the holocaust, also known as the shoah (the hebrew word for catastrophe), will always be known as one of humanity’s darkest periods. Between 1933 and 1945, the German Nazis and their willing collaborators orchestrated and carried out the mass murder of six million European Jews during World War II. the Nazis also systematically persecuted, imprisoned in labor and concentration camps, and murdered millions of other so-called undesirables, including Roma, homosexuals, and political dissidents. Because the news at the time was heavily censored, it was only years later that people were able to read books about the holocaust to learn about the horrors and extent of the loss of human life.
for many people, the holocaust is past history, to be revisited only on significant anniversaries or when the headlines make it inevitable. for others, stories of the holocaust have an impact on their daily lives as they share memories with family members or younger students. As the son and grandson of holocaust survivors, it has become one of my missions to combat holocaust denial. That is why I work with many holocaust survivors and help educate others about the true horrors of that time and how to recognize holocaust denial or whitewashing. One of the most important things you can do is read the facts from reputable sources, and that includes choosing the most recommended Holocaust books, some of which are listed below.
You are reading: Books about concentration camps
To help compile this list, we asked prominent individuals, educators, activists, and organizations dedicated to Holocaust education and awareness to weigh in on their top picks for Holocaust books. And if you’re trying to brush up on your general reading, we’ve also compiled lists of the best books of all time, the best autobiographies, the best non-fiction books for children, the best biographies, books on racism, and historical fiction. p>
nonfiction books about the holocaust
Fiction works are entertaining, but to truly understand the holocaust, non-fiction tomes are the best option, especially those written by holocaust survivors who live with history every day.
1. if this is a man from primo levi
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In 1947, Italian chemist Primo Levi published one of the best-known books on Holocaust survivors of all time: his account of surviving a year in the Auschwitz concentration camp. From the logical mind of a scientist emerges a story of the impossible events of the holocaust. deborah e. Lipstadt, the acclaimed historian, author, and professor of Holocaust studies who was nominated by President Biden as a U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, she says it’s hard to pick just a few great books about the holocaust “when there are so many powerful books,” but she recommends levi’s, calling it “powerful memoirs.”
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2. still alive: a holocaust childhood remembered by ruth kluger
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Via Amazon.comAnother of Lipstadt’s recommendations, Ruth Kluger’s 2001 memoir tells the story of her and her mother’s deportation to a series of concentration camps, beginning at age 11 with Theresienstadt. it’s an unflinching take on the holocaust from both the perspective of a child going through the experience and an adult trying to make sense of her past. “These are two great books,” says Lipstadt of Kluger and Primo Levi’s memoir. “I teach them a lot. one is a classic; the other should be.”
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3. Denial: The Story of the Holocaust on Trial by Deborah E. lipstadt
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Via Amazon.comIn his 1993 book, Denying the Holocaust, Lipstadt took on a Holocaust denier he called “one of the most dangerous spokesmen for Holocaust denial.” After her book was published in the UK, the denier sued her. Denial: The Story of the Holocaust on Trial, published in 2016, presents a fascinating and detailed look at his exhaustive legal battle, which resulted in a formal denunciation of a holocaust denier. You may recognize the story of denial from the Rachel Weisz movie, a film adaptation of Lipstadt’s book.
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4. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. frank
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Via Amazon.comvictor e. Frankl’s memoirs of his experiences in Nazi death camps, including Auschwitz, from 1942 to 1945 describe his attempts to hold on to his humanity and find hope, even during the most horrific moments of his life. Although published in 1946, Frankl’s memoirs remain a major influence on many. “I have never read anything like it. it was visceral and extremely moving,” says mckay smith, a justice department attorney, law professor, and former staffer of senator john mccain.
Smith has been heavily influenced by his late grandfather’s experiences in occupied France during World War II and the way he was persecuted for the atrocities he saw committed by the Nazis. But while all holocaust stories are naturally steeped in sadness, Smith points to the ray of hope offered by man’s search for meaning. “Some parts of the book almost brought me to my knees,” he says. “However, there was a seed of hope there. something to hold on to. a valuable lesson to be learned by all human life.”
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5. the choice: embracing the possible by edith eva eger
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Via Amazon.comWritten by a respected psychologist and taking a different approach to trauma than other Holocaust books, Edith Eva Eger’s 2017 memoir addresses her struggle to survive Auschwitz and, years later, her recovery from the trauma she endured. Simonne Beckeld Hirschhorn, program director of Club Nissim, a recreational day program for Holocaust survivors, says she was impressed by Eger’s ability to find options in life and find a different treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Hirschhorn, who spends almost every day with Holocaust survivors, says this book accompanies and inspires her on a daily basis.
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6. a clandestine life: memoirs of a gay jew in nazi berlin by gad beck
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Via Amazon.comWhile there are many incredible stories of heroism during the holocaust, there are not many from an lgbtq+ perspective. Gad Beck’s 1999 memoir is a must-read, says Yuval David, the queer grandson of Holocaust survivors, who advocates for both communities. he teaches Jewish and queer audiences (and other minority communities) how to accept who they are and how to combat whitewashing and holocaust disinformation. David recommends this moving portrait of a gay teen resistance leader. “Gad Beck was one of the last survivors of the gay Jewish holocaust,” he says. “He was born in Berlin and came of age during the Nazi regime. He used his connections in the gay underground to help other Jews hide and escape during the holocaust.”
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7. elie wiesel night
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Via Amazon.comA theme not often addressed in holocaust stories is the notion of survivor’s guilt, a theme elie wiesel delves into in one of the best-known holocaust memoirs. When asked about the best books on the Holocaust for teens, curators at Yad Vashem (the World Holocaust Remembrance Center) pointed to Wiesel’s 1960 account of how she survived Nazi death camps as a teenager. . the museum even incorporates the book into its echoes and reflections unit, which provides educators with resources to teach about the holocaust.
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8. 999: the extraordinary young women of the first official jewish transport to auschwitz by heather dune macadam
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A finalist for the Pen America Literary Award for Biographies, Heather Dune Macadam’s book on the Holocaust tells the untold story of the 999 young single Jewish women who, on March 25, 1942, were tricked into boarding the train leaving It became the first official transport to Auschwitz. As part of her extensive research for the book, Dune Macadam personally met and interviewed the survivors whose stories she tells in this story. the book was published in 2019, 74 years after the holocaust ended. part of the reason this story took so long to break, dune macadam tells me, is that teenage girl stories weren’t considered important enough to be spotlighted.
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9. living a life that matters: from the nazi nightmare to the american dream by ben lesser
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Via Amazon.commany books on the holocaust focus on events that occurred during the war, but in his memoirs, ben lesser highlights his liberation and the aftermath of the holocaust. However, the 93-year-old holocaust survivor doesn’t just want to tell his story; His goal is to educate others and make sure the world never forgets what happened during this horrible time. “History that is not taught is history that repeats itself,” he says. “Holocaust education is a great way to help overcome racism, discrimination, and bullying.”
This 2012 memoir is a good place to start, and you can supplement your reading with the less well-funded Zachor Holocaust Remembrance Foundation’s educational curriculum. It is a great way for young people to understand all the horrors of the holocaust and the importance of anti-racism. “Sadly, there aren’t many survivors left to tell their story,” says Lesser. “This is why it is imperative that the information students learn is objective. when we educate, we prevent and ultimately prevail.”
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fiction books about the holocaust
Before reading novels about the holocaust, remember that they may not be factually accurate. In fact, Dune Macadam says there are “huge inaccuracies” in many popular fictional books about the Holocaust. It is important to do your own research on it before believing that the stories shared in the novels are true.
10. We were once brothers of Ronald H. raft
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In this gripping legal thriller, released in 2013, a highly respected philanthropist is accused of being a former Nazi SS officer. The charges are nonsense, aren’t they? the compelling story pits two former friends against each other in a fight for truth and redemption. Danielle Praport, former member of the Jewish Heritage Museum’s Young Friends, recommends this extremely entertaining story, which is the first in a series.
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11. the complete maus of art spiegelman
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many people use this graphic novel as a way to tell children about the holocaust. anthropomorphic cats and mice represent Nazis and Jews. it’s a harrowing way to soften the story of a holocaust survivor’s son coming to grips with his family history. the book was published in 1991, and the following year it became the first, and remains the only, graphic novel to claim the award.
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12. under a scarlet sky by mark sullivan
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Although I’m not normally a fan of fictional holocaust books, I couldn’t put down Mark Sullivan’s 2017 novel. It’s based on the true story of Pino Lella, an Italian teenager who helped Jews escape through the Alps. Forced by his parents to join the German Army as a way to stay safe, Lella becomes a chauffeur for a member of the German High Command and witnesses some of the atrocities of the Holocaust. he is at once inspiring, heartbreaking, hopeful, and perfectly ordinary. As far as holocaust fiction goes, this one is really worth a read, as its over 43,000 five-star reviews attest.
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sources:
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- débora e. lipstadt, historian, author, and professor of modern jewish history and holocaust studies at emory university, who was nominated by president biden for president of the united states. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism
- mckay smith, justice department attorney and george washington law professor
- simonne beckeld hirschhorn, nissim club program director
- yuval david, queer grandson of holocaust survivors who advocates for both communities
- yad vashem: “echoes & reflections”
- zachor holocaust remembrance foundation: “ben’s a.i. history file”