"Lilac Girls", by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls book #1

1939-1957

Inspired by the life of a real WW11 heroine, this story brings a glimpse into one of history’s most frightening memories by vividly re-creating the world of Ravensbrück.

“Lilac Girls” follows three women, Caroline Ferriday an American, who did the impossible on behalf of the survivors, Herta Oberheuser, a Nazi surgeon who performed gruesome operations at Ravenbrück and Kasia a fictional character loosely based on the lives of actual Rabbits. Rabbits where female prisoners who underwent horrific surgical experiments at Ravensbrück concentration camp.

The characters’ gripping voices are heard in alternate chapters as the timeline advances. The first person narrative makes their experiences too real. It is fascinating to read how they coped with the deferent situations they had to face.

What could they possible have in common; I asked myself this question but Ms. Kelly does a masterful job weaving all the strands together in the end.

Caroline, a wealthy socialite with a French connection was a generous benefactor. Her ceaseless efforts to send supplies to French orphans never wavered even during hard times. She was also instrumental in bringing the Rabbits to America. Packed with details we are taken into upper-crust parties and old money. Manhattan at mid-century comes alive.

Kasia was living in Lublin when Germany crushed Poland. As volunteer courier for the underground Kasia risked her life for the better good till the day she got caught by the SS and sent to Ravensbrück. In detail the life at the camp is told....

And then there was Herta, a specialist in dermatology, who answered an advertisement for a surgeon, the post is at Ravensbrück concentration camp. She was the only woman doctor and needed to follow orders whether she liked it or not. She befriended many people and we all know the obviously it all ended badly...what a sadistic person she was.....her actions gruesome for the inmates.

The last section of the book deals with the Rabbits and the retribution delivered to the doctors who performed the experiments and how the characters coped-with the aftermath of war.....The book is filled with many details and deep understanding of the occupation and the unfair post-war situation created by the allies.

Poland traded one monster for another.....

This is one of many heartwarming stories