Book Summary and Reviews of The Dressmakers of Auschwitz by Lucy Adlington

Book Summary

A powerful work of narrative nonfiction, this chronicle of the women who used their sewing skills to survive the Holocaust, stitching beautiful clothes at an extraordinary fashion workshop created within one of the most notorious WWII death camps.

At the height of the Holocaust, this true story of survival follows twenty-five young inmates of the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp―mainly Jewish women and girls―were selected to design, cut, and sew beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women in a dedicated salon. It was work that they hoped would spare them from the gas chambers. 

This fashion workshop―called the Upper Tailoring Studio―was established by Hedwig Höss, the camp commandant's wife, and patronized by the wives of SS guards and officers. Here, the dressmakers produced high-quality garments for SS social functions in Auschwitz, and for ladies from Nazi Berlin's upper crust. 

Drawing on diverse sources―including interviews with the last surviving seamstress―in this unforgettable piece of women's history, The Dressmakers of Auschwitz follows the fates of these brave women. Their bonds of family and friendship not only helped them endure persecution, but also to play their part in camp resistance. Weaving the dressmakers' remarkable experiences within the context of Nazi policies for plunder and exploitation, historian Lucy Adlington exposes the greed, cruelty, and hypocrisy of the Third Reich and offers a fresh look at a little-known chapter of World War II and the Holocaust.

This deeply moving history illuminates a little-known story of the Holocaust, revealing:

A Little-Known Chapter of Holocaust History: The incredible true account of the Upper Tailoring Studio, a fashion salon established by the camp commandant's wife, Hedwig Höss, inside Auschwitz.

Based on Meticulous Research: Drawing on years of archival work and firsthand interviews with the last surviving seamstress, this account brings the women's experiences to life with intimacy and historical accuracy.

Incredible Stories of Resistance: How the bonds of friendship forged over sewing machines allowed these women to not only endure persecution but also play a secret role in the camp's resistance efforts.

The Hypocrisy of the Third Reich: A stunning exposé of the greed and cruelty of the Nazi elite, who commissioned beautiful clothes from the very people they intended to destroy.