"In my hands" Irene Gut Opdyke narrates her tribulations during WWII. The saga of atrocities committed by the Nazis is intertwined with echoes not to be indifferent when another person's freedom is in jeopardy. Sharing her story with young life audiences, Irene is inculcating the same imperative: "You can make a difference; you have the power to fight against evil."

As a native of Poland, I find many familiar images in Irene's early surroundings. She comes from a little town close to the German border, so do I. I am inspired by Irene's
tolerance and warming heart, manifested from her early age on. She shunned rampant anti-Semitism and befriended none co-religionists. It my eyes, Irene is a shining example of righteousness. As a little Jewish boy, I was sometimes harassed by Catholic kids, because I was not one of them. The Russian and German invasions into Poland disrupted Irene's life. Despite her own predicament, Irene became very concerned about her Jewish friends' safety. She reached out to help and hide them from deportation to Nazis' killing centers. Many Poles assumed that they will be spared from persecution if they would cooperate with the Germans. Irene believed that once Hitler finished murdering the Jews he will do the same to the Poles. This was not a mere premonition but a keen observation. As it turned out, every Polish Jew was indeed a victim but not every victim was a Jew. Irene became a resistance fighter. For four years, her school years, did Irene risk her own life for the sake of saving innocent Jewish life!

I am a Holocaust survivor who had lost his entire immediate family and 123 members of his extended family. Being incarcerated for three years, my school years, in several forced labor camps, I realize how Irene's hidden Jews were spared from suffering and probable death. Irene did not let a woman in hiding to terminate her pregnancy, despite all possible ominous consequences. Reading about it, I had tears spilling over my cheeks. Irene cherished the sanctity of life. I am at awe; her sacrifice is a symbol of human kindness in a cruel environment. Irene's bravery and compassionate heart are extraordinary. It is indicative that conscientious people might be found in every group or nation. Negative stereotyping and prejudice are senseless!

"In my hands" is a well written narrative of compelling episodes that illustrate the compassion and integrity that the author had been imbued with. Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem recognized Irene's heroism. Her name is inscribed in the Alley of the "Righteous Among the Nations" Her gracious deeds and her literary work will be eternally etched in my memory.

Alter Wiener, Author "From A Name to A Number".

First I listened to the book on audio. I liked it so much I got the book a year later andit it. Amazing story of survival. Hiding right in a Nazi officers home. WOW. What courage.

A must read for those who what to never forget.

Uplifting to what we can and will do for others when we have to.

Whereas the novel I mentioned in my title left me feeling cold (not to mention the author was a small child when she writes about her experiences, which must be grainy), this powerful account is simply written, but also written well. It's deliciously descriptive and emotional. I felt like I did walk in Irene's shoes, for I saw everything through her eyes (true, it was written in first-person point-of-view), instead of like watching a movie.

By the way, I think this would make a great film, though I am not sure if there is an actress beautiful enough to play Irene (who really should be played by a young, unknown girl, age appropriate, not a trashy pop starlet, who would degrade).

Through it all (being raped by two Russian soldiers and left for dead, becoming a German officer's mistress to protect her Jewish friends, etc.), Irene maintains an innocence that is refreshing, and when she loses her first truelove before they have a chance to marry, it broke my heart.

I will say I have an even dimmer view of the Catholic Church than I did before (not Catholics in general, just some of the politics of the religion), because when Irene goes to a priest to confess being a German's lover to save the lives of her friends, he says, "They are Jews", and I could actually hear the inflection in his voice that said, "They're just Jews", like they weren't worth saving. This un-Christlike priest refuses to give her absolution, which, from a doctrinal standpoint I understand, but not from a spiritual standpoint. Yes, Irene was sinning, but she was not committing crimes against humanity, and I believe my God is a merciful and just God and that He understands for He can see Irene's soul.

This deeply religious, courageous woman has earned my respect and her chronicle is hardcover worthy.

My 14-year-old daughter read this book and insisted that I read it. When I finally agreed, I could not put the book down. The story is so well told that you can can truly understand the experience of a 17-year-old girl in the midst of the horrible events. A compelling book that everyone should read and discuss.

I often think of this woman in my day to day life. She serves as a testament to all mankind that we must put others first and fight for the just cause. What she went through herself is quite harrowing. I am happy that she has been honored with a tree planted in her name at Yad Vashem in Israel. An easy read and a book that you cannot put down. She is truly inspirational.

Unlike most characters featured in such books, Irene Opdyke had no vested interest in helping the Jews during the Nazi occupation of Poland. She began her work in small, timid steps, gradually growing more bold and forceful as she matured. The story is told in an entirely credible and sympathetic way, without forcing young readers to wade though long narratives of graphic atrocities. I found the afterward to be the most moving and memorable part of the entire book.

In my hands is a wonderfully written account of the difference "only one girl" can make. Irene Opdyke lived 7 years through the war and was subjected to many wrong doings herself, but she continued to put herself in mortal danger without thought to herself for the sake of saving the lives of a group of Jews.
A very important book in helping to teach the next generation of the horror of the second world war, but also in teaching us that one person can make a great deal of difference to the lives of others.

I've read a good number of books on World War II, but this one had tons of new information and thoughts to consider. We often look at the issues from the perspective of Germans, Jews, or Americans, but rarely do we ponder how the war must have been for the Polish. If you're interested in World War II, this is a must-read.

of what Poland went through during the occupation of the Germans and Russians. I checked this book out at the library for our WWII unit study to read to my family. It is not for the faint of heart. There are many situations in this book that I did have to leave out because Irene tells the whole truth. It is a great book and needs to be read by all. Courage always takes the hard road but thank God there are those in our midst willing to stand up for those that can't.

This is my favorite book about the Holocaust because even though it Irena is honest about the horrors of what the Nazis and the rest of the civilians did, her story ends with strong hope. The way she gambled her life over and over again and took such amazing risks is a brilliant inspiration to us all. Irena really is one of the righteous among the nations for what she did to save her Jewish friends. She stuck to her faith and her convictions in the face of death. This is greater than any work of fiction; no author could have dreamed up the adventures and horrors she endured, from her rape and incarceration to her involvement in the Polish resistance, she is a fighter and a survivor. She has led such an astounding life! If every person who saw what the Nazis were doing had stood up and made the kind of sacrifices she did, the holocaust would have been stopped. Out of all the literature I have read regarding the shoah, this is the one I hold most dear; Irena is my hero.

How catty (and ingenious) to call this "historical fiction" and then praise it as well written. It is in fact a memoir and for the reviewer to rename it fiction and then praise it so as not to look biased is downright nasty.

This is a serious piece of history and should be treated as such.

This book is excellent historical fiction. It is a rewrite and expansion of the author's more basic memoirs entitled "Into the Flames."

This new version is written for teenagers, but retains enough sophistication for adults to enjoy it as well.

The book follows the author's adventures and travails as her country, Poland, is invaded first by the Germans and then, to her horror, the Russians as well. At the time she is a a 17 year old maiden, student nurse, and practicing Catholic. She falls in with the Polish armed forces, whose leadership flees the country, leaving everyone else to fend for themselves. Fiercely nationalist, she joins the Polish underground and takes up arms to defend her country.

A Russian patrol, however, finds her shortly thereafter. The Russsians rape her repeatedly, beat her unconscious, and leave her to die alone in the snow. Fortunately, she is discovered and taken to a hospital. As she recuperates loudspeakers in the town blare out a constant announcement of how lucky the Poles are that Mother Russia has saved them from themselves.

Eventually, she ends up in German occupied Poland and begins working for a German Major. She discovers that the Nazis are mistreating the Jewish people, keeping them enclosed in ghettos or killing them outright. She first tries to help the Jewish people by sneaking small portions of food into the ghetto. Then she helps hide some Jews in a forest outside town. Next she ends up hiding a dozen Jews in the basement of the Major's house.

The Major finds out about it. His price to keep quiet is that the author become his mistress. She agrees. She goes to her priest to seek absolution. The priest tells her he cannot absolve her even though she is only sleeping with the Major to save the lives of these Jews. The priest's explanation is that they are, after all, only Jews. But she does not give up and does not betray those she has promised to save.

After the Germans begin to evacuate Poland, she escapes from the Major and rejoins the Polish underground. After the war, the Soviets arrest her as a partisan leader. She escapes again and makes her way to America.

Her story is a remarkable one of courage, resilience, and faith.

Irene writes about her experiences during World War II and the Holocaust where she witnessed the atrocities against the Jews and others. My parents were children in Poland at the time. People I think wonder why they survived. Yes, they were Catholic and so am I. What most people don't understand about Poland during the war is that the Nazis killed entire Polish families if they had saved a Jew. Imagine saving one person or losing your entire family, that was the scenario not to mention that Poles always thought that they were next in line too even my parents thought they were going to be next to the gas chambers. While I am grateful that Irene has told her story, she does offer insight as to why so many were brutally murdered for whatever reason. My aunt's boyfriend was killed for delivering newspapers. If you go to Warsaw, you will learn that 90 percent of the city itself was destroyed and rebuilt. Of course, Poland was never the same after the war. It went from fascism to communism to democracy. Sure, it would have been nice to have saved others but Irene does detail the problems and the circumstances of saving Jews from slaughter. We must not forget that the Poles suffered too under the Nazi regime but not as nearly as their Jewish neighbors, friends, and relatives were. The psychological effects of that war still haunt people to this day. Poland was terribly abandoned by the world as well as a sacrifice to the slaughter of millions of innocent people but at least there are people like Irene who can show us that humanity and angels are still with us.

Well written account of a the ongoing transformation of a young woman in WWII Poland. The strength of this book is the picture it paints of how circumstances shape us and empower us one decision at a time to become so much more than we had ever expected. It also points out the truth that each individual is capable of both positive and negative ~ so much of our response depends on options for the good, an openess to choose for them and the presence of companions on the journey. This story is relatively unknown which is a loss to the reality of the past and the potential of the present.

This is a book that will affect your life. To think what this young women did to save the lives of strangers is nothing short of awe inspiring. She is a true hero. Her daughter is my friend, which is why I read the book in the first place. Then I asked Jeannie (Janina after Irene's sister) to speak at my church. Not a peep in the place! There is so much more to the story! What a movie this will make(?) She simply cared about fellow human beings and put her life on the line to save them. I don't know why this book seems to be promoted to teens, not that they wouldn't benefit, but I think anyone with a heart should read it. You will reflect on it for a very long time.

"In My Hands" By Irene Gut Opdyke, with Jennifer Armstrong. Subtitled: "Memories Of A Holocaust Rescuer". Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 1999.

Jennifer Armstrong has written an excellent book, making this story of Irene Gut very easy to read ...that is, despite the horrible incidents that are described. The real life story of Irene Gut dwarfs fiction.

As a student nurse in September 1939 when the German Wehrmacht attacked Poland, she was quickly "drafted" into a Polish Army unit where she was helping the wounded when Poland surrendered. Thereafter, she was raped by Soviet soldiers, held in a Soviet hospital, escaped into German-occupied Poland and the story continues down more horrible paths. Because Miss Gut looked Germanic, and could speak German, she was able to slip back into the German-occupied Poland where she was put to work serving a Major Eduard Rügemer, an older officer. Her position, however, permits her to protect first, her sister, and, then later, a number of Jewish refugees.

What I found interesting was that the book relates that there were some Germans, such as the cook, Schulz, who were willing to turn a blind eye to the "crime" of helping the Jews. There were other Germans, such as the Major, who used helping the Jews to his advantage ... as in his relationship with Irene. And, of course, there were Germans, such the SS officer, Rokita, who just wanted to kill Jews. Irene Gut wonders aloud why the Germans wasted resources on eliminating the Jews when the same trains, etc. could have been used to supply German soldiers at the front.

Even after liberation by the Red Army, Irene has to run since she was a member of the partisan Polish army, and they were being hunted down and killed by the Soviets. She finally ends up in New York City, where she again meets the American, William Opdyke, whom she marries in November 1956. Irene was honored as on of the "Righteous at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial with an olive tree.