The Stable Boy of Auschwitz by Henry Oster and Dexter Ford

Books

Today I’m sharing with you my thoughts on a true account of a courageous little boy, who survived against all odds to share his story. The Stable Boy of Auschwitz provides a firsthand account of life in Auschwitz and serves as an important historical document of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. It is a powerful reminder of the need to remember and learn from the past.

Book Description

In the darkest moment of history, one child found the courage and strength to survive the unimaginable. This is Henry’s true story.

One hot, humid day in July 1943, the Gestapo abducted fifteen-year-old Henry and his mother, forcing them onto cramped cattle cars in the Łódź Polish Ghetto. Like so many Jews before them, they had been selected to disappear – they were being sent to Auschwitz.

Exhausted after hours of traveling, they finally emerged from the stifling, filth-ridden cattle car. Already devastated at having lost his father to starvation, Henry clutched his mother’s frail hand, knowing she was all he had left in the world, and that he was the only one left to protect her. In a flash, he felt them being brutally torn apart.

Crying out for her, his heart shuddered as he watched her disappear into a sea of other women. Henry knew that was the last time he would ever see her, and he felt like he had failed her. He was now completely alone in the world.

Starving, and close to giving up all hope, Henry volunteered to work in the stables, responsible for breeding horses for the war effort. As he watched other prisoners leave and never return, Henry quickly realised these horses were his only lifeline – because every morning he was sent to the stables, was one more morning he escaped the gas chambers.

Before long, caring for the horses became a passion, and their comfort and strength gave Henry a glimmer of life and hope in an ocean of death. Although with every second that passed, Henry knew if he became too weak or made one mistake, he would be mercilessly replaced…

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz by Henry Oster and Dexter Ford - Book Review

My Thoughts

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz by Henry Oster and Dexter Ford is a powerful and moving memoir that tells the story of Henry Oster’s experiences as a German Jewish boy during the Holocaust. The book provides a unique perspective on the horrors of Auschwitz, as seen through the eyes of a young boy who was forced to work as a stable boy for the Nazi officers.

One of the strengths of this book is its ability to convey the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, through the eyes of a child. Its expertly written by Dexter Ford describing the daily struggles and hardships faced by Henry and his fellow prisoners, without ever losing sight of the humanity and resilience that allowed them to survive. Throughout the book, you see images from old photos that give you a sense of perspective and a glimpse of that time.

Another strength of the book is Henry’s own voice, which comes through loud and clear in his descriptions of his experiences. His courage, determination, and compassion are truly inspiring, despite the most unimaginable horrors he saw.

At times, I found the book difficult to read, as the atrocities committed by the Nazis are described in detail, and you will really think you are there. However, it was handled with sensitivity and respect.

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz is a powerful and important book that deserves to be read by anyone interested in the history of the Holocaust, or simply looking for a reminder of the strength and resilience of humans. It is a testament to the power of hope and the enduring nature of the human soul, even in the face of unimaginable evil.

Thank you Henry Oster for sharing your story.

Highly recommend.

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About the Authors

Henry Oster

Henry was just five years old when Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. One of the 2,011 Jews who were rounded up by the Gestapo and deported from Cologne to the Łódź ghetto, and from there to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Here, in Auschwitz, Henry performed forced labour in the stables, where horses were bred for the German war machine. Through it all – from finding ways to escape being selected for death in the Auschwitz-Birkenau gas chambers, to surviving a machine-gun firing squad, to enduring a brutal death march through the bleak Polish winter – Henry somehow found the strength and the will to keep on going.

The book ends on a powerful cadence when Henry, having vowed to never return to Germany, is invited back to Cologne by the lord mayor to a room of invited guests, including foreign diplomats and staff of the National Socialist Documentation Centre, where he would speak in German for the first time in 70 years. In his speech, Henry honours his murdered family and the 2,011 Jews of Cologne, and then makes a plea for tolerance and remembrance.

Henry Oster passed away on March 17, 2019, after a short battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Susan Oster who is based in California.

Dexter Ford

The Stable Boy of Auschwitz is co-written by Dexter Ford who is a contributing writer to The New York Times and other major publications on history and politics. Dexter Ford is based in New York.