Yankele
A Holocaust Survivor's Bittersweet Memoir
Published on 22. December 2001
Book
Paperback/Softback
274 pages
978-0-7618-2138-0 (ISBN)
Description
In Yankele: A Holocaust Survivor's Bittersweet Memoir, Alex (Yankele) Gross tells the tale of his life as a Hungarian boy amidst the turmoil of World War II Europe. Beginning with his childhood in the village of Palanok, Alex recalls happy memories nestled in the bosom of family and friends. His peaceful existence was shortly disrupted when his community is rounded up and placed in a ghetto and subsequently deported to Auschwitz. Here Alex vividly depicts the horror of his imprisonment at the camp, his forced march to Gleiwitz, and his ride on the flat car to Buchenwald - a journey that has been similarly immortalized by Elie Wiesel's Night. After he was liberated, Alex was free to reunite with his surviving siblings in Prague, but also had to face all of the difficulties inherent in beginning a new life. After moving to England, where he begins his practical education under the guidance of his adoptive family, Alex finally makes his way to America where he becomes successful business and family man. Tragedy soon follows, however, with the loss of his teenage son and the murder of his first wife. In spite of this, Yankele endures as a story of happiness, revealing the depths of faith, courage and honor of this modern-day Job.
Reviews / Votes
Having endured ultimate anguish and suffering as an adolescent in Auschwitz, Alex Gross fulfills his duty to bear witness. He does so with poignancy and feeling in this autobiography. It must be read by anyone wishing to increase his or her knowledge of the tragic and fateful event that will continue to haunt generations to come. -- Elie Wiesel Alex Gross considers himself to be a lucky man who survived the Holocaust to build a business, a family, and a circle of friends. Those who read this book will be drawn to his compelling story to learn what happened to him during and after the Holocaust, and will wonder at his moral resilience. This story of sadness and joy, pain and triumph, has much to teach. -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, Emory University; author of Denying the Holocaust * Emory University * Living through the unspeakable horror of the Holocaust and challenged by additional personal tragedies, Alex Gross, by the unique gift of his soul, has permeated those painful experiences with a vitality of holy spirituality that is nothing short of amiracle. This book is a triumph over all that is evil beyond the pale of our rational minds. -- Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, The Shul, Surfside, Florida This book is about triumph over adversity with lessons for life for everyone. It is a read that I will never forget. -- Bruce Blythe, CEO, Crisis Management International This book is about triumph over adversity with lessons for life for everyone. It is a read that I will never forget. -- Bruce Blythe, CEO, Crisis Management International Having endured ultimate anguish and suffering as an adolescent in Auschwitz, Alex Gross fulfills his duty to bear witness. He does so with poignancy and feeling in this autobiography. It must be read by anyone wishing to increase his or her knowledge of the tragic and fateful event that will continue to haunt generations to come. -- Elie Wiesel Alex Gross considers himself to be a lucky man who survived the Holocaust to build a business, a family, and a circle of friends. Those who read this book will be drawn to his compelling story to learn what happened to him during and after the Holocaust, and will wonder at his moral resilience. This story of sadness and joy, pain and triumph, has much to teach. -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, Emory University; author of Denying the Holocaust * Emory University * Living through the unspeakable horror of the Holocaust and challenged by additional personal tragedies, Alex Gross, by the unique gift of his soul, has permeated those painful experiences with a vitality of holy spirituality that is nothing short of a miracle. This book is a triumph over all that is evil beyond the pale of our rational minds. -- Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, The Shul, Surfside, FloridaMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Lanham, MD
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
410 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7618-2138-0 (9780761821380)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Alex Gross is a holocaust survivor living in Atlanta. He was born in the Carpathian mountains which then belonged to Hungary. After losing his parents in the war, Alex went briefly to Prague and then to England, where he was adopted. Eventually, he immigrated to America where he and his family became builders in Ohio and then in Georgia. In 1995, he received an Honorary Degree from Emory University. Today, he is a retired businessman living in Miami.
Content
Chapter 1 Preface, David R. Blumenthal
Chapter 2 Life in the Valley of the Shadow of Death
Chapter 3 My Life in Palanok
Chapter 4 A Changing Village
Chapter 5 Two Weeks in the Ghetto
Chapter 6 The Cattle Ride to Hell
Chapter 7 A9018: Surviving the Flames
Chapter 8 Buna: Part I
Chapter 9 Buna: Part II
Chapter 10 The March from Buna
Chapter 11 From Gleiwitz to Buchenwald
Chapter 12 Buchenwald
Chapter 13 Angles in Buchenwald
Chapter 14 Picking Up the Pieces in Prague
Chapter 15 Scotland
Chapter 16 England
Chapter 17 Images
Chapter 18 Before the War
Chapter 19 After the War
Chapter 20 America
Chapter 21 Family 2001
Chapter 22 Life in the New World
Chapter 23 The "Goldene Medina"
Chapter 24 The American Way
Chapter 25 The U.S. Army
Chapter 26 Growing Albee Homes
Chapter 27 More to Life than Work, Work, Work
Chapter 28 Linda
Chapter 29 Albee Hits Bottom
Chapter 30 Modulage Homes
Chapter 31 Atlanta: The Greatest Tragedy
Chapter 32 Pulling Together
Chapter 33 Yet Another Tragedy
Chapter 34 Farewell, Linda
Chapter 35 Epilogue
Chapter 36 Concluding Interview, David R. Blumenthal
Chapter 37 Afterword, Deborah E. Lipstadt
Chapter 38 Notes
Chapter 2 Life in the Valley of the Shadow of Death
Chapter 3 My Life in Palanok
Chapter 4 A Changing Village
Chapter 5 Two Weeks in the Ghetto
Chapter 6 The Cattle Ride to Hell
Chapter 7 A9018: Surviving the Flames
Chapter 8 Buna: Part I
Chapter 9 Buna: Part II
Chapter 10 The March from Buna
Chapter 11 From Gleiwitz to Buchenwald
Chapter 12 Buchenwald
Chapter 13 Angles in Buchenwald
Chapter 14 Picking Up the Pieces in Prague
Chapter 15 Scotland
Chapter 16 England
Chapter 17 Images
Chapter 18 Before the War
Chapter 19 After the War
Chapter 20 America
Chapter 21 Family 2001
Chapter 22 Life in the New World
Chapter 23 The "Goldene Medina"
Chapter 24 The American Way
Chapter 25 The U.S. Army
Chapter 26 Growing Albee Homes
Chapter 27 More to Life than Work, Work, Work
Chapter 28 Linda
Chapter 29 Albee Hits Bottom
Chapter 30 Modulage Homes
Chapter 31 Atlanta: The Greatest Tragedy
Chapter 32 Pulling Together
Chapter 33 Yet Another Tragedy
Chapter 34 Farewell, Linda
Chapter 35 Epilogue
Chapter 36 Concluding Interview, David R. Blumenthal
Chapter 37 Afterword, Deborah E. Lipstadt
Chapter 38 Notes