This was my first venture into reading real life accounts of world war II, it's unfortunaly not a topic I know enough about and I want to change that.
I really enjoyed reading this and discovering more about the aftermath of the war and how long it took to get justice as well as hearing the stories of the survivors.
My favourite parts were experts from Jordana's blog and Groenings testimony. I think I would have enjoyed it more if the whole thing had been written as if from Jordana's blog but overall it was an interesting read.

All I can say about To Look a Nazi in the Eye is that it is a true story about the war trials that followed the devasting aftermath of World War 2 and nothing more needs to be said.

This is a true story of Jordana Lebowitz' experience as a teenager. Being the granddaughter of a Nazi victim, she was able to stand trial against a bookkeeper of Auschwitz. This is her account in her own words with help by coauthor Kathy Kacer. Great for WWII history lovers!

To Look a Nazi in the Eye was a pretty intense book. I have always devoured books on the Holocaust, but there is a different tone to books like this one. While this book is about the Holocaust, it is more about the question of how culpable were all of the SS. Is the soldier who handled luggage off the cattle cars just as responsible for what happened as the guards forcing people into the gas chambers? This book goes through the war trial of one of the SS soldiers, asking how culpable was he, and how do you handle a trial where the events happened decades earlier.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author: Kathy Kacer
Publisher: Second Story Press
Publication Date: 2017

Content Warnings: Several survivors talk in detail about their time at Auschwitz throughout the book

Review:

Imagine hearing about a trial two weeks away taking place on a different continent and saying, "I am going to get in that courtroom one way or another." That is exactly what Jordana Lebowitz did. When she heard about a former Auschwitz worker set to go on trial in Lunenburg, Germany decades after the Holocaust ended, she was immediately ready to drop everything and travel from Toronto to Lunenburg to witness this historical trial.

Going into this book, I had not heard of Oskar Groening or this trial, so it was interesting to learn about it, especially through the eyes of someone my age who is Jewish and therefore affected by the outcome. It's wild to think I was in a German language class while this was happening and yet I was oblivious to it the whole time. Either way, I'm glad I got to hear about the Groening trial and learn about its significance in this book.

As described in the book, people may wonder why German courts decided to bring Groening to the stand some 70 years after his crimes took place.  The reasoning for many involved was to prove that it does not matter how much time has passed, you are still accountable for your wrongdoings. Jordana explains this and goes further to point out that this is the justice that the Jewish community deserves to see even though it came later than desired. That message extends past the Holocaust to any type of crime and sets a precedent that this type of discrimination and abusive mistreatment will not be tolerated in future generations. Now knowing about this trial, I am extremely grateful that it happened.

I really admire Jordana's passion and drive to work with people to bring social justice to the world. She has found her cause and continues even today to achieve the many goals she sets for herself, and I think this makes her a great role model for the target audience of this book. Heck, she's even the type of person I aspire to be.

On NetGalley, this book was categorized under Teens & YA, which I agree with because of the themes, but I do believe the audience can even be younger in some cases. The style of writing is simple and to the point, making it easy for middle-grade readers to follow, but some of the content (mainly the personal stories of what happened at Auschwitz) may be a bit strong for that age group depending on the child.

Throughout Jordana's story, she recounts how her prejudices against German culture affected her journey to and attitudes toward the country. On the plane ride there, she met a German man who terrified her at first. Later, however, she made friends with him after learning he was on her side and also realized that the Holocaust was a horrible part of Germany's past that he and his fellow citizens would have to work to correct. Similar encounters happen several times and illustrate an interesting view of prejudices.

Final thought: Overall, I loved the story and the information in this book. I wish this trial had been more widely talked about, but at least I had this account of the trial to learn about it. If you're interested in history even the slightest bit, I would suggest putting this on your TBR list. You won't regret the story, emotion, or message!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"'Everyone cries here. There is no shame in that. If you're not moved by this experience, you won't be influenced by it,' the guide said...." (6). Being the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Jordana Lebowitz has been interested in history and her heritage for a long time. Her special connection to other survivors expands while on March of the Living, a high school trip with the Jewish Day School Jordana attended.

After the trip Jordana maintains contact with Hedy Bohm who survived Auschwitz but lost both of her parents there. Years after their initial meeting, Jordana learns Hedy is part of a group of Canadian survivors that are traveling to Germany to testify against Oskar Groening. Moved to be a witness of history and represent her generation, Jordana contacts Thomas Walther, the man responsible for organizing the survivors to attend the trial. With determination and persistence, Jordana is afforded the opportunity to attend Groening's trial. This book is a compilation of Jordana's experiences, photographs, trial testimonies, and blog entries.

THOUGHTS: Jordana's determination to witness history is inspiring. With aging Holocaust survivors, To Look a Nazi in the Eye encourages teens to know history and make a difference in their worlds. Readers looking for a contemporary connection to the Holocaust will get one in this book. With varied sources, there is much room for discussion. Because of the nature of the trial, this book is most suited for high school students studying or interested in learning more about the Holocaust.

This was not a great read. While it is great that Jordana was able to do these things, the story could have shifted away to her for the benefit of everyone. The Holocaust was a huge event that impacted so many people, but this work felt very detached from everything.

Novels with a plot line that includes the holocaust have always had a certain draw for me. I think it's mainly because I am horrified by the happenings of the Holocaust and will myself to read more about it so I am well informed and knowledgable. This novel was a non-fiction about a criminal trial including a man who killed many Jewish individuals. It was shocking and horrifying and an incredibly important read for anyone who would like to be well informed.

I enjoyed this book! I loved how it switched from Jordyn's (who is an absolute inspiration, by the way!) POV both before & during the trial to Groening's. It was hard to remember that this wasn't fiction sometimes - I got so attatched to the characters, mostly the survivors, and had to remind myself that they are real people, really out there using their horrific experiences to educate & serve justice. I'm so so glad that Jordyn chose to be really poignant in this book and described all of her feelings, the rage towards the holocaust, the nazis (and therefore Groening) and the deniers, and the guilty pity she felt towards 95 year old Groening who "reminded her of her grandfather." Somehow this book managed to stay quite un-biased, combining Groening's testimony with the life stories of holocaust survivors and their children and grandchildren, fighting for their legacy so that their suffering won't be in vain, with important political and ideological discussions i.e. the ethical discussion of sending Groening to jail in his own age, the emergence & the sustained arguments of the deniers (and how we can combat that) and it's all a true story!

Sorry I could not give a review as this was not compatible with my Kindle.

*I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was intense.

I think the hardest part about this was separating the fact that while this is written as a story, it was actually about real people.
So while I'm thinking how annoying and pushy a character like Jordana is, I also have to keep in mind that she is a real person with strengths and flaws like the rest of us.

For me, the most interesting aspect of this novel was Jordana's internal struggle with blame and responsibility. Watching her try to reconcile the seemingly innocuous actions of a man with no direct causation of death being charged with the murder of 300,000 people proved a very complicated and conflicting moral and ethical dilemma. Because, much like Jordana, I've always had a very deep interest with the history of World War II, and also similarly I find myself to be very strongly emotionally affected by the stories of the people who experienced the atrocities conducted during that time.

As with Jordana, I've held the quite black and white view that all people associated with Nazism are pure evil. But as the trial unfolded, both of us felt that unexpected sympathy towards Groening- especially given that unlike many other accused Nazi's, he has actively made it known he was part of the Holocaust and gone against deniers. Then there is also the fact he never killed a single person physically, but however small, still played a part in the deaths of so many.

Reading this definitely left me with a few conflicting thoughts about culpability and choice. And I think that is one of the most important aspects of this book- it makes you think about how beliefs and actions have huge effects upon those around you, and what you are willing to do about that.

A really interesting read.

This was utterly fascinating! A true account of one girl's attendance at the trial of a 94-year-old former Nazi... and of course like her you go in believing he is pure evil but then as the testimonies all start spilling out it becomes so much less black and white... because we were not alive in those times and can not imagine how difficult it would have been to not just go with the tide of safety that he went with... and he knows that it was all wrong, and he was not happy with everything back then, but it was his job and he had to just shut up and get to work, and also half of it he had been brainwashed into believing was the right thing to do... furthermore he wasn't one of the big wigs, but just a tiny cog in the machine who didn't do anything directly that resulted in death, but he was just part of it all, on the wrong side, which at the time seemed to be the right side, or the ONLY side... omg.

A brilliant read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Second Story Press for the opportunity to read and review To Look a Nazi in the Eye by Kathy Kacer with Jordana Lebowitz. The prologue tells of the Nazi soldier, Oskar Groening, being guilty of persecution by aiding and abetting at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. The now ninety-four year old soldier has been brought to court for justice to be served. Before the prologue, a brief description of statistics states the small number of Auschwitz guards that actually faced justice, it's astoundingly appalling. Jordana attends a Jewish Day school and she travels with schoolmates to tour concentration camps. Jordana's impressive efforts created a temporary Holocaust exhibit showing other genocides around the world and comparing them to what took place during the Holocaust. I appreciate her idea of bringing to light other genocides as well, to teach and hopefully prevent more atrocities. Jordana continues to spread the knowledge of the Holocaust and advocates for human rights. The author, Kathy Kacer, learned about the Holocaust from her parents who were both survivors of the persecution. 5 stars for this example of strength and perseverance in the midst of awfulness.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.

An honest, real and emotional read. This book relates the days Jordana Lebowitz spent in Lüneburg for the trial of Oskar Gröning, a former SS. During this trial, Gröning acknowledges that what happened in Auschwitz was terrible, but declares he had nothing to do with Jewish people being killed. He was just a cog in the machine. Inherent obedience shines through when in presence of an authority and his actions proved it but that still didn't mean that he wasn't to blame as it is said, “If you think of the ‘death machine’ then all the parts of the machine must work. Otherwise the machine does not work.” and “In other words, Herr Gröning, you facilitated the smooth operation of Auschwitz’s killing machine by your actions.”

This book provided an insight into the lives of future generations of the holocaust survivors and it was equal parts haunting and interesting. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this!

"He didn't look evil. He didn't look like the murdering Nazi that he was accused of being. With a complete exhale of breath, Jordana thought, he looks like my grandfather."

This book tells the real story of Jordana Lebowitz traveling to Germany to witness the trial of Oskar Groening that took place in 2015. The ninety-two year old Groening was on trial for crimes committed while he was part of the Nazi war machine in Auschwitz during the second World War. While Groening never personally killed anyone, he was complicit in the murder of roughly 300,000 Jewish people.

The book reads more like a story than an account of a trial, which I think will make it more relatable to many readers. It tells of Jordana's struggles to get to Germany for a trial that she felt passionately about. It outlines her relationships with the survivors that she bonds with while she's there, her mixed emotions about Groening, her expanding views of Germany and its people. And while it obviously touches on very dark subject matter, it never gets too dark. It would be suitable for many middle-grade readers and could be a good introduction to the history of the Holocaust.

"I was on the ramp when the selections took place...I was there."

Groening's testimony was inserted between various pieces of Jordana's story, which worked really well. It was easy to see his viewpoint on many things, though it was hard to see where he was coming from on others. I can understand that many were indoctrinated with hateful beliefs, but how could you ever view the destruction of a group of people as right? If you were there, witnessing what was being done to men, women, children, no matter your personal role, how could you live with yourself?

One thing that I cannot understand is how anyone can deny the Holocaust and what happened. This isn't something that happened hundreds of years ago and records have been lost. It was less than one hundred years ago. There are survivors today, telling their stories. And these are people on both sides of the situation. Groening speaks against Holocaust deniers, telling them that he was there, he saw what happened. And there are those who were inside, being tortured for experimentation or forced into hard labor, with the tattoos still marking their skin, the memories still haunting them. How can you deny the reality of what happened when there is so much evidence that supports it? It is something I will never understand.

This is not complex or deep overview of what happened during the Holocaust or of the events of this trial, but it is the honest view of a teen's experience of this historic event. History is important, no matter how ugly it may be. It needs to be taught and learned from. If we don't make a conscious effort to prevent history repeating itself, then it will.

I definitely recommend this to those interested in the history of this dark period in history. Jordana is a modern girl trying to spread awareness and spread goodness. You can see some of her own opinions changing within the story as she grows. Her own opinions and beliefs were skewed by what her parents and grandparents taught her, but she began to see that not everything could be so easily categorized. Nothing is simple.

I enjoyed this book! I loved how it switched from Jordyn's (who is an absolute inspiration, by the way!) POV both before & during the trial to Groening's. It was hard to remember that this wasn't fiction sometimes - I got so attatched to the characters, mostly the survivors, and had to remind myself that they are real people, really out there using their horrific experiences to educate & serve justice. I'm so so glad that Jordyn chose to be really poignant in this book and described all of her feelings, the rage towards the holocaust, the nazis (and therefore Groening) and the deniers, and the guilty pity she felt towards 95 year old Groening who "reminded her of her grandfather." Somehow this book managed to stay quite un-biased, combining Groening's testimony with the life stories of holocaust survivors and their children and grandchildren, fighting for their legacy so that their suffering won't be in vain, with important political and ideological discussions i.e. the ethical discussion of sending Groening to jail in his own age, the emergence & the sustained arguments of the deniers (and how we can combat that) and it's all a true story!

Note: I didn't realise until I started this book that I actually knew who Oskar Groening (and another character - Eva Korr) was. I'd "met" them both on a BBC documentary called Auschwitz: The Nazis and the "Final Solution" which is currently on Netflix, and then again, on another documentary solely about Eva forgiving Groening at the trial called "The Girl Who Forgave the Nazis," which I watched on All4 but I'm sure you can find on YouTube. If you read this (rather lighthearted) book and want to know more of the history about the tragedy itself, I really recommend the BBC documentary, and if you'd like to watch the trial that this book is about, then you can watch the other documentary.

// Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this review in exchange for an honest review //

This is an important subject and the book is a very quick read. Unfortunately, I wanted to like the book more than I did. The writing seemed rushed and the description of the trial proceedings felt underdeveloped. Having said that, I would still probably purchase for my library.

What I liked the most about this book is that it is based on a true story and introduces students to another component of the Holocaust--the aftermath and the trials of Nazis. I also appreciated reading about the perspectives of Holocaust survivors and their reactions to the trial. These perspectives and reactions provide many teachable moments about forgiveness, doing what's right, and perseverance. I can't wait to add this book to my classroom library! .

This book is one of the many reasons why I am going to be majoring in history. I normally don't even read the aftermath of books like this, but I did for this one. My only two problems are is that I believe in the beginning the main character is like "OMG is that my grandpa?" and we never hear from that again. Another thing is that she over exaggerates everything. It's the little things like "OMG I might not get caught with this!" (insert her flipping her hair and walking away nervously). Other than those two problems, this book was fantastic. I finished the majority of it on my Mexico trip and I flew through it (pun intended because I was on a plane). I highly encourage everyone to read this and I had no idea that this event happened till now.