Invisible Jews

Surviving the Holocaust in Poland

By: Eddie Bielawski

Narrated by: Norman Gilligan

Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Eddie Bielawski was born in the town of Wegrow in Poland in mid-1938. Not a propitious time and place for a Jewish child to be born. As a young child, he sees the Nazi army marching toward Russia. Day and night they marched - soldiers, trucks, tanks, and more soldiers, in a never-ending line - an invincible force. Eddie heard his father tell his mother, "Who is going to stop them?"

One night, his father had a dream. In this dream, he saw what he had to do: where to build the bunker, how to build it, and even its dimensions. It took him three weeks to finish the job. When he was done, he took his family into the shed and asked them if they could find the trap door. When they could not, he was satisfied. This would be their Noah's Ark, saving them from the initial deluge.

For three long years, starting in 1941 when the Nazis started the deportations and mass killings, Eddie and his family hid in secret bunkers that were dug in fields, under sheds, or constructed in barn lofts. It seemed that the only way a Jew could survive in wartime Poland was to become invisible. So they became invisible Jews.

"Inspiring to read of their resilience, ingenuity, and courage in overcoming almost unbearable circumstances. I highly recommend this great read!” (Cathie Johnson)

"If you read Anne Frank, then read this! So amazing and inspiring." (Virginia Cummings)

©2017 Eddie Bielawski (P)2017 Eddie Bielawski

Very short. Synopsis really interesting novella ~

Nothing written here was boring I finished it in one afternoon
I would be interested in reading unabridged copy. Rather listen to it being on audible So glad he told us about his kids and grandkids and their names. Jewish and beautiful

Surviving not the camps, but being in hiding!

This is a touching WW2 memoir, not of the camps, but of cleverly (and with some providential circumstances!) avoiding detection for years -becoming invisible! Seen through the eyes of a young child, unlike many WW2 memoires, this one had humor, both dark and light.

Engaging and well done story

This was a well-done, engaging story of survival. While he doesn’t tell the story as a tribute to his dad, it is more matter-of-fact than that, it comes off as a the telling of a great hero that did the impossible...,led his family to survive the most impossible of circumstances, through his skilled hands and mind. For myself, I was saddened to learn of the general feeling of anti-Semitism among the average Poles. It becomes clear that if not for their having some financial means to pay off hostile citizens, they never would have survived. Thank you for telling your story Mr Bielawski.