The Escape Artist

The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World

De: Jonathan Freedland

Narrado por: Jonathan Freedland

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award · New York Times Bestseller

"A brilliant and heart-wrenching book, with universal and timely lessons about the power of information—and misinformation. Is it possible to stop mass murder by telling the truth?" — Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

A complex hero. A forgotten story. The first witness to reveal the full truth of the Holocaust . . .

Award-winning journalist and bestselling novelist Jonathan Freedland tells the astonishing true story of Rudolf Vrba, the man who broke out of Auschwitz to warn the world of a truth too few were willing to hear.

In April 1944, Rudolf Vrba became one of the very first Jews to escape from Auschwitz and make his way to freedom—among only a tiny handful who ever pulled off that near-impossible feat. He did it to reveal the truth of the death camp to the world—and to warn the last Jews of Europe what fate awaited them. Against all odds, Vrba and his fellow escapee, Fred Wetzler, climbed mountains, crossed rivers, and narrowly missed German bullets until they had smuggled out the first full account of Auschwitz the world had ever seen—a forensically detailed report that eventually reached Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and the Pope.

And yet too few heeded the warning that Vrba had risked everything to deliver. Though Vrba helped save two hundred thousand Jewish lives, he never stopped believing it could have been so many more.

This is the story of a brilliant yet troubled man—a gifted “escape artist” who, even as a teenager, understood that the difference between truth and lies can be the difference between life and death. Rudolf Vrba deserves to take his place alongside Anne Frank, Oskar Schindler, and Primo Levi as one of the handful of individuals whose stories define our understanding of the Holocaust.

©2022 Jonathan Freedland (P)2022 HarperAudio

Couldn’t stop listening

A powerful true story. It also lays out a heart wrenching reflective narrative in the final chapters about who knew, what they knew, when they knew it, and what they were willing to do about it. All of these questions have a myriad of answers that, sadly and horrifically, can’t be changed now, but are nevertheless still relevant today in the battle over truth and knowledge.

Don’t read negative reviews

This book is amazing, full stop. Negative reviews talk either of not stopping soon enough or Vrba (Rosenberg) not being likable. Quite simply, they aren’t don’t understand that Rudolf Vrba’s (Rosenberg) life didn’t end in 1945 but continued and his behavior most certainly was forever changed by his experiences.
This book reads as a thriller but is non-fiction. It moves very quickly, much as a Fredrick Forsyth novel. I purchased the audible version read by the author who is as good as most voice actors.
As for Vrba being dislikable and non-trusting, this is possibly more poignant than if he just lived happily ever after. Much in the tradition of Greek plays, he is a very flawed person, made more so by his time in the camps. That is/was the tragedy of many survivors whose emotional & mental health were damaged beyond repair. He was human.
He has been critical of the Judenrat which he felt was in league with the Nazi’s. As an eye witness to the mass murder of so many people, watching families getting off trains it is entirely plausible to understand his position. If the Judenrat didn’t encourage resistance, block in some way the deportations, yes they likely would have been killed. Yes it would be incredibly courageous, but maybe one less train or even one less box car would have saved 50 or 60 human beings. You don’t know what you are put in that situation, and evidence exists that at least some of Judenrat’s knew where the trains were headed.
But again, these situations and tensions are at the very heart of this story and more than ever, it’s important to once again repeat and know why the phrase “never again” must be deep in our hearts.

mind numbing

only in the past few years have I started reading these heart breaking, mind numbing, survivor stories. This one will sit with me forever. What the human body and mind can survive is nothing short of amazing. Also, what one human can inflict on another leaves me breathless and saddened.

Thank you

I was so excited to find this book. Vrba is my hero and I have read his book probably five times. So nice to hear the story again from a new author. The content is difficult but is necessary to a good understanding of the horrors of the Holocaust

Escape artist

Finished listening on Holocaust Remembrance Day. I’ve read many of these books and this one was up there with the best. You feel you know Walter by the end. Enjoy.

Destined to be classic

Fascinating story. Page turner. Narration is good. my only reservation is that it felt a bit rushed at the end. Excellent nonetheless.

fast and fascinating story

Amazing - fast and fascinating story of that puts a fine point of this incredible tragedy!

Amazing story about an incredibly resilient hero. Im inspired by his will to live. Should be required reading for all to gain more awareness about the atrocities done to the Jewish people in WWII

Well written and performed

The book is well written and performed. And causes me to want to watch the documentaries mentioned that the subject appears in.

Wonderful read!

Hard to stop listening. So good!! A must read especially for those that like history