Reviews

"White and Sliwa recount in engaging prose . . . a story of personal heroism."

- Jeffrey Veidlinger, Times LIterary Supplement

". . . a genuine contribution to scholarship that is also a memorable, inspiring tale of individual heroism."

- Michael Roth, The Wall Street Journal

"The Counterfeit Countess is a gripping tale of one woman’s grit and courage in the face of unimaginable terror."

- Hallel Yadin, The Jewish Book Council

"Powerful. . . . A heart-wrenching profile of resilience, ingenuity, and heroism."

– Publishers Weekly

"Holocaust historians White and Sliwa masterfully piece together the previously untold story of a Jewish mathematician who, during the Nazi occupation of Poland, masqueraded as a countess while she helped free and feed thousands of Poles imprisoned at the Majdanek concentration camp."

– Library Journal (starred review)

"A fine delineation of personal heroism amid an era of utter human depravity."

– Kirkus Reviews

"This extensively-documented account serves as powerful testimony."

– Booklist

"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

“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

“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