This book tells the remarkable story of Witold Pilecki.
He established a resistance network inside Auschwitz and tried to let the world know what was going on inside.
Instead of becoming a national hero at the end of World War 2, he was executed for treason.
I knew very little about Auschwitz before reading this book, other than 'the headlines' that this was a place used by the German invaders in Poland to exterminate Jews.
about this book
Witold seemed to have a sense of 'duty to country' that drove him to fight and challenge Polish invaders; both German and Soviet. He was part of a Polish resistance group, but Witold critisized some of the views of Jan, his superior. As an apparent punishment for his actions, Jan announced in a group meeting that they needed someone inside Auschwitz, and that Witold was the ideal man for the job.
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| The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather - ISBN 978-0-75354-516-4 |
Although it was ultimately Witold's choice, he must have felt pressurised into leaving his wife and children to take this assignment.
He could have died at any moment after his arranged capture. On entering this concentration camp, one of his fellow Poles was ordered by the guards to run towards the barbed-wire fence. The guards shot this man and then shot 5 others, just to demonstrate what happens when prisoners attempt to escape.
Within the camp there were 'trusted' prisoners that were known as Kapos. Many prisoners were clubbed to death by a Kapo without reason. The prisoners were on starvation rations, designed to kill them within just a few weeks, especially as many were assigned to work parties doing hard labour.
There was also disease which killed a large number of prisoners and a few of the camp staff.
So this is a story of bravery, courage, and barbaric acts of pointless violence. This book is a moving, distressing and difficult read.
To me, it is proof that we are all just animals. We are capable of empathy, compassion and cruelty, possibly to a greater degree than is found elsewhere in the animal kingdom.
my verdict
Although this book rates as one of the best WW2 books I've read so far, I can't recommend this book to everyone. It has to be a personal choice. I was moved by this book, but I can imagine some could be traumatised by the accounts of sensless brutality and pointless torture inflicted by those with power over others.