No one needs an introduction to the war camps created by the Germans during the second world war. They were brutal and inhuman. There are numerous books that deal with the subject. They are uncomfortable to read but essential. They remind us not of the injustices done but also that love, hope, and compassion can pull you out of the deepest, darkest pits. Like ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’.
Choosing to live is an act of defiance, a form of heroism.
This book is based on the true story of Lale. He was imprisoned in Auschwitz concentration camp. His skill with language got him to work as the Tattooist. For Jews, to have a tattoo is akin to defilement. While Lale had to live with this burden, the job brought extra food, security, and privileges with it or as much as could come in a war camp. It was here that he first saw Gita and fell in love with her. It was the hope for a better future and sheer luck that kept him alive through impossible situations so he could start a life with Gita.
Tattooing the arms of men is one thing. Defiling the bodies of young girls is horrifying.
Lale is portrayed as this perfect character who thought about others as much as himself. He would always share any extra food, respect women, and help others as much as he could. I think this perfection could be a result of slightly biased storytelling or perhaps Lale was the embodiment of values people did not forget even in concentration camps.
What I loved most about the book is that it gives you hope. As impossible as it sounds to find love in a dire place such as Auschwitz, the fact that it is a true story fills you with wonder and admiration.
I’ll not be defined by being a Jew. I won’t deny it but I am a man first, a man in love with you.
The book obviously has scenes of cruelty, death, torture but they are not overly graphic and thus it is one of the easier books to read on the subject. The pictures and author’s note at the end also fill you with a fuzzy feeling inside.
I loved reading this book and would surely recommend it to all.
Lale knows he’ll be marked for life. Perhaps the tattoowierer deserved that.
Book: The Tattooist of Auschwitz Author: Heather Morris Publisher: Zaffre Publication: Oct 2018 No. of pages: 256 My rating: 4/5
The Reading Owl 
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