Nobody Lives Here

A Jewish Childhood in the Occupied Netherlands

Lex Lesgever, Babette Lichtenstein, Jozef Voort

$49.99

Hardback

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English

The History Press Ltd
01 December 2023

Diaries, letters & journals; Memoirs; Second World War; Judaism; Political oppression & persecution

The devastating tale of a young Jewish boy, coping alone on the streets of Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.

Lex Lesgever, born and raised in the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam, had just turned 11 when the Germans invaded in May 1940. When his eldest brother Wolf is arrested during a raid in February 1941, Lex is confronted with the horrific consequences of the war. It marks the beginning of a devastating time both for the world and for the small boy who had to survive it alone.

It was not long after his brother's arrest that the rest of the family was taken and deported, with only Lex managing to escape from Nazi clutches. From that point, the young boy spent months on his own in Amsterdam, sleeping rough in shelters and doorways, escaping Nazi raids, being fired upon and interrogated, before being taken in by members of the Dutch resistance.

This tale of the horror shows the capability of individuals trapped in a time and place of hopelessness. Witness the growth of a naïve, frightened young boy into a smart, resilient and yet sensitive survivor. Painting a picture of the unfolding events in Amsterdam during Anne Frank's time in hiding, Lex's memoir is vivid and often horrific, but ultimately it is a poignant snapshot of humanity in its darkest moments.

AUTHOR: Lex Lesgever is the young Jewish boy whose story is unravelled within the book, a tough, resilient individual. After his ordeal in Amsterdam during the war, he spent forty years living in Leiden where he devoted himself to the Jewish community. He died on New Year's Eve, 2019.

20 b/w illustrations

By: Lex Lesgever
Translated by: Babette Lichtenstein, Jozef Voort
Imprint: The History Press Ltd
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781803993225
ISBN 10: 1803993227
Publication Date: 01 December 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified

LEX LESGEVER is the young Jewish boy whose story is unravelled within the book, a tough, resilient individual. After his ordeal in Amsterdam during the war, he spent forty years living in Leiden where he devoted himself to the Jewish community. He died on New Year’s Eve, 2019. The translators, BABETTE LICHTENSTEIN and JOZEF VAN DER VOORT, are professionals in their field, the former also being a retired cellist and the latter presently working in the German Historical Institute, London. Babette grew up in Amsterdam just after the war and feels an intimate connection with Lex’s story and able to bring colour in English to Amsterdam’s streets.

Reviews for Nobody Lives Here: A Jewish Childhood in the Occupied Netherlands

'This spellbinding book will take you on the streets of 1940s Amsterdam as a Jewish boy twists and turns to remain alive. Each page immerses the reader in the sights, sounds and experiences confronting Lex everywhere he looks. A captivating account of one boy’s survival through his wit, courage and nine lives.' -- Baroness Gillian Merron 'A vivid and moving account that offers a deeply personal reflection on the Holocaust in the Netherlands. Readers will be captivated … truly inspiring.' -- Olivia Marks-Woldman, Holocaust Memorial Day Trust ‘A compelling and devastating account that offers a profoundly personal and disarmingly honest insight into the human reality of the Holocaust. It deserves to be read widely, and repeatedly.’ -- James Bulgin, Head of Public History, Imperial War Museum ‘Conveys vividly and sensitively the reality of the war years . . . Evocative and memorable.’ -- Gaby Glassman, psychotherapist specialising in transgenerational Holocaust trauma