AboutMichael FitzGerald Expertise I am an expert in German history between 1918 and 1945, particularly with regard to the Nazi era. I am also very knowledgeable about most areas of philosophy (I have an honours degree in the subject) and am able to answer questions on that subject too. In addition, I am very knowledgeable about poetry. One of my hobbies is also politics, mainly British and European though I follow the US political scene as well. Another one is the history of crime and punishment and British social history (the two often overlap!) I am willing to answer questions on all the above issues.
Experience Author of two published works, 'Storm Troopers of Satan,' an account of the lunatic fringes of Nazi ideology, and 'Adolf Hitler: A Portrait,' a biography of the German dictator. 'Adolf Hitler' was published in July 2006 by the top history publisher Spellmount and was named historical biography of the month by the Good Book Guide. I correspond with Ian Kershaw, Peter Stachura, Jeremy Noakes, Roger Moorhouse and Stan Lauryssens. I have undertaken research for radio, television, newspapers and magazines
Organizations Society of Authors
Education/Credentials I have an Honours degree in philosophy.
Awards and Honors LT prize for poetry
Historical Biography of the month, Good Book Guide
Expert: Michael FitzGerald Date: 10/9/2006 Subject: About Binjamin Wilkomirski
Question Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask but anyway, my school is reading this book called 'Fragments' by Binjamin Wilkomirski and it's about this boy who escapes Nazi Camps and stuff, but I'm just wondering if it's all true cos it's pretty weird that this guy makes it and all that. Thanks
Answer Dear Yuenho,
In the first place, thank you for your question. You are right to be surprised but in fact the proportion of people who escaped from the concentration camps, though very small, was higher than generally realised. I have personally known a number of Holocaust survivors (the man who taught me German was one). One of my dearest friends lost most of his family in Bialystock because he was what was known by the German authorities as a Sinti (gypsy).
Unfortunately, the book that you are reading is not one of the best examples of escape from the camps. To be honest with you, it was exposed as a fraud some years ago. Jewish author Daniel Ganzfried, writing in 'Weltwoche' discovered that Binjamin Wilkomirski was not Jewish at all, but a Swiss boy named Bruno Doesseker. Although it is indeed a remarkable evocation of the Holocaust, the book itself must now be regarded as a work of creative fiction rather than sober historical fact.
As I say, I have personal reasons for feeling extremely sensitive about the Holocaust and I would above all urge you to remember that those who deny it ever happened are lying through their teeth. Jews and Gypsies were both put to death simply because of their racial origins In the same way, the mere fact that Wilkomirski's 'memoir' is better described as a novel than an autobiography does not mean that others did not escape from the camps. I personally knew two people who did so.
