Milek and his brother Munio live in a sleepy village in Poland, where nothing exciting seems to happen. They reluctantly do as their mother asks when she asks them to visit their neighbor Anton, knowing that the rest of the village laughs at him because of his strange habits of speaking to animals and only eating vegetables. Things change quickly when war comes to their town in the form of Nazi soldiers searching for Jewish families like that of Milek and Munio. Anton refuses to tell the soldiers where to find them, and then goes so far as to hide the family in his own home, putting his life at risk without a thought. Based on a true story.

I love reading about heroes from WWII, expecially those that saved children during the Holocaust. This true story takes place in a small village in Poland.

Anton, called the village fool, was friends with several Jewish families. One of them was the family of Milek and Munio Zeiger. When rumours that the Nazis were coming to the village, Anton offered to help the Zeigers. It happened before everyone was ready, but fortunately for the Zeigers, Anton had given them dresses for the boys to wear and they were saved until he and their father could dig a tunnel in Anton's root cellar for them and 2 young Jewish girls, Eva and Ziphora, to hide in.

Anton Suchinski endangered his own life to hide these 6 Jewish neighbours. He gave up his own food to make sure they were fed. When the Nazis arrived and tore his house apart, he held firm and did not give them up. When he was taken in for questioning, he still did not give them up.

After the story, Rebecca Upjohn lets us know what happened to the Ziegers, Ziphora, Eva and Anton Suchinski. Using photographs we find out what happens to the families right up to 1992 with Anton's official recognition as "Righteous among Nations" at the Holocaust Memorial and Museum in Jerusalem. This recognition finally transformed Anton from village fool to village hero but his heart and valour have always identified him as a champion, choosing to risk his life to save others, even when ridiculed. The Secret of the Village Fool shows Anton to be not a fool, but a saviour, especially to those whose lives he saved and to their children, grandchildren and others they were able to touch.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This was a wonderful story and heartbreaking in the best way. The War always makes me super sad to read and hear about, and to see this kind of devotion from someone towards the "enemy" in always refreshing.