Leokadia Schmidt, Rescued from the Ashes: The Diary of Leokadia Schmidt, Survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto

 

                                                                                                           

Leokadia Schmidt lived through one of the most horrific events of the last century, as a hunted woman in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.  She, her husband and baby were in hiding for almost 5 years, both inside the ghetto walls, and outside (for a short time), and narrowly escaped the death camps a number of times because of her strength, good fortune, and good friends.  For family history researchers, this is also a great perspective if you have Jewish ancestors that lived in Poland during the war.  This story that Leokadia wrote to document her travails will have you wondering if you’d have the same strength that she did – I’m not sure I would have had her courage in the same situation!