Hiding Edith: A True Story

by Kathy Kacer

The remarkable true story of a young girl named Edith and the French village of Moissac that helped her and many other children during the Holocaust. The town's mayor and citizens concealed the presence of hundreds of Jewish children who lived in a safe house, risking their own safety by hiding the children from the Nazis in plain site, saving them from being captured and detained and most certainly saving their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Holocaust, History, War, Biography, Historical, World War II

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Kathy Kacer was born in Toronto and has lived there all her life (with the exception of three years in New Brunswick). She has a Master’s degree in Psychology and worked for many years with troubled teens and their families. She stopped working full time in 1995 to pursue her dream of becoming a children’s author. That dream came true with the publication of her first book, The Secret of Gabi’s Dresser, in 1999. She has been writing ever since.

Her parents were both survivors of the Holocaust. Her mother survived the war in hiding; her father was a survivor of the concentration camps. Their stories of survival were an inspiration to Kathy as she was growing up. As an adult, she was determined to write their stories and pass them on to young readers. She went on to write more than twenty books, all focused on the Holocaust. These books include The Night Spies, The Diary of Laura’s Twin, To Hope and Back, Hiding Edith, the Whispers series, and The Magician of Auschwitz. Many of her books have won awards in Canada, the United States, and Israel. Her books have been sold in over twenty countries around the world.

In addition to writing, Kathy teaches at the University of Toronto (Continuing Studies). She also speaks to children in schools and libraries around the world about the importance of understanding the Holocaust and keeping its memory alive. In addition, she lectures in universities and colleges on the topic of teaching sensitive material to young children.

She is married and has two children, Gabi and Jake. Both children share her family’s love of stories.

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read about the Holocaust. I found the book in my Libary on the New Books section so I took it as a light read. But when I started reading it was a really sad book but also extrodinary how she lived during the holocaust. After this book I went and read many more books about the Holocaust as it inspired me to read alot more. Since I read this book ive become a better reader and I read more books too. This is my all time favourite book as it inspired me to read many other amazing books on the holocaust.

[Adrijana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kao i sve priče o holokaustu i ova je izazvala buru emocija u meni, ali na svu sreću jedna je od retkih koja je imala srećan epilog.
Porodica malene Edit je nošena vihorom rata bežala od rodnog Beča preko Belgije pa sve do južne Francuske uvek uspevši da za dlaku umakne nacističkoj čizmi.
Nažalost, pri poslednjem begu otac biva uhapšen i do samog kraja rata porodica Švab nije čula ni jednu jedinu vest o njemu.
U strahu od logora i sigurne smrtu Editina mama, njena draga i voljena mutti, donosi najtežu odluku u životu - razdvojiće se od dece u pokušaju da ih spasi.
Ovo je neverovatna istinita priča o jednom hrabrom gradiću čiji stanovnici nisu želeli da stvari prepuste slučaju i da Jevreje jednostavno ostave na milost i nemilost Nemcima. Jedan mladi bračni par je u velikoj kući u gradu Moissac-u osnovao nešto nalik na školu za izviđače koja je poslužila za skrivanje jevrejske dece. Preko pet stotina dečijih života je sačuvano zahvaljući njima tokom 4 godine, a jedan od tih dragocenih životića je upravo Editin.
Veličanstvena saga o slozi, ljudskosti, prijateljstvu i snazi porodice.

[Carolyn Scarcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my sixth holocaust book; I do enjoy reading young adult book and saw this cover. It is seeming interesting because she was a child. I am glad I found this short story book at the marketplace for a cheap price. Kathy Kacer is an excellent writer about this little Edith. I did enjoy the book because the picture was also shown in a few pages each to follow the story and I couldn’t put it down as a result. This book has got me wept because she was only little and couldn’t understand her identity. She was a very lucky girl, and I don’t think she knows how brave she is. She is a Jew and born in Vienna, Austria. Her family had to flee to France because they had plans for Edith to go in hiding in a French village of Moissac. The people in the village agreed to keep children’s identities a secret. Shatta and Bouli Simon, the couple ran the house and taught the children everything they need to survive for example, hiding, change their names. Once the couple learns the Nazis are coming and they had to put other children into different hiding places. Edith makes a close friend, a Jewish girl named Sarah Kupfer and they both share the same birthdays. Edith was hiding by multiples families during the war years and her family have survived the war. They adopted Sarah as well and Edith now lives in Toronto, Canada, as a result.

[Helen O'Toole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A part of the Holocaust Remembrance series of books designed for young readers, this book is equally important for readers of all ages. The true story of 11 year old Jewish girl,Edith Schwalb,whose family had to escape Vienna, travel to Belgium and then to southern France, desperate to find safety. Her father was taken away to a concentration camp and her brave mother explored possibilities for her four children that would give them a chance of survival. In one of the most noble displays of civic responsibility, an entire French town, Moissac, took on the collective duty of keeping dozens of Jewish children safe in a Scouting organization camp. If the mayor was told that the Nazis were to conduct a search, he sent a warning and the children and their careers camped out, Boy Scout style for a week at a time. But even this safety was taken away as the war progressed and Edith had to assume the identity of a Catholic girl and live as an orphan in another French town, a very terrifying time with the risk of her true identity being discovered. Her father's fate was especially tragic. He survived Auschwitz only to die from over feeding by the well meaning but ill informed American doctors. Edith married a fellow survivor and took her entire family to Toronto, Canada where she raised a fine family in that country's welcoming peace and safety. Kathy Kacer should be very proud of her series of Holocaust books. I have read Hana's Suitcase and I will be searching for The Diary of Laura's Twin.

[Tânia Tanocas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ebook BR

Gostei, mas na minha opinião é um livro mais virado para os jovens compreenderem o que foi a guerra e o que as crianças sofreram também.

[Aperoki · Rating 5 out of 5]

There wasn't a wasted word or stray premise in the entire thing, just a very straightforward and well executed story.

[Imontielcastellano4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edith Schwalb was a very young girl that lived during World War 2. She was a Jew girl so life for her was very difficult. Some things that Edith had to live through were, moving countries a lot, living with people she had never heard of before, having to hide from the Nazi's and the hardest of all, changing your identity. If Edith hadn't done any of this, she probably would have been sent to a concentration camp or maybe even have been killed. This book is about bravery, hope and trustworthiness.

[Aline Chiaretto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esse livro é sensacional! Ele mostra a crueldade e tristeza da segunda guerra, mas também mostra a bondade e a disposição de alguns ao ajudar os perseguidos pelos nazistas, mesmo sabendo que isso poderia os colocar em extremo risco. É uma história real, cativante, importante e não é uma leitura difícil ou chata! Esse livro é extremamente bom!

[Melinda Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fairly easy story to read, and I wonder if I've inadvertently read a school children's book? Anyways, you will never be able to compete with Anne Frank, she's the queen of this type of book, but nonetheless it's a quick and interesting read.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written account (for young readers) of the real life story of Edith Schwab (B. 1932 in Austria), a young Jewish girl and how she made it through the trial did World War II and the Holocaust.

I was surprised to find out that Edith and her family later moved to Toronto, where her younger brother, Gaston, became a well-known chef in Toronto and even ran for mayor! (He only just passed away in 2020 and as far as I’ve been able to find, Edith is still going at 90 years old and was even doing Zoom conversations about this book a few months back!).

I like Kathy Kacer’s style of writing - which is why I picked this up after reading her other book (Hidden on the High Wire). Even though they’re written for youth audiences, even as an adult you can really appreciate the stories. In some ways I find reading books like this are even better as an adult when written for young audiences because they get straight to the details without too many extraneous facts to overload you and they also will leave anything too gory out (while not glossing over traumatic details like deaths and the true nature of what was happening in WWII).

My only qualm with this book was her choice to add Eric Goldfarb into the mix when in the note at the end she says that her and Edith never really met. I feel like that detracts form the historicity of an otherwise well told and genuine story and there was no need to put him at a time when he was not there.

[AngelaC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short book (I read it in one sitting) that is simply but effectively written, presenting the plight of Jews in the Second World War from a child's viewpoint as Edith and her family escape from Vienna to Brussels then move to Southern France, the "free zone" where they hope (in vain) to escape the Nazis.
I was particularly interested in this book because I know the small town, Moissac, where Edith became an inmate in a children's home. I visited it in 1969 but heard not a word about the amazing feat accomplished by the townspeople in keeping these children hidden in plain sight for several years.
I would recommend this book. It makes you wonder how any child who lived through such terror and fear could eventually have a normal life. Those who succeeded deserve our praise and admiration; those who found they could not deserve our pity and understanding.

[Desirae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finding Edith was powerful and excellent. Edith is a Holocaust survivor and when you read this book, you really feel what is was like to be right there. It's amazing watching her progression over the years regarding her struggles, triumphs, and the evolution of her beliefs in the world. She's quite a strong and amazing person. Of course some of who she is is probably innate, but I would guess that much of who she is today is as the result of her life path and how she persevered. Great book: Read it and have your kids read it. If there were more Ediths in the world, it would be a better place for sure!

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could not put this book down at all. It is very suspenseful and there is a lot of repetition yet it keeps you engaged. It is a nonfiction book but it reads like a story. It is written in a third-person perspective. The main character's name is Edith and she is about 9 years old. She is growing up during the holocaust. The story takes place in Austria, Germany and in France. Anyone who likes historical fiction would like this book even though it is nonfiction.

[Shaana Niessen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for young readers, this was an interesting book about a young Jewish girl forced to flee and eventually go into hiding from invading Nazis. What I found most fascinating was the true story of the French town of Moissac whose courageous citizens banded together to hide and protect over 500 Jewish children. With the exception of one girl who was taken away by her family and later captured, all of the Moissac children survived the war.

[BaileighKirwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome and very interesting. It showed me how hard it was back in world war2 for little Jewish girls like
Edith and what kind of sacrifices people had to make when they are in danger. I have
learned a lot from this book and I hope other people learn from it too.

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short story of ediths journey through the war. A very quick read for a life long journey and something that stayed with her for the rest of her life. Its another interesting look into what happened during World War II.

[KillerFrost · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I loved it.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating account of how local people in Moissac hid Jewish children. Even more poignant as it is a true story. I found the small details about life during the WW2 fascinating.
Highly recommended.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parker and I read this together. A wonderful story of hope in the midst of incredible trials.

[Rama Ramaswamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very simply written book, which you could probably read in a day. A true story, evocative in parts. I've now recommended it to my 10-year old.

[Bia dgn · Rating 3 out of 5]

li para a escola

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for children to accept.

[Ari (Head in a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing read, it is tragic that the holocaust happened and let us hope it never happens again.
Highly reccomend.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very important and interesting to read

[Ziza Coelho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, beautiful story. I read it in one go

[Yara Alani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever I really loved it. I was so sad at the end thought :)

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first book i reread at the age of 10

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book

[Chrissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheer courage and bravery - some people choice to put a face up to danger and do what's right. The town of Moissac hid a large group of Jewish children during WWII, understanding the pain of the parents who did everything they could to save their children by giving them up. All of the children survived - save one, who left with her parents. Another facet to read about the horrors of war and persecution, especially through the memories of a young child.

[Savannah]

Hiding Edith by Kathy Kacer was a true story written about Edith Schwalb. Edith was a jewish girl who lived in Vienna, with her mom who she called Mutti, her papa who was a soccer player, her older sister Therese, and her baby brother Gaston. Vienna was becoming dangerous because of the World War 2 lead by Adolf Hitler, who had many, many, many soldiers. Adolf Hitler was a terrible man who wanted to kill jewish people and take over the world. Adolf Hitler did not like the jews he wanted to kill them all, that put Edith and her family in great danger. Jewish people were not allowed in many shops because they were jewish.
Soldiers were always in the streets of Vienna stopping people to see the papers which told who they were and if the were jewish. The soldiers would knock on people's doors at the middle of the night to catch jewish people. If they caught jewish people they would send them to concentration camps. Concentration camps were places where jewish people would be tortured and given little food so they would starve.


One day when Edith's father was stopped by a soldier on his way home from picking Edith up from school. The soldier let him go, Edith and her father were very scared. As soon as they got home and told Mutti they made a plan to leave. In the night they left. They went to Belgium. In the middle of the night the soldiers came and took papa.Mutti bribed the soldiers and got papa back.
They Schwalb family left for France , papa got taken again but this time didn’t return. Soon where they were staying was unsafe too. Edith and gaston was sent to a house in moissac where it was safe, Shatta and Bouli run the place it's a safe house for jewish kids. Mutti and therese went and stayed in somebody else's house , the good bye was hard for Edith and gaston. The children of moissac who lived in the big house new survival skill in case they had to go on a 6 or 7 day camping trip, so the nazis wouldn’t find them. The mayor would alert them if they were coming. One day Edith opened the great big door it was the mayor, she let him inside he alerted Shatta and Bouli. They went on the camping trip. When they came back it was safe and the nazis were gone. One day moissac wasn’t safe no more the kids had to be sent of to people's homes and to boarding schools, they had to get new identity’s. Their names, place of birth and religion was changed. Edith was called Edith servant her parents died. She was sent to a boarding school with her friend Sarah who was called Simone. There was so much bombing by the school the parts of the walls would crack and parts would fall, glass would break, beds would move and shelved would fall. It was no longer safe for Edith and Sarah to stay there.


I really like this book because it tells some of the history of World war 2, at the same time it tells Edith's story. It was very interesting in that way. I would recommend this book because of the history. I think people should know the history of World War 2 because America was part of it they helped save the jewish people from death.