his was one of the most powerful and heartbreaking books I’ve read in a long time. I had never heard of Fredy Hirsch before, but now I’ll never forget him. He was a young Jewish man who found himself in Auschwitz, and instead of giving in to despair, he created something incredible: a school for children, right in the middle of the camp.

What really struck me was the strength and dignity he showed in the face of such cruelty. Fredy didn’t just protect the kids physically—he gave them hope, structure, and even moments of joy. The fact that he managed to do this in one of the darkest places in history is almost beyond belief.

Wendy Holden does a beautiful job telling this story. You can feel how deeply she respects the people she’s writing about, and the book reads with a sense of urgency and heart. It’s devastating, yes—but also inspiring. Fredy’s story reminded me that even in the worst circumstances, one person’s courage can make a real difference.

If you’re interested in World War II history, the Holocaust, or stories of quiet heroism, this book is absolutely worth reading. Just have tissues nearby.

I have grown weary over time with books in this time period as I’ve read so many but this one was heartbreaking and beautiful and showed another side of this horrific time period
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me

This story is based on the real life of Fredy Hirsch. Fredy was a young Jewish man who lived several years in the Terezin ghetto before being sent to Auschwitz. Fredy had a passion for physical education and a heart for children. His greatest accomplishment was protecting as many children as he could from the horrors of the war. He insisted on cleanliness and did his best to ward off disease. In Terezin he began educating the children in special rooms. Later in Auschwitz, he was able to secure an entire barracks just for the children where he created an oasis, a haven that shielded the children from the horrors of the concentration camp.

This book was so inspirational! I have read many Holocaust stories but all of them focused on the adults. This one gave insight into the many children who lived in Auschwitz. Fredy was brave, kind, persuasive, and resilient. While most people were scared of the SS officers, Fredy's charm enabled him to ask (and receive) things that were unheard of. I loved that the story was told in first person (even though Fredy died). It made it even more authentic to hear his story in his own voice. There were two things that kept me from giving it a higher rating. One is the slow pace. The first half of the book focused on his life before Auschwitz. It was interesting but so detailed that I had to keep putting it down. It picked up once he arrived in Auschwitz and set up the kinder barracks. The other problem I had was that the chapters kept switching back and forth in time. It was hard to follow on my kindle. I would have preferred a chronological timeline. Overall, Fredy's is a story that needs to be read.

Over all, I did enjoy this book. I do feel it started out slow, and the jumping around in timelines did get kinda confusing. This book showed a very very brave man. The way Fredy, protected children and brought some light and love during this very horrific times was absolutely heartbreaking but amazing. I am so happy I was able to read his story.

The Teacher of Auschwitz is the lightly fictionalized story of German-Jewish Holocaust victim Fredy Hirsch. This is not a perfect book, but I do think that it has a lot of heart. The portrayal of Hirsch is sympathetic and attempts to work through some of the controversy he has faced since his murder. Hirsch was, of course, gay. In the decades since the Holocaust, this has often resulted in him being maligned for his interest in working with children (as though the two things have any relationship at all!). I think that Holden deals with this well. Likewise, she uses some newer information to provide an alternative explanation for how someone utterly committed to protecting his students could go on to commit suicide rather than leading them bravely into the gas chambers. It posits a situation in which he is more or less poisoned to prevent his participation in a revolt. Whatever the truth, I do believe that Hirsch was a good man, much loved by his surviving students. I think this book helps to humanize him and show his incredible youth. He was so young and yet did so much for so many.

This novel is based on the life of Fredy Hirsch. A German born Gay Jew made to flee his homeland in search of surviving the Nazi Regime during WWII. The book was uniquely written as it bounces from pre-war experiences to escape war experiences to concentration camp experiences and how life experiences get in the way. The author did a superb job in researching this novel and writing about camp life. From Theresienstadt to Auschwitz Fredy is charged with protecting children in all camps and his personality wins him the sentiment of the Nazi's. In ways I have never seen he was able to take camp life and make it almost livable to his charges. Even when things were bad he persevered and always tried to keep the worst of what was happening from the children. No matter how hard they had it in the camps he always made sure the children were as blind as possible. Then the impossible happens and Fredy loses all hope. The very clear impending annihilation of everything he holds dear is threatened and Fredy is forced to make a choice that no human should ever have to make. At times disheartening and other times enlightening the Teacher of Auschwitz will leave an indelible imprint on your heart and your psyche. Be forewarned this is a War Story and as such not all are happy endings. Many things that happened during WWII and the atrocities that people faced to survive are things that we have never had to deal with in this life. Starvation, no clothes or food and temperatures below freezing for months on end with no heat will alter how you think the world should operate. The hate and oppression will foster love and appreciation for the things that you have and the time you live in. Deeply innovative and well written this novel will change the way you look at life.

Based on a true story between a teacher and the children of Auschwitz. I had never thought about any happiness in the prison. It is a sad, heartbreaking story, but it also shows some happiness brought through one man.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

The teacher of Auschwitz , The story of Fredy Hirsh inspired by true events. What a heart wrenching story. Fredy spent his life teaching and protecting children. From early on in the ghettos all the way to Auschwitz. He did all he could to save as many lives as possible. I highly recommend this book. If you want to learn and read more about the holocaust read this! Fredy was a true hero. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am Jewish and enjoy reading books about the Holocaust for several reasons. Learning more about what went on but also reminding myself of what went on. We must never forget.

With that being said, this was not one of my favorite reads. I found myself putting it down and having a hard time picking it back up.

I appreciated the story and thought it was interesting just not my favorite.

This inspiring book, “The Teacher of Auschwitz” by Wendy Holden, fictionalizes the life of Fredy Hirsch, a remarkable man who showed incredible strength and courage during World War II. In the darkest times, one man’s hope and dreams can be truly inspiring.

I generally love books delving into the lives of those who inspired hope during WWII, and on the whole this book was good.

We follow Fredy through his teens and twenties and learn how he helped many children and friends during his time in the ghetto and concentration camp. As a teacher myself I was moved by his accomplishments. And knowing it was partially true made it that much more impressive.

My only criticism would be is that it seemed that some of the coincidences of running into the same people over and over in different places and getting away with more than most people seemed almost unbelievable. I would have to stop and try to decide if I thought an event or meeting could really happen or if it was something the author used as fiction.

Overall another good book relating to the horrors of history and the Holocaust that I would recommend.

I enjoy reading WWII novels, and especially enjoyed The Teacher of Auschwitz. Especially after visiting Auschwitz, I was excited to read this novel. Too be so driven to protect the children, and to put them instead of saving yourself is so heartwarming. It is so heartwretching to read what these Jewish adults and especially children lived through. Freddy Hirsch who was a dedicated teacher and did everything to keep the childrens spirits up, educate them, and kept their thoughts from hunger. Read this novel to find out what is Freddy's fate. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to its publication.

This book was heart wrenchingly beautiful. at times I had to put it down because it was tough emotionally to readThank you so much for letting me read! I love a good historical fiction and this did not miss! I really enjoyed the writing style and the characters! Can't wait to read more of this authors work in the future!

This was such a great story. The strength that Fredy had in order to help children is amazing. I love seeing the stories of those that were inside being told. The fact that he is not known but had such an impact on making the camps a little more survivable for children is sad. I hope his name lives on. This is a hard story to read but definitely worth it.

Thank you so much for letting me read! I love a good historical fiction and this did not miss! I really enjoyed the writing style and the characters! Can't wait to read more of this authors work in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

This was a good book, not a very good book as it does need some work, it could be five to ten chapters shorter or longer depending on where the story goes. The story line makes sense and I can see where it was trying to go, but towards the ends there is something i dont really know what to call it, but it seems like I needed to know more, but at the same time i was like "ok i get it" so I was not sure how to feel about it.

During the horror of WWII, Fredy Hirsch did everything in his power to protect and advocate for the youth of Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. During his early life, he discovered a love for athletics. As a teenager, he began working with the youth promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. As part of the Jewish Council, he was sent to Theresienstadt early, to set up a program for youth. There he risked his life for his children. After several years, Freddy was sent to the Family Camp in Auschwitz. There, he set up a special barracks for young children. He imposed rules and order amidst unthinkable horror.

This was an amazing and powerful story. Fredy Hirsch is a hero and role model. He really came to life in this story. He was both realistic and lovable. The story alternated between Theresienstadt and his early life. I wish the novel had been presented in a linear fashion, the back and forth was not needed. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.