Saving the Children of the Holocaust by Helen Constantine; © 2025; ISBN: 9781739-444716; 202 pages plus references and acknowledgements; $11.99.
By Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
This book explores the biographies of eight remarkable women who gave thousands of innocent children caught in the horrors of World War II a chance to live. They did not act for fame or glory, but simply because it was the right thing to do.
These women include Irena Sendler, Diana Budisavljević, Truus Wijsmuller, Mary Elmes, Anna Essinger, Andrée Geulen, Hetty Voûte, and Gisela Soehnlein.
Irena Sendler is best known for smuggling Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto to safety. Diana Budisavljević gave up her life in Austrian high society to rescue Serbian children in grave danger. Truus Wijsmuller played a key role in the Kindertransport, arranging safe passage for thousands of children fleeing Nazi-occupied territories. Mary Elmes, a nurse, hid children in the trunk of her car and drove them out of French internment camps to freedom. Anna Essinger, a German headmistress, outwitted the Nazis and relocated her school to Britain, ensuring both the safety and continued education of her students. Andrée Geulen worked with the Belgian Resistance, persuaded families to entrust her with their children and escorted them to hiding places. Hetty Voûte and Gisela Soehnlein, both university students, worked in the Netherlands to rescue Jewish children and bring them to safety.
None of these women sought recognition or accolades. They acted humbly, guided by moral conviction and compassion. In the book, some of the children—now adults—are reunited with their rescuers, and each woman stated she would do it all over again if given the chance.
This book is suitable for teen and older readers, and especially meaningful for young teen girls seeking strong female role models. Reading about the courageous acts of these women gave me goosebumps, and I found myself imagining what it would have been like to walk in their footsteps. I also connected deeply with their humility, as they did not seek the spotlight for their actions.
Altogether, these eight women are credited with saving approximately 30,000 lives—children who would otherwise have perished simply because they were Jewish.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World