Amsterdam Publishers

24/07/2025

NEW RELEASE Today we have released Helen Schamroth’s Eighteen for life: Surviving the Holocaust, a memoir that combines her parents’ years surviving the Holocaust in Poland with her childhood growing up in Australia. The book, another stand-alone volume in the series Holocaust Heritage, offers an immersive fusion of her parents' experiences, the way these came to light, and how this influenced the family dynamic.

After the Nuremberg trials, Felek, Schamroth’s father rarely spoke of his time in the Death Brigade at Janowska camp until 1979, when he chose to share his account to the fight against Holocaust denial. She conveys his story with careful detail, so that it is preserved for future generations.

Martusia, the author’s mother, spoke only occasionally of her journey from Lvov to Krakow. Mostly highlighting the same experiences, which became more detailed over time. Nevertheless, in search of their origins, Schamroth and her sister Eve answer many of the questions that the half-truths and conflicting details of her mother left behind. Uncovering some that Martusia was convinced would be taken to the grave and remain secret forever.

Eighteen for life: Surviving the Holocaust is a collection of historical anecdotes that navigates the complications that arise when assembling a history that the Holocaust attempted to erase.

Now available on all major platforms.

https://mybook.to/wFENyNL

22/07/2025

Very pleased to see The Courtyard: A Memoir by Benjamin Parket and Alexa Morris featured on the website of the Jewish Book Council.

Published when Benjamin Parket was 91 years old, the memoir has already received 22 positive reviews on Amazon since its launch on 6 June.

And it is encouraging when a story of such significance is recognized by a platform as esteemed as the Jewish Book Council.

I’d like to quote the closing lines of the article:

“…his story is not simply a survival story of good luck. The Courtyard is a story of how goodness can prevail in darkness. It demonstrates that a life can be rebuilt after trauma and how one can look back at that rebuilt life with deep gratitude.”

You can read the full article here:

https://lnkd.in/eqQrCCWa

21/07/2025

NEW RELEASE

Imagine not just having one grandparent who is a Holocaust survivor, but four of them...

Grandson Jonathan Schloss wrote this deeply personal memoir about his four survivor grandparents which was released today.

In 'Four Survivor Grandparents. Run. Rely. Rebuild', the author brings together the extraordinary, intertwined histories of four young Jews from Poland whose paths to survival, resilience, and renewal defy belief. It shows how four teenagers endured unimaginable cruelty and loss, came to America with nothing and rebuilt families. They faced high risk situations differently; those experiences impacted their personal and professional lives forever - eventually shaping generations.

I can highly recommend this book, which not only tells the stories of his remarkable grandparents, but is very uplifting at the same time.

It is the 9th standalone volume in the series Holocaust Heritage, and can be purchased worldwide.

https://mybook.to/pzHLZt

18/07/2025

NEW RELEASE

“The Sun Will Shine Again” is a short children’s book (ages 9+) by Cynthia Goldstein Monsour, daughter of a Holocaust survivor Bruno.

Bruno and his twin brother survived the Holocaust by hiding in a Catholic orphanage in Maaseik (Belgium), rescued by Père Bruno Reynders, a Benedictine monk who saved over 300 Jewish children. They had to assume a new last name and memorize a new life story. Despite separations and fear, his family largely reunited, and both boys went on to lead full lives in America.

With historical notes woven in, this gentle introduction to Holocaust history highlights courage, loss, and survival – offering young readers a story of hope but at the same time they learn what antisemitism can come down to. A lesson all too relevant in today's world.

The book contains a guide for Adults and Teachers which makes it ideal material for in the classrooms. https://mybook.to/HY4y

09/07/2025

📚 I’m quietly proud – and very grateful – to share that Publishers Weekly has featured Amsterdam Publishers in its latest issue with an excellent article by Nathalie Op de Beeck who came to see me at my booth in Philadelphia last week.

For those unfamiliar, Publishers Weekly, now celebrating its 150th anniversary, is one of the most respected publications in the international book world – often called “the bible of the book business.” I had always hoped that one day my and my authors' work might be recognized in its pages. That moment has now come.

The article sheds light on the work of Amsterdam Publishers: publishing true Holocaust stories written by survivors, their children, and grandchildren. It mentions several of our remarkable authors — including Nechama Birnbaum, Oren Schneider, Evelyn Grossman, Roslyn Bernstein, Peter Wiesner, Manny Steinberg (deceased), and Dr.Elizabeth Rosenberg – some joined me recently at the American Library Association conference in Philadelphia.

I feel truly blessed with such a group of great authors, many of whom I regard as friends.

Although I operate quietly and without fanfare in the Netherlands, I’m heartened to see that Amsterdam Publishers' important mission resonates across borders.

Holocaust testimonies matter, now more than ever.

Many thanks to Publishers Weekly for shining a light on the work we do!

Since 2014, Liesbeth Heenk has published 115 Holocaust memoirs and nonfiction narratives in English, and she continues to search for stories that recount the experiences people lived through during that low point in history.

04/07/2025

NEW RELEASE!

In 1942, nineteen-year-old Iboja Wandall-Holm, a young Jewish girl, fled her home in Slovakia alongside her sister Lila, driven out by the rise of Na**sm. Leaving behind the comfort of family and home, they journeyed to Hungary in search of safety and peace. However, despite doing everything they could to integrate, both sisters got caught and spent their following three years being led through a succession of internment and concentration camps, culminating in their survival of the Auschwitz death march in 1945.

This memoir is both a personal testimony and a poetic reflection on the strength of the human spirit. The book traces Iboja’s life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Her attention to detail and her rich descriptions make this memoir not only a lasting tribute to her own story but also to the lives of those whose paths crossed hers.

I’m delighted to announce that the English translation, masterfully done by David Short, is now available for anyone who seeks to experience a powerful testament of survival and resilience. Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in Iboja Wandall-Holm’s unforgettable journey through one of history’s darkest chapters.

What is more, the author is still alive and has already proudly held a copy of the book in her hands!

You can now leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads!

https://mybook.to/ZjAw

20/06/2025

If you are in the Philadelphia area, please join us for a special event on Sunday, 29 June. Details below.

https://tikvahajmi.org/calendar-event/stories-of-resilience-in-times-of-crisis

The Philadelphia Jewish community will honor Liesbeth Heenk, founder and editor-in-chief of Amsterdam Publishers, in recognition of her extraordinary work preserving Holocaust memory and combating antisemitism and Holocaust denial. Joining Heenk at the event will be several of her authors.

12/06/2025

On May 8, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Hamm Higher Regional Court opened a solo exhibition by artist Jutta Elbers from Hamm (Germany): "Ich Bin Ein Mensch! (I Am A Human Being!)".

In the show, Elbers gives a face to people who were victims of the N***s – including well-known people such as Anne Frank and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Among these is the portrait of Dr. Hugo Mendel, Grandfather of Emanuel (Manu) Rosen, one of Amsterdam Publishers' esteemed authors.

In 2021 Rosen published his grandfather's tragic Holocaust survivor story:

"If anyone calls, tell them I died" https://getbook.at/EMrosen

Emanuel sent in a short video for the show in Germany which explains why it is particularly significant that the portrait of his grandfather has been displayed precisely there, at the courthouse:

"In May 1933, my grandfather, Dr. Hugo Mendel, received a letter from the president of the Higher Regional Court (the Oberlandesgericht) stating that he could no longer appear in court because he did not belong to the A***n race.

The fact that 92 years later, his story is being told and that his portrait is displayed in this institution is very meaningful to me and my family.

Seeing the humanity in other people isn’t trivial, especially if they belong to another group, and these days, too, the title of this exhibition can serve as a reminder to all of us as we view other people: “Ich bin ein Mensch! [I Am a Human Being!]"

12/06/2025

Author of "To Live Another Day" and "To Love Another Day", Dr Elizabeth Rosenberg will be having a Zoom discussion on the following days: 24 June 1 July, and 8 July.

Please get in touch with Elizabeth directly if you want to attend the Zooms.

[email protected]

06/06/2025

NEW RELEASE! The Courtyard by Benjamin Parket and Alexa Morris

In the heart of Nazi-occupied Paris, one Jewish family is protected by their working-class community.

It’s 1937, the eve of World War II, and young Bernard lives with his Polish-immigrant family in a working-class courtyard in Paris. While there aren’t many other Jews in the courtyard – a bustling place teeming with a colorful cast of characters – the Parkiets feel welcome and at home. To Bernard the courtyard is both home and playground; a magical place where he watches his father varnish furniture, gets into trouble with cranky neighbors, and splits pain au chocolate with his best friend T**i.

With the German occupation of Paris, Bernard's world changes dramatically. Hours before the N***s come to arrest the Parkiet family in July 1942, their neighbors band together to protect them. The family is hidden in a vacant warehouse and the courtyard becomes a refuge. With their world turned upside down, it is Bernard’s job, at only nine years old, to leave the courtyard each day to get food for his family. And even with the neighbors protecting them, there is danger lurking everywhere – including in certain corners of the courtyard itself.

This is a Holocaust memoir that finds the good in people at a time of great evil. A gripping tale of courage and kindness, The Courtyard is a timely reminder of how even in the darkest of times, a small group of people can make a difference.

The writing is clever and impressive…
A mesmerizing, nightmarish story that has, for once, a happy ending. –Kirkus Reviews

https://mybook.to/7jpwgw7

05/06/2025

Very proud of the upcoming exhibition at the Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow. Deputy Director Tomasz Strug and his team worked hard on getting together an important exhibition on Henry Reiss, the protagonist of "The Engineers".

The exhibition coincides with the 34th Jewish Culture Festival and will be accompanied by his Holocaust memoir in Polish.

What began as a powerful, personal memoir has grown into a global tribute. Since the publication of The Engineers by Henry Reiss on 6 December 2023 by Amsterdam Publishers, this extraordinary Holocaust memoir has led to a series of remarkable events across three continents.

06/05/2025

A special meeting in Amsterdam today!

I had the pleasure of having lunch with Miriam Levy, who travelled to Amsterdam for a conference. Miriam is the passionate force behind the publication of her grandfather Henry Reiss’s memoir, The Engineers, which we released last year.

With extraordinary determination, Miriam has managed to get an exhibition dedicated to her grandfather's testimony. The Galicia Jewish Museum in Kraków will be staging a powerful (travelling) exhibition on her grandfather’s life. The exhibition, titled 'Henryk Reiss Must Cease to Exist', opens on 25 June — and we (read: Anna Minczeweska Przecze) are now working hard to ensure the Polish edition of the book is ready and available in bookstores across Poland in time for this important event.

What a privilege it is to collaborate with someone so committed to preserving memory and sharing legacy. Many thanks, Miriam!