsen Concentration Camp. May 1945. An horrible example of the Master Race."
Dad always found it difficult to talk about the war. He did make some very good friends in Holland, however, and would have liked to return. Sadly though, he did not manage to make the trip before he died in 1988. |
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Related items for your consideration
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(1993)
Special features include: - movie soundtrack - book - cast and crew - - Voices From The List documentary -
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by William Brodrick A wonderful thriller. The past enters the present as the horrors of the Holocaust are viewed from a very different perspective. Well written and unforgettable.
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Auschwitz, The Nazis & The Final Solution by Laurence Rees This is a very powerful book. Possibly viewed as a harrowing read, the research undertaken to provide such an important contribution to our understanding of the second World War is outstanding. Let us hope that lessons have been learned.
Marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the camp, author Laurence Rees said, "We need to make an attempt to understand how and why such horrors happened if we are ever to be able to stop them occurring again".
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Copyright © Norma Gee 2000 - 2009 Last updated: 01 January 2009 'In memory' |
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