Last Stop Auschwitz

My Story of Survival from within the Camp

De: Eddy de Wind

Narrado por: Robert Fass

Written in Auschwitz itself and translated for the first time ever into English, this one-of-a-kind, minute-by-minute true account is a crucial historical testament to a Holocaust survivor's fight for his life at the largest extermination camp in Nazi Germany.

"We know that there is only one ending to this, only one liberation from this barbed wire hell: death." -- Eddy de Wind
In 1943, amidst the start of German occupation, Eddy de Wind worked as a doctor at Westerbork, a Dutch transit camp. His mother had been taken to this camp by Nazis but Eddy was assured by the Jewish Council she would be freed in exchange for his labor. He later found out she'd already been transferred to Auschwitz.
While at Westerbork, he fell in love with a woman named Friedel and they married. One year later, they were transported to Auschwitz. Upon arrival, Friedel and Eddy were separated -- Eddy forced to work as a medical assistant in one barrack, Friedel at the mercy of Nazi experimentation in a nearby block. Sneaking moments with his beloved and communicating whenever they could, Eddy longed for the day he could be free with Friedel . . .
Written in the camp itself in the weeks following the Red Army's liberation of the camp, Last Stop Auschwitz is the raw, true account of Eddy's experiences at Auschwitz. In stunningly poetic prose, he provides unparalleled access to the horrors he faced in the concentration camp. Including photos from Eddy's life before, during, and after the Holocaust, this poignant memoir is at once a moving love story, a detailed portrayal of the atrocities of Auschwitz, and an intelligent consideration of the kind of behavior -- both good and evil -- people are capable of. Never before published in English, this book is a vital and enduring document: a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and a warning against the depths we can sink to when prejudice is given power.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"This unique contribution to the literature of the Holocaust will prove invaluable to all readers interested in recollections and histories of the period."
—Library Journal, starred review

"Still has considerable relevance...[Last Stop Auschwitz] almost gives the reader the impression of being a novel of fiction which, unfortunately, it is not."—New York Journal of Books

Amazing story

It is an amazing story, especially in it's telling of the story day by day, not knowing when might be the last moment. But somehow I did not connect as much emotionally as I expected and am not sure why. Perhaps it was because it was a translation, and thus, the effectiveness of the story in English depends also on the translater's knowledge and skill in writing.
But even so, it is certainly well worth reading!

beeyond words

one of the moving books i have heard very well read a must to have

Heartbreaking yet inspiring.

I knew this book would be heavy but it was actually inspiring. This man and his wife were survivors and went on to live. I wish we knew more about Frida's life post AZ. Definitely worth a read.

Narrator for the audiobook was very pleasant to listen too.

Man’s inhumanity to man

I was born just 4 months after the war in Europe was over. I grew up hearing and watching historical TV shows about the extermination camps, later while in Germany I visited Dachau.
I believe this book, in the words of someone who lived through it and survived was a fascinating account of the horror those people went through.

Sanitized, good for a sensitive reader

I have read or listened to many memoires from WWII and while I don’t think this is intentionally misleading, I feel that the author unintentionally toned down the truth of the horrors of the concentration camps. While some of this is based on educated guesses, one thing I can point to is the claim that those in the gas chambers died quickly, usually in 5 minutes. My other readings have indicated that, while those poor people may have expired in 6-10 minutes if it was cold and they were close to the ‘marbles’, if they were far away and it was hot, it took 30 minutes or more. Some people suffered for nearly an hour. Also, the other books on the period talk about the lack of food and the severity of prisoner treatment, which were both sanitized in this book.