Praise
"[Janina’s] bravery in the face of Nazi brutality allowed her to save countless lives, and the authors bring her story to life... A fine delineation of personal heroism amid an era of utter human depravity."
"Powerful. . . . A heart-wrenching profile of resilience, ingenuity, and heroism."
“This extensively-documented account serves as powerful testimony.”
-- Booklist
"A full portrait of a woman who saved thousands in Nazi-occupied Poland, with broad appeal for readers interested in Holocaust and eastern European history and survivor’s stories.”
“Part biography, part adventure tale, The Counterfeit Countess is the astonishing history of “Countess Janina Suchodolska,” a heroic Polish Jewish woman who rescued thousands of Catholic Poles during the Holocaust. Historians Elizabeth White and Joanna Sliwa turned sleuths as they painstakingly pieced together the story of her wartime activities from shards of information scattered across archives in Europe and North America. A riveting account of moral courage and an enduring commitment to save lives."
– Debórah Dwork, director, Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, The Graduate Center—City University of New York
"The Counterfeit Countess is an extraordinary testament to courage, resilience and humanity during the darkest months of the Holocaust. Beautifully crafted and meticulously researched by two of America’s powerhouse World War II historians, this riveting story will ensure that the world never forgets the utterly remarkable Josephine Janina Mehlberg and an epic rescue mission that defied great evil. You will not put this book down until the very last word -- it is a stunning piece of Holocaust history that will stick with you long after you’re done."
– Debbie Cenziper, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Citizen 865: The Hunt for Hitler's Hidden Soldiers in America
"A stunning masterpiece of a book about a previously overlooked hero of the war and the Holocaust. Never betraying any fear, ‘Countess Suchodolska’ performed seemingly impossible miracles again and again, routinely risking her life to save thousands of Polish prisoners in the Majdanek concentration camp. Elizabeth B. White and Joanna Sliwa have performed their own miracle by meticulously reconstructing her story and giving her the long-overdue recognition she so fully deserves."
– Andrew Nagorski, author of Saving Freud: The Rescuers Who Brought Him To Freedom
"A story of courage, compassion, and cunning so profound that it must be included with the greatest Holocaust literature. Janina Mehlberg is a heroine for the ages."
– Larry Loftis, New York Times bestselling author of The Watchmaker's Daughter
"(...) a genuine contribution to scholarship that is also a memorable, inspiring tale of individual heroism."
-- Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University, author of The Student: A Short History. The Wall Street Journal
"(...) an impressive portrait (...) part adventure-war story, part inspirational tale of right winning over might."
-- Marissa Moss, author-illustrator of more than 80 books. New York Journal of Books
"(...) a gripping tale of one woman’s grit and courage in the face of unimaginable terror."
--Hallel Yadin, archivist at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, and a host on the New Books Network podcast’s library science channel. The Jewish Book Council Reviews
Reviews
Curt Schleier, "The Counterfeit Countess, Hadassah Magazine, 1 March 2024.
Amanda Hopkinson, "The Counterfeit Countess, book review: The Jew who saved thousands of Poles by posing as a Catholic," The JC (The Jewish Chronicle), 27 February 2024.
Sarah Fields, "The Counterfeit Countess: A Remarkable Story of Courage and Compassion — Book Review," Eulalie Magazine, 13 February 204.
Jeffrey Veidlinger, "The Jew who saved Gentiles. Janina's Mehlberg's heroic story," TLS (The Times Literary Supplement, 9 February 2024.
Brendan Dowd, "Best. Fraud. Ever," History Nerds United, 26 January 2024.
Michael Roth, "'The Counterfeit Countess Review: Fake Title, Real Courage," The Wall Street Journal, 24 January 2024. Link to full article.
Marissa Moss, Review in the New York Journal of Books, 23 January 2024.
Hallel Yadin, Review for the Jewish Book Council, 22 January 2024.
Kitty Kelley, "A fake aristocrat offered real salvation in WWII," Washington Independent/Review of Books, 19 January 2024.
Jasper Reese, "The fake 'aristocrat' who fooled the Nazis - and saved thousands of Poles," The Telegraph, 5 January 2024.
Book Lists
New and Forthcoming Book Roundup / from Books Inc. in San Francisco
-- Marina Times
The On-Sale Calendar: January 2024
January 2024 Most Anticipated New Book Releases
Best Books List / Top Reads | December Starred Reviews