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Opening the gates of hell

£9.99

Bookseller Review

The horrifying truth of Belsen concentration camp is something that should not be forgotten and Herbert Kenny’s discovery and experience is an important part of that.

How can a man cope when they come face-to-face with history’s darkest moment? The question of why he is not well known, why did he not talk about it more is examined in this book. Do we do our veterans a disservice by not asking more questions? The story of Herbert is completely revealed from being told at the beginning of the war that his profession was needed in civil employment and couldn’t enlist to eventually lying to the authorities and saying he was a truck driver, so he could enlist – a lie he felt his wife never forgave him for! A lot of the text is in his own words and is both startling and evocative, the detail is fascinating. A truly gripping read.

 

In stock

Description

Herbert Kenny, an army dispatch rider, was the first ally to push open the gates at Belsen Concentration Camp, in April 1945.

He kept his story from the world until a chance correspondence with a trainee journalist brought it to light. Now, forty years on, that reporter is ready to share Herbert’s incredible tale with the world.

With unprecedented access to Herbert’s diaries, letters and interviews, Mark Hodkinson brings to life the harrowing conditions of Bergen-Belsen and its eventual liberation. From the events leading up to its gruesome discovery, to the trauma Herbert faced and his abandonment in the aftermath, this is a testament to the power of one person in the face of unimaginable darkness.

This is the tale of an ordinary man thrown into an extraordinary, life-changing situation. How can a person cope when they come face-to-face with history’s darkest moment? Herbert Kenny was that man. This is his story.

Additional information

Dimensions 19.8 × 12.6 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

352

Language

English

Dewey

940.531853593 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K