‘Mama, it’s me.’ I held her hand in mine, hoping it would give her the strength to hold on.
Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
‘Do not cry when I die.’
From invasion to liberation, September 1939 to April 1945, as Renee was marched from ghetto to camp, there was one constant. One hand that clutched hers – her mother’s. Every day for nearly six years, mother and daughter were bound together in hell. From Auschwitz-Birkenau to Bergen-Belsen, they were a powerful source of solace and hope for one another.
The strength of Sala’s love gave them both something fragile yet beautiful to cling to in an ugly, depraved world. It was her mother who hid Renee, lied to the SS, went right when she was directed left – whose small actions had life-saving consequences. Now, for Renee, the need to share has finally overcome the desire to forget.
A Mother’s Promise is a love letter to a mother eighty years in the making.
*****
‘Will stay with me for a long time… A beautiful account, so movingly told’ Anna Stuart, author of The Midwife of Auschwitz
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Reviews
An unforgettable story about the power of love, a story that reminds us how important hope is, a story that proves to us that human beings are remarkable and endlessly inspiring.
A powerful testament to a mother's love during unbelievable hardship... Renee's story of resilience and survival is powerful, poignant, and deeply important. A must-read.
This is a most extraordinary memoir, distinctive for its detailed recollection and its fearlessness in recording the truth of what happened.
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time... A beautiful account, so movingly told.
A moving portrayal of one young woman's heroic life story... Renee's journey is one of hope through the ashes of the past.
A powerful account of a young girl's incredible resilience in the face of the unthinkable horror of the Holocaust, Renee Salt's memoir is needed now more than ever. A riveting read.
A privilege to read... a deeply moving memoir, beautifully written and researched. A fascinating, heart-breaking story.
Renee Salt and Kate Thompson come together in powerful unity in a way that is both deeply moving and unforgettable. This is a story the world needs to know.