Rena's Promise - Rena Kornreich Gelissen

This is one of those rare books that should have the line 'everyone must read this' after the title.  Truly it is an incredible read, more so because it is a true story, and you will feel despair and horror, hope and fear, as well as many more emotions before the book is over but the underlying feeling of all is amazement at the incredible strength of this amazing woman.

Rena Kornreich was in the first transport of jews to Auschwitz in 1942 and survived the war with some amazing tales of courage and survival.  Her number was 1716, so low that many didn't believe it at first when they were finally liberated in 1945, and just another testiment to her incredible bravery.

Within a few months of arriving at Auschwitz, Rena had reunited with her younger sister, Danka, and I believe she found the strength to endure some horrific conditions because of a promise she had made her mother years before to always watch over the 'baby' - Danka.  The promise also refers to a promise she made her sister in those early months when it looked like despair would overwhelm Danka and claim her life.

Rena's incredible memory supplies us with some of the most vivid recollections of the work camps that have ever been recorded.  Just by reading this memoir, you learn so much about the conditions the camps were run in and you'll read about some very brave people.  There was one polish prisoner working in the kitchens at one point who was sweet on Rena and offered her a plan of escape.  She turned it down as it couldn't include her sister but another girl took up the plan with her boyfriend and their escape was successful, at least for a short while.  Mala Zimetbaum did escape Auschwitz with her lover before being recaptured, tortured and murdered.

Rena and Danka were also selected by Mengele for what they thought was a special work detail.  Rena became suspicious after a work leader snuck a friend out of the group and so Rena made a daring exit from the group and blended back into the work details.  That group went on to endure horrors in the medical experiments that Mengele became infamous for and no-one from the group survived.

There are many other references to things we now take for granted as tales from history, but these women actually lived through these events.  This book will open your eyes to a very black time in human history but you will not regret taking a look.

To learn more about these people, the ones who survived and the ones who didn't make it, is quite an honour.  This book is written in such a way that although you are learning about an episode that is full of dread and horrors, you also get a real sense of the hope that Rena felt and gave to others.  Of course she had her low points but even then, you will be amazed at her strength to rise up again.

A brilliant memoir, this book should be compulsory reading for all high schools, and if you can find a copy you won't be disappointed.