Amid the many accounts of Jews who did not survive the Holocaust, this novel stands out in its depiction of one lucky family who, miraculously, did. Historical context is provided by the chunks of exposition that are folded into the personal stories, which are compellingly told. Jakob, Helena, and Mila make their way to Warsaw, where false papers help make the difference between life and death. Another son, Addy, is in France when the war breaks out and manages to escape to Brazil. Hunter spoke about the development of We Were the Lucky Ones, saying: I’ll never forget the day, at fifteen years old, I learned that I came from a family of Holocaust survivors. Son Genek is in Lodz when it becomes part of Soviet-occupied Poland he and his wife are arrested and sent to a labor camp in Siberia before becoming part of the Polish army when Russia switches sides. Sol and Nechuma are forced into the Radom Ghetto when their house is confiscated. Hunter’s novel about what happens to the family after the Germans invade in 1939 is based on her own family’s experiences and follows several strands.

Driven by an unwavering will to survive and by the fear that they may never see one another again, the Kurcs must rely on hope, ingenuity, and inner strength to persevere.ĭemonstrates how in the face of the twentieth century's darkest moment, the human spirit can endure and even thrive.The Kurcs-Sol, Nechuma, and their five children, ranging in age from 21 to 31-are a prosperous, educated Jewish family living in Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.Īs one sibling is forced into exile, another attempts to flee the continent, while others struggle to escape certain death, either by working grueling hours on empty stomachs in the factories of the ghetto or by hiding as gentiles in plain sight. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. Hunter’s website,, offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the extensive research this project has entailed. We Were the Lucky Ones was born of her quest to uncover her family’s staggering history. It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. When Georgia Hunter was fifteen years old, she learned that she came from a family of Holocaust survivors. 'Love in the face of global adversity? It couldn't be more timely.'. Is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds. Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive-and to reunite. Bestseller with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide

We were the lucky ones hunter