Germany, 1947.
A strange case scheduled for the Denazification Court lands on the desk of an American psychiatrist currently serving in Germany, Dr. Hoffman.
A former Auschwitz guard, Franz Dahler, is set to appear in court, and he has requested to bring the most unexpected witness to testify in his defense – one of his former inmates and current wife, Helena.
As soon as one of the newly … as one of the newly emerging Nazi hunters and former Auschwitz inmate, Andrej Novák, recognizes the officer’s name, he demands a full investigation of Dahler’s crimes, claiming that the former SS man was not only abusing Helena in the camp but is also using her as a ploy to escape prosecution.
Silent, subdued, and seemingly dependent on her husband’s every word, Helena appears to be a classic victim of abuse, and possibly more of an aid to the prosecution instead of the defense.
As she begins giving her testimony, Dr. Hoffman finds himself more and more confused at the picture that gradually emerges before his eyes; a perpetrator is claimed to be the savior and the accuser, the criminal.
The better Dr. Hoffman gets to know each participant, the more he begins to question himself; whether he’s facing a most unimaginable love story, or a new and still-nameless psychological disorder affecting the very manner in which Helena sees the events of the past.
Partially based on a true story, this deeply psychological, haunting novel will take you back in time to the heart of Auschwitz and post-war Germany, and will keep you guessing the true motive of each side.
A strange case scheduled for the Denazification Court lands on the desk of an American psychiatrist currently serving in Germany, Dr. Hoffman.
A former Auschwitz guard, Franz Dahler, is set to appear in court, and he has requested to bring the most unexpected witness to testify in his defense – one of his former inmates and current wife, Helena.
As soon as one of the newly emerging Nazi hunters and former Auschwitz inmate, Andrej Novák, recognizes the officer’s name, he demands a full investigation of Dahler’s crimes, claiming that the former SS man was not only abusing Helena in the camp but is also using her as a ploy to escape prosecution.
Silent, subdued, and seemingly dependent on her husband’s every word, Helena appears to be a classic victim of abuse, and possibly more of an aid to the prosecution instead of the defense.
As she begins giving her testimony, Dr. Hoffman finds himself more and more confused at the picture that gradually emerges before his eyes; a perpetrator is claimed to be the savior and the accuser, the criminal.
The better Dr. Hoffman gets to know each participant, the more he begins to question himself; whether he’s facing a most unimaginable love story, or a new and still-nameless psychological disorder affecting the very manner in which Helena sees the events of the past.
Partially based on a true story, this deeply psychological, haunting novel will take you back in time to the heart of Auschwitz and post-war Germany, and will keep you guessing the true motive of each side.more
Auschwitz Syndrome is a work of fiction but closely based on fact. Not only was it a riveting book to read and it is also an important work of historical interest. Set in the concentration camp of Auschwitz / Birkenhau it’s set in the sorting shed where the prisoners sort through the belongings of those victims sent to the gas chambers. Midwood’s descriptions draw vivid pictures of the scenes, and the storyline is excellent. It’s a new take on the situation, coming from a different angle. Despite studying this historical period in college, I learned so much more from this book. I knew I was going to enjoy the book before I even downloaded it as I am one of Ellie Midwood’s greatest fans.
An exceptional read for so many different reasons that I highly recommend.
Although I’ve read books that refer to “privileged” concentration camp inmates this is the first I’ve read from their viewpoint. The author dealt with conflicting emotions, guilt and the will to survive very well.
The book is based on a true case of a SS officer marrying a Jewish inmate in his charge after the end of the war. A highly unusual story, this book raises additional issues of the power and unpredictable nature of love, forgiveness and regret. Throughout the author displays close attention to detail and her commitment to accurate and strenuous research shines through.
Using the facts, the author creates believable, sympathetic characters that I truly felt for.
The book structure worked brilliantly. The experiences of Franz and Helena are recounted in front of an American psychologist, Dr Hoffman at Franz’s denazification trial. At the start of the trial, Dr Hoffman believes Helena is acting under duress and the marriage is a sham. By the end of the trial, while still questioning how it was possible, Dr Hoffman accepts they share a love and are deeply interdependent of each other.
I’ve followed this author since the start and this is my personal favourite to date.
***** A Harrowing and Brilliant Portrayal of Love
This Being-At-the-Right-Place-At-the-Right-Time love story is truly unique. As with all of Ms. Midwood’s books, I am always fascinated (and horrified) to learn so many facts about this devastating time period in WW2 Europe. In this book, Midwood shows how in Auschwitz, fifty ‘lucky’ women in the coveted Canada section were not condemned to death. Instead, their job was to pour through the belongings of those unlucky people who had been gassed, and set aside their valuables to give to the Third Reich.
Helena is one of those fortunate ones –– by sheer chance. When she had first arrived at the camp, she was immediately slated for extermination. She wasn’t even given a tattooed number on her arm. Then, because Rottenfurher Franz Dahler, the man in charge of this Canada detail, was having his 20th birthday celebration, the beautiful Helena was asked if she knew how to sing. She said yes, sang for him, and he instantly fell in love. Then, not only did he save her life––as well as her sister’s––throughout the story, he continues to protect her any way he can, even though it is a dangerously complicated task.
Midwood, so good with details, describes the unspoken yet understood Quid Pro Quo system between the guards and the women, who, if they sewed in some of the coins they’d discovered going through clothes into the various Nazi guards’ trousers, they were allowed to keep food tidbits for themselves. How Helena was initially told exactly where to stand in the gas chambers to get the fullest impact of gas so as not to draw out her agony. And how the Canada women’s weekly inspections by the guards, are embarrassing, humiliating, and devastating to the new recruits; for the older inmates, it is yet another mind-numbing experience they no longer even think about. Survival has taken over everything.
But what I especially loved about this book was that along with Helena’s and her sister’s survival is the fact that slowly, but surely, Franz is saved as well––emotionally, philosophically, and empathetically. Bravo. More than recommended.
This is the first book that I have read by Author Ellie Midwood and it most definitely will not be my last! I have read several books in the past that relate the horrors of the Holocaust and in each one, it seems that another piece of evidence unfolds. In Auschwitz Syndrome, the love story of former Auschwitz guard Franz Dahler and Helena, a Jewish inmate, tends to shine a light against the cold, dark truth. The details of Franz and Helena’s love affair and marriage are given by Helena during the Denazification court led my American Psychiatrist, Dr. Hoffman. Is it possible to fall in love with a man that caused so much pain and suffering? Could this just be Helena’s way of survival? This is an astounding novel that shows not only the terrifying truth behind the extermination camps ran by the SS, but it goes deeper in that it shows that these were real people with feelings, not just numbers. Author, Ellie Midwood has written a masterpiece that will touch on the readers emotions and will have you applauding her extensive research!
A new standalone story following the story of Helena and Franz Dahler. It takes during the war and a few years after while the trails are being held. It shows the deep psychological affect the war had on those living and surviving it.
It is a book that you will read with goosebumps all over your body and you will question motives, what is real and what isn’t. Is it love or trauma.
I learned a lot while reading this book. It gives horrifying inside into daily life at Auschwitz and I didn’t know about Kanada and how things were done in that part of Auschwitz. It shows the different people who work there and how the war and everything that happens in Auschwitz affect everybody in a different way.
It also show how three people can see the same events in a whole different way. Everyone of them experiences it differently.
It is food for thought.
Ms Midwood never ceases to amaze me with the stories she tells. With each book, the writing gets better and the stories are more heartfelt. I’ve read many stories about the Holocaust, but hers touch me in a way that many of the others don’t. This series about women has been especially emotional. The horrors of the war affected the perpetrators and victims alike. I once met a German man who must have been a soldier in the war. The anguish in his face when he thought about what had happened touched me to the core. It’s this anguish that I feel in this book.
Nazification
This book is bit different from others I have read about the Holocaust. It was actually based on a true story. The characters were engaging and believable.
The story takes place at a denazification trial after WWII. Through the testimonies of the witnesses and the German Who was once an officer at Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland in charge of the warehouses called Kanada.
The story of a young woman, her sister, and the Nazi officer that saved her life more than once and saved her sister’s life as well. How she fell in love with this officer and their story.
It is filled with death, tragedy, life, horrific acts , hatred, and a bit of kindness all thrown together. The stories of what went on at the camp are horrific, but they need to be told. This story is based around those that worked around Kanada and those in charge.
I do recommend this book.
Inspired by a true story, this historical fiction novel revolves around the Denazification trial of a former SS Guard (Franz Dahler) at Auschwitz who brings an unusual witness to his defense-his wife, Helene, a former Jewish inmate at the concentration camp. Nazi Hunter, Andrej Novak is determined to prove that Dahler is an abusive husband who has and continues to terrorize and control his wife. The American psychiatrist hearing the case, Dr. Hoffman, discovers that not all is quite what it seems.
This evenly balanced and well-written novel brings you into the heart of the unrelenting horror and brutality the inmates suffered at Auschwitz. Written from the three different points of view of Dr. Hoffman, Helene, and her husband, Franz, I felt this structure did the story a great service as it provided answers to questions I had as they popped up. Engrossing yet heart-breaking, it was clear that the author did a tremendous amount of research without bogging the reader down with minutiae. It is a tough read due to the subject matter, but very much worth your time.
Though the book is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Salutations my Fellow Book Dragons on this Sacred Sunday. I do hope it has been a peaceful day for you. Our Gem this evening is wrapped in an old piece of cloth, the stripes that had once been blue are now a faded grey and the white is no longer white but dingy, but it protects the Gem well. The Gem itself is roughly hewn, with six points, seemingly clear, like a crystal, in the light it reflects flashes of white and blue light..but hold it in the light of a candle and a miraculous thing appears to happen..the edges light up gold. This is “Auschwitz Syndrome”, it’s Maker is Ellie Midwood. To hold this Gem in One’s claw is too feel a heaviness in the soul, a sadness that seems to come from nowhere and everywhere, a piercing loneliness that makes one determined that there should never be a Gem like this again.
“Auschwitz Syndrome” is based on a true story. It is a tale that grabbed my soul and did not let go. This is the story of Franz Dahler, SS Rottenfuhrer of the Kanada at Auschwitz and Helena Kleinova and how their paths not only crossed but how they came to be man and wife under circumstances so unfathomable that only the Maker, Himself could have seen it coming.
Midwood’s story starts at Franz’s Denazification hearing. “What is that?” I hear you asking. Denazification was a process Germans POWS, former soldiers and members of the Nazi Party could go through after the war to prove they were not involved in Crimes Against Humanity. It was set up after the Nuremberg and as the American Military Tribunals were winding down. It was a complex process. This is the story of one of those hearings.
Franz Dahler committed an unpardonable sin in the eyes of his fellow SS, especially in the eyes of his Fuhrer. Franz Dahler fell in love with a Jewess. Helena Kleinova is scheduled for the gas chamber. She is standing in line, waiting, when she is suddenly removed from the line. An SS man is having a birthday and she is one of a very few women chosen to entertain him at his party. She is humiliated, told to pick out some clothes from a room and told to wait. Hours later someone comes to get her and she sings for him. He is smitten. He gets her removed from the list of women to be gassed.
Helena goes to work in the Kanada. This is where all the spoils go that are taken from those who are murdered as soon as they step off the transports. Their clothes, suitcases, shoes, jewelry, money, books, bibles, birth certificates, hairbrushes, etc. Thus the name, Kanada (Canada), the land of plenty, wealth. She goes to work there sorting. What a horrible thing it must have been to have to go through the property of those no longer with us.
Next…Next I cannot tell you for to try to describe it here would be paltry compared to Midwood’s telling of this story and I will not do that. You must read this book. If you have read Cilka’s Journey. If you haven’t. If you are a lover of history. If you are not. If you have a heart in your chest, a soul, and a breath in your lungs, you must read this book.
I have read over two hundred and fifty books on the Holocaust. Fifty of these have been historical fiction. I have never read a book like “Auschwitz Syndrome”. Too many people these days deny it ever happened. Too many try to downplay what happened there. But I have never heard anyone ever talk about this aspect of the camps. Please you must get this book. It is available in both Kindle and Paperback. You can get it on KU for free right now.
I realize there was not much to this review but Ellie Midwood’s writing has indeed left me very nearly speechless. Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a touching story, it’s a human story – but the real surprise is finding out after reading this tender yet utterly suspenseful story that it is closely based on a real story. Some of the names have been changed, and some have not. That doesn’t matter. Nobody in the story, I believe, is still around to object, if indeed they found anything objectionable. I doubt they would. What the book does is humanize an atrocity, a proceeding that is beyond human imagining, or at least it would have been had it not been actually happening. It was so far beyond human imagining that even photographic proof of it, smuggled out of the camps to the west, was thought to have been manufactured. We, those not involved, could not conceive of such an inhumane endeavor – but it had a very different appearance to those on the inside of it, and this book gives us such a look, a story told from the viewpoint of characters whose lives at times literally hung by a thread.
All I can say is ‘wow.’ Read this book. It will change your outlook on the Holocaust forever.
This story is based on historical facts and persons. If you are a fan of WWII history, then you will enjoy this book. The subject matter of a concentration camp can be daunting. However, this is a story that begs to be told.
Meeting the love of your life is usually a wonderful thing. But what if you meet in a concentration camp and he is one of the enemy. What if you become dependent on him for your very existence? And what if later, others question your love? How do you prove it in a court of law?
Read the story of Helena and Franz where love is stronger than hate and where the psychological trauma inflicted shaped one’s reality for a lifetime.
A first by me by Ellie Midwood and WOW! I consider myself a huge fan of historical fiction and non fiction especially in WW2. I’m fascinated by the many things I learned by reading it and all of the authors true dedication to historical facts and the way she wrote them. I felt the pain of the main character Helena’s unimaginable pain and her love of Franz even In the most unlikely and most grisly places in history and his truth as an SS officer who unlike most did not have an evil heart, though his own bravery would prove of who he was in his soul to many. Franz put his life on the line to save Helena’s and her sisters even when they were supposed to be the enemy. This book had me in tears many times and I felt so much sadness for all of the lives lost, the authors beautiful way of writing horror became something beautiful. This is a must read for any historical book lover! I absolutely loved this book and have found a new favorite author! I look forward to reading all of Ms.Midwood’s books! May we never forget……..
This was such a well written and well researched story about Helena and Franz, an unlikely love story that must be shared with everyone. This is a remarkable story of a young SS guard Franz who saved Helena and her sister from the gas chamber. How these two end up falling in love, when their utmost being was taught to hate each other, in the circumstance they were in, where sickness, brutality and murder are happening at every turn.
I felt that this story gives a glimmer of hope, and highlights the miracle of love that can come from the horrors of the WWII death camp, Auschwitz. Midwood crafted beautifully, and with utmost care and compassion, a fictional tale based on true stories. I was moved by her writing though the circumstances were horrifying and unimaginable. In Helena’s words, “we should never forget”.
This was an amazing read for me and one that a highly recommend.
Whenever I pick up a book by Ellie Midwood I have high expectations and for good reasons. Time and again Ms. Midwood has proven herself to be a fantastic writer who does her historical research and uses it to create a unique story that leaves the reader speechless. When I read the summary for this novel, I thought this might be her most challenging work to date. The story is based off a true story and at times it is hard to believe. The story follows Helena, a survivor of Auschwitz, who has seemingly fallen in love with one of the camp’s guards, Franz. It seems unbelievable to fellow survivor Andrej, who decides that Franz must be abusing Helena and therefore brings Franz before a Denazification Court so Helena can finally be set free. But, as the story progresses and Helena shares her point of view, it only poses more questions. Did she really fall in love with Franz or is there a deeper, psychological aspect at play?
For those of you who have read my reviews of Ms. Midwood’s other novels, you know I often say that her latest novel is one of my new favorites (though I unashamedly admit that The Girl from Berlin series will probably always remain my favorite of Ms. Midwood’s) but this one is perhaps my second favorite. It beats out all the other ones Ms. Midwood has written. It is well written, fantastically researched, and made me want to keep reading. And, when I was finished, I wanted to read it again. By the end of the novel, I was led to believe a certain aspect of Helena’s relationship with Franz. But, it begged the question, if I read it again, would I pick up other things that might lead me to a different conclusion? Since Ms. Midwood tells the story from Helena’s point of view, who might be perceived as an unreliable narrator, it is absolutely possible.
I would highly recommend this novel for historical fiction readers and anyone interested in psychology. The idea that someone who experienced such a hell like Auschwitz fell in love with one of her guards seems unfathomable and by the end, you will have to decide if love does conquer all or not.
This author writes books that move you and this one is no exception. She has this amazing ability to make you feel part of the story and, as you read, you desperately want it not to be based on truth, even though you know it is. She is able to bring characters alive. She doesn’t shy away from confronting situations, but she doesn’t overdramatize them either.
This book alternates between a trial and what happened in the past to cause the trial. It works very well. You end up unable to put the book down as you desperately want to find out what happens next.
Ellie Midwood is one of my favorite authors and a fabulous person. I had the privilege to read an advance copy of her new book Auschwitz Syndrome.
Despite the sinister title, it’s an uplifting book that shows how love can change a person, while never trivializing the immense suffering of those who had the misfortune to be sent to an extermination camp.
Ellie’s book is based on true persons and like always she’s done her research meticulously! Definitely a must-read.
Simply…wow. Another masterfully written book by the author detailing the harrowing history of a concentration camp survivor. Based on true events, the story opened my eyes to just how dark those horrific years must have been for ALL those involved. Let us pray history doesn’t repeat itself.
I have read hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books about the holocaust and other atrocities from the WWII era and rarely encounter a completely novel event or new angle at this point, so I was blown away when reading this book and learning about a real historical relationship that I had never read or heard about previously. When I started the book, I did not realize that it was based on real people, so I originally found myself getting angrier and angrier, as the story developed, with what I thought was a gratuitous love affair between a concentration camp guard and his prisoner that appeared to be implausible, horrifying and repugnant. I was poised to pan the book in my review based solely on the plot (as the writing itself was excellent given how angry I first was with the author for making up a love affair under these circumstances. So I was completely stunned as I kept reading despite my initial anger, only to learn at the end that the premise of the story was completely factual. The development of the relationship between this man and woman comes out in a painful recounting of the female prisoner’s harrowing experience in Auschwitz after the liberation of the camp, and in the context of a denazification trial where the former prisoner’s husband (and previous captor) is facing potential imprisonment. The trial is observed by first one, and then a second, psychiatrist – both of whom are in awe of what they hear from the wife during her testimony. As an undergrad psych major, the psychological issues that are so beautifully explored in this book were sufficient on their own to make this a worthy read. But beyond that, the haunting telling of the wife’s experience, and the detailed history that is woven into the narrative makes this a must read. It was obviously terribly emotional account, but an important story that left me wanting to know much more about what happened to this couple after the trial ended. This author did an extraordinary job illustrating resiliency, trauma, humanity, and conversely, inhumanity. I highly recommend this to other readers. Note that I received in advance copy of the book in exchange for my commitment to review the book – but the free book did not in any way influence my heartfelt review.
Knowing how meticulous Ms. Midwood is about recreating history, I was amazed with this different view of Auschwitz.
While they’re going through the trial of whether Franz was a war criminal or just a victim of circumstance, and reading how attached Helena became to Franz was mind blowing! Seeing the trial in Denazification Court, and hearing them recount what happened, how and why, will tear at your heart for everything that happened on both sides of the war. Definitely a favorite!
Auschwitz Syndrome is an extraordinary novel that will tug your heart strings and make your head spin with every turn of the page. Ellie Midwood has really outdone herself with this one—is it a love story, or a tale of horror? Possibly both? I loved the psychological aspects of this story—I felt so sure I knew what was happening one minute, and the next I’d changed my mind. The amount of research and detail that went into this novel is astounding—the meticulous work and care bleeds from the page and gave me chills! But it reads like such a smooth piece of fiction, Midwood’s narrative hitting close to the bone and sucking the reader right into her characters’ lives. They were so deeply portrayed, the plot complex and addictive…I adored every page of it and tried my best to unravel this one…The writing is beautiful, some lines striking me right in the gut. Midwood’s writing is fearless and there is so much to admire here. It’s a must-read for all fans of the genre, and for anyone who loves a complex, haunting story that will keep glued to the pages. GOOSEBUMPS!!