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A personal Holocaust memoir, historically rich and deeply contextual, that traces intertwined family stories through Nazi and Soviet terror—and postwar challenges of survival and rebuilding.
The Pessimist’s Son centers on Alexander Kimel, whose life unfolds from a shtetl in the Polish Ukraine, to a Nazi ghetto, to liberation. Interwoven is the harrowing story of his wife, Eva, whose father was murdered in the “Holocaust by Bullets,” the mass shootings that claimed more than a million Jewish lives outside the camps.
Written as a dialogue across generations, the memoir offers a rare and intimate portrayal of Jewish survivors who remained in Communist Poland after the war. Narrative reflections by their son, informed by his lifelong relationship with Poland, provide historical and personal context throughout. The Pessimist’s Son explores the antisemitism Alex and Eva faced, the lives they rebuilt under repression, and their decisions to leave Poland in 1956 and, ultimately, emigrate to America.
By including the experiences of extended family members, the book provides a panoramic portrait of Polish Jewry before, during, and after the Holocaust—revealing not only devastation and loss, but also ingenuity, determination, and resilience.
“[A] must-read for anyone seeking a personal, cross-generational, deeply researched, and moving account of what Polish Jews faced [before, during and after the Holocaust].”
— Jewish Book Council
— David Patterson , Hillel A. Feinberg Distinguished Chair in Holocaust Studies , University of Texas at Dallas
“A compelling memoir of Jewish life in Russian occupied Poland in World War 2, the German invasion of Russia and life underground during the ensuing Holocaust of bullets. Alexander Kimel's story is interwoven at every step with his son Martin's magnificent work of narrative nonfiction to provide a wide-angle view with other first-hand accounts and the larger historical context, including the parallel survivor journey of Alexander’s wife, Eva. Beautifully written and deeply researched, The Pessimist’s Son is a riveting testament to the ingenuity and resilience of the human spirit when faced with impossible circumstances. Everyone should read it.”
— Scott Lenga, Author of The Watchmakers
“This manuscript bridges the past and present, weaving a profound dialogue across generations. Authored by the son of Holocaust survivors, it delves into the harrowing experiences of his parents during one of history's darkest periods. The narrative, rich with personal anecdotes and historical context, offers a unique lens into the lives of survivors and the enduring impact of their stories on their descendants. It's a moving testament to resilience and the unbreakable bonds of family, providing invaluable insights into the collective memory of the Holocaust and its lasting legacy.”
— Dr. Daniela Ozacky Stern, Western Galilee College, Israel
“This remarkable book is an account of the lives of two holocaust survivors, Alexander Kimel and Ewa Najnudel…. The book is based on a memoir by Alexander, edited by his son Martin, who has written an account of Ewa’s survival and the subsequent history of the couple. It provides a moving analysis of the Nazi mass murder of the Jews of Poland and of the situation of Jews under the Polish communist regime from liberation until 1956. It is essential reading for all interested in the fate of the Jews in East-Central Europe under Nazism and Communism.”
— Antony Polonsky, Emeritus Professor of Holocaust Studies, Brandeis University, Chief Historian, Global Education Outreach Project, Museum of Polish Jews in Warsaw
“The Pessimist's Son is a profoundly moving account of the Kimel family's experiences during World War II. Alexander Kimel's narrative spans his childhood in Russian-occupied Poland, his time in the Rohatyn ghetto, and his survival of the ghetto’s liquidation. Meanwhile, his wife Eva's remarkable story of perseverance under Nazi occupation, including her hiding in the Ukrainian forests, is equally powerful. Their son Martin thoughtfully edited this history to breathe life into their stories, offering a poignant tribute to the human spirit's capacity for resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. As the last remaining Holocaust survivors pass away, their stories become increasingly precious, and this account serves as a vital link to the past. The Kimel family's story is a testament to the rich Jewish heritage of Eastern Europe, which the Holocaust and its aftermath tragically ravaged. Through a dialogue between generations, this testimony is a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving the memories of those who lived through this dark period and the enduring legacy of the Holocaust.”
— Prof. Daniel Blatman, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Chief Historian, Warsaw Ghetto Museum, Poland
“In combining his father Alexander’s difficult to comprehend memoir of his harrowing and courageous experience during the Second World War as a teenager, together with the riveting story of his mother, Eva, then a young girl, and her remarkable survival in the Ludwipol ghetto and then in an adjacent forest, Martin Kimel has produced another significant and poignant account of the Holocaust. Demonstrating an extensive knowledge of primary and secondary sources, Kimel knows firsthand the Eastern European setting where these tragic stories unfold. The result is a compelling book that deserves a large audience.”
— Allan Levine, Author of Fugitives of the Forest
“This poignant book is a full-length memoir, meticulously annotated and enriched with research by the son of Holocaust survivors. It offers an inspiring tool for Holocaust education and beyond.”
— Françoise Ouzan, Author of How Young Holocaust Survivors Rebuilt Their Lives and True to My God and Country.
“Alexander Kimel’s Holocaust writings have been widely reprinted, used by educators and cited by scholars. Indeed, Alex contributed gripping and powerful autobiographical notes for my book on Nazi ghettos, Life in the Ghetto during the Holocaust. We are fortunate that we now have his full-length memoir, thoughtfully edited and annotated by his son. In addition, Martin Kimel has extended Alex’s story past liberation to include his time in Communist Poland and written his mother’s own harrowing story of hiding in the forests of the Ukraine. In its excellent 35 chapters, Martin Kimel has done justice to the poignant accounts of Alex and Eva Kimel. Alex and Eva's voices come through distinctly and powerfully as they relate their harrowing experiences before, during, and after the Holocaust. Both are excellent storytellers who relate their accounts in a clear and vivid way. They relate their experiences under both Nazi and Soviet rule and the horrible anti-Semitism they experienced in post-war Poland. Martin Kimel has done extensive research and has provided very helpful annotations and explanatory notes so that even readers who are not experts on the Holocaust can understand his parents' experiences. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Holocaust in Poland.”
— Eric Sterling, Professor of English, Auburn University at Montgomery
Martin Kimel, the son of Alexander and Eva Kimel, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford Law School. He is a securities lawyer in Washington, D.C. and lives in Maryland. He has written on the Holocaust and other topics for the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, Wall Street Journal, Times of Israel, Forward, Chicago Tribune and many other publications.
Acknowledgments
Co-Author’s Note on the Use of Yizkor Books and Rohatyn Memoirs
Zachor—Remember, a Holocaust Prayer, by Alexander Kimel
Maps
Part 1: Alex’s Memoir, Edited and Annotated
Chapter 1—The Shtetl
Chapter 2—Shtetl Life and the Mystery of the Survival of the Jewish People
Chapter 3—My World Collapses
Chapter 4—The Russians: Podhajce Becomes a “Workers’ Paradise”
Chapter 5—Refugees in Rohatyn
Chapter 6—The Germans, the Ukrainians, and the Pogrom (Summer 1941)
Chapter 7—The Judenrat ( Jewish Council)
Chapter 8—First, the Ghetto; Then, Awful News
Chapter 9—The Labor Camp: Skipping Out on Skalat
Chapter 10—The First Action (March 1942)
Chapter 11—Building a Bunker, Breaking the Ice (Literally), and My Burning Shame
Chapter 12—The Yom Kippur Action (September 1942)
Chapter 13—Caught Again: The December Action (1942)
Chapter 14—The Baby and the Bunker
Chapter 15—My Mother Dies
Chapter 16—Luba Goes to Podhajce
Chapter 17—An Unpleasant Surprise
Chapter 18—The Resistance Group/“The Hope”
Chapter 19—Escape and Liquidation (May–June 1943)
Chapter 20—In Hiding
Chapter 21—The Final Ordeal, Then . . . Liberation!
Chapter 22—Our Return to Civilization
Photographs
Part 2: Eva’s Story of Life, Death, and Survival, by Martin Kimel
Chapter 23—Fleeing Radom (September 1939)
Chapter 24—Ludwipol (Summer 1941)
Chapter 25—The Nazis Murder Eva’s Father
Chapter 26—Into the Woods
Chapter 27—Liberation . . . Then Bitter Tears
Chapter 28—Some Reunions in Łódż: “Everyone’s Been Killed”
Chapter 29—The Destruction of Jewish Radom
Chapter 30—“Radom-in-Exile” and Motek’s Murder
Chapter 31—Antisemitism: From Łódż to Legnica
Part 3: Alexander and Eva Kimel
Chapter 32—1956: Quitting Poland for Israel: A Knife in Eva’s Heart
Chapter 33—Starting over yet Again in a New Country: Israel to America
Chapter 34—1967: Poland Denies Eva’s Request to Attend Her Stepfather’s Funeral
Chapter 35—The “Refugees” Achieve the American Dream—Awe and Gratitude from the Next Generation
We Will Never Forget—Auschwitz, by Alexander Kimel
Holocaust Lamentations, by Alexander Kimel
Relatives Known to Have Perished in the Holocaust
Endnotes
Bibliography
Index
About the Authors