Magda Hellinger – författare

'This thought-provoking book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Holocaust' – Ariana Neumann​The extraordinarily moving memoir by Australian Slovakian Holocaust survivor Magda Hellinger, who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage, kindness and ingenuity. In the camps during the Second World War, prisoner Magda Hellinger Blau was selected by the SS as a Jewish prison leader and she eventually rises to the senior position of Lagerälteste (Camp Elder). Madga used her proximity to her fellow prisoners and the SS to engage in numerous acts of kindness, bravery and compassion to keep the prisoners alive in frightening and uncertain circumstances. Now, her daughter Maya Lee tells the definitive story of her mother, a woman who showed great bravery and compassion when stuck between worlds of authority and imprisonment. Using her mother’s short memoir as a starting point, this book is Maya Lee’s deep-dive into her mother’s life and the power of kindness in the face of adversity, as she connects with fellow Auschwitz survivors and forms new friendships throughout her journey.The Nazis Knew My Name is a poignant and personal exploration of the prisoners in the Holocaust camps and the need to still tell these stories almost 70 years on.

'This thought-provoking book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Holocaust' – Ariana Neumann​The extraordinarily moving memoir by Australian Slovakian Holocaust survivor Magda Hellinger, who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage, kindness and ingenuity.In the camps during the Second World War, prisoner Magda Hellinger Blau was selected by the SS as a Jewish prison leader and she eventually rises to the senior position of Lagerälteste (Camp Elder).Madga used her proximity to her fellow prisoners and the SS to engage in numerous acts of kindness, bravery and compassion to keep the prisoners alive in frightening and uncertain circumstances. Now, her daughter Maya Lee tells the definitive story of her mother, a woman who showed great bravery and compassion when stuck between worlds of authority and imprisonment.Using her mother’s short memoir as a starting point, this book is Maya Lee’s deep-dive into her mother’s life and the power of kindness in the face of adversity, as she connects with fellow Auschwitz survivors and forms new friendships throughout her journey.The Nazis Knew My Name is a poignant and personal exploration of the prisoners in the Holocaust camps and the need to still tell these stories almost 70 years on.

Selected as one of Audible’s best audiobooks of 2021.'This thought-provoking book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Holocaust' – Ariana Neumann​The extraordinarily moving memoir by Australian Slovakian Holocaust survivor Magda Hellinger, who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage, kindness and ingenuity. In the camps during the Second World War, prisoner Magda Hellinger Blau was selected by the SS as a Jewish prison leader and she eventually rises to the senior position of Lagerälteste (Camp Elder). Madga used her proximity to her fellow prisoners and the SS to engage in numerous acts of kindness, bravery and compassion to keep the prisoners alive in frightening and uncertain circumstances. Now, her daughter Maya Lee tells the definitive story of her mother, a woman who showed great bravery and compassion when stuck between worlds of authority and imprisonment. Using her mother’s short memoir as a starting point, this book is Maya Lee’s deep-dive into her mother’s life and the power of kindness in the face of adversity, as she connects with fellow Auschwitz survivors and forms new friendships throughout her journey.The Nazis Knew My Name is a poignant and personal exploration of the prisoners in the Holocaust camps and the need to still tell these stories almost 70 years on.

The extraordinarily moving memoir by Australian Slovakian Holocaust survivor Magda Hellinger, who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage, kindness and ingenuity.In March 1942, twenty-five-year-old kindergarten teacher Magda Hellinger and nearly a thousand other young Slovakian women were deported to Poland on the second transportation of Jewish people sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The women were told they'd be working at a shoe factory.At Auschwitz the SS soon discovered that by putting Jewish prisoners in charge of the day-to-day running of the accommodation blocks, camp administration and workforces, they could both reduce the number of guards required and deflect the distrust of the prisoner population away from themselves. Magda was one such prisoner selected for leadership and over three years served in many prisoner leader roles, from room leader, to block leader – at one time in charge of the notorious Experimental Block 10 where reproductive experiments were performed on hundreds of women – and eventually camp leader, responsible for 30,000 women.She found herself constantly walking a dangerously fine line: using every possible opportunity to save lives while avoiding suspicion by the SS, and risking torture or execution. Through her bold intelligence, sheer audacity, inner strength and shrewd survival instincts, she was able to rise above the horror and cruelty of the camps and build pivotal relationships with the women under her watch, and even some of Auschwitz's most notorious Nazi senior officers including the Commandant, Josef Kramer.Based on Magda's personal account and completed by her daughter Maya's extensive research, including testimonies from fellow Auschwitz survivors, this awe-inspiring tale offers us incredible insight into human nature, the power of resilience, and the goodness that can shine through even in the most horrific of conditions.A New York Post‘Must-Have’ Book‘A vivid, remarkable tale of courage and resilience in the face of human-made horror.’ Spectrum‘A poignantly illuminating Holocaust memoir.’ Kirkus Reviews‘Hellinger has written an important perspective of the Holocaust, of a kind that we rarely see. A standout memoir’ Library Journal ‘Magda’s own words, completed by her daughter’s copious research, create an unputdownable account of resilience and the power of compassion.’ Booklist‘Magda Hellinger survived three years in Auschwitz and served as camp leader, saving lives including her own, wherever she could. This may be one of the final first-hand Holocaust accounts to be published as a book.’ Politico‘[R]are and fascinating personal accounts of infamous SS guards and personnel help to make The Nazis Knew My Name unputdownable, while Magda’s enduring choice to save who she could will hopefully inspire kindness and selflessness in another generation.' Glam Adelaide‘[A] harrowing, heroic story of a woman in an impossible position who devoted her energies to doing what she could with the scraps of power and influence she managed to construct.’ BookBub‘[V]aluable, interesting, and thought-provoking.’ New York Journal of Books‘[A] compelling and seamless portrait of a young woman who managed to survive and save others through cunning bravery and compassionate leadership… an extraordinary portrait of one woman who fought for others in the midst of unimaginable horror.’ BookPage

The “thought-provoking…must-read” (Ariana Neumann, author of When Time Stopped) memoir by a Holocaust survivor who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage and kindness—in the vein of A Bookshop in Berlin and The Nazi Officer’s Wife.In March 1942, twenty-five-year-old kindergarten teacher Magda Hellinger and nearly a thousand other young women were deported as some of the first Jews to be sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The SS soon discovered that by putting prisoners in charge of the day-to-day accommodation blocks, they could deflect attention away from themselves. Magda was one such prisoner selected for leadership and put in charge of hundreds of women in the notorious Experimental Block 10. She found herself constantly walking a dangerously fine line: saving lives while avoiding suspicion by the SS and risking execution. Through her inner strength and shrewd survival instincts, she was able to rise above the horror and cruelty of the camps and build pivotal relationships with the women under her watch, and even some of Auschwitz’s most notorious Nazi senior officers. Based on Magda’s personal account and completed by her daughter’s extensive research, this is “an unputdownable account of resilience and the power of compassion” (Booklist) in the face of indescribable evil.

The “thought-provoking…must-read” (Ariana Neumann, author of When Time Stopped) memoir by a Holocaust survivor who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage and kindness—in the vein of A Bookshop in Berlin and The Nazi Officer’s Wife.In March 1942, twenty-five-year-old kindergarten teacher Magda Hellinger and nearly a thousand other young women were deported as some of the first Jews to be sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The SS soon discovered that by putting prisoners in charge of the day-to-day accommodation blocks, they could deflect attention away from themselves. Magda was one such prisoner selected for leadership and put in charge of hundreds of women in the notorious Experimental Block 10. She found herself constantly walking a dangerously fine line: saving lives while avoiding suspicion by the SS and risking execution. Through her inner strength and shrewd survival instincts, she was able to rise above the horror and cruelty of the camps and build pivotal relationships with the women under her watch, and even some of Auschwitz’s most notorious Nazi senior officers. Based on Magda’s personal account and completed by her daughter’s extensive research, this is “an unputdownable account of resilience and the power of compassion” (Booklist) in the face of indescribable evil.

Maaliskuussa 1942 25-vuotias lastentarhanopettaja Magda Hellinger pakotettiin muiden paikkakunnan juutalaisnaisten tavoin nousemaan junaan Michalovcessa, Slovakiassa. Magdalle olivalehdeltu: perillä ei odottanutkaan uusi työpaikka tsekkiläisen Batan kenkätehtaalla, vaan hän ja muut junassa olleet naiset tajusivat joutuneensa Auschwitzin keskitysleirille.Hellinger joutui leirillä poikkeukselliseen tehtävään: SS-vartijat nimittivät hänet leirinvanhimman asemaan, vastuuseen tuhansista muista naisvangeista. Oman henkensä uhalla Hellingerin oli pidettävä yllä järjestystä jopa 30 000 vangin leirissä. Vankeutensa aikana hän löysi yhä uusia, usein uhkarohkeitakin tapoja vaikuttaa SS-vartijoiden päätöksentekoon ja leirin toimintaan. Älykäs keinottelu pelasti lukemattomia henkiä: Hellinger muun muassa salakuljetti satoja tohtori Mengelen kaasukammioon tuomitsemia naisvankeja turvaan ja auttoi monia lavantautiin sairastuneita ihmisiä kätkeytymään - löytyessään nämä olisivat kohdanneet varman kuoleman.Magda Hellingerin kanssa Auschwitziin saapuneista noin 7 000 naisesta alle 300 selvisi hengissä sodan loppuun. Kokonaisuudessaan Slovakian juutalaisista tapettiin yli 80 prosenttia. Vuosikymmeniä myöhemmin 87-vuotias Hellinger päätti kirjoittaa muistelmateoksen, jonka hänen tyttärensä Maya Lee myöhemmin kirjoitti uudelleen täydentäen kirjaa omalla tutkimustyöllään.