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About The Book

The extraordinarily moving memoir by Australian Slovakian Holocaust survivor Magda Hellinger, who saved an untold number of lives at Auschwitz through everyday acts of courage, kindness and ingenuity.

A New York Post ‘Must-Have’ Book

In March 1942, twenty-five-year-old kindergarten teacher Magda Hellinger and nearly a thousand other young Slovakian women were deported to Poland on the second transportation of Jewish people sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The women were told they'd be working at a shoe factory.

At Auschwitz the SS soon discovered that by putting Jewish prisoners in charge of the day-to-day running of the accommodation blocks, camp administration and workforces, they could both reduce the number of guards required and deflect the distrust of the prisoner population away from themselves. Magda was one such prisoner selected for leadership and over three years served in many prisoner leader roles, from room leader, to block leader – at one time in charge of the notorious Experimental Block 10 where reproductive experiments were performed on hundreds of women – and eventually camp leader, responsible for 30,000 women.

She found herself constantly walking a dangerously fine line: using every possible opportunity to save lives while avoiding suspicion by the SS, and risking torture or execution. Through her bold intelligence, sheer audacity, inner strength and shrewd survival instincts, she was able to rise above the horror and cruelty of the camps and build pivotal relationships with the women under her watch, and even some of Auschwitz's most notorious Nazi senior officers including the Commandant, Josef Kramer.

Based on Magda's personal account and completed by her daughter Maya's extensive research, including testimonies from fellow Auschwitz survivors, this awe-inspiring tale offers us incredible insight into human nature, the power of resilience, and the goodness that can shine through even in the most horrific of conditions.

Praise for Nazis Knew My Name

‘A vivid, remarkable tale of courage and resilience in the face of human-made horror.’ Spectrum

‘A poignantly illuminating Holocaust memoir.’ Kirkus Reviews

‘Hellinger has written an important perspective of the Holocaust, of a kind that we rarely see. A standout memoir’ Library Journal

‘Magda’s own words, completed by her daughter’s copious research, create an unputdownable account of resilience and the power of compassion.’ Booklist

‘Magda Hellinger survived three years in Auschwitz and served as camp leader, saving lives including her own, wherever she could. This may be one of the final first-hand Holocaust accounts to be published as a book.’ Politico

‘[R]are and fascinating personal accounts of infamous SS guards and personnel help to make The Nazis Knew My Name unputdownable, while Magda’s enduring choice to save who she could will hopefully inspire kindness and selflessness in another generation.' Glam Adelaide

About The Authors

Used with the permission of Maya Lee

Magda Hellinger was deported to Auschwitz on the second transport from Slovakia in March 1942, at the age of twenty-five. She was one of the very few to survive over three years in concentration camps. During her time in Auschwitz-Birkenau she held various prisoner functionary positions and had direct dealings with prominent SS personnel, using her unique position to save hundreds of lives.

Sophie Timothy

Maya Lee is the daughter of Magda Hellinger. She is an accomplished businesswoman and fundraiser with several nonprofit organizations. After coauthoring an autobiography of her Holocaust-survivor husband, she encouraged her mother to document her own story. Maya subsequently conducted wide-ranging research to fill out her mother’s story. The Nazis Knew My Name is the result.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (September 1, 2021)
  • Length: 304 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781760859299

Raves and Reviews

'A poignantly illuminating Holocaust memoir.'

– Kirkus Reviews

‘This is an excellent read for those interested in a more detailed history of the Holocaust. The rare and fascinating personal accounts of infamous SS guards and personnel help to make The Nazis Knew My Name unputdownable, while Magda’s enduring choice to save who she could will hopefully inspire kindness and selflessness in another generation.'

– Glam Adelaide

‘A vivid, remarkable tale of courage and resilience in the face of human-made horror.’

– Spectrum

A New York Post ‘Must-Have’ Book

‘Hellinger has written an important perspective of the Holocaust, of a kind that we rarely see. A standout memoir that will draw the interest of readers of World War II history and women’s memoirs or biographies.’

– Library Journal (starred review)

‘Magda’s own words, completed by her daughter’s copious research, create an unputdownable account of resilience and the power of compassion.’

– Booklist

‘Australian-Slovakin Holocaust survivor Magda Hellinger survived three years in Auschwitz and served as camp leader, saving lives including her own, wherever she could. This may be one of the final first-hand Holocaust accounts to be published as a book.’

– Politico

‘[A] harrowing, heroic story of a woman in an impossible position who devoted her energies to doing what she could with the scraps of power and influence she managed to construct.’

– BookBub

‘[V]aluable, interesting, and thought-provoking.’

– New York Journal of Books

‘[A] compelling and seamless portrait of a young woman who managed to survive and save others through cunning bravery and compassionate leadership… an extraordinary portrait of one woman who fought for others in the midst of unimaginable horror.’

– BookPage (starred review)

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