‘I am Ella’: A remarkable story of survival from Auschwitz to Africa

Ella Blumenthal is woman you will not easily forget. In her biography I am Ella, acclaimed author Joanne Jowell, dives into the unbelievable story of Blumenthal’s life. Surviving the Warsaw Ghetto, the gas chambers of Majdanek and the depravity of Auschwitz, Blumenthal’s bravery and resilience led her to rebuild her life in South Africa.

With tenderness, sensitivity and accuracy, Jowell takes readers into one woman’s survival of the Nazi regime. Blumenthal’s feisty character is brought to life with Jowell’s writing and together, they have made I am Ella a tour de force of non-fiction.

Blumenthal’s extraordinary story has also been brought to life in a feature film, I am Here, which will open at Ster Kinekor Nouveau Rosebank on the 27th of January.

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JOWELL MASTERFULLY COMBINES STORYTELLING AND HISTORY

Some biographies read like history textbooks. The person the words are meant to bring to life is a one-dimensional character which seems unreal somehow. I was nervous that this biography would be the same. However, Joanne Jowell enchants with keen observation and respect for the remarkable person that is Ella Blumenthal.

Jowell is no stranger to non-fiction. Her non-fiction work includes bestsellers like Zephany, the story behind the kidnapping of Zephany Nurse. In I am Ella, however, Jowell truly shines. In her trademark way, Jowell perfectly captures complex humanity and the power of the human spirit in this heartbreaking yet inspiring story.

“Joanne has masterfully ordered memory into a compelling book, with keen observation, reflection and attention to historical detail. We feel as if we have truly met Ella”.

Richard Freedman

‘I AM ELLA’ SYNOPSIS

‘I survived the Warsaw Ghetto, the gas chambers of Majdanek, the depravity of Auschwitz and the utter hopelessness of Bergen-Belsen. I lost my parents, my brothers, my sisters, their spouses and children. But for me, while abnormal, this is not extraordinary. That I went on to love, to talk, to write, to have toast and tea and to live my life – that is what is extraordinary’.

Ella Blumenthal’s story of surviving the Holocaust and building a new life in faraway South Africa is a lesson in resilience, bravery and – perhaps unexpectedly – joy. From the dying embers of the Warsaw Ghetto to the gas chambers of the Nazi concentration camps; from Poland to Paris, Palestine and eventually Cape Town, Ella’s 100 years of life have been nothing short of extraordinary.

Under the shadows of shame and trauma with which so many survivors lived in the years immediately following the war, Ella made a happy home where few knew her suffering or shared her history. After decades, Ella is finally ready to tell her full story to bestselling author Joanne Jowell.

I am Ella is the staggering tale of a real-life superheroine.

“Ella Blumenthal has a unique soul. Her inspirational tale of resilience and survival and her zest for life is a lesson for us all”.

Mandy Wiener

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

According to her website, Jowell has always written, even as a small girl. She grew up in Johannesburg, with her family’s roots firmly set in the South African hinterland.

She studied English and Psychology at the University of Cape Town. She worked in management consulting in South Africa and London. She returned to South Africa to read, write, start a family and work for good causes. She obtained a Masters degree in Creative Writing and co-founded a literacy program called Word 4 Word.

These days, Jowell is happily combining her fascination with human issues and her background in psychology, with her love of the written word: she specialises in writing biography – of real people, with real issues. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her husband, their three sons and two wire-haired dachshunds.

I am Ella is published by Kwela Books and is available for purchase from Exclusive Books stores for R330.