Summary of Lovers in Auschwitz by Keren Blankfeld: A True Story

By Justin Reese

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This book does not in any capacity mean to replace the original book but to serve as a vast summary of the original book.

Summary of Lovers in Auschwitz by Keren Blankfeld: A True Story

IN THIS SUMMARIZED BOOK, YOU WILL GET:

• Chapter astute outline of the main contents.
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• Exceptionally summarized content that you may skip in the original book

 

Lovers in Auschwitz is a true story of two Holocaust survivors who fell in love in Auschwitz, only to be separated upon liberation and lead remarkable lives apart. Despite their odds, they survived and deepened their romance under the protection of fellow inmates. As the war ended, they planned to meet again, but they didn't anticipate the long reunion and betrayals they would face. David suspects Zippi harbored a secret that could explain his survival. Lovers in Auschwitz is an incredible tale of romance, sacrifice, loss, and resilience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: jUSTIN REESE
• Release date: Jan 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224951840

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NOTE

This nonfiction work is based on extensive interviews, oral testimonies, documents, and memoirs. It tells the story of David Wisnia and Helen Zippi Tichauer, who met at the Sauna during the unforgiving Polish winter. David, a 17-year-old boy, was well-fed and a soloist, but sometimes sang at night. He was surprised to see a girl in the Sauna, who seemed unassuming but had a self-assurance that was rare in their milieu. She knew what she wanted and had grown tenacity in her desire for structure and order.

In the all-male part of the grounds, she had her escape, her art, but was alone. The boy across the room seemed sweet and eager, making her want to come back and make her reckless. This story is based on the conversations with David and the endnotes provide context about sourcing.

PART I

OVERTURE

Small Stuff

In October 1918, Rosa Spitzer was due to give birth in the midst of a revolution in her home city of Pressburg. As the Austro-Hungarian Empire was coming apart, Slovak soldiers returned to the city, looting shops and restaurants. Rioters accused the Austro-Hungarian Empire of tyranny and oppression, and they stormed into military prisons to free inmates. Rosa's twenty-first birthday came and went, and tensions mounted as Slovak nationalists, ethnic Germans, and antisemites blamed their misfortunes on the Jews.

When Zippi was three months old, Czechoslovak troops arrived in Pressburg, aiming at a crowd of German and Magyar social democrats who opposed the new nation. Seven rioters died. By Zippi's first birthday, Pressburg no longer existed, and the city was now called Bratislava, part of a new, independent state known as Czechoslovakia. The Slovak People's Party, yearning for Slovak autonomy, remained influential, and the Jews of Bratislava lived in peace.

The new constitution made Czech the official language of the land, and Zippi continued speaking German, Hungarian, Slovak, and French and Hebrew in school. When Zippi was six years old and Sam was three, Rosa fell ill with tuberculosis. The Spitzers had few options, and Rosa went to a specialized sanitarium in the High Tatras mountain range to enjoy crisp air and a nutritious diet, while also preventing the illness from spreading further before it consumed her host.

In the 1920s, the family of Zippi and her mother Rosa faced a devastating loss when Rosa's illness took her away. The family splintered, with Zippi moving in with her maternal grandparents and Sam moving to live with his paternal grandparents. In 1927, Rosa succumbed to tuberculosis, leaving her grandmother, Julia Nichtburger, to care for her granddaughter. Julia's husband, Lipot Nichtburger, left child-rearing to Julia, leaving the family with only one son, Leo.

At 35, Zippi's father, Vojtech, was widowed and decided to remarry. He remarried and welcomed another son, and the family shuffled again. Sam joined his father's new family, and Zippi remained with Julia and Lipot. The siblings found solace in private concerts, such as Hausmusik, a German tradition of western European intellectual families. Zippi, who played the piano, was enamored with the mandolin, which she learned to play.

In the wintertime, Zippi and her uncle Leo went on a mission to collect donations for land in Palestine. They played Jewish songs and played Jewish songs to friends, bringing a blue box filled with donations to purchase land in Palestine. This experience left a lasting impact on the family and their relationship.

Zippi and her family were not particularly devout Jews, but they were Zionists. Uncle Leo was a member of Hashomer Hatzair, a Zionist organization with around seventy thousand members in Europe, North and South America, and Palestine. They were introduced to the group by their uncle, who aimed to prepare its members for Palestine. Zippi and her siblings were in the group for the fun and wildlife excursions, rather than the dogmatic lectures or leadership aspirations.

As a teenager, Zippi dreamed of becoming a botanist, inspired by her grandmother Julia. The new Czechoslovakia constitution gave women more political, social, and cultural equality, including better access to education. However, studying botany in Moravia was not feasible for Zippi. Instead, she learned to sew, cook, clean, and taught herself embroidery, drawing, and painting.

One day, Zippi found her calling when she saw a woman designing advertising signs. She informed the owner of an atelier that she would become his apprentice, working hard to learn the tools, color combinations, and intricacies of design and pattern. At fourteen, she gave up the mandolin orchestra and took on various apprenticeships, working with a tailor and a local fashion atelier.

Bratislava, one of Czechoslovakia's largest cities, was filled with opportunities for girls to pursue careers in various fields. Zippi was drawn to intellectuals and artists, and after spending three years at a public high school for girls, she became the only female student in Bratislava's sole graphic arts school. She learned intricate lettering for signs and how to create art with glass, and graduated at the top of her class.

Zippi, a young woman from Bratislava, was part of the Hashomer Hatzair group, which aimed to send members to Palestine for work and harvest land. However, her decision to leave Bratislava was not without its challenges. In 1933, Hashomer Hatzair's lecture schedule required attendance on weeknights and Sundays, but Zippi and her brother Sam had no intention of joining him. They both worked at Hashomer Hatzair's carpet warehouse, outfitting some of the city's most renowned architectural institutions.

The Nazis' rise to power in Bratislava led to a Nazi-incited boycott against Jewish products and businesses throughout Germany. This led to violence and threats against Jews, including rabbi taunting and forced drinking of castor oil. The Nuremberg Race Laws in 1935 declared that Jews belonged to a disparate race and could be legally persecuted. Bratislava became a gateway for Polish and German Jewish refugees, many of whom joined Hashomer Hatzair to escape to Hungary.

Ethnic tensions rose as the Slovak People's Party gained momentum, with anti-Jewish rhetoric and violence rising in Bratislava. With Hitler's rise, the Slovak People's Party shifted from a silent majority to an aggressive one, with anti-Jewish rhetoric and violence escalating. Sam, known for his adventurous streak and willingness to help out, initially participated in resistance work, such as distributing leaflets about subversive activities.

Zippi began dating Tibor Justh, a Jew from Nitra who was engaged in the politics of the region. They found common ground and eventually shared a room at Hashomer Hatzair's warehouse. Zippi continued working while maintaining her commitment to her livelihood.

The End of an Era

David Wisnia, a Polish boy, began his lifelong love affair with opera at the age of nine. He would walk to the bus station near his family's home