Judy Batalion – författare

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

Also on the USA Today, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Globe and Mail, Publishers Weekly, and Indie bestseller lists.

One of the most important stories of World War II, already optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture: a spectacular, searing history that brings to light the extraordinary accomplishments of brave Jewish women who became resistance fighters—a group of unknown heroes whose exploits have never been chronicled in full, until now.

Witnesses to the brutal murder of their families and neighbors and the violent destruction of their communities, a cadre of Jewish women in Poland—some still in their teens—helped transform the Jewish youth groups into resistance cells to fight the Nazis. With courage, guile, and nerves of steel, these “ghetto girls” paid off Gestapo guards, hid revolvers in loaves of bread and jars of marmalade, and helped build systems of underground bunkers. They flirted with German soldiers, bribed them with wine, whiskey, and home cooking, used their Aryan looks to seduce them, and shot and killed them. They bombed German train lines and blew up a town’s water supply. They also nursed the sick, taught children, and hid families.

Yet the exploits of these courageous resistance fighters have remained virtually unknown.

As propulsive and thrilling as Hidden Figures, In the Garden of Beasts, and Band of Brothers, The Light of Days at last tells the true story of these incredible women whose courageous yet little-known feats have been eclipsed by time. Judy Batalion—the granddaughter of Polish Holocaust survivors—takes us back to 1939 and introduces us to Renia Kukielka, a weapons smuggler and messenger who risked death traveling across occupied Poland on foot and by train. Joining Renia are other women who served as couriers, armed fighters, intelligence agents, and saboteurs, all who put their lives in mortal danger to carry out their missions. Batalion follows these women through the savage destruction of the ghettos, arrest and internment in Gestapo prisons and concentration camps, and for a lucky few—like Renia, who orchestrated her own audacious escape from a brutal Nazi jail—into the late 20th century and beyond.

Powerful and inspiring, featuring twenty black-and-white photographs, The Light of Days is an unforgettable true tale of war, the fight for freedom, exceptional bravery, female friendship, and survival in the face of staggering odds.  

NPR's Best Books of 2021

National Jewish Book Award, 2021

Canadian Jewish Literary Award, 2021

This young readers’ edition of the blockbuster New York Times bestseller is the remarkable untold story of the young Jewish women who became resistance fighters against the Nazis during World War II. It has already been optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture.

As their communities were being destroyed, groups of Jewish women and teenage girls across Poland began transforming Jewish youth groups into resistance factions. These “ghetto girls” helped build systems of underground bunkers, paid off the Gestapo, and bombed German train lines.

At the center of the book is eighteen-year-old Renia Kukielka, who traveled across her war-torn country as a weapons smuggler and messenger. Other women who joined the cause served as armed fighters, spies, and saboteurs, all risking their lives for their missions.

Never before chronicled in full, this is the incredible account of the strong Jewish women who fought back against the seemingly unstoppable Nazi regime. It follows the women through arrests, internment, and for a lucky few, into the late 20th century and beyond.

It also includes an eight-page insert of black-and-white photos, so that readers can see firsthand the extraordinary women who bravely fought for their freedom in the face of overwhelming odds.

* A Mighty Girl's Book of the Year * A Sydney Taylor Notable Book *

This young readers’ edition tells the remarkable story, largely forgotten until now, of the young Jewish women who became resistance fighters against the Nazis during World War II. It has already been optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture.

As their communities were being destroyed, groups of Jewish women and teenage girls across Poland began transforming Jewish youth groups into resistance factions. These “ghetto girls” helped build systems of underground bunkers, paid off the Gestapo, and bombed German train lines.

At the center of the book is eighteen-year-old Renia Kukielka, who traveled across her war-torn country as a weapons smuggler and messenger. Other women who joined the cause served as armed fighters, spies, and saboteurs, all risking their lives for their missions.

Never before chronicled in full, this is the incredible account of the strong Jewish women who fought back against the seemingly unstoppable Nazi regime. It follows the women through arrests, internment, and for a lucky few, into the late 20th century and beyond.

It also includes a section of black-and-white photos, so that readers can see firsthand the extraordinary women who bravely fought for their freedom in the face of overwhelming odds.

One of the most important untold stories of World War II, The Light of Days is a soaring landmark history that brings to light the extraordinary accomplishments of brave Jewish women who inspired Poland''s Jewish youth groups to resist the Nazis. Witnesses to the brutal murder of their families and the violent destruction of their communities, a cadre of Jewish women in Poland - some still in their teens - became the heart of a wide-ranging resistance network that fought the Nazis. With courage, guile and nerves of steel, these ''ghetto girls'' smuggled guns in loaves of bread and coded intelligence messages in their plaited hair. They helped build life-saving systems of underground bunkers and sustained thousands of Jews in safe hiding places. They bribed Gestapo guards with liquor, assassinated Nazis and sabotaged German supply lines. The Light of Days at last reveals the real history of these incredible women whose courageous yet little-known feats have been eclipsed by time. [A] powerful book . . . The actions of these young women, carefully brought back to life by Batalion, turn much of what we believe we know about the Holocaust on its head. -- Jenni Frazer ? Jewish Chronicle Remarkable and inspiring . . . thanks to Judy''s meticulous research, these near century old stories of resistance in the face of overwhelming odds are about to be read once again ? Daily Express

”Judy Batalions viktiga berättelse öppnar för att vi ska få syn på det judiska motståndet i hela dess bredd och mångfald.”Sydsvenskan

”--- en bok som inte bara ger hittills obesjungna hjältinnor de äreminnen de förtjänar utan också förmedlar de alltid nödvändiga påminnelserna om att människan är förmögen till allt, från det uslaste usla till det modigaste modiga.”Dagens Nyheter

”En välskriven skildring som ger en fördjupande bild av en dramatisk period utifrån ett primärt kvinnligt perspektiv som sällan skildras.”BTJ

I Våra dagars ljus skildrar författaren Judy Batalion de judiska kvinnor i Polen som blev motståndskämpar under andra världskriget. Det är en levande och djupt gripande berättelse om mod, överlevnad och kvinnlig vänskap. Boken blev uppmärksammad långt innan den kom ut och filmrättigheterna köptes av Steven Spielberg. Kvinnorna, som kallas ”gettoflickor”, organiserar judiska ungdomar runtom i landet, de smugglar vapen, bygger ett nät av underjordiska bunkrar i gettona och utför sabotage. I centrum står den unga Renia Kukielka som blir smugglare och budbärare. Tillsammans med Zivia, Frumka, Chawka och flera andra kvinnor riskerar hon livet i kampen för att rädda judar undan nazisterna. Kvinnorna undervisar barn och vårdar de gamla i gettona. Samtidigt mutar de tyska soldater med whiskey och hemlagad mat och skjuter sedan ihjäl dem. Batalion följer dessa kvinnor genom förödelse och fångenskap, och, några få, fram till våra dagar. Våra dagars ljus är en oförglömlig historia om kvinnligt motstånd och ett omistligt kapitel om Förintelsen.