Surviving the Angel of Death: The Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz

When I teach my students about Holocaust they are often most curious about Dr. Josef Mengele and his horrible experiments.  Mengele is notorious for his quasi medical experiments on twins, dwarfs, gypsies and other people with physical abnormalities.  His is referred to as the Angel of Death because while his experiments were, more often than not, deadly, being selected by him gave one a glimmer of survival.

This glimmer of survival is Eva Kor's story in Surviving the Angel of Death:  The Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz.  Eva and her twin, Miriam were chosen by Mengele on the platform at Auschwitz.  While the rest of their family was sent to their death, Eva and Miriam were subjected to inhumane living conditions and gruesome experiments.  The story is told in Eva's words.  She recalls events in vivid details and she makes you feel as though you were traveling along with her.

What makes this story even more poignant is that both girls survived the war.  Eva lives in Terra Haute, IN and has opened a museum.  She frequently speaks to adults and children across the United States.