Fiorello's Sister: Gemma La Guardia Gluck's Story

Very interesting...did not know she was a political prisoner who was put in a concentration camp during world war two.

This is a unique Holocaust memoir in that it documents the experiences of an American-born woman in the Nazi camp of Ravensbruck. The account is also interesting due to the fact that the narrator is also the sister of Fiorello La Guardia, former Mayor of New York. By a twist of fate and circumstance, Gemma LaGuardia Gluck finds herself in the women's concentration camp of Ravensbruck, and the memoir details not just her incarceration there but also provides an insightful look at other issues such as immigration to the US in the late 19th century. Although her account of her time in the camp is not as graphic or chilling as some other Holocaust memoirs, it is nevertheless a vauable addition to Holocaust literature and is written with remarkable insight.

This is not a great book, it is an OUTSTANDING one. The main subject matter is the memoir of Gemma La Guadia Gluck written in 1961, now brought back to life after being out of print. Gemma was the sister of the famous and former mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guadia (The Little Flower). She was arrested by the Nazis in 1944 when they took control of Budapest. They knew she was Fiorello's sister and was held as a political prisoner and sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Gemma was one of the few survivors of this camp. Her memoir details the atrocities of this confinement and her personal and courageous struggle. The kindness and altruistic gestures she demonstrated to other prisoners is to be greatly admired. Her memoir also has fascinating facts about her relationship with Fiorello and his early developemental years, historical events of that era, the difficulties encountered in post WWll in Europe, and the arduous efforts required for many trying to immigrate to the US. The memoir is interesting but equally if not more so is the prologue, epilogue, old photographs, appendix (included here are letters exchanged between Gemma and Fiorello), and the frequent and informative footnotes by the editor, Rochelle G. Saidel. This book is well researched, filled with fascinating historical facts, and a great story of personal triumph over seemingly insurmountable adversity.It is an easy read and readily holds your interest. Highly recommended!