The tattooist

I am late coming to this book, described as an international best seller. I was aware of it but I'd wrinkled my nose at it: 'No, I don't think so,' but then in the charity shop I picked it up, read the blurb and decided I'd give it a go. And I'm so glad I did.

The 'no, I don't think so' attitude of mine has served me well in that I avoid things I don't really want to think about, or overly stress about, but sometimes the head in the sand method shelters me too well.

Of course I know about the holocaust; I know that millions of Jews were murdered; I know that it was an incredibly evil set-up but I could do without it getting any more personal. But this book makes it very personal. The almost matter of fact descriptions are vivid and truly horrendous.

The hero is a young man called Lale, a Jew taken to Auschwitz, where he is then selected to be the tattooist - the man responsible for numbering all of his fellow Jews, as well as Romanies and criminals. Very early on in the story he tattoos a young woman, Gita, and is instantly attracted to her. As tattooist he is allowed some special privileges and with cunning and wile he is able to find her, and do a lot more besides.

He is an intriguing character, selfish in one way - he is determined that both he and Gita will survive the camp at any cost - but also generous. He must have been charismatic for so many to seemingly fall under his spell and help him without betrayal. 

The book is based on a true story told by Lale to the author. And maybe that's the most amazing thing of all: Lale and Gita do survive, they marry and live long lives. And the question has to be how? How can you put those things behind you? Everything that they saw and experienced. How did they get over that? In Lale's case he never really did get over the guilt of being determined to survive and do what was necessary. Or maybe even the guilt of surviving at all. 

I read the book in two days - it's an easy (but hard) read - and it's a timely reminder in these days of dividing walls and anti-immigrant propaganda of what humans are capable of doing to each other. But also thankfully what they are capable of surviving too.
*****