Ravensbruck

Life and Death in Hitler's Concentration Camp for Women

By: Sarah Helm

Narrated by: Christa Lewis

On a sunny morning in May 1939, a phalanx of 867 women - housewives, doctors, opera singers, politicians, prostitutes - was marched through the woods 50 miles north of Berlin, driven on past a shining lake, then herded in through giant gates. Whipping and kicking them were scores of German women guards. Their destination was Ravensbrück, a concentration camp designed specifically for women by Heinrich Himmler, prime architect of the Holocaust. By the end of the war 130,000 women from more than 20 different European countries had been imprisoned there; among the prominent names were Geneviève de Gaulle, General de Gaulle's niece, and Gemma La Guardia Gluck, sister of the wartime mayor of New York. Only a small number of these women were Jewish; Ravensbrück was largely a place for the Nazis to eliminate other inferior beings - social outcasts, Gypsies, political enemies, foreign resisters, the sick, the disabled, and the "mad". Over six years the prisoners endured beatings, torture, slave labor, starvation, and random execution. In the final months of the war, Ravensbrück became an extermination camp. Estimates of the final death toll by April 1945 have ranged from 30,000 to 90,000.

©2015 Sarah Helm (P)2017 Tantor

Excellent!

Such an amazing and sad story. Very well written and full of first hand accounts. History owes Sarah Helm a big thanks for this book.
I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to a better narrator. She reads this book as if she wrote it. As far as audio books go, this is an absolute masterpiece!

A good read, but tough to get through.

I listen to audio books at work and I really enjoy books on this topic. The information and the delivery of the book were great. It was just so heavy with facts and names that sometimes it was hard to keep straight.

An important book

The Ravensbruck story should be remembered as one of the worst human tragedies in the history of the world, yet it remains a story largely unknown. I cannot fathom the time and research invested in writing this book. It was at times a very difficult read, but I am so grateful to have taken the time to read it, and to Sarah Helm for writing it. Christa Lewis’ narration is very good with authentic accents to further engross you into the story. The book does move slowly, for both its painful content and for the sheer volume of information, but it is well worth the effort. I recommend it to anyone interested in the details of the Ravensbruck story and in honoring the thousands of women and children who lived and died there, by taking the time to read and remember.

One of the best written & narrated books!!

I probably wouldn't have been able to get thr through this book by actually reading it because of so many people described in it but listening to it read by the best narrator made this one of the best books ive ever listened to. The author describes these peoples stories from the actual victims. I appreciated not being beaten over the head with how bad Nazi's were and the author let the actions described speak on that. ALL people from ALL backgrounds did unspeakable things and I asked myself many times what i would have done if in that situation. I appreciated that the author was confident in her writing and didnt feel the need to push any ideal or judgement for the actions taken by all of these in the book. I only know of one other book by this author and will listen to it next. Hopefully there are more that im not aware of yet. This is in my top 5 fav. of all time. Narrator is the best ive heard!

Haunting, Chilling, Must Read

Would you consider the audio edition of Ravensbruck to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version

Who was your favorite character and why?

Numerous people's stories

Which scene was your favorite?

I can't choose one

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes. I will never look at life the same. The horror and torments the women of Ravensbruck had to endure in hopes of surviving, until liberated, is deplorable. I will never have a bad day again where I don't think of these poor souls. My worst days are better than their best days by far. I will be grateful for each and every day of my wonderful life. It is unfathomable the horrors committed by the Nazis. I can't even find the words. This book should be required reading for all.