Overview

Rachel Levy spent her early childhood in the Carpathian region of Czechoslovakia, where Jewish communities lived in close-knit towns disrupted by political upheaval and the rise of antisemitic rule. When Nazi power extended into the region, Rachel and her family faced forced labour, confiscation of property and escalating violence. Eventually captured and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, she endured the devastation of family separation, starvation and the relentless pressure to survive. Later transferred through other labour sites and forced on a winter death march, Rachel reached the war’s end deeply traumatised and largely alone. After liberation, Rachel was brought to Britain as a child refugee, where she confronted language barriers, cultural dislocation and the challenge of carrying unspoken memories. Over time, she built a family and a life rooted in both loss and endurance, retaining Yiddish as a link to the world she left behind. Rachel’s book is part of the My Voice book collection, a stand-alone project of The Fed, the leading Jewish social care charity in Manchester, dedicated to preserving the life stories of Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution who settled in the UK. The oral history, which is recorded and transcribed, captures their entire lives from before, during and after the war years. The books are written in the words of the survivor so that future generations can always hear their voice. The My Voice book collection is a valuable resource for Holocaust awareness and education. -- .

Full Product Details

Publisher:   Manchester University Press
Imprint:   Manchester University Press
ISBN:  

9781807073190

ISBN 10:   180707319
Pages:   202
Publication Date:   31 March 2026
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Strict rules in a religious home Our hardworking village life Life with the grandparents The people in the mountains Festivals and fun Village life takes a turn An attack on my grandfather Captured and moved into the ghetto Separation and loss at Auschwitz Overpowering hunger and cruelty Marching to Bergen-Belsen Liberation by the kind British Chaos and freedom in Prague Life in Teplice A warm welcome in Millisle Visits to Chaskel Moving to England A working woman A part of the Mendoza family The gift of Uncle Jack and Auntie Ray The stigma of being a survivor A new man in my life Life starts for Chaskel My wedding day A wonderful start in Denmark Settling claims with my past A family of my own Two-tier society in Nairobi My best friend Liane A busy family life Visits to Israel The pain of telling my story Retired once, then twice My children growing up Losing Phin My experiences as a Holocaust educator Back to Bhutz Return to Millisle A medal and portrait Children are the future Glossary My Voice volunteers About The Fed -- .

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Author Information

The Fed is Manchester's leading social care charity serving the Jewish community. In June of 2021, The Fed were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for the My Voice Project, the highest possible accolade for a voluntary sector group. -- .

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