Book review: These sisters survive concentration camps and live to tell the tale

Nazi occupied Poland, Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps, and a real-life account of survival of three sisters is what makes this book unputdownable. Author Heather Morris leaves a lasting impression on the readers’ mind with this writing.

A promise, a death camp and a solemn resolve to survive — author Heather Morris weaves a gripping tale of the persecution of Jews at the hands of the Nazis through Three Sisters, told from the perspective of three sisters. Growing up in Slovakia, Livi, Magda, and Cibi make a promise to their father to always stay together. But fate has other plans for the family as the Nazis start invading territories in Europe. While Cibi is away for her Hachshara training (a Zionist movement to help Jews re-settle in Israel), Hlinka guards (pro-Nazi militia in Slovakia) start rounding up Jews in their town of Vranov nad Topľou. The family admits Magda to the hospital to save her, and hopefully assumes that their youngest, Cibi, would be spared. But, the guards take Cibi away and when Livi returns after some time, she surrenders herself to the guards to be with her sister.

Cover of the book, Three Sisters

In the concentration camps — where death lurked in every corner — the two sisters help each other survive. They soon adapt to comply and use their practical skills to manage administerial jobs that were relatively less laborious. Meanwhile, Magda is on a cat-and-mouse chase, hiding in forests in freezing conditions and taking refuge in her neighbour’s house at times. At last, when the chase ends, she is deported to the camps and with the help of some SS guards (Schutzstaffel), the three sisters are reunited. They witness public executions of inmates who tried to rebel. But what is worse is that they see a train full of Jews unload on the railway tracks one day, and it’s here that they find their mother and grandfather in the queue that is being sent directly to the gas chambers, without a selection (selection was a routine to choose fit inmates and discard the children and the unfit)! No number of pleas to the SS guards could help them save their family. Soon after, as the Soviets liberate the camps, the three sisters embark on what came to be known as death marches. Traversing countries and refugee camps, they finally reach their native country but continue facing communal slurs. It is from here that they plan to escape to Israel.

Three Sisters is a story of survival and resilience. It is also a story of a stubborn will to defeat hatred amid the most inhuman people. These sisters rebuild their lives, find love and get married. But the scars that they carry, including the tattooed serial numbers on their wrists, always serve as a reminder of the monstrosity of a fascist regime.

Title: Three Sisters

Author: Heather Morris

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre (Represented by HarperCollins in India)

Price: ₹399

Author tweets @TheBalinian

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