The Mascot

October 1, 2007
Kurzem's first book is part of a genre whereby the children of Holocaust survivors recount their parents' experiences by recounting their own investigations. The actual Holocaust experience, told through oral history and/or documentary evidence, is juxtaposed to the children's process of investigation. The author's father, Alex Kurzem, certainly has an interesting story. A young Jewish boy survives the massacre of his family and is adopted by members of the Latvian SS as a "mascot"; after the war, many of his memories, including his Jewish past, are suppressed for years. His son's discovery of documents, photographs, and even his father's role in a Nazi propaganda film are quite compelling. The text, however, contains reconstructions of conversations that could only be so detailed and historically accurate if they had been recorded, which does not seem to be the case. The book's historical accuracy is further open to question by the author's opening statements that he "altered various names and identifying details" and condensed the chronology. The author also apparently believes that some Israeli agency (perhaps Mossad) was investigating his family. Had he focused on re-creating his father's experience and avoided trying to make this into an international thriller, he would have produced a much better book. Not recommended.Frederic Krome, Univ. of Cincinnati, Clermont Coll.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2007
The authors father, Alex, was five years old when, in 1942, he fled from a Nazi death squad that had killed his mother and other villagers. He survived in the bitterly cold Russian forest until he was found by Latvian SS soldiers. Alex hid his Jewish identity and became their mascot, dressed in a miniature uniform with the rank of corporal. He was used as bait in a deportation scam and appeared in a propaganda film. His son, Mark, eventually was able to uncover his fathers past with the help of historians, members of Alexs Ukrainian Jewish family, and a film archive in Riga. Alex questions why the Latvian soldiers kept him alive when so many others were murdered. His son explains that they exploited him for their own purposes. The book is a felicitous blend of personal recollection and keen observation.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)