Makor Jewish Community Library, 2003

Kitia Altman is a living treasure. A survivor of Auschwitz, she has devoted many years to ensuring that its lessons are conveyed to present and future generations. She has had a long-term involvement in the important work of the Holocaust Museum and has frequently participated in public forums.

Her most famous appearance was in a debate via video link with Holocaust denier David Irving, where she was widely judged to be the victor. After she showed Irving her Auschwitz tattoo, he asked, 'Mrs. Altman, how much money have you made out of that tattoo since 1945?' This episode brought Kitia to the attention of Prof Deborah Lipstadt, author of History on Trial, who recently defeated Irving's libel case against her.

Memories of Ordinary People not only tells the full story of a courageous woman but also records the lives of many others. The first half deals with her childhood and adolescence, giving a snapshot of Jewish life in Poland. The book contains many characters, acutely observed but with a light and often whimsical touch.

Kitia was 17 when the Nazis marched into Poland. Conditions deteriorated, but she had the good fortune to end up working in a factory that made winter uniforms for German soldiers. The man who ran the factory, Alfred Rossner, used his influence and position to save many Jews who worked for him. In 1944 he was arrested and hanged by the Nazis.

Kitia identifies her desire to document Rossner's contributions as a strong motivation for writing this book. She eventually kept the promise she had made to herself and nominated him for the award bestowed by Israel on non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews. In 1995 Alfred Rossner was posthumously awarded the Medal of the Righteous Among the Nations. She also nominated Genia Pajak, who sheltered Kitia's eight-year-old niece, Marusia.

Kitia was sent to Auschwitz in July 1944. There she experienced extremes of human behaviour: kindness, fear, brutality, trust. She was liberated in April 1945 and went to Sweden before settling in Australia with her husband.

The stories in Memories of Ordinary People are poignant and inspirational, and the writing is immediately engaging. This is a significant contribution to remembering and honouring many people whose stories might otherwise be forgotten.

Review by Julie Contole