The Tattooist of Auschwitz has been on my to-read list for quite some time now but I have always found an excuse to avoid reading in general, till my housemate lent me a copy. Between graduating from a degree centred around reading and long days in the office staring at a screen, my motivation to read was somewhat lacking.
Years ago I was able to read a book a week and get completely lost in the words on the page. This connection to a story is something I have really missed and thankfully, The Tattooist of Auschwitz has changed this.
“The tattooing has taken only seconds, but Lale’s shock makes time stand still. He grasps his arm, staring at the number. How can someone do this to another human being? He wonders if for the rest of his life, be it short or long, he will be defined by this moment, this irregular number: 32407.”
This book follows the harrowing life of Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, and his experience of the concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Upon discovering Lale’s command over several languages, he is tasked as the Tätowierer where he carries the burden of permanently marking all the prisoners. Throughout the years he is held captive, he witnesses many acts of barbarism but amongst all the horror, he finds a reason to survive. Gita, prisoner 34902 ignites something inside him and against all odds, he vows to survive for her and with her.
“Looking into [her eyes] his heart seems simultaneously to stop and begin beating for the first time, pounding, almost threatening to burst out of his chest.”
By sharing his story, Lale allowed people to fathom some understanding of what it was like to live through one of the most troubling events in history. His real-life account offers an insight, like peering through a one-way window, that not only depicts the atrocities that took place, but reveals that even in the darkest of times, humans still have an underlying desire to find hope, love and strength.
What makes The Tattooist of Auschwitz stand out for me, is its simple yet compelling account of life in a concentration camp. Through Lale’s story, Heather Morris can illustrate the horrors that took place without filling the pages with excessively graphic details, which tend to shock and unsettle the reader. Instead, her words relay the severity of the situation through a romanticised story that provokes hope and strength for her readers.
Again, I would like to stress that I am in no way diminishing the anguish and suffering that took place during these events. However, there are characteristics which I noticed in Lale that have inspired me to practice in my own life.
Living with anxiety during lockdown has been difficult. The motivation or energy to busy myself with distractions are far and few between. While I know there are plenty of courses I can do, books to read and time to draw, etc. some days are just low days, where no matter how bored or sad I feel, I would rather just not do anything.
Lale’s sheer determination to hold onto his hope of surviving and marrying Gita, even in the bleakest situation, is inspiring and a trait I would like to mirror. Instead of continuing to see this lockdown as an event that has trapped me, I will try and see the opportunity that is presented. A break from my job, a chance to start this blog and hours where I can get lost in more gripping novels like this one.
All I am left to say is, do not be fooled by the title of this book by assuming it will leave you feeling distressed or grieved. It tells the gripping story of an amazing man with beautiful aspirations, commemorating the devastating events that took place but demonstrating that humans have an amazing ability to find hope in the darkest hours.
Please send through any book recommendations, furloughed life means I have a lot of hours each day to fill up. Next on my list is The Choice and Normal People…
The G Word 