Before All Memory Is Lost: Women's Voices from the Holocaust

We had a father, a mother, and in the blink of an eye, we lost them…. From the root, let a branch remain. Let their memory live forever…. (Ifa Demon)

In this anthology, twenty women reflect on their experiences of survival during the Holocaust — from the heart-stopping fears of hiding to the extreme risks of “passing” as non-Jews, and from the terrors of the Nazi camps to the treacheries of the Soviet Union. Each woman’s unique account is connected to the others by common threads and themes: family, fear and the ways they resisted and, ultimately, triumphed over extreme adversity. Many also offer poignant insights into their experiences of loss and renewal after liberation. Featuring a wide variety of narrative styles, including prose, poetry and diary excerpts, this powerful and unique Canadian collection gives voice to the many women who endured in the face of horrifying brutality and memorializes the families and friends whose voices were silenced.