The Counterfeit Countess: The Jewish Woman Who Rescued Thousands of Poles from the Nazis

The incredible story of Janina Melberg—a Jewish woman who saved thousands of lives in the death camp Majdanek by disguising herself as a Polish aristocrat—based on her unpublished memoirs. December 1941, Poland, Lublin. Majdanek becomes the last refuge for tens of thousands of Polish Jews. Countess Janina Suchodolskaya, an official in local social welfare, brings food and medicine into Majdanek in tons. And also smuggling supplies for the camp resistance. Each parcel she sends saves thousands of people. Each of her arrivals is a deadly danger. But the countess hides not only the fact of illegal deliveries—she also hides that in truth… she is Jewish. Under the guise of the “fake Countess” Suchodolskaya, Pepi Spinner—a Jewish woman who decided to challenge the Nazis—saves prisoners. Through cunning, persuasion, and iron persistence, the “countess” convinces SS officials not only to accept her shipments of soup and bread (and even decorated Christmas trees), but also to release thousands of Poles from the concentration camp. Relying on Janina’s manuscript of unpublished memoirs, complemented by stunning research, Holocaust historians Elizabeth White and Joanna Sliwa reconstructed the story of her feat. “The Fake Countess” is an engrossing saga about cunning, courage, and the strength of spirit of an ordinary person in the face of unspeakable cruelty. “This book is an extraordinary testimony of courage, resilience, and humanity during the darkest months of the Holocaust. Meticulously reconstructed by two outstanding World War II historians, this gripping story ensures that the world will not forget Janina Melberg and her epic rescue operation that defied great evil. You won’t put this book down until the very last page: it’s an astonishing piece of Holocaust history that will stay with you long after you finish reading,” — Debbie Senziper, journalist, Pulitzer Prize laureate.