Questions I Am Asked about the Holocaust

Questions I Am Asked about the Holocaust by Hedi Fried, translated by Alice Olsson, is a poignant exploration of history through the simple but profound act of questioning.

Hedi Fried was nineteen when the Nazis uprooted her family from their Eastern European home and brought them to Auschwitz. There, her parents were murdered, and she and her sister were forced into hard labour until the war ended. Now, at ninety-four, Fried dedicates her life to educating the youth about the horror of the Holocaust, answering their pressing questions about one of humanity's darkest hours.

Questions such as 'How was it to live in the camps?', 'Did you dream at night?', 'Why did Hitler hate the Jews?', and 'Can you forgive?' are met with sensitivity and honesty. In this deeply human book, Fried urges us never to forget and never to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Questions I Am Asked about the Holocaust is enriched by endorsements that highlight its impact:

'Timeless lessons taught with simple eloquence.' - Kirkus

Reflecting on Fried's spirit, Fiona Capp of The Saturday Age notes, "Now 94, Fried's largeness of spirit emanates from every considered response to even the most confronting questions asked of her. One senses that her replies are not only educative but therapeutic, especially for young people grappling with their own questions about the meaning of life. While most of her experiences of this period are inescapably dark, there were moments of light that assumed enormous significance."

Questions I Am Asked about the Holocaust is described by Hannah Beckerman of The Guardian as "a slim but powerful volume, sensitively translated by Alice Olsson, comprising answers to the questions Fried is most frequently asked, such as 'Why did you not fight back?', 'What helped you to survive?', 'Are you able to forgive?' Fried answers with humanity, candour and thoughtfulness in a book that should be required reading for all young people."