Author: Jack Fairweather
It’s the summer of 1940. Poland has been occupied by the Nazis who have started rounding up the Jewish population and putting them in camps. Little is known of what goes on in these camps, until underground operative Witold Pilecki infiltrates Auschwitz. His mission: to uncover what goes on in these camps, to feed information of Nazi crimes to the Allies, while rallying a secret resistance army.
This is a true story: a story of true bravery and selflessness, a tale of a man willing to put his life on the line to try and save thousands or, if nothing else, to shed a light on what happened to them. Former war correspondent Jack Fairweather uses his expertise to give readers the opportunity to learn more about the life of unsung war hero Pilecki.
The Volunteer is incredibly well researched and has been crafted in a way that makes it both an informative and a moving read. Pilecki’s tale has been almost forgotten, so we should all thank Fairweather for highlighting the heroic deeds of a man who put everything on the line to uncover the horrors of the Holocaust.
Rating: *****
> Naomi Round