By Dr Edith Eger.
In The Ballerina of Auschwitz, Holocaust survivor and renowned psychologist Dr. Edith Eger shares her profound journey of survival, hope, and resilience.
Edie, a talented dancer and gymnast with dreams of making the Olympic team, is consumed by her rigorous training and struggles within her family, where she is known as the "brainy" daughter.
But as a Jewish girl in Hungary in 1943, her life takes a devastating turn when her family is deported to Auschwitz. Amid the horrors of the concentration camp, Edie's memories of her first love, Eric, provide a glimmer of hope and the strength to endure.
Despite the unimaginable suffering, Edie and her sister Magda survive through sheer determination and the deep bond they share. Returning home after the war, Edie is burdened with grief and guilt, struggling to make sense of her survival. It is through this painful journey that Edie realises she has a choice: while she cannot change the past, she can choose how to live and love moving forward.
Her story becomes a powerful exploration of the capacity for healing and forgiveness.
The Ballerina of Auschwitz is a harrowing yet inspiring account, offering a unique perspective through Edie's love of dance and her relentless spirit. Eger’s vivid portrayal of her experiences serves as a stark reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust and the resilience of the human spirit.
Her story is a call to remember the past and continue the fight against antisemitism, offering readers not just a history lesson, but a message of hope and the enduring strength to rebuild after tragedy.
Having visited Auschwitz and witnessed firsthand the haunting remnants of what occurred there, my perspective on these stories has profoundly shifted. Since that visit, I’ve read many accounts of the Holocaust, and each time, I’m transported back to that moment, feeling the same shock and sorrow as when I first stood on those grounds. It’s now 2024, and yet, the impact of reading about this dark chapter in history remains as powerful as ever.
Thank you so much to the author - Dr Edith Eger as well as Jaini and the team at Ebury Books for sending me a finished copy of this beautiful book!
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