The Holocaust was a complex and horrifying experience that affected millions of people in Europe. The nearly 13 years of Nazi rule had an enormous influence on the day-to-day existence of people in every walk of life: Jews and non-Jews, perpetrators and rescuers, collaborators and resisters, officials and ordinary citizens. Nearly all of Europe's Jews were victims. Students, teachers, and interested readers can explore how the daily lives of these victims, despite their heroic efforts to survive and maintain a normal existence, became increasingly untenable and for most eventually ended in death. Along with the often harrowing details of life under the Nazis, emphasis is placed on uplifting accounts of resistance and the role of rescuers.
Accounts from survivors whose testimonies have never been published provide powerful insight into the devastating effects Nazi rule had on people's lives. In addition to the Jews, significant numbers of others—Gypsies, clergy who protested or protected victims, Communists, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, the mentally ill and handicapped, and others—were persecuted, and their stories are also noted. Soumerai, a survivor herself, interweaves her painful recollections throughout the text to provide a unique perspective on the historical events described. Readers will learn how aspects of everyday living became symbols of resistance for many of the victims: educating their children, practicing their religion, eating and drinking, and maintaining personal hygiene took on new significance. More than 30 photographs further illuminate these experiences.