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From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring Memoir of Two Sisters' Survival, Devotion and Triumph as told by Manci Grunberger Beran & Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein
Mukacevo, Czechoslovakia. Two young girls, Manci and Ruth Grunberger, are growing up in a loving Jewish family with their six siblings at the base of Carpathian Mountains, a peaceful region until Hungary annexes the territory in 1938.
As WWII engulfs Europe, the area gradually becomes the focus of the Nazi's Final Solution. The Grunberger family is sent to Auschwitz where Josef Mengele chooses who lives and who dies. Their father, mother, and six siblings are murdered in the gas chambers.
The two sisters survive seven months in Auschwitz and another five months marching through the Sudeten Mountains at the mercy of brutal SS guards before being rescued near the Danish border. The sisters are found by family in Philadelphia and become some of the first Jewish refugees brought to the United States.
From these traumatic beginnings, what emerges are two fulfilling life stories. The sisters have different beliefs, interests, and coping methods, and yet, their personal bond - the selfless, unconditional love between them - only grows stronger throughout the years.
Captured in two first-person memoirs - and presented along with added historical references - this is a remarkable story of resilience and survival that describes a resounding triumph of the human spirit spanning nine decades.
As WWII engulfs Europe, the area gradually becomes the focus of the Nazi's Final Solution. The Grunberger family is sent to Auschwitz where Josef Mengele chooses who lives and who dies. Their father, mother, and six siblings are murdered in the gas chambers.
The two sisters survive seven months in Auschwitz and another five months marching through the Sudeten Mountains at the mercy of brutal SS guards before being rescued near the Danish border. The sisters are found by family in Philadelphia and become some of the first Jewish refugees brought to the United States.
From these traumatic beginnings, what emerges are two fulfilling life stories. The sisters have different beliefs, interests, and coping methods, and yet, their personal bond - the selfless, unconditional love between them - only grows stronger throughout the years.
Captured in two first-person memoirs - and presented along with added historical references - this is a remarkable story of resilience and survival that describes a resounding triumph of the human spirit spanning nine decades.
210 pages, Hardcover
Published January 27, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 26, 2022
“From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring Memoir of Two Sisters’ Survival, Devotion and Triumph“is absolutely spectacular!
It focuses on the pain of being in Aushwich but takes the story to the years after their release. Of all the WWII prison camp books I read, this is a firs the for me.
The pacing is great. It is very hard to put down.
Additionally, it is marvously researched and referenced.
I received a free copy of this book and write this review voluntarily.
It focuses on the pain of being in Aushwich but takes the story to the years after their release. Of all the WWII prison camp books I read, this is a firs the for me.
The pacing is great. It is very hard to put down.
Additionally, it is marvously researched and referenced.
I received a free copy of this book and write this review voluntarily.
February 26, 2022
As a (retired) educator and administrator, I would recommend this book to anyone: I feel quite strongly that the book should be required reading for thirteen to seventeen year old kids, as that was, roughly, the ages of Ruth and Manci when their happy lives began to unravel through no fault of their own. As a human being, I would recommend this book to anyone, as it is a story of the triumph of the human spirit and sisterly love over unspeakable and unimaginable horrors. As a person of faith, I found the reading of the book fortified me with 'emunah,' 'bitachon,' and 'avodas Hashem,' as was the fervent hope of the authors.
February 27, 2022
From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring Memoir of Two Sisters’ Survival, Devotion and Triumph as told by Manci Grunberger Beran & Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein (Holocaust Survivor Memoirs World War II) Kindle Edition is by Daniel Seymour. Daniel’s wife Rhonda is Manci’s daughter which makes this book much more special. Daniel did extensive interviews with both Ruth and Manci as well as research at the USHMM, the Houston Holocaust Museum, and Yad Vashem as well as other places. He found that Ruth told her story much easily than did Manci. Ruth feels the need to tell their story and talks to young people and has written her memoirs while Manci does not feel the need to talk about their experiences and therefore does not. Yet, each sister is quite comfortable with how the other deals with the situation.
Manci and Ruth Grunberger were the only two of ten in their family to survive. Their childhood was surrounded by a large, extended, loving family. They had their friends, went to school, and helped their mother with the younger children. Their father was taken away first and then the family was taken to Auschwitz. Here, their mother and the younger children were killed upon arrival. Ruth, Manci, their cousins Edith, Magda, and a young distant relative of Magda’s, Kris Magda found each other that first day and together survived the camp and a Death March by helping each other survive.
After the war, Manci, Ruth, and Edith were sponsored to the US by their mother’s older sister Katie. Katie and her husband treated the girls like their own and helped them acclimate to the US. The girls married and had their families. They stayed in touch with each other and with Magda and Kris Magda who stayed in Europe.
Daniel tells information about whatever section he has chosen to tell about. He then tells Ruth’s side followed by Manci’s side making his style unique and quite interesting. The book is easy to read, although the subject matter isn’t always easy to read about.
Manci and Ruth Grunberger were the only two of ten in their family to survive. Their childhood was surrounded by a large, extended, loving family. They had their friends, went to school, and helped their mother with the younger children. Their father was taken away first and then the family was taken to Auschwitz. Here, their mother and the younger children were killed upon arrival. Ruth, Manci, their cousins Edith, Magda, and a young distant relative of Magda’s, Kris Magda found each other that first day and together survived the camp and a Death March by helping each other survive.
After the war, Manci, Ruth, and Edith were sponsored to the US by their mother’s older sister Katie. Katie and her husband treated the girls like their own and helped them acclimate to the US. The girls married and had their families. They stayed in touch with each other and with Magda and Kris Magda who stayed in Europe.
Daniel tells information about whatever section he has chosen to tell about. He then tells Ruth’s side followed by Manci’s side making his style unique and quite interesting. The book is easy to read, although the subject matter isn’t always easy to read about.
November 26, 2023
Vídeo de Opinião mais completo: https://youtu.be/jSSUs7Xl3r8
“De Auschwitz com Amor” é um livro de não-ficção ou uma ficção bibliográfica, onde ficamos a conhecer a história e percurso de duas irmãs, Manci e Ruth, antes, durante e depois da Segunda Guerra Mundial.
Normalmente estamos habituados a ler histórias sobre o holocausto numa versão ficcional, mas neste livro o importante é ficar a conhecer os factos reais que aconteceram a esta família. Ter a consciência que tudo o que estamos a ler acontecer na realidade e que não existe qualquer situação ficcional na obra, torna toda a leitura muito mais emotiva.
Sinceramente é muito difícil falar sobre um livro de não-ficção, especialmente quando é uma bibliografia contada na primeira pessoa, mas quando temos de fazer uma crítica a este tipo de obras é importante termos em atenção os seguintes aspetos: credibilidade, autenticidade, escrita, intriga, lógica e impacto pessoal. Durante esta leitura tirando a intriga que não existe, pois é um livro que conta aspetos reais, todos os outros aspetos são 100% positivos, principalmente o impacto pessoal.
É realmente muito difícil não nos emocionar-mos quando lemos as atrocidades cometidas contra crianças, idosos e doentes, obviamente tendo em conta que não existia idade nem motivo para serem vítimas da violência nazi, mas estes grupos eram os mais vitimizados de todos.
Por todos estes motivos classifiquei este livro com 5 estrelas
“De Auschwitz com Amor” é um livro de não-ficção ou uma ficção bibliográfica, onde ficamos a conhecer a história e percurso de duas irmãs, Manci e Ruth, antes, durante e depois da Segunda Guerra Mundial.
Normalmente estamos habituados a ler histórias sobre o holocausto numa versão ficcional, mas neste livro o importante é ficar a conhecer os factos reais que aconteceram a esta família. Ter a consciência que tudo o que estamos a ler acontecer na realidade e que não existe qualquer situação ficcional na obra, torna toda a leitura muito mais emotiva.
Sinceramente é muito difícil falar sobre um livro de não-ficção, especialmente quando é uma bibliografia contada na primeira pessoa, mas quando temos de fazer uma crítica a este tipo de obras é importante termos em atenção os seguintes aspetos: credibilidade, autenticidade, escrita, intriga, lógica e impacto pessoal. Durante esta leitura tirando a intriga que não existe, pois é um livro que conta aspetos reais, todos os outros aspetos são 100% positivos, principalmente o impacto pessoal.
É realmente muito difícil não nos emocionar-mos quando lemos as atrocidades cometidas contra crianças, idosos e doentes, obviamente tendo em conta que não existia idade nem motivo para serem vítimas da violência nazi, mas estes grupos eram os mais vitimizados de todos.
Por todos estes motivos classifiquei este livro com 5 estrelas
January 6, 2024
Um livro leve sobre um tema pesado, bom para quem se quer iniciar no tema do Holocausto sem ficar chocado e a chorar a cada página.
É um livro centrado na perspectiva da superação e não tanto dos horrores da guerra.
É um livro centrado na perspectiva da superação e não tanto dos horrores da guerra.
August 18, 2022
I wasn't a big fan of how it was written, but very informative.
February 17, 2025
So incredibly important. Truly fascinating to read these experiences chronologically while flipping between the two sisters’ perspectives.
June 25, 2023
This is a review from my recently lost goodreads profile.
The Holocaust is perhaps the seminal event in modern world history. The horrible period of the Third Reich is defined by historians as a true time of genocide and the deliberate effort by Nazi Germany to destroy the Jewish peoples. From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring Memoir of Two Sisters’ Survival, Devotion, and Triumph As Told by Manci Grunberger Beran and Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein (Amerstam: Amsterdam Publishers, 2022, 176 Pgs., 16.95US) is a wonderful picture of the antithesis of everything that the Holocaust represents. Author Daniel Seymour uses the wonderful and emotional journey of his mother in-law and her sister to show how strong love can be and how love can overcome something so evil as the Holocaust.
Manci and Ruthie are two sisters who are growing up in their Jewish family in Eastern Europe. The family become victims of the evil perpetrated by the Nazis and are decimated when they are captured and taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Manci and Ruthie manage to survive trials and tribulations that leave them wondering why the rest of the family were murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz and they were left to try to figure out why God would allow something so sinister and cruel to happen. Manci and Ruthie eventually make it to America and lead lives that are happy but interspersed with the memories of the Holocaust and everything that they had lost.
From Auschwitz with Love is a meaningful contribution to Holocaust Literature. It chronicles how two sisters survived the war and created families of their own. Daniel Seymour, as the son-in-law of one of these amazing sisters, has crafted a story of how humans can overcome evil and lead a life of love and happiness. From Auschwitz with Love can be a great introduction to the human side of World War Two. It deserves a central place on the bookshelves of historians, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and others who seek to understand how humans can be so cruel to each other and also raise families who exemplify love, honor, and dignity.
Matt
The Holocaust is perhaps the seminal event in modern world history. The horrible period of the Third Reich is defined by historians as a true time of genocide and the deliberate effort by Nazi Germany to destroy the Jewish peoples. From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring Memoir of Two Sisters’ Survival, Devotion, and Triumph As Told by Manci Grunberger Beran and Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein (Amerstam: Amsterdam Publishers, 2022, 176 Pgs., 16.95US) is a wonderful picture of the antithesis of everything that the Holocaust represents. Author Daniel Seymour uses the wonderful and emotional journey of his mother in-law and her sister to show how strong love can be and how love can overcome something so evil as the Holocaust.
Manci and Ruthie are two sisters who are growing up in their Jewish family in Eastern Europe. The family become victims of the evil perpetrated by the Nazis and are decimated when they are captured and taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Manci and Ruthie manage to survive trials and tribulations that leave them wondering why the rest of the family were murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz and they were left to try to figure out why God would allow something so sinister and cruel to happen. Manci and Ruthie eventually make it to America and lead lives that are happy but interspersed with the memories of the Holocaust and everything that they had lost.
From Auschwitz with Love is a meaningful contribution to Holocaust Literature. It chronicles how two sisters survived the war and created families of their own. Daniel Seymour, as the son-in-law of one of these amazing sisters, has crafted a story of how humans can overcome evil and lead a life of love and happiness. From Auschwitz with Love can be a great introduction to the human side of World War Two. It deserves a central place on the bookshelves of historians, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and others who seek to understand how humans can be so cruel to each other and also raise families who exemplify love, honor, and dignity.
Matt
February 10, 2023
What was it that compelled two sisters, Mancie and Ruthie, to survive horror when so many millions did not? This book reveals much about two sisters resilience and very different life experiences after being interned in Auschwitz. While they have a deep and abiding love for each other, after the Holocaust Mancie and Ruthie are separated by thousands of miles. Each marries, raises a family, yet take very different paths as adults.
Reading this book is like being in the room with the sisters as they tell their story. Their personalities shine. Author Daniel Seymour relates their stories in their own words from personal interviews and the diary each wrote in Switzerland where they recuperated after their escape from the death camp.
Full of vivid detail, the book includes each sister’s rumination on her life and the aftermath of horrific experiences as young girls in the camp. Each chapter includes a brief overview of the historical activity as the war progresses. I appreciated that context as I read the sister’s accounts of their childhood, incarceration, death march release and finally life in America in this compelling, approachable and ultimately uplifting book.
Reading this book is like being in the room with the sisters as they tell their story. Their personalities shine. Author Daniel Seymour relates their stories in their own words from personal interviews and the diary each wrote in Switzerland where they recuperated after their escape from the death camp.
Full of vivid detail, the book includes each sister’s rumination on her life and the aftermath of horrific experiences as young girls in the camp. Each chapter includes a brief overview of the historical activity as the war progresses. I appreciated that context as I read the sister’s accounts of their childhood, incarceration, death march release and finally life in America in this compelling, approachable and ultimately uplifting book.
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October 21, 2023Sabem aqueles livros que nos reviram o estômago e arrepiam a nuca? Pois é o que temos neste livro, e o pior é que tudo é realidade e nada ficção!
Estes relatos aconteceram, a família Grunberger viveu este horror e as duas sobreviventes contam-nos para que nunca nos falte a memória dos horrores do Holocausto!
Ruth e Manci Grunberger relatam como a família foi obrigada a embarcar no comboio. A avó morreu no comboio, durante a viagem de 3 dias até aos campos. De como foram separadas dos irmãos e do pai, relatando mesmo a última conversa com este!
E assim nos vão relatando vários episódios entre Maio de 1944, quando chegaram a Auschwitz, a Maio de 1945 dia altura em que foram libertadas.
Temos meses relatados de verdadeiros horrores, de trabalhos forcados, de fome, de sobrevivência!
Para quem se interessa por estes temas, amanhã chega a todas as livrarias!
Estes relatos aconteceram, a família Grunberger viveu este horror e as duas sobreviventes contam-nos para que nunca nos falte a memória dos horrores do Holocausto!
Ruth e Manci Grunberger relatam como a família foi obrigada a embarcar no comboio. A avó morreu no comboio, durante a viagem de 3 dias até aos campos. De como foram separadas dos irmãos e do pai, relatando mesmo a última conversa com este!
E assim nos vão relatando vários episódios entre Maio de 1944, quando chegaram a Auschwitz, a Maio de 1945 dia altura em que foram libertadas.
Temos meses relatados de verdadeiros horrores, de trabalhos forcados, de fome, de sobrevivência!
Para quem se interessa por estes temas, amanhã chega a todas as livrarias!
June 5, 2023
This is the incredible story of two sisters, Manci and Ruth, who were teenagers when the Nazis arrived to force them to a labor camp. They were part of a very large Orthodox Jewish family, living prosperously in a small village described as being somewhere near Czechloslovakia, Hungary, and Ukraine. Manci is the eldest daughter, and Ruthie her younger sister. The newest baby is just 4 months old, and in addition there are several younger siblings, along with one older brother. All will be murdered by the Nazis, except for Manci and Ruth. This is a story of courage, love, and devotion. I was awestruck by these young girls' experiences. The sisters, Ruth and Manci, along with one cousin, and a school friend are together in the camp and when a commander announces that he needs volunteers willing to travel for work duty, Manci tells the close-knit group that she knows if they stay they will die so they best take their chances on getting out with the work crew. The girls know that the war must be coming to a close because they can hear military fire getting closer. Yes, in the end, Manci was right, and because she is the eldest, the girls all follow her advice unequivocally. Undoubtedly it is the right decision, but what an ordeal awaits them. After multiple work duties at various factory jobs, where they are forced to walk for miles and miles in deep snow, and any faltering prisoner shot on the spot if they collapse in the road, they are loaded onto a railroad car and spend 4 long days and nights traveling to an unknown destination with one loaf of bread per person, and very little to drink. One can only imagine the fear and trepidation they experience because they do not know where they are headed. And then the train stops. They wait. It is quiet. After a long while they peak through the slats of the RR car and see no one. What should they do? At long last, one of the girls opens the big sliding door and they look out to an open field. No guards, no Nazis, but in the far distance they can see what looks like townspeople running toward them. It is the Danes! They are free!
I loved this book, especially so because a close friend of mine in San Diego lives next door to Manci, who is still vital and sharp and is well into her 90's. And the fascinating and gripping account of the sisters' experience is made all the more poignant because they both have lived with these memories in very different ways. Ruthie has always wanted to share this story, and wrote her own book in the 1980's in addition to speaking to schools (in fact ANYWHERE she was asked to) throughout the area(s) she has lived. Manci, in contrast, chose not to "remember" the stories, even explaining to her own children that the tattoo numbers on her arm were there to help her remember her phone number. Eventually she will have the tattoo removed professionally.
The book is written by both sisters, side by side, recalling their memories, beginning as little children, then their life under the Germans, and finally their lives after the war when they emigrated to the United States, married (and married happily), and had families of their own. Yes, Manci finally chose to share her memories due to the urging of one son-in-law, Daniel Seymour.
This is not the kind of book where you will savor the writing prowess of authors who writes eloquently. But it is one of the best accounts of the Holocaust I have ever read. It is real. It is true. And it tells of the resilience and courage of two young women. And, thankfully, one very devoted son-in-law.
I loved this book, especially so because a close friend of mine in San Diego lives next door to Manci, who is still vital and sharp and is well into her 90's. And the fascinating and gripping account of the sisters' experience is made all the more poignant because they both have lived with these memories in very different ways. Ruthie has always wanted to share this story, and wrote her own book in the 1980's in addition to speaking to schools (in fact ANYWHERE she was asked to) throughout the area(s) she has lived. Manci, in contrast, chose not to "remember" the stories, even explaining to her own children that the tattoo numbers on her arm were there to help her remember her phone number. Eventually she will have the tattoo removed professionally.
The book is written by both sisters, side by side, recalling their memories, beginning as little children, then their life under the Germans, and finally their lives after the war when they emigrated to the United States, married (and married happily), and had families of their own. Yes, Manci finally chose to share her memories due to the urging of one son-in-law, Daniel Seymour.
This is not the kind of book where you will savor the writing prowess of authors who writes eloquently. But it is one of the best accounts of the Holocaust I have ever read. It is real. It is true. And it tells of the resilience and courage of two young women. And, thankfully, one very devoted son-in-law.
February 26, 2023
The Holocaust is perhaps the seminal event in modern world history. The horrible period of the Third Reich is defined by historians as a true time of genocide and the deliberate effort by Nazi Germany to destroy the Jewish peoples. From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring Memoir of Two Sisters’ Survival, Devotion, and Triumph As Told by Manci Grunberger Beran and Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein (Amerstam: Amsterdam Publishers, 2022, 176 Pgs., 16.95US) is a wonderful picture of the antithesis of everything that the Holocaust represents. Author Daniel Seymour uses the wonderful and emotional journey of his mother in-law and her sister to show how strong love can be and how love can overcome something so evil as the Holocaust.
Manci and Ruthie are two sisters who are growing up in their Jewish family in Eastern Europe. The family become victims of the evil perpetrated by the Nazis and are decimated when they are captured and taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Manci and Ruthie manage to survive trials and tribulations that leave them wondering why the rest of the family were murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz and they were left to try to figure out why God would allow something so sinister and cruel to happen. Manci and Ruthie eventually make it to America and lead lives that are happy but interspersed with the memories of the Holocaust and everything that they had lost.
From Auschwitz with Love is a meaningful contribution to Holocaust Literature. It chronicles how two sisters survived the war and created families of their own. Daniel Seymour, as the son-in-law of one of these amazing sisters, has crafted a story of how humans can overcome evil and lead a life of love and happiness. From Auschwitz with Love can be a great introduction to the human side of World War Two. It deserves a central place on the bookshelves of historians, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and others who seek to understand how humans can be so cruel to each other and also raise families who exemplify love, honor, and dignity.
Matt
Manci and Ruthie are two sisters who are growing up in their Jewish family in Eastern Europe. The family become victims of the evil perpetrated by the Nazis and are decimated when they are captured and taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Manci and Ruthie manage to survive trials and tribulations that leave them wondering why the rest of the family were murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz and they were left to try to figure out why God would allow something so sinister and cruel to happen. Manci and Ruthie eventually make it to America and lead lives that are happy but interspersed with the memories of the Holocaust and everything that they had lost.
From Auschwitz with Love is a meaningful contribution to Holocaust Literature. It chronicles how two sisters survived the war and created families of their own. Daniel Seymour, as the son-in-law of one of these amazing sisters, has crafted a story of how humans can overcome evil and lead a life of love and happiness. From Auschwitz with Love can be a great introduction to the human side of World War Two. It deserves a central place on the bookshelves of historians, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and others who seek to understand how humans can be so cruel to each other and also raise families who exemplify love, honor, and dignity.
Matt
January 17, 2023
"From Auschwitz with Love" is the true story of Manci Grunberger Beren and her sister, Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein, who were born in Mukacevo, Czechoslovakia. They had an idyllic life until the Hungarians annexed their town in 1938. Thereafter, the Jews were subject to intimidation, humiliation, and physical violence. When the Nazis took over, the persecution culminated in the deportation of the Grunbergers and their fellow townspeople to Auschwitz in May 1944.
Eighteen-year-old Manci, who was an outgoing, take-charge type, and the more reserved Ruth, who was sixteen, endured untold suffering and witnessed atrocities that shook them to the core. When the war was nearing its end, they and their fellow inmates were taken on a death march. Anyone who fell or faltered was summarily shot. The sisters were liberated in April 1945, recovered in Sweden, and emigrated to Philadelphia in 1946, where they were welcomed by their Aunt Katie and Uncle Harry.
Mancie and Ruth tell their stories in alternating passages. Their simple yet eloquent words are enhanced by black and white photographs taken before and after the war. The sisters recount their nostalgia for their beautiful childhood; their grief at the loss of their parents and siblings; and their gratitude for the opportunity to rebuild their lives in the United States. Daniel Seymour, Mancie's son-in-law, wrote the introduction and provides historical background and context. Throughout the decades, the sisters have remained extremely close. Their devotion to one another helped them carry on, even when the prospect of survival seemed remote. Daniel Seymour's "From Auschwitz with Love" is an inspiring, evocative, and moving memoir about two remarkable women who embody grace under pressure, dignity, and hope.
Eighteen-year-old Manci, who was an outgoing, take-charge type, and the more reserved Ruth, who was sixteen, endured untold suffering and witnessed atrocities that shook them to the core. When the war was nearing its end, they and their fellow inmates were taken on a death march. Anyone who fell or faltered was summarily shot. The sisters were liberated in April 1945, recovered in Sweden, and emigrated to Philadelphia in 1946, where they were welcomed by their Aunt Katie and Uncle Harry.
Mancie and Ruth tell their stories in alternating passages. Their simple yet eloquent words are enhanced by black and white photographs taken before and after the war. The sisters recount their nostalgia for their beautiful childhood; their grief at the loss of their parents and siblings; and their gratitude for the opportunity to rebuild their lives in the United States. Daniel Seymour, Mancie's son-in-law, wrote the introduction and provides historical background and context. Throughout the decades, the sisters have remained extremely close. Their devotion to one another helped them carry on, even when the prospect of survival seemed remote. Daniel Seymour's "From Auschwitz with Love" is an inspiring, evocative, and moving memoir about two remarkable women who embody grace under pressure, dignity, and hope.
August 6, 2026
From Auschwitz with Love is a profoundly moving memoir that reminds us that even in humanity's darkest chapter, love, resilience, and hope can endure.
What I appreciated most is that this book is not only about surviving the Holocaust—it is about the extraordinary relationship between two sisters who refused to let unimaginable loss define the rest of their lives. Manci and Ruth's devotion to one another becomes the emotional heart of the memoir, demonstrating how love can provide strength even when everything else has been taken away.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its honesty. The atrocities of Auschwitz and the brutality of the death marches are presented with the seriousness they deserve, yet the memoir never loses sight of the lives that followed. The sisters' journey from persecution and unimaginable grief to rebuilding their futures in America is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring, offering readers a fuller understanding of what survival truly meant.
The dual first-person perspective adds remarkable depth, allowing each sister's unique voice, personality, and experience to emerge while highlighting the unbreakable bond they share. Their story becomes not only a testimony to history but also a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
From Auschwitz with Love is an unforgettable memoir of courage, family, remembrance, and hope. It preserves an essential piece of history while celebrating the extraordinary strength required not only to survive but to live with purpose after unimaginable tragedy.
An essential and deeply inspiring read for anyone interested in Holocaust history, memoir, World War II, family resilience, and the enduring power of love.
What I appreciated most is that this book is not only about surviving the Holocaust—it is about the extraordinary relationship between two sisters who refused to let unimaginable loss define the rest of their lives. Manci and Ruth's devotion to one another becomes the emotional heart of the memoir, demonstrating how love can provide strength even when everything else has been taken away.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its honesty. The atrocities of Auschwitz and the brutality of the death marches are presented with the seriousness they deserve, yet the memoir never loses sight of the lives that followed. The sisters' journey from persecution and unimaginable grief to rebuilding their futures in America is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring, offering readers a fuller understanding of what survival truly meant.
The dual first-person perspective adds remarkable depth, allowing each sister's unique voice, personality, and experience to emerge while highlighting the unbreakable bond they share. Their story becomes not only a testimony to history but also a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
From Auschwitz with Love is an unforgettable memoir of courage, family, remembrance, and hope. It preserves an essential piece of history while celebrating the extraordinary strength required not only to survive but to live with purpose after unimaginable tragedy.
An essential and deeply inspiring read for anyone interested in Holocaust history, memoir, World War II, family resilience, and the enduring power of love.
April 26, 2022
From Auschwitz with love is a memoir of two sisters, Manci and Ruth Grunberger, surviving quite an ordeal. They were a happy Jewish family living in former Czechoslovakia and doing all the normal things such as going to school and hanging out with friends.
Things changed when the German forces took over in 1944 and the Grunbergers were transported to Poland. The girls are separated from their family and alone suffer a lot. Unfortunately, their parents and siblings are murdered in the gas chambers.
The two sisters survive seven months in Auschwitz and another five months marching through the Sudeten Mountains at the mercy of brutal SS guards before being rescued near the Danish border. The sisters are found by a family in Philadelphia and become some of the first Jewish refugees brought to the United States.
Manci and Ruthie’s life shows us the real effects of the holocaust and truly takes you to what extent someone can receive abuse and still find a way to live and survive. There is so much feeling in this book that I felt like I was sitting next to each scene, watching it unfold. It is written well and is descriptive.
The story is all about love, standing for what you believe in, faith, and commitment. I recommend this book to those who like to read memoirs and historical readings.
Things changed when the German forces took over in 1944 and the Grunbergers were transported to Poland. The girls are separated from their family and alone suffer a lot. Unfortunately, their parents and siblings are murdered in the gas chambers.
The two sisters survive seven months in Auschwitz and another five months marching through the Sudeten Mountains at the mercy of brutal SS guards before being rescued near the Danish border. The sisters are found by a family in Philadelphia and become some of the first Jewish refugees brought to the United States.
Manci and Ruthie’s life shows us the real effects of the holocaust and truly takes you to what extent someone can receive abuse and still find a way to live and survive. There is so much feeling in this book that I felt like I was sitting next to each scene, watching it unfold. It is written well and is descriptive.
The story is all about love, standing for what you believe in, faith, and commitment. I recommend this book to those who like to read memoirs and historical readings.
May 6, 2022
Thank you Hidden Gems Books and Daniel Seymour for this book.
This is the memoir of two sisters survived in the unforgettable, unbearable and unimaginable period of time. The memoir started with their carefree childhood in Eastern Europe, they had dreams with appreciating hearts. With the sudden change of life, they were sent to #Auschwitz, still, holding their hopes.
The whole memoir felt like someone talking to you, sharing their experiences with you. Undoubtedly, heartbroken story. Their long-lasting siblings love did make them strong.
Their father reminded them, “Eat whatever they toils give us to eat.” And “be mindful of the company you keep.” Something the sisters must have remembered in order just to survive.
If you would like to learn more this part of the history, I highly recommend to read this memoir.
This is the memoir of two sisters survived in the unforgettable, unbearable and unimaginable period of time. The memoir started with their carefree childhood in Eastern Europe, they had dreams with appreciating hearts. With the sudden change of life, they were sent to #Auschwitz, still, holding their hopes.
The whole memoir felt like someone talking to you, sharing their experiences with you. Undoubtedly, heartbroken story. Their long-lasting siblings love did make them strong.
Their father reminded them, “Eat whatever they toils give us to eat.” And “be mindful of the company you keep.” Something the sisters must have remembered in order just to survive.
If you would like to learn more this part of the history, I highly recommend to read this memoir.
April 27, 2022
A Sad Story But Full of Love
It sounds like the sisters had an idyllic childhood and extended family. When they were torn away from their home town and taken to Auschwitz, only the two of them were left from Mengele's selections. The story of their last look at their infant sister was heartbreaking. They survived working in clothing sorting and the numerous marches to first one work site and then another until finally they were free in Denmark. From that time on kind Danes and Swedes offered them rehabilitation in many ways and they ended up with an aunt in Pennsylvania. An important story written by a son in law in the women's own words. They triumphed in the end with many grandhildren and great grandchildren.
It sounds like the sisters had an idyllic childhood and extended family. When they were torn away from their home town and taken to Auschwitz, only the two of them were left from Mengele's selections. The story of their last look at their infant sister was heartbreaking. They survived working in clothing sorting and the numerous marches to first one work site and then another until finally they were free in Denmark. From that time on kind Danes and Swedes offered them rehabilitation in many ways and they ended up with an aunt in Pennsylvania. An important story written by a son in law in the women's own words. They triumphed in the end with many grandhildren and great grandchildren.
January 29, 2022
This book was a perfect combination of a first-person memoir blended with historical backgrounds. I have read many books on this topic, but this was a new perspective created through interviews and diaries of two extremely brave women. I was intrigued to hear the story of their childhood in Hungary, time spent in Auschwitz, and the march that proceeded their stay. It was fascinating to hear a recount of their life details from each of their views. The sisters are so different in their beliefs and interests and yet share such a bond. It's quite apparent that this bond carried them through one of the most tragic events in world history. I highly recommend this book.
February 4, 2022
From their idyllic childhoods in a large loving family, to the depth of despair that was Aushwitz, Ruth and Manci, the only two family members to survive the Nazi holocaust, tell in their own words, and through heartwarming pictures, how they went from happy, cherished children, to shadows of their former selves…and then, miraculously, went on to lead meaningful, productive, and yes, happy lives. On their separate, yet completely bonded paths, they raised beautiful families, held meaningful jobs, and reached out to help others. They are a testimony to the human will that can rise above even the most unspeakable inhumanity, and say, “I am here. I survived.”
June 25, 2022
I give this book 5 stars because it was well written and easy to follow. As I read I could sometimes feel the experiences as described. I loved that the story started from the beginning of these sisters lives. They told about many years growing up in a close, loving family. It gave me more understanding of the tragedy and trauma they experienced. Also, even though the sisters went through such horrible atrocities during the time from being captured by the Germans until they found freedom and got to America, they were able to recover enough to have some normalcy to life. They had loving husbands, children, grand children, loving extended family around them. They also seemed to enjoy life to the fullest. However, never forgetting where they came from or how they got there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2023
Man I and Ruthie are sisters, both teenagers, growing up in Czechoslovakia in the 1930’s and 40’s. They have a large,loving family that is eventually torn apart by the Nazis. Gradually, after living in the “ghetto”, the entire family is transported to Auschwitz where their family is killed. Manci and Ruthie survive after spending almost a year in this horrific concentration camp. This is their story….how they survived and spent the years afterward. Both sisters are alive today and living in San Diego.
January 5, 2022
A beautiful, important book that, despite its horrific and heartbreaking topic, shines with love and inspiration. Daniel Seymour excellently weaves historical details with the captivating recollections of two sisters, Manci and Ruth, who survived and escaped the most traumatic experiences in Auschwitz and coped with their memories in vastly different ways. These extraordinary women and their stories linger long after the last sentence.
July 28, 2023
The bond between Manci and Ruthie is so strong. They had each when they really needed this relationship. Like all these books it was sad. To loose your family and so young in a devastating way like this is so unacceptable. To think there are ignorant people out there that think these stories are made up. I have been to a concentration camp and it breaks my heart to know what the people went through. This shouldn't happen just because of who you are. God bless the Jewish people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2025
Heartbreaking and Loving too
This book tells more stories of the struggles Jews faced in Hungary, then Auschwitz. How heartbreaking! But the stories also are of love, family, resilience and survival.
As i've read the book, i cried in many parts of it.
How evil took over! How evil people created millions of tragedies, ended futures, ended lives.
The author did a superb job creating this book ❤️
This book tells more stories of the struggles Jews faced in Hungary, then Auschwitz. How heartbreaking! But the stories also are of love, family, resilience and survival.
As i've read the book, i cried in many parts of it.
How evil took over! How evil people created millions of tragedies, ended futures, ended lives.
The author did a superb job creating this book ❤️
January 10, 2022
When I was approached to review this book I knew instantly it would be something I’d be interested in. I have read quite a few Holocaust memoirs but this one really stood out to me possibly because it’s written by one of the sisters son in law but really this book reads completely as if it were the sisters themselves writing it down. The book follows Manci and Ruthie as they get taken to the infamous Auschwitz, how they dodged the man of death and survived their death march out of the camp. We will never know what it really feels like to experience such terror and I have such respect for Ruthie and Manci for telling us their story. It was really interesting to see that despite the sisters experiencing the same events they obviously have very different views and outlook on life post war. Despite this book being gifted it certainly would be one I would of picked up myself.
October 1, 2023
From Auschwitz with Love
I thought that this was a very interesting story about two sisters and their lives before, during and after the Holocaust.
I gave it a five star rating because it is true and the holocaust was an horrific time in history - one that should never be forgotten.
I thought that this was a very interesting story about two sisters and their lives before, during and after the Holocaust.
I gave it a five star rating because it is true and the holocaust was an horrific time in history - one that should never be forgotten.
November 2, 2023
Good book
I enjoyed the telling from each sisters’ pov. It was like the same story from two versions. Two different people going through the same horrific experience. Their lives, though closely connected, later took different, individual paths, showing that each person deals with trials differently. As it should be.
I enjoyed the telling from each sisters’ pov. It was like the same story from two versions. Two different people going through the same horrific experience. Their lives, though closely connected, later took different, individual paths, showing that each person deals with trials differently. As it should be.
January 21, 2022
Though heartbreaking at times, this story is one to be read. The hardships these women experience is difficult and the bravery wonderful.
February 19, 2022
A powerful read
April 18, 2022
This was an interesting book. I did not know much about the movement of camp prisoners to Denmark. It also was wonderful to see these survivors live full lives.
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