Slow Boat To Haifa (Paperback)

This is the true story of one man trapped in Nazi Vienna, from his escape and perilous journey to his sudden tragic demise that is based upon his diaries from the original German, meticulously diarised in a beautifully handwritten script that now resides in the Deutsche National Bibliothek in Frankfurt. Enter the Jewish world of Central Europe against the background and vagrancies of Nazi tyranny and political intrigue during one of the darkest eras in modern history.

The following story is a vibrant, true account from the Holocaust; an adventure surrounded by tragedy and heartache. It is a document of the time, a record of both brutality and compassion, of greed and generosity, of cowardice and courage, of selfishness and altruism, of meanness and sacrifice, of desperation and hope. It is a harrowing tale of unadorned and unsophisticated simplicity. There are repeated references to rumours, swindles and betrayals. Many victims caught within this destructive web embraced suspicion even of friends, as calamity after calamity beckoned.

There are many heroic and untold tales of the Holocaust, where those who were persecuted
rose above the grime and tyranny of evil in the face of death and against the broad
road of convenience or self-interest. While holding important historical significance, "Slow Boat to Haifa" exposes raw emotions expressed by those who experienced the unthinkable, chiselled out of the crucible of Nazi affliction. The generosities of those who gave spontaneously and sacrificially provided them with dignity as human beings. Friendships were formed and lost through the vagrancies of war, adding colour and humour amid the backdrop of a calamity which became the companion of many.

This is a deeply compelling and personal story providing deeper insight and appreciation of issues faced by Holocaust victims and their progeny. The author's bitter-sweet reflections unite us with those across the generations whose only crime was being born Jewish. The retelling of his grandfather's story brings us up to date and face to face with the realities of survival in times of trial, and the preservation of the Jewish people in the purposes of God against all odds.

Some wartime tragedies were overshadowed by the enormity of others. A few were temporarily
overwhelmed by the euphoria of victory. “Slow Boat to Haifa” is unique in its own special way, combining both elements of victory and defeat against those who survived and with many who tragically perished. More than a generation has passed since, but the passage of time has in no way diminished its significance.