The story follows the Benecke family as they are uprooted from their home in Liechtenstein by the Gestapo and are sent by cattle car to Auschwitz concentration camp. Through lucid details and engaging dialogue, the author captures the traumatic and melancholy experiences the family and countless other Jewish men, women, and children undergo as prisoners in the most notorious of death camps. From their arrival on the platform and through the selection process, the family witnesses the traumatic, horrid acts of violence perpetrated upon the innocent prisoners by the sadistic, heartless camp personnel. Through their faith in God, tacit resilience, and the unorthodox assistance of an SS officer the family finds a way to survive and share their experiences for posterity.
