After having this book for over a year and not being too interested in reading it, I decided the perfect opportunity to open it up would be on my trip to the Auschwitz concentration camp a couple weeks ago.

Now that I’ve finished the book, I’m very pleased to have opened it up, it’s a captivating read. And my visit to Auschwitz made it all the more vivid.

I was greeted by the same welcome sign that more than a million inmates saw when first arriving at Auschwitz. “Arbeit Macht Frei” which in English means “Work will set you free” 

During my visit I also got to witness the tattooed arms of prisoners at the camp in Auschwitz.

Whilst at the camp all I could think about was how I felt in the cold, freezing even with my thick coat on. It’s crazy to think prisoners 80 years ago worked in conditions 10x worse whilst starving, scared and with only pyjamas on.

The Tattooist of Auchtwizs is a brilliant book which tells the real life story of Ludwig Eisenberg (Lale), a Slovakian Jew who was sent to Auschwitz. It recalls his experiences at the camp, portraying his ingenuity, bravery and strength to survive the camp and live to tell it’s story. Lale was a special man, his story is about love, cruelty, despair and so much more.

As humans it can be difficult to emphatize with things that don’t directly relate to us or that would never affect us. Reading books like this and visiting Auschwitz reminded me of the sheer madness of the holocaust and how in some regions of the world similar things are still occurring today.

Although I’m happy Lale survived and lived to tell his story, the feeling of delight rapidly goes away on realisation of those who did not.

When I started writing this post in the morning I didn’t realise that on this exact day 75 years ago Auschwitz was liberated.

RIP to all those who lost their lives 🙏🏾 #Auschwitz75

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts?