Katrina Shawver met Henry Zguda when she wrote for the newspaper, and after one meeting offered to write his story. This true story is both a witness to the Holocaust through Polish eyes and the story of how a Polish (Catholic) competitive swimmer survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps during World War II by his wits, humor, luck, and friends. This view of the Holocaust through Polish eyes fills a huge gap in historical accounts of Poles during WWII. The book includes a readers guide and original photos and documents, many in print for the first time.

AWARDS

Recipient – 2018 Polish Heritage Award from Polish American Congress of Arizona
2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards – First Place Category Winner of the 2018 Journey Book Awards for Narrative Non-Fiction.
2018 Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest – First Place for Published Nonfiction
2018 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award – Silver for Biography
2017 The Wishing Shelf Book Awards (UK) – Gold for Adult Non-Fiction
2018 Reader Views Literary Awards – Winner in Four categories:
First Place Biography, First Place Regional, Best Nonfiction Book of the Year,
Best Regional Book of the Year
2018 Feathered Quill Book Award – Second Place for Historical
2017 Advice Books (Italy) – Voted Best of 2017

Save

Who Remembers the Warsaw Uprising?

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Katrina Shawver

One of the German POW’s captured during the fighting at the PAST building located on Zielna Street, 20 August 1944. Wikipedia.

Who remembers the Warsaw Uprising? No, I am not referring to the much better known Warsaw Ghetto Uprising that began in April 1943. The Warsaw Uprising began on August 1, 1944 as a heroic but ill-fated last stand against the occupying Nazis by Poles still living in Warsaw. The Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa; AK) predicted that Soviet forces gathered across the east bank of the Vistula River would move in and assist the Poles in defeating Germany and liberating Warsaw. The Soviets did nothing but watch and gave no assistance to the Poles. By the time the valiant battle ended, an estimated 180,000 Poles (estimates range from 166,000-200,000,) primarily civilians, died in the effort. The death count includes an estimated 17,000 Polish Jews still in hiding or fighting with the Home Army. The Nazis subsequently bombed most of what remained in Warsaw. Any survivors were sent to concentration camps. Continue reading →

Katrina Shawver – Author

HENRY: A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America

Recent Posts

Who Remembers the Warsaw Uprising?