The holocaust

[kaytee87]

Recently I've been reading a novel based on the holocaust from a polish Jewish family's perspective. It makes for difficult reading, I have to stop at certain points as the scenes described are so upsetting (and clearly based on real life experiences)
It got me wondering about the other, lesser known victims of the holocaust (Romas, JW, Homosexual, disabled people) as I haven't read as much about them.
I was also wondering what life was like for all of these communities after the war. I believe 90% of the Jewish polish community were murdered, how can a community go home after that?
Can anyone point me in the direction of some good reading material on the subject(s). Either fiction (based on historical events) or non fiction is fine.

Sorry it's not aibu, posting here for traffic.

I love love LOVE Jodi Picoults work.

I have Romany heritage but don't know of any books about it. Possibly because more of a verbal culture than a written one. A few things you might interesting to read about on the Internet are:
The uprising at the so called "gypsy camp" at Auschwitz. It's recently bring remembered as a resistance day. Carefully orchestrated and carried out by prisoners that had nothing as a final act of rebellion.
The fight to get the porajmos recognised. Only officially recognised by then west Germany in 1982. The memorial in Berlin is quite recent. There are also other camps such as one being used as a pig farm that aren't recognised by any marker.

Have you watched any of the video taken in the camps? I'm probably not allowed to link it on here, but if you Google "You Tube Bergen Belsen, Germany Liberation 1945" you'll find a piece which was put up on 11 August 2012 ... it's 6.07 minutes

Be aware, though - and this hardly needs saying - that it's absolutely terrible

Now I couldn't get into 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz', I don't know why, it just wasn't for me though I know it has good reviews.
I do recommend 'Schindler's Ark' though and also books by Laurence Rees; 'Auschwitz, the Nazis and the Final Solution' and 'The Holocaust', though non-fiction and harrowing, very good reads. Apologies if pp have mentioned these.

These are Usborne YA novels (Young Adult) but definitely suitable for adults as well:

‘The Earth is Singing’ - a novel from the point of view of a 15 yr old Jewish Latvian girl

‘Orphan Monster Spy’ - a novel about a teenage German orphan who is sent to a Nazi boarding school as a spy

Both gripping, though harrowing reads.

I think Jodi Picoult’s general style is sensationalist/voyeuristic, so definitely won’t read a book by her on the holocaust

That's an unfair judgment on something you haven't read. I agree Picoult can be like that, but this one is an exception. It really gets across the relentlessness of it: the slice-by-slice destruction of a whole family and community, so that you just cannot comprehend how the survivors kept going. I found it very moving.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom is the story of a Christian family in Holland who ran a safe house for Jews.
They were betrayed and sent to concentration camps. Corrie was the only survivor.

@MidLifeCrisis2017 I haven't but will definitely watch it if I can find it somewhere. I was lucky enough to meet him years ago and hear his story, an amazing man. Thanks for the recommendation

The story of Otto Frank Anne Frank's father it's fascinating and sad all in one

Mans search for meaning by Victor Frankl. It’s a beautiful book.

The road to Auschwitz by Kitty Hart is also excellent.

I have Romany heritage but don't know of any books about it
Farewell Sidonia by Eric Hackl

There are two (very harrowing) history books by Timothy Snyder that I think are definitive on this topic.

Blackened Earth is specifically about the Holocaust. Bloodlands covers the huge loss of life across Europe as a result of Hitler and Stalin’s regimes. Both books explore the lesser known victims such a Roma, the disabled and others.

I don’t want this to start a thing but Dennis Avery’s account is iffy at best if you give it a google. OP, thank you for starting this thread for all the replies, there’s lots of very interesting things on here.

Sorry, massive typo of Denis Avey there.

If you want something by an academic anything by Professor Sir Ian Kershaw is excellent. He has written several articles and books on the Holocaust which are really readable and you can find quite a few online. Hitler’s Willing Executioners by Goldhagen is really interesting for understanding how it could happen and does address the other groups affected.

Anne Frank’s diary is a bit of an obvious one but it’s beautifully written and so touching.

Re. Jodi Picoult’s book I actually found the Holocaust one less sensationalist than her other ones.