The Light of Days

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One of the most important stories of World War II, already optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture: a spectacular, searing work of Holocaust history that brings to light the extraordinary accomplishments of brave Jewish women who became resistance fighters--a group of unknown heroes whose exploits have never been chronicled in full, until now.

Witnesses to the brutal murder of their families and neighbors and the violent destruction of their communities, a cadre of Jewish women in Poland--some still in their teens--helped transform the Jewish youth groups into resistance cells to fight the Nazis. With courage, guile, and nerves of steel, these "ghetto girls" paid off Gestapo guards, hid revolvers in loaves of bread and jars of marmalade, and helped build systems of underground bunkers. They flirted with German soldiers, bribed them with wine, whiskey, and home cooking, used their Aryan looks to seduce them, and shot and killed them. They bombed German train lines and blew up a town's water supply. They also nursed the sick, taught children, and hid families.

Yet the exploits of these courageous resistance fighters have remained virtually unknown.

As propulsive and thrilling as Hidden Figures, In the Garden of Beasts, and Band of Brothers, this piece of WWII historical nonfiction at last tells the true story of these incredible women whose courageous yet little-known feats have been eclipsed by time. The Light of Days introduces us to their world. Judy Batalion--the granddaughter of Polish Holocaust survivors--takes us back to 1939 and introduces us to Renia Kukielka, a weapons smuggler and messenger who risked death traveling across occupied Poland on foot and by train. Joining Renia are other women who served as couriers, armed fighters, intelligence agents, and saboteurs, all who put their lives in mortal danger to carry out their missions. Batalion follows these women through the savage destruction of the ghettos, arrest and internment in Gestapo prisons and concentration camps, and for a lucky few--like Renia, who orchestrated her own audacious escape from a brutal Nazi jail--into the late 20th century and beyond.

Powerful and inspiring, featuring twenty black-and-white photographs, The Light of Days is an unforgettable true tale of war, the fight for freedom, exceptional bravery, female friendship, and survival in the face of staggering odds.

NPR's Best Books of 2021

National Jewish Book Award, 2021

Canadian Jewish Literary Award, 2021

How did a group of young women in a war-torn country challenge the most ruthless war machine of the 20th century?

• An Untold Story of the Holocaust: Discover the hidden history of the young Jewish women and "ghetto girls" who defied the Nazis as couriers, smugglers, and saboteurs in occupied Poland.
• Women's History and Resistance: Learn how these teens and young women built a network of resistance, hiding revolvers in loaves of bread, bombing German train lines, and assassinating Gestapo officers.
• Gripping Narrative History: Follow the incredible true story of Renia Kukielka and other partisan fighters through the destruction of the ghettos, Gestapo prisons, and concentration camps.
• Inspirational Survival: A powerful and unforgettable tale of exceptional bravery, female friendship, and survival against staggering odds, meticulously researched by the granddaughter of Polish Holocaust survivors.