Review of Alex's Wake: The Tragic Voyage of the St. Louis....

Alex's Wake: The Tragic Voyage of the St. Louis to Flee Nazi Germany—and a Grandson’s Journey of Love and Remembrance by Martin Goldsmith.

This is the story of Alex and Helmut Goldschmidt  two of more than 900 Jewish refugees who fled Nazi Germany aboard the St. Louis in 1939. Decades later, Alex's grandson Martin Goldsmith tells the poignant tale of how the ship was denied entry into Canada, United States and Cuba. The ship returned to Europe where Alex and Helmut were sent to Auschwitz where they died.

To write his story Mr. Goldsmith traveled in his grandfather's footsteps to revisit those horrific days. It is a moving and sad story of reconnecting with the past and taking a powerful journey with his grandfather and grandfather's brother.

This wonderful book is available on Amazon at  Alex's Wake: The Tragic Voyage of the St. Louis to Flee Nazi Germany— and a Grandson’s Journey of Love and Remembrance

Auschwitz Survivor Searching for Long Lost Twin Brother

Eli as a child

Eli Gottesman and his twin brother Jeno (Jolli) were incarcerated in Auschwitz. When the camp was liberated, Eli was 4 years old and he did not know if his family was alive. He was given the name Menachem Bodner and taken to Israel by a man who became his adopted father.

All Menachem remembers is that he had a brother and a mother, and in his pocket was a worn family photo. Over the years he tried searching for his family and his twin but to no avail. Then Genealogist Ayana KimRon found his internet postings and contacted him. She began searching and it was Ayana who found Menachem's real name, and that of his brother.

Menachem has the Auschwitz ID number that will never be erased: A 7733. His twin Jeno's number was A 7734. The last record of Jeno is February 9, 1945.

Anaya turned to social media for help, setting up a Facebook page, A 7734, which has been viewed more than a million times.

Eli as he looks today

Anaya has found out more details of Eli's birth family including the fact that he had a baby brother, Josef, who died in Auschwitz. Bodner's birth father also died there but his mother, Roza Gottesman-Berger, not only survived several Nazi concentration camps, but returned to her home village of Stroino on the Ukraine-Hungary border, hoping to find her children.

It is not known what happened to Roza but extended family members and villagers say that shortly after her return, she was rounded up with other returning Jewish refugees and shot dead by Nazi-sympathizers.

Eli is 73 years old now and his consuming wish is to find out what happened to his twin brother Jeno. Anyone who has any knowledge or details should contact Anaya by visiting the Facebook page, A 7734 or contact Anaya at FamilyRoots2000@gmail.com

You can also read more at Auschwitz survivor's social media search for long-lost twin on CNN