The Tattooist of Auschwitz/heather Morris/262 pgs/International Author

You don’t read about the Holocaust and think about people falling in love, but this story tells of a couple who find each other in a most unexpected place, Auschwitz.

Lale Sokolov, a Jewish man from Slovakia, spoke many languages and it was that ability that helped keep him alive in the horrible concentration camp.  Early on during his captivity he was chosen to be one of the tattooists for the camp.  Those chosen for the job were given more and better rations, more freedom of movement around the camp, and better quarters.

It was while Lale was tattooing numbers on a new group of women arrivals that he met his future wife, Gita.  With his tattooist position, Lale was able to smuggle extra food to Gita and her friends and his former barrack mates.  He also established a small trade system with two outside workers, who brought in better food and even chocolate, for gems and jewels taken from prisoner’s belongings.  Lale was given these items by female prisoners assigned to empty all the suitcases.  The women were happy to supply him with the jewels he used for trade.

Lale and Gita eventually left the camp and after a desperate search were reunited after Germany surrendered.  While this is a fictional account of their story, the author spent many hours with Lale piecing together his memories into this moving book.