With Courage Shall We Fight: The Memoirs and Poetry of Holocaust Resistance Fighters Frances "Fruma" Gulkowich Berger and Murray "Motke" Berger
Holocaust survivors Fruma Gulkowich Berger and Murray Berger, two resistance fighters, husband and wife, write in poetry and prose of their experiences. Their sons offer a loving introduction and a prologue, but the heart of their story is a memoir of pain and anguish, defiance, determinaton and resistance, which gives ample testimony not only to courage and to bravery, but a unique type of courage born of despair and desperation. A powerful work. --Michael Berenbaum, Professor Jewish Studies, American Jewish University, Los Angeles, CAA rare work that combines both compelling narrative and beautiful poetry and prose, this important book offers profound insight into a distant era about the intersection of two lives. The poem, I Am the Last, left me with shivers, the phrase I am the last to remember where my house was, the last to remember those I loved so well, deeply moved me. Although I ve looked at the famous Bielski photograph of Fruma Gulkowich Berger so many times, I never realized this person with a machine gun in her lap was in fact a woman, whose words would one day move and inspire me. The collection of written work by the editors at the end makes it even more of a treasure. --Mitch Braff, Executive DirectorJewish Partisan Educational FoundationSan Francisco, CAWith Courage Shall We Fight presents a most fascinating and compelling account of Murray and Fruma Berger s incredible experience during the Holocaust as part of the Bielski partisans resistance group. This wonderful memoir of poetry combined with a well written narrative history serves as an excellent resource for educators to use as a primary document when teaching the Holocaust.Resistance in the Holocaust took many forms but this collection of such heartfelt and sincere poetry is a form of spiritual resistance that is one of a kind. Truly a touching memoir and a must read for anyone who is a serious student of the Holocaust and Resistance. --Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, Director, University of Miami Holocaust Teacher Institute and Education Co-Chair, of The Holocaust Memorial: Miami Beach, FloridaA rare work that combines both compelling narrative and beautiful poetry and prose, this important book offers profound insight into a distant era about the intersection of two lives. The poem, I Am the Last, left me with shivers, the phrase I am the last to remember where my house was, the last to remember those I loved so well, deeply moved me. Although I ve looked at the famous Bielski photograph of Fruma Gulkowich Berger so many times, I never realized this person with a machine gun in her lap was in fact a woman, whose words would one day move and inspire me. The collection of written work by the editors at the end makes it even more of a treasure. --Mitch Braff, Executive DirectorJewish Partisan Educational FoundationSan Francisco, CAWith Courage Shall We Fight presents a most fascinating and compelling account of Murray and Fruma Berger s incredible experience during the Holocaust as part of the Bielski partisans resistance group. This wonderful memoir of poetry combined with a well written narrative history serves as an excellent resource for educators to use as a primary document when teaching the Holocaust.Resistance in the Holocaust took many forms but this collection of such heartfelt and sincere poetry is a form of spiritual resistance that is one of a kind. Truly a touching memoir and a must read for anyone who is a serious student of the Holocaust and Resistance. --Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, Director, University of Miami Holocaust Teacher Institute and Education Co-Chair, of The Holocaust Memorial: Miami Beach, Florida