All’s fair in love in war : NITZA :: Book Review

Kamal Baruah *

'NITZA' - Book cover

When history forever let Auschwitz-Birkenau is a cry of despair and warning to humanity. At the same time the Jam Saheb is an illustrious page from modern contemporary history, little known to many around the world even today

I’m not an avid reader but I’ve keen interest on warfare. Since information warfare has led to Artificial Intelligence, Military have been barred from expressing views to social media for combating proxy war. In early 2K, we’re even prevented using cell phone. After discharge from service, I discover the joy of writing, quieten my inner critic and finally find my flow.

I put my thoughts into words of my early days of blue uniform. The bunks and the barracks of yesteryears bring everlasting memories. Mr Pranab Banerjee, a former Research Scientist of CMRS from Kolkata must have known my liking who requested me if I could read a novel that he come across. I instantly agreed upon and he sent me the same by post.

The novel is all about World War II. Great nation Germany wanted to build an empire based on the subjugation of inferior races by territorial expansion where majority of European Jews lived. Germany invaded Poland, bombed cities and war begun in 1939. Hitler’s state-sponsored persecution treated Jews with genocidal brutality. No sense of justice and humanity were with Nazi uniform. Prisoners had to go for being a Jews. It’s a systematic, bureaucratic murder. Even with hundreds of thousands of Jews survived. Holocaust survivors said for them as night descended, millions of other peoples were swept into the net of death.

I still recall some of those grandma’s stories of duck and cover from WWII to Burma fall to Japan (1942-45). That was India’s forgotten war which is not much known to other Indian. During the invasion of Axis forces, the fear of Japanese aggression had panicked north easterners. History revisited the Battle of Imphal and Kohima (1944) where Manipuri and Naga put a brave fight. Allied forces pushed Japanese out of British India to Burma. It was a turning point for a drastic hit to the fortunes of the British Empire.

Partha Banerjee, an engineer from Muscat, has written a novel ‘NITZA’ published by Bnet Publication 2018 Kolkata. The name Nitza is Hebrew meaning a bud from a flower. He has fully utilized on his travel journey on Poland. Probably he had packed his compass, shoed his donkey and followed in the footsteps of wild explorers at his greatest historical journey.

It’s a short story of love, loss, remorse and redemption related to infamous Holocaust. It wasn’t just the story of a Jewish girl Nitza who was shot dead mercilessly but German SS Officer Helmut killing himself for his love to Jewish prisoner. All’s fair in love in war. The story tells like an encyclopaedia of Jews Camps and Ghettos that related to survivors and victims of the Holocaust.

The other story behind before the outbreak of WWII was Maharaja of Jamnagar. When Hitler invaded Poland, 500 Polish women and 200 children were put on a ship by Polish Army to save them from the Germans. The ship continued to sail to get a shelter. They were refused by European and Asian countries including Iran. The ship was wandering in the sea and reached Port of Bombay. Then British governor refused to allow the ship.

The news soon reached the ears of the Maharaja of Jamnagar “Jam Saheb” Digvijay Singh. He became truly concerned and allowed the ship in his Kingdom at Bedi Port in Jamnagar. The refugees stayed for nine years till WWII lasted. One of the children of these refugees later became the prime minister of Poland. In Poland, the roads in the capital of Warsaw are named after Maharaja Jam Sahib.

When history forever let Auschwitz-Birkenau is a cry of despair and warning to humanity. At the same time Jam Saheb is an illustrious page from modern contemporary history, little known to many around the world even today.

The pictures inside novel in particular caught my attention. “Arbeit machi frei” is a German phrase meaning “work sets you free” appearing on the entrance of Nazi concentration camps. Train carriages used to transport Prisoners of War into camps. Beyond the entire novel have been beautifully focussed historical evidences.

The German Nazi Concentration and Extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest death camp established during 1940-1945 in the Polish soil, where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women and children mainly Jews from various countries of Europe by means of Zyklon B gas. Annihilation of prisoners on their death march to the gas chambers is the most gruesome watch. It’s so pathetic that victims’ hair used to stuff mattresses.

The post-camp relics are protected by the Museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau created in 1947. The interpreting of post-war Europe and the world is crucial for placing idea of mankind and remains of Auschwitz camp. It’s a complete feel good story that the author could bring the sufferings of Jewish. His travelling memory of the Holocaust seems happened not long ago, not far away. It’s another Indian Schindler – who beautifully presented beyond the Holocaust in love in war.