The Sisters of Auschwitz by Roxane van Iperen

The Sisters of Auschwitz follows Janny and Lien Brilleslijper, two sisters heavily involved in the Dutch Resistance. The book opens with the beginning of World War II and details the Nazi invasion into the Netherlands and the Resistance movement against them. Janny assists with dangerous tasks such as transporting documents and IDs, and Lien soon follows. Eventually, the sisters move to a safehouse in the woods called “The High Nest,” where they are not only hiding themselves but providing refuge for others trying to escape the Nazis. As the title suggests, the sisters are eventually betrayed and sent on the last train to Auschwitz.

Stories of the Holocaust are always such difficult, emotional reads. This book was no exception, and I was awed by the bravery shown by the sisters through both their resistance work and afterward. The lives of the sisters and their families were fascinating and I looked up both the sisters and the home they stayed in after I finished the book. The story itself read more like a documentary and was heavy with historical detail. It was probably a bit more detail heavy than I would have preferred, but all of it was relevant and necessary to understand life in the occupied Netherlands.

Originally published in 2018, The Sisters of Auschwitz has been translated to English and republished today in the U.S. I definitely recommend picking it up!