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Giants: The Dwarfs of Auschwitz
Giants: The Dwarfs of Auschwitz is a moving and inspirational story of survival, of a troupe of seven dwarf siblings, whose story starts like a fairy tale, before moving into the darkest moments of their history; the darkest moments of modern history. At a time when the phrase survival of the fittest was paramount, the Ovitz family, seven of whose ten members were dwarfs, less than three feet tall, defied the fate of so many other Holocaust victims. The irony was that, doubly doomed for being Jewish and disabled, it was their dwarfism that ultimately saved their lives. Authors Yehuda Koren and Eilat Negev deftly weave the tale of this beloved and successful family of singers and actors, the Lilliput Troupe. Their dazzling Vaudeville program, the only all-dwarf show at the time, made them famous entertainers in Central Europe in the 1930s and 40s. Descending from the cattle train into the death camp of Auschwitz, the Ovitz family was separated from other Jewish victims on the orders of one Dr Joseph Mengele. Obsessed with eugenics, Dr. Mengele experimented on the family, aiming to discover the biological and pathological causes of the birth of dwarfs. Like a single-minded scientist, he guarded his human lab-rats, and subsequently, when the Russian army liberated Auschwitz, all members of the family - the youngest, a baby boy just 18 months-old, the oldest, a 58 year-old woman - were alive. It was the only family that entered the death camp and lived to tell the tale. The family eventually restructured their lives and became successful performers once again, but the indelible mark of their experiences was carried with them until the end. Giants is based on thorough exhaustive research and interviews with Perla Ovitz, the troupe's last surviving member, and scores of Auschwitz survivors. The authors tracked down significant medical documentation and unearthed original Nazi records.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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December 18, 2018
This is the remarkable and fascinating story of the Ovitz family. They were a Romanian Jewish family, which included what was called the Lilliput Group. This was comprised of 7 dwarf musicians and actors who became very popular touring Romania, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary with their vaudeville-style act. They were the largest family of dwarfs ever recorded and the largest family to survive the unspeakable horrors of Auschwitz death camp intact.
The group were the children of a man who was himself a dwarf. He was educated in the Talmud and other aspects of Orthodox Judaism and became prosperous as an entertainer and religious scholar. He married twice to women of normal size. He fathered 10 children over 35 years. Seven were dwarfs (5 girls and 2 boys) and 2 daughters and 1 son of normal height.
The Lilliput entertainers continued touring until May 1944. When not touring 12 family members were living in one house which included the dwarf brothers and sisters, their average sized sisters and a couple of other close family members. The normal sized family members helped the little people around the house while touring and backstage. Also, a man, Simon Slomowitz, who acted as their handyman and chauffeur, was essential for their wellbeing. He often lifted and carried the little people. A normal sized brother was living elsewhere and was not with the family group when they were rounded up and transported to Auschwitz, but being a Jew he was executed.
Almost 90% of the people transported to Nazi death camps were sent directly to the gas chambers. Some of the youngest and fittest were selected for slave labour but rarely survived the mistreatment, disease, and starvation. When no longer able to work they were executed Rarely did one family member emerge from the camps, and even rarer for two to survive. All the deported Ovitz family members emerged from the death camp after the war ended, along with Smolowitz and family, as he was permitted to help them during their imprisonment. Included with the group in the extermination camp were a couple of cousins and ‘pretend cousins’.
The Ovitz dwarfs were doubly doomed when they arrived at Auschwitz, being considered unworthy of living due to the Nazi policy of racial purity, being both Jewish and physically handicapped. However, the unique group was sighted by the notorious Dr. Mengele. He selected them for his horrible medical experiments which yielded nothing of scientific value. He was intrigued that the family not only included the 7 dwarfs but also normal sized people. He wanted to discover the cause which is today referred to as Grebe Syndrome. It is the type of dwarfism where the head and upper body is normal sized, but the arms and legs are shortened. Ironically the cause was not found until 1995 by a Jewish scientist.
They endured many blood tests, countless measurements, having a liquid poured in their eyes which temporarily blinded them, hot water in their ears, humiliating gynecological examinations on the women. They dreaded each time they were summoned by Dr. Mengele, but more frightened when he was absent from camp. They knew their fate was tied to the experiments and if they ended they would be exterminated. Before Dr. Mengele started his futile eugenic experiments with twins and dwarfs they were immediately sent to the gas chambers.
The Ovitz group of entertainers realized that despite the painful and embarrassing medical tests, they were among the more privileged. They had been permitted to bring their fine clothes, cosmetics and musical instruments into camp and were not forced to have their heads shaved. Instead, they kept their elaborate coiffures. One day they were told to dress in their best costumes and carefully apply makeup to go on stage. They thought they would be performing their act in front of the elite camp officers. Although they hated the audience, they were overjoyed at the thought of performing again, a task they loved. Instead, once on stage they were ordered to strip naked for the amusement of the audience. This humiliation remained a hurtful memory for the rest of their lives.
At the end of the war, the camp was liberated by the Russian army. Mengele escaped to South America. The Ovitz family ended up in Russia, then Belgium. Most finally settled in Israel. The youngest Ovitz dwarf, Perla, survived into her 90’s and interviews with her gave a description of her experiences and feelings many years later. The authors also interviewed other survivors and diligently researched books and existing documents. The book also focuses on what happened to more victims of Dr. Mengele’s experiments, other dwarfs and twins. In addition, we read stories about other categories of prisoners which adds to the horror of the story.
I wished with so many names of historical victims that there had been a reference list of the characters. I was pleased that they included many relevant photographs.
The group were the children of a man who was himself a dwarf. He was educated in the Talmud and other aspects of Orthodox Judaism and became prosperous as an entertainer and religious scholar. He married twice to women of normal size. He fathered 10 children over 35 years. Seven were dwarfs (5 girls and 2 boys) and 2 daughters and 1 son of normal height.
The Lilliput entertainers continued touring until May 1944. When not touring 12 family members were living in one house which included the dwarf brothers and sisters, their average sized sisters and a couple of other close family members. The normal sized family members helped the little people around the house while touring and backstage. Also, a man, Simon Slomowitz, who acted as their handyman and chauffeur, was essential for their wellbeing. He often lifted and carried the little people. A normal sized brother was living elsewhere and was not with the family group when they were rounded up and transported to Auschwitz, but being a Jew he was executed.
Almost 90% of the people transported to Nazi death camps were sent directly to the gas chambers. Some of the youngest and fittest were selected for slave labour but rarely survived the mistreatment, disease, and starvation. When no longer able to work they were executed Rarely did one family member emerge from the camps, and even rarer for two to survive. All the deported Ovitz family members emerged from the death camp after the war ended, along with Smolowitz and family, as he was permitted to help them during their imprisonment. Included with the group in the extermination camp were a couple of cousins and ‘pretend cousins’.
The Ovitz dwarfs were doubly doomed when they arrived at Auschwitz, being considered unworthy of living due to the Nazi policy of racial purity, being both Jewish and physically handicapped. However, the unique group was sighted by the notorious Dr. Mengele. He selected them for his horrible medical experiments which yielded nothing of scientific value. He was intrigued that the family not only included the 7 dwarfs but also normal sized people. He wanted to discover the cause which is today referred to as Grebe Syndrome. It is the type of dwarfism where the head and upper body is normal sized, but the arms and legs are shortened. Ironically the cause was not found until 1995 by a Jewish scientist.
They endured many blood tests, countless measurements, having a liquid poured in their eyes which temporarily blinded them, hot water in their ears, humiliating gynecological examinations on the women. They dreaded each time they were summoned by Dr. Mengele, but more frightened when he was absent from camp. They knew their fate was tied to the experiments and if they ended they would be exterminated. Before Dr. Mengele started his futile eugenic experiments with twins and dwarfs they were immediately sent to the gas chambers.
The Ovitz group of entertainers realized that despite the painful and embarrassing medical tests, they were among the more privileged. They had been permitted to bring their fine clothes, cosmetics and musical instruments into camp and were not forced to have their heads shaved. Instead, they kept their elaborate coiffures. One day they were told to dress in their best costumes and carefully apply makeup to go on stage. They thought they would be performing their act in front of the elite camp officers. Although they hated the audience, they were overjoyed at the thought of performing again, a task they loved. Instead, once on stage they were ordered to strip naked for the amusement of the audience. This humiliation remained a hurtful memory for the rest of their lives.
At the end of the war, the camp was liberated by the Russian army. Mengele escaped to South America. The Ovitz family ended up in Russia, then Belgium. Most finally settled in Israel. The youngest Ovitz dwarf, Perla, survived into her 90’s and interviews with her gave a description of her experiences and feelings many years later. The authors also interviewed other survivors and diligently researched books and existing documents. The book also focuses on what happened to more victims of Dr. Mengele’s experiments, other dwarfs and twins. In addition, we read stories about other categories of prisoners which adds to the horror of the story.
I wished with so many names of historical victims that there had been a reference list of the characters. I was pleased that they included many relevant photographs.
May 5, 2014
Dwarfs in Auschwitz. Seven dwarfs in Auschwitz. Think about it for a moment. It sounds surreal doesn't it? Like a sick B-movie title. Yet it was a real thing. What's more, these seven dwarfs along with their normal sized family members, were the only family to survive in total from Auschwitz. How mind-blowing is that. Most families who entered that torturous place were wiped out completely, yet every member of this family walked out alive.
When I first saw the book cover and looked at the photograph, I couldn't imagine how such a family could exist in Auschwitz. How could they have avoided the extermination selections, or even get around in the camp and how did they all survive until the end? Then I saw the name Josef Mengele and I began to imagine why such a family may have been kept alive.
This is a powerful story of how an extraordinary family, just the opposite to the aryan ideal, was saved by their very difference. The irony was not lost on them either.
I read a lot of World War 2 and holocaust literature, but this book has a unique story to tell. The Ovitz family were different before they went into the camp and they were treated differently once they were there. They were allowed to keep their own clothes, housed together as a family and not subject to the gruelling work that others endured. Yet they were hardly safe. They had the same problems of starvation and the same worry of outliving their usefulness, which would lead them to the other side of the camp, with the chimneys. The experiments they endured for Mengele's scientific research, was the only reason they were kept alive. As Perla, the youngest Ovitz sister would later put it, "I was saved by the grace of the devil".
Josef Mengele was never tried or convicted for his crimes. He escaped to South America, eluding capture and extradition until he died at the age of 67. When asked in later life how she felt about the doctor, Perla Ovitz said, "I don't hate him, I should hate him, but he let us live" Hardly a knight in shining armour, but a saviour for this family nonetheless.
I can't end this review without linking to the excellent ITV programme produced last year, which documents the Ovitz's story in a more condensed form.
Warwick Davis: The Seven Dwarfs of Auschwitz
When I first saw the book cover and looked at the photograph, I couldn't imagine how such a family could exist in Auschwitz. How could they have avoided the extermination selections, or even get around in the camp and how did they all survive until the end? Then I saw the name Josef Mengele and I began to imagine why such a family may have been kept alive.
This is a powerful story of how an extraordinary family, just the opposite to the aryan ideal, was saved by their very difference. The irony was not lost on them either.
I read a lot of World War 2 and holocaust literature, but this book has a unique story to tell. The Ovitz family were different before they went into the camp and they were treated differently once they were there. They were allowed to keep their own clothes, housed together as a family and not subject to the gruelling work that others endured. Yet they were hardly safe. They had the same problems of starvation and the same worry of outliving their usefulness, which would lead them to the other side of the camp, with the chimneys. The experiments they endured for Mengele's scientific research, was the only reason they were kept alive. As Perla, the youngest Ovitz sister would later put it, "I was saved by the grace of the devil".
Josef Mengele was never tried or convicted for his crimes. He escaped to South America, eluding capture and extradition until he died at the age of 67. When asked in later life how she felt about the doctor, Perla Ovitz said, "I don't hate him, I should hate him, but he let us live" Hardly a knight in shining armour, but a saviour for this family nonetheless.
I can't end this review without linking to the excellent ITV programme produced last year, which documents the Ovitz's story in a more condensed form.
Warwick Davis: The Seven Dwarfs of Auschwitz
September 7, 2020
Βασισμένο σε αληθινή ιστορία το βιβλίο μας μεταφέρει στην ζωή της οικογένειας Όβιτς που ήταν Εβραίοι - νάνοι που έζησαν την κόλαση του Άουσβιτς και έζησαν στο σώμα τους τα φρικτά ιατρικά πειράματα του Μένγκελε.Καλό βιβλίο για να δεις απο μια ακόμα πτυχή την φρικαλεότητα του Άουσβιτς αλλά απο ένα σημείο και μετά ήταν απλά ένα καταγεγραμμένο χρονικό της οικογένειας Όβιτς.Αξιόλογο ως ένα βιβλίο που θα γεμίσεις την ώρα σου αλλά τίποτα περισσότερο.
July 23, 2014
I have read many survival stories of the holocaust and each are incredibly moving. This is unique as it tells the remarkable story of the survival of an entire family and some others who were claimed to be family members who survived solely because their disability intrigued Dr Mengele enough to will it. The courage of the Ovitz family is extra-ordinary even among so many extra-ordinary stories precisely because physically they were so helpless. Spiritually and mentally however it is true that they were giants. Victims who defied the label by displaying a confidence and maintaining a public face that carried them through the psychological torment and madness all around.
Below is the review I posted on Amazon.
Each holocaust survival story is unique in it's power to engage our hearts and minds with the horrific history of the third Reich, but this story of the survival of the Ovitz family leaps from the pages straight into the heart. "we see but we do not understand" is the repeated refrain of the biographers as they wander around Auschwitz trying to comprehend more fully what the Ovitz family endured and how they survived when so many perished.
Perla Ovitz' assertion that her family's determination to never stop telling the story speaks of a courage that can barely be imagined.
2012 celebrated people with disabilities on a public scale never before possible. The Ovitz family I am sure would have been in the forefront of those celebrating a victory of human dignity for all over centuries of ignorance and discrimination.
It is supremely ironic that the Nazi institutionalisation of racial hatred and all that that encompassed was the very institution that allowed Mengele to select a whole family of disabled people, who happened to be Jewish, for his personal study and entertainment thereby enabling their ultimate survival.
Below is the review I posted on Amazon.
Each holocaust survival story is unique in it's power to engage our hearts and minds with the horrific history of the third Reich, but this story of the survival of the Ovitz family leaps from the pages straight into the heart. "we see but we do not understand" is the repeated refrain of the biographers as they wander around Auschwitz trying to comprehend more fully what the Ovitz family endured and how they survived when so many perished.
Perla Ovitz' assertion that her family's determination to never stop telling the story speaks of a courage that can barely be imagined.
2012 celebrated people with disabilities on a public scale never before possible. The Ovitz family I am sure would have been in the forefront of those celebrating a victory of human dignity for all over centuries of ignorance and discrimination.
It is supremely ironic that the Nazi institutionalisation of racial hatred and all that that encompassed was the very institution that allowed Mengele to select a whole family of disabled people, who happened to be Jewish, for his personal study and entertainment thereby enabling their ultimate survival.
June 10, 2015
This has got to be one of the more unique books that dealt with the Holocaust. It is about one family. The Ovitz family were seven brothers and sisters who were dwarfs. Their father was a Dwarf, he was married twice and there were a total of ten kids over 35 years. Seven out of the ten kids were dwarfs.The family always stuck together they started up a vaudeville act and called themselves "the Lilliput Troupe" the holocaust was taking over Europe and the Ovitz family became victims. In the early 1940s the whole family was taken to Auschwitz. when sadly about ninety percent of the Jewish people who were taken there died,the Ovitz family were at least saved from death. Dr.Joseph Mengele "the angel of death" was there. anyone who has ever heard of him probably already know what a sick,sadistic monster this sub human was. Because of his interest in experimenting with certain groups of people.[Such as twins, or those born with handicaps} This beast of a man took an interest in the Ovitz family. For over a year, this family endured all kinds of painful testing. they also had to perform their vaudeville acts for anyone that dr.Mengele wanted to. One time forcing them to stand naked on a stage for all to see.
After the Holocaust and the Ovitz's lives were spared they tried to spend the rest of their lives trying to find a way to live and to find a home. eventually they opened up a movie theater they all operated. We read what happened to each of the family as well though out the years. I found this a pretty interestng book to read. Also horrified by what they went through to survive.
After the Holocaust and the Ovitz's lives were spared they tried to spend the rest of their lives trying to find a way to live and to find a home. eventually they opened up a movie theater they all operated. We read what happened to each of the family as well though out the years. I found this a pretty interestng book to read. Also horrified by what they went through to survive.
October 12, 2022
"They're Even Admitting that the Slander of Doctor Mengele is a Pack of Lies."
(Read it on Russia Insider)
Also, Former director of Museum of jewish heritage David Marwell, in his book Unmasking the Angel of Death, admits that what we know about Doctor Mengele is a Pack of Atrocious Lies, put together by rumors, Hollywood and jewish eyewitnesses.
"The twins were treated with respect "
Marwell also states that survivors testimonies are unreliable.
(Read it on Russia Insider)
Also, Former director of Museum of jewish heritage David Marwell, in his book Unmasking the Angel of Death, admits that what we know about Doctor Mengele is a Pack of Atrocious Lies, put together by rumors, Hollywood and jewish eyewitnesses.
"The twins were treated with respect "
Marwell also states that survivors testimonies are unreliable.
October 8, 2021
If I was to write a book, I would've probably written one like this. And it's not a complement. "sympathetically and eloquently told (...) moving and inspirational story", I don't think so. It's badly written, and the characters aren't inspirational, they are simply annoying. I often read books about Holocaust, this is one of the worst ones I've come across, like a poorly written (although relatively well researched) college assignment. Sooooo disappointing.
November 10, 2015
A wonderful book about the heart breaking and heart rending things that happened to people in Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. The Ovitz family were very rare and very special people, the family consisted of ten children, seven of whom were dwarfs. The condition was inherited from their father who had the children during his two marriages. The Ovitz's were proud, self reliant in as many ways as their smallness would allow them to be. They were all talented musicians and singers, they performed all over Central Europe, billed as the Lilliput Troupe. When the war reached their home in Romania they were rounded up with all the other Jewish families and put onto the dreaded cattle train bound for Auschwitz and almost certain death because of their supposed deformity and imperfection. As they descended from the train at the camp they were spotted by the infamous Dr. Joseph Mengele Because of their unique appearance and the fact that they were a family with a mixture of so many children some of whom were tall and some dwarfs, they were perfect subjects for his cruel and evil medical testing. Mengele was fascinated with any one who was 'different' even sets of twins had to undergo his awful tests and so many died at his hands. During their time at Auschwitz the ten siblings and other members of their family were subjected to constant tests, having blood taken until they passed out. Their courage was phenomenal, they were allowed to keep their own clothes which they had made themselves and used to perform in, they continued to dress themselves smartly, wore makeup and tried to keep up standards as far as they could. The amazing thing is that despite their ordeals they all survived and were liberated from the camp! Most of the family eventually settled in Israel and lived long lives, in fact Perla lived into her nineties.
This book is a testament to the courage of the Jewish people in general and a memorial to all those who underwent the horrifying abuse at the hands of the doctors who carried out the atrocities called 'testing' on innocent men, women and children.
This book is a testament to the courage of the Jewish people in general and a memorial to all those who underwent the horrifying abuse at the hands of the doctors who carried out the atrocities called 'testing' on innocent men, women and children.
November 18, 2015
Many remarkable stories exist of those who were imprisoned during the Holocaust and lived to tell about it. One such story is that of the Ovitz family: a family of seven dwarfs (I think “little people” is the correct PC-term); who were well-known stage performers before the war and had luck on their side during their time at Auschwitz. Yehuda Koren and Eilat Negev capture their tale in, “Giants: The Dwarfs of Auschwitz”.
“Giants” tells the story of the Lilliput Troupe (a family of little people performers) who avoided the gas chambers at Auschwitz by being held as human medical guinea pigs due to their dwarfism. This is not to say they didn’t suffer but merely that their defects worked in their favor. Being that “Giants” isn’t a memoir, though, it lacks a strong emotional component and doesn’t truly move the reader like many similar texts do. Don’t misunderstand, the base is interesting and compelling but it is more of an introduction to the Ovitz family without really demonstrating their struggle.
In line with this complaint, “Giants” suffers from inconsistency with pacing and a lack of focus. The text shifts from discussing the Ovitz family to that of other concentration camp survivors or Holocaust history. This may be due to the fact that there are two authors or perhaps because of limited resources available surrounding the actual family. Whichever is the case, it weakens “Giants” in the sense that it isn’t completely on-topic of the family. On the other hand, the information provided is interesting and not dry.
Another issue with “Giants” is some repetition which takes place. Sometimes the same facts are repeated (almost copy/pasted) or the history is backtracked which throws the reader off. There are also some quotes from the Ovitz family members but otherwise “Giants” isn’t hard-hitting history or biography with heavy sources.
“Giants” noticeably improves upon discussing the liberation of Auschwitz and an update of all figures mentioned to this point. Not only is the pace livelier but the research and detail is more insightful. This is probably due to more available resources but is also a result of slightly elevated writing.
Koren and Negev conclude “Giants” with an emotionally-charged ending while providing an epilogue describing their personal journey researching the story. “Giants” also includes a sources list and a section of (black and white) color plates.
“Giants” is an intriguing story but is unfortunately not fleshed out well. Yes, it is a good introduction to the Ovitz family and encourages a historical fiction book; but it doesn’t reach the same emotional crescendo that other Auschwitz-topic books accentuate. “Giants” is not terrible and is suggested for those readers interested in Holocaust survival stories but it is not mind-bowing, either.
“Giants” tells the story of the Lilliput Troupe (a family of little people performers) who avoided the gas chambers at Auschwitz by being held as human medical guinea pigs due to their dwarfism. This is not to say they didn’t suffer but merely that their defects worked in their favor. Being that “Giants” isn’t a memoir, though, it lacks a strong emotional component and doesn’t truly move the reader like many similar texts do. Don’t misunderstand, the base is interesting and compelling but it is more of an introduction to the Ovitz family without really demonstrating their struggle.
In line with this complaint, “Giants” suffers from inconsistency with pacing and a lack of focus. The text shifts from discussing the Ovitz family to that of other concentration camp survivors or Holocaust history. This may be due to the fact that there are two authors or perhaps because of limited resources available surrounding the actual family. Whichever is the case, it weakens “Giants” in the sense that it isn’t completely on-topic of the family. On the other hand, the information provided is interesting and not dry.
Another issue with “Giants” is some repetition which takes place. Sometimes the same facts are repeated (almost copy/pasted) or the history is backtracked which throws the reader off. There are also some quotes from the Ovitz family members but otherwise “Giants” isn’t hard-hitting history or biography with heavy sources.
“Giants” noticeably improves upon discussing the liberation of Auschwitz and an update of all figures mentioned to this point. Not only is the pace livelier but the research and detail is more insightful. This is probably due to more available resources but is also a result of slightly elevated writing.
Koren and Negev conclude “Giants” with an emotionally-charged ending while providing an epilogue describing their personal journey researching the story. “Giants” also includes a sources list and a section of (black and white) color plates.
“Giants” is an intriguing story but is unfortunately not fleshed out well. Yes, it is a good introduction to the Ovitz family and encourages a historical fiction book; but it doesn’t reach the same emotional crescendo that other Auschwitz-topic books accentuate. “Giants” is not terrible and is suggested for those readers interested in Holocaust survival stories but it is not mind-bowing, either.
March 25, 2017
It is not always survival of the fittest, sometimes it is survival by those able to adapt. And the devil's need just happened to provide the Ovitz family with an opportunity to survive (as horrible as it was). A good, informative and entertaining non-fiction book. Sometimes it was a little dry but well worth reading. Interesting to read how this family adapted to their horrible situation and survived.
April 22, 2021
This wasn’t quite what I expected. I felt this story was more focused on Joseph Mengele more than the family of Dwarves. I mean, I am interested in Mengele, but I picked this up to know about the Dwarf family as I have never heard of them before. I just felt this was lacking and the focus was wrong. What I did learn of the family was interesting, and as a family they were incredibly lucky to have survived the concentration camp.
September 1, 2014
wow... what an amazing story. I had never hear of them before a quick mention on, I think, NPR. I couldn't believe had never hear of them before. The only reason I didn't give it five stars (my rating on my book blog will be a 4.8) is because there random stories of people who were also "Mengele's Pets" and it really had nothing to do with the Ovitz family. Otherwise, it was a good book
November 20, 2018
Not a bad book. Another reason Dr. Mengele deserved a slow and excruciatingly painful death. About half of the book covers their time in Auschwitz, the rest is general family history. It truly is an incredible story. It just took me awhile to get interested, not exactly my preferred writing style but still a good read.
April 22, 2014
After watching a TV programme with Warwick Davies, I decided I wanted to read about the Dwarfs of Auschwitz. An excellent read and how the dwarfs ever managed to survive such horror, is nothing short of a miracle.
March 22, 2019
Just finished this book & I think a need a drink. As horrific as the holocaust was, the resiliency of this family is incredible. The seven Jewish dwarves and the fifteen tall family members survived Auschwitz, & months of torture & medical experiments at the hands of the notorious Nazi, Doctor Death (Joseph Mengale). In fact Doctor Mengale took them under his wing, he was obsessed with people with physical deformities & twins. He was the head of eugenics & essentially wanted to find the cause of these deformities to eradicate them & in turn create a perfect super race. He’s a true villain, he literally whistles and smiled as he sent people to the gas chamber, & 9 out of 10 people who arrived at Auschwitz, were immediately killed. The Lilliput Troupe was a performance group who sang, played instruments and did skits around Romania, Transylvania, and after the war, Israel. On arrival at the camp, Mengale immediately scooped them up & began experimenting on all of them, even the one year old baby of tall sister, Leah. They were some of the lucky ones, who were not killed, they were rescued when the Russian Army liberated the camp. They did not let their horrible experience ruin them, and continued to perform into their 70’s. Sad but uplifting- highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2018
Amazing story about life, death and most importantly... FAMILY. Even though it depictures death as its most cruel state, during the second world war in Aushwitz, the background of family and the love of art makes the story of the Ovitz family... A MUST
January 16, 2019
Varsin uskomaton selviytymistarina seitsemästä (kyllä, seitsemästä) kääpiöstä jotka kuljetettiin Auschwitziin... ja jotka selvisivät sieltä elävinä pois, kait lähinnä siksi että Mengele oli kiinnostunut tutkimaan myös kääpiöitä.
February 27, 2024
Extraordinary story of a family of Rumanian "little people," Jewish entertainers, caught up in the Nazi Final Solution...Bizarrely, it's the "Angel of Deah," Dr. Joseph Mengele, whose ambitious genetics and eugenics research that allowed the troupe to survive the horrors of Auschwitz...While reading their story, I kept imagining that this is what would have happened to the Von Trapp family if they didn't escape across the Alps, and Dr. Mengele wouldn't have intervened and allowed them to survive...Remarkable story.
February 10, 2019
Very interesting and about a population in the Holocaust I didn't know anything about!
January 12, 2024
Courage in the face of overwhelming adversity
February 12, 2017
"Through think and thin, never separate"
What a fantastic read !
While looking for another title, I picked this up thinking I'd read the odd excerpt.
It was so well written and so interesting, I couldn't put it down (read non stop till 4am till finished!).
It's so much more than an account of how a family of little people survived the Holocaust.
It starts out with an account of the Ovitz family pre-war, accompanied by a fascinating history on others in history globally, who have had dwarfism by birth or as a secondary condition. The limited career choices and their veneration in certain cultures and eras.
This first part of the book was so enlightening.
This book left me with a sort of 'Life of Pi' wondering. There are instances in the book which detail happenings at Auschwitz Birkenhau which are told so differently by the different hells people had to endure. Who's story is the most believable ? Why would some lie ?
At first you're confused, but then you come to understand the insanity of their hell, the rage, the jealousy and their strong rooted belief system would alter what and how they (all inmates) relay their story to the world.
This book is more fascinating than truely gruesome. (Unless of course, you are young and this is your introduction to the Holocaust).
Moreover it's an account of pre-war life, then the many 'types' of inmates, their dealings with Mengele and how they are interconnected, and then life post-war and it's desolation.
6,000,000 innocents.
What a fantastic read !
While looking for another title, I picked this up thinking I'd read the odd excerpt.
It was so well written and so interesting, I couldn't put it down (read non stop till 4am till finished!).
It's so much more than an account of how a family of little people survived the Holocaust.
It starts out with an account of the Ovitz family pre-war, accompanied by a fascinating history on others in history globally, who have had dwarfism by birth or as a secondary condition. The limited career choices and their veneration in certain cultures and eras.
This first part of the book was so enlightening.
This book left me with a sort of 'Life of Pi' wondering. There are instances in the book which detail happenings at Auschwitz Birkenhau which are told so differently by the different hells people had to endure. Who's story is the most believable ? Why would some lie ?
At first you're confused, but then you come to understand the insanity of their hell, the rage, the jealousy and their strong rooted belief system would alter what and how they (all inmates) relay their story to the world.
This book is more fascinating than truely gruesome. (Unless of course, you are young and this is your introduction to the Holocaust).
Moreover it's an account of pre-war life, then the many 'types' of inmates, their dealings with Mengele and how they are interconnected, and then life post-war and it's desolation.
6,000,000 innocents.
January 10, 2015
I first came across this story when it was television but when I saw it in the kindle store I just had to read again in case there was more detailed information that the show might have missed. I loved reading the courageous and inspirational of seven siblings who managed to survive the concentration camps, as they were both Jewish and disabled. I learned a lot about Mengele and his experiments which he performed on inmates and the book goes into detail on what life was like for the siblings after their escape from the concentration camps.
Overall, I thought this book was really well researched and well written, once I had gotten into the book, I could not put it down.
Overall, I thought this book was really well researched and well written, once I had gotten into the book, I could not put it down.
April 11, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The authors write with such affection about the family and their friends that one cannot help but feel close to them - I definitely found myself worrying about what was about to happen to them throughout this tragic yet wholly necessary account. It is such a readable yet utterly affecting piece of work that I would recommend this to anyone, particularly those who have seen Warwick Davis's recent 'Perspectives' programme.
April 2, 2014
Interesting true story about the Ovitz siblings of Transylvania, 5 sisters and 2 brothers who all had a form of dwarfism. As Orthodox Jews they ended up in Auschwitz but their experience was not quite the same as others. They became research subjects for the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele whose experiments were cruel and humiliating but his obsession with the dwarves actually saved them.
March 2, 2020
Really hard to read, took me a good few months. It sounds terrible but I really didn't enjoy the way the members of the family came across as if they were somehow better than the average person because if their fame. Absolutely abhorrent though as most texts of the Holocaust would be understandably.
September 24, 2013
Very impressive and providing a lot of food for thought. Having been to Romania, Poland and Israel added to the experience.
April 16, 2017
Very sad and interesting story.
November 21, 2018
Somewhat repetitive, I feel that the book could have been simplified and condensed. I also would have appreciated more detail about the actual procedures the Lilliput Troupe endured.
November 25, 2018
A book about Auschwitz in its entirety would be almost impossible to read (or write, probably) because it's just too big a topic and if somebody put down everything in one place the reader would seriously risk getting desensitised to the horrors by the sheer volume of atrocity. Hence it seems that authors prefer to take an angle, focus on one person or a small group of people and tell of Auschwitz from their perspective. This is my third 'The XXX of Auschwitz' books in just a few months; the Tattootist, the Pharmacist and now the Dwarfs. I don't go looking for these books but Amazon's Kindle algorithms keep waving them under my nose.
Of the three Auschwitz books of recent months, I would have to say that 'Giants: The Dwarfs of Auschwitz' is every bit as fascinating as the others but feels to be in a class apart due to the quality of the writing. It might be considered impossible (or very difficult) to write a bad book about such a fascinating a horrifying topic but I'd suggest it's also extremely difficult to write an outstanding one. It's all too easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of research and lost track of the need to tell a compelling story. Yehuda Koren has done a great job. Yes, the research has been done but he doesn't let that drag him down in delivering a solid page-turner. He also should be praised for highlighting discrepencies - did the dwarfs perform in the camp or not? - without dwelling on them too much. Let's face it, who can keep a 20/20 hindsight about a part of their life which was so horrifying? Doesn't the memory sometimes protect us from the worst things?
The Ovitz family dwarfs, their average sized family members, and a group of hanger-on who passed themselves off as part of the family, truly went through a horrific time in Auschwitz but were undeniably given privileges seldom available to others. The dwarfs and their conflicted feelings about their protector-torturer Joseph Mengele are examined thoroughly. We're also introduced to other key people who observed or took part in his experiments and receive their testimonies too.
The book has a degree of balance, perspective, and literary merit that's hard to find. Whilst I can't bring myself to give it 5 stars because it's not quite perfect, I look back on the Tattooist and Pharmacist books (which I also gave 4 stars) and reflect that this one is better than both.
I guess that's a 4.5 stars then!
Of the three Auschwitz books of recent months, I would have to say that 'Giants: The Dwarfs of Auschwitz' is every bit as fascinating as the others but feels to be in a class apart due to the quality of the writing. It might be considered impossible (or very difficult) to write a bad book about such a fascinating a horrifying topic but I'd suggest it's also extremely difficult to write an outstanding one. It's all too easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of research and lost track of the need to tell a compelling story. Yehuda Koren has done a great job. Yes, the research has been done but he doesn't let that drag him down in delivering a solid page-turner. He also should be praised for highlighting discrepencies - did the dwarfs perform in the camp or not? - without dwelling on them too much. Let's face it, who can keep a 20/20 hindsight about a part of their life which was so horrifying? Doesn't the memory sometimes protect us from the worst things?
The Ovitz family dwarfs, their average sized family members, and a group of hanger-on who passed themselves off as part of the family, truly went through a horrific time in Auschwitz but were undeniably given privileges seldom available to others. The dwarfs and their conflicted feelings about their protector-torturer Joseph Mengele are examined thoroughly. We're also introduced to other key people who observed or took part in his experiments and receive their testimonies too.
The book has a degree of balance, perspective, and literary merit that's hard to find. Whilst I can't bring myself to give it 5 stars because it's not quite perfect, I look back on the Tattooist and Pharmacist books (which I also gave 4 stars) and reflect that this one is better than both.
I guess that's a 4.5 stars then!
May 18, 2021
This is the fascinating account not only of the Ovitz family but of the people who piqued the interest of Josef Mengele.
We start with the birth of the Ovitz children to s dwarf father who was married twice to normal height women. Seven of the children were dwarfs. They grew older and became entertainers, playing child sized instruments and performing comedy skits.
The authors follow the family and others like them through many of the pitfalls and traumas of being challenged by dwarfism.
Not only were the Ovitz family mostly dwarfs, but they were Jewish. They ended up in Auschwitz, where their dwarfism saved them from being gassed. Mengele was fascinated by twins, giants and dwarfs. They had slightly better treatment than the other prisoners, but suffered various experiments for Mengele's 'research'. There were thick files for each of his 'patients'.
We then follow the Ovitz family as they are liberated from Auschwitz. They travel from place to place, country to country, before settling in Haifa.
Eventually their dwarfism and hard lives catch up with the family and one by one, they die. Most of them are well over sixty. Some are older than that when they die.
The authors go to Rozavlea, where the Ovitz family came from. They follow the journey the dwarfs made from there to Auschwitz, where some of the huts still stood. The chimneys were still standing, too. There were reminders of the atrocities everywhere, but it was difficult for anyone who had not experienced an existence in Auschwitz to understand what it was like.
I know when my son went to Auschwitz in February 2011 (he was in the Sixth Form and another lad and a teacher went, too) he found it very difficult to comprehend what had happened. He still hasn't said an awful lot about his trip there.
We start with the birth of the Ovitz children to s dwarf father who was married twice to normal height women. Seven of the children were dwarfs. They grew older and became entertainers, playing child sized instruments and performing comedy skits.
The authors follow the family and others like them through many of the pitfalls and traumas of being challenged by dwarfism.
Not only were the Ovitz family mostly dwarfs, but they were Jewish. They ended up in Auschwitz, where their dwarfism saved them from being gassed. Mengele was fascinated by twins, giants and dwarfs. They had slightly better treatment than the other prisoners, but suffered various experiments for Mengele's 'research'. There were thick files for each of his 'patients'.
We then follow the Ovitz family as they are liberated from Auschwitz. They travel from place to place, country to country, before settling in Haifa.
Eventually their dwarfism and hard lives catch up with the family and one by one, they die. Most of them are well over sixty. Some are older than that when they die.
The authors go to Rozavlea, where the Ovitz family came from. They follow the journey the dwarfs made from there to Auschwitz, where some of the huts still stood. The chimneys were still standing, too. There were reminders of the atrocities everywhere, but it was difficult for anyone who had not experienced an existence in Auschwitz to understand what it was like.
I know when my son went to Auschwitz in February 2011 (he was in the Sixth Form and another lad and a teacher went, too) he found it very difficult to comprehend what had happened. He still hasn't said an awful lot about his trip there.
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