Holocaust Memoir Jewish History Romanian History World War II Eastern European Studies Biography & Autobiography Survivor Narrative Judaica Collectible
Shattered: 50 Years of Silence is the hard-to-find 1997 first-edition hardcover that finally gives voice to Romania’s forgotten Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Felicia Steigman Carmelly—an inmate of the brutal Transnistria ghettos—breaks five decades of silence with a memoir so detailed that historians quote it as a primary source while general readers are riveted by the cinematic pace of her escape and rebuilding of life in Canada. Because most Romanian archives were sealed under Communism, Carmelly’s first-hand account is one of the only continuous narratives that traces the 1941 deportations through post-war displacement, making the book indispensable for scholars of Eastern-European genocide and collectors of Judaica alike.
What makes this copy especially appealing is its physical durability and rarity: a sturdy Abbeyfeild hardcover manufactured to library standards, now scarce on the open market. The book is inscribed—likely by a previous owner—on the inside back cover, adding a personal trace of the post-war diaspora that mirrors the author’s own journey. Condition notes list only minor pen marks on that same page and slight page-edge discoloration, so the text block remains tight and fully readable, a respectable survivor itself after 27 years. For teachers, YA educators, or parents, the narrative is accessible to older teens yet layered enough for university coursework, pairing well with units on Anne Frank, Elie Wiesel, or contemporary discussions of silenced voices.
Collectors searching for “Romanian Holocaust memoir,” “first edition Shattered Carmelly,” or “Transnistria ghetto survivor book” will find this listing optimized to surface in those exact queries. The 1997 date places it years before later reprints, ensuring you receive the true first issue. Secure this copy now to own a piece of living history that both documents atrocity and celebrates resilience—an enduring conversation-starter for any home library, classroom, or antiquarian war-history shelf.
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