Hana's Suitcase

Reviewed by: Bernie Alie - York County Community College, Wells, ME, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 17, 2016

Review

Fumiko Ishioka, coordinator of the Tokyo Holocaust Center, applied for and received a child's suitcase from Auschwitz for display. On the side was written a child's name, birthdate and "Waisenkind" meaning "orphan." Hoping to bring the story of the Holocaust alive for her students, Fumiko pursued information about the original owner of the suitcase, 13 year old Hana Brady. Levine alternates between Hana's story from the late 1930's and early 1940's, and Fumiko's search for details about her in the year 2000.

Hana Brady was only 8 years old when the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia. First her mother, then her father was taken away. She and her older brother George went to live with their Uncle Ludvik until being sent to the camps themselves. Because Uncle Ludvik was Christian, he was not imprisoned. The children were sent first to Theresienstadt. After two years, Hana was sent to Auschwitz, and was killed upon her arrival.

Fumiko's trip to Poland revealed that George had survived and was now living in Canada. Included in this updated edition, are tales from George and Fumiko's meetings and speeches, interviews with neighbors who knew Hana, photographs from her short life and of smiling young Japanese children with George and the suitcase.

Included is a photo of birthday gifts made from bread that Hana's mother sent to her from the camp at Ravensbruck. The gifts are not placed in context with the constant hunger suffered by those imprisoned. Despite Hana's death in 1944, emotions, thoughts and words are attributed to her without the benefit of source notes. The intentions and emotions of Uncle Ludvik are likewise attributed without source notes. Levine does her best to put an uplifting spin on a Holocaust story. These omissions tend to misrepresent the brutality of the Holocaust.

Overall Book Score: fair