When Beni Virtzberg was 9 years old, Kristallnacht destroyed his carefree childhood in his home town of Hamburg. His parents decided to escape the increasing persecution by moving to Sosnowiec, Poland, his father's hometown, which in fact proved to be a trap. Nazi Germany invaded Poland and the family shared the fate of many other Jews: internment in a ghetto, followed by deportation to Auschwitz. Beni's mother was murdered upon arrival. The young boy bravely fought to save his father's life, but he ultimately lost him as well. Beni Virtzberg's own fight for survival led him from Auschwitz, where he was forced to assist Joseph Mengele, to the death marches and to the notorious camps of Mauthausen and Melk. Upon liberation, Beni immigrated to Eretz Yisrael, joined the Palmach, and fought in some of the fiercest battles during Israel's War of Independence. He founded a family with his wife, Rachel and had two children, Ilan and Dalia. During the Eichmann Trial, Beni became aware of common misconceptions about the situation of the Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe. He decided to bear witness by writing his painful memoirs. The work on the book, on of the earliest testimonies published in Israel, and the constant reminders of his agonizing past and losses took a great toll on him. He had won the fight for survival, but ultimately his memories were too heavy a burden. On August 4, 1968, Beni Virtzberg took his own life. This edition makes Virtzberg's story of his struggle to survive available to the English reader, and pays tribute ot his courageous and unique personality.