Mala's Cat

Mala's Cat

The moving and unforgettable true story of one girl's survival during the Holocaust

Summary

The remarkable true story of friendship, resilience and survival against the odds

'A remarkable tale of survival' Jeremy Dronfield, bestselling author of The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz

'It's an account of astounding courage and resourcefulness . . . The real miracle here is the vitality of Kacenberg's faith and determination' Mail on Sunday
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In a small Polish village, Mala Kacenberg grew up in the comfort of her family. Until the Nazis arrived.

Her village was torn apart. Her family were murdered. And Mala had no one left.

Except she wasn't alone. Her beloved cat, Malach, remained by her side. They were forced to hide in the forest. Food was impossible to find. And with German soldiers hunting them at every turn, they were never safe.

Alone, they would have died.

But could they somehow survive together?
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This is the astonishing true story of one girl's journey through the Holocaust, and the guardian angel who gave her the strength to live.

'A vital document of a history that must never be allowed to vanish' Julie Orringer for the New York Times

'To read Mala's Cat is to enter a dreamscape of horrors seen through innocent eyes' Jewish Chronicle

Reviews

  • A remarkable tale of survival, in which Jewish life in pre-war Poland and the atrocities of the Holocaust appear through an almost dreamlike lens of childhood memory
    Jeremy Dronfield, bestselling author of The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz

About the author

Mala Kacenberg

Mala Kacenberg (nee Szorer) was born in Tarnogrod, Poland in 1927. As World War II broke out, she had to fend for herself from the tender age of 12. Surviving by her wits, courage and the help of a guardian angel, her cat Malach, she was the sole survivor of her family.

Mala immigrated to London with other Jewish refugees after the war, where she raised a large beautiful family, living long enough to be blessed with many grandchildren. She ran a small B&B, treating all her guests as part of her family.
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