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**Diane** · 01-17-2006, 11:18 AM

An "Eye for an Eye" a good read!

Hi Fran,

A brilliant book.

I corresponded with the author (John Sack) for several years until his death.

Although his motives were questioned for writing the book I beleive that John Sack wanted to promote truth, understanding and reconciliation among Jews & gentiles.

He always told me that the real theme of "An Eye for an Eye" was redemption.

The villiage voice also did a feature on this book and the fact checking and peer review of the material was probably one of the most extensive of any book dealing with WW2.

Along with books like: JFC Fuller's - "A Military History of the Western World (Vol. 3)", "Hitlers War", "Churchills War", "Other Losses", "Nemisis at Potsdam" and "Crimes & Mercies" - John Sack's "An Eye for an Eye" is indispesable in understanding the true history of the Second World War.

Sincerely,

Diane

**fknorr** · 01-17-2006, 12:54 PM

Diane,

Thanks for the reply. Can you provide me where to get this information:

Originally posted by Diane

The villiage voice also did a feature on this book and the fact checking and peer review of the material was probably one of the most extensive of any book dealing with WW2.

As I said, this is out of the realm of my standard reading as it reads more like a historical novel. Upon reading his "Preface" I believe, he stated that most of the book was taken from interviews (which he recorded) and would be availible after his demise. Just the way that sounds and the "historical fiction" feel made me a little suspicious AND my limited searches on the web have provided little in the way of back-up that is beyond reproach. Maybe it is the ultra rightwing lauding of this book that brought so much scrutiny. Either way I believe what he states happened, happened, but would like some sources to give myself second opinions (to make myself feel better).

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks a bunch!

**Diane** · 01-17-2006, 06:15 PM

Reviews of "An Eye for an Eye"

Amazon has some interesting reviews of this book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096...lance&n=283155

A reveiw of the book was done by James Ridgeway writing for the Villiage Voice around 2000. The book was NOT well received by the establishment and it caused quite a firestorm. I beleive the John Sack actually received death threats over this book.

Another book which is important for the complete understanding of the Second World War is "Icebreaker" by Victor Surorov. Surorov was a high ranking member of the Sovier GPU who defected to the west in the 1980's.

Surorov also wrote "The Liberators" a bout the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Icebreaker is a very difficult book to obtain and copies often sell for $450 or more on www.abebooks.com

I am sorry I can't provide more information on this book.

Sincerely,

Diane

**J.von Canon** · 01-20-2006, 10:55 AM

I'm surprised you even have a copy of this book since there have been so many attempts to surpress it...

**Gary T** · 01-20-2006, 03:13 PM

Other Losses and Crimes & Mercies are most certainly not "indispesable [sic] in understanding the true history of the Second World War".

They're a good example where books that makes enormous claims without a shred of hard evidence can seemingly become the truth. Even after being picked apart, dissected and their claims proved to be utterly false they are still projected as the 'real truth'.

**Bcarver** · 01-20-2006, 03:36 PM

eye for eye

What is "an Eye for an Eye" about? I have heard of this book before but never have seen it for sale. I believe it deals with jews killing German civilians after the war?

**fknorr** · 01-20-2006, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by Gary T

Other Losses and Crimes & Mercies are most certainly not "indispesable [sic] in understanding the true history of the Second World War".

They're a good example where books that makes enormous claims without a shred of hard evidence can seemingly become the truth. Even after being picked apart, dissected and their claims proved to be utterly false they are still projected as the 'real truth'.

I think it depends on if you believe one side or the other, instead of believing that the truth lies somewhere in between (which is the correct assumption).

Regarding "Other Losses", I believe you are wrong. Have you also read Stephen Ambrose's rebuttal of Basque's work:Eisenhower and the German Pows: Facts Against Falsehood (Eisenhower Center Studies on War and Peace)

Stephen Ambrose and other authors of that ilk ripped apart Bacque's work and him personally (which I thought was kind of petty and out of place in a historical piece). Even though they ripped his work apart, there was no dispute that (a) there were many, many of these large "pens" where German POWs were kept, (b) everyone else in Europe was fed from the limited food stocks BEFORE the German POWs and (c) large numbers of Germans did die from starvation, exposure and abuse (of one kind or another).

The numbers are vastly different (Bacque's 100,000's of deaths vs Amrose and friends 10,000's) but the facts remain that there were camps where German's were treated attrociously and tens of thousands died. Bacque's work may have been (mega) flawed and his numbers off, but in essence he was correct.

They also go WWWWWWWWAAAAYYYYY overboard in their defense of Eisenhower. I believe that Eisenhower did in fact hate the Germans and I believe that Bacque and Ambrose give enough evidence that there was indeed something there. I can understand it to a degree as if you saw all the death and destruction that Eisenhower saw over the course of those 3-4 years he was involved, I am sure there was some animosity there. It probably wasn't to the degree Bacque claims but it certainly looks as if it was there.

I have "Crimes and Mercies" on my shelf but have yet to read it. I feel that it more than likely falls into the same area of Basque's work...many facts but enough inconsistencies to have it questioned.

**fknorr** · 01-20-2006, 03:54 PM

Originally posted by ahnenerbe

What is "an Eye for an Eye" about? I have heard of this book before but never have seen it for sale. I believe it deals with jews killing German civilians after the war?

It is a text written by an American War Correspondent (and Jew) that goes into detail about post war Poland and Polish Occupied Germany and the rounding up of German's by Poles and Jewish Holocaust survivors (run by Communist Russia) and their mistreatment...severe mistreatment including torture and death.

This work is questioned because (a) it says bad stuff about Jews (so-called blaming of the victims), (b) a lot of his "facts" here are derived from interviews 50 years after the fact...some of which cannot be substantiated with concrete evidence, (c) it is written almost as a novel and some of the "conversation" is fabricated (according to his appendix, etc.

I am not 100% through it yet but so far I am satisfied w/the content, but do not believe it 100% because of the reasons I listed above.

**Diane** · 01-21-2006, 02:30 PM

An "eye for an Eye"

Hi folks,

Questions regarding the accuracy of Sack's book can surely be addressed by contacting the Polish State Prosecutor of the Slask province (pronounced "Slonsk").

A warrant was issued by the Polish State Prosecutor sometime in 2001-2003 for one of the main characters mentioned in an "Eye for an Eye' - a UB officer named Saloman Morel. Morel was the commander of one of the worse death camps in postwar Poland and was personally responsible for the death of hundreds of German and Polish civilians from 1945-48.

Why is it such a novel idea that Jews that were interned in Auschwitz would want some payback after the war? It's only human nature to want to punish those that may have wronged you.

In all fairness the UB also killed many anti-communist Polish patriots (the Home Army) as well as German civilians and POW's.

On January 27th survivors of Auschwitz and the Silesian (Slonsk) branch of the Polish UB will hold a memorial service at a Jewish cemetary in Paramus, NJ as they have every year since the early 1950's.

John Sack wanted a truthful reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles. He wanted it to be known that Jews were not above human nature and equally capable of inflicting hatred & violence against innocents.

It is time to stop the hatred and killing. The world stands near the brink of nuclear annihilation over ongoing events in the middle east.

John Sack was a journalist by traning, not a historian. His book may read as a novel but it is based on solid facts.

Elie Wiesel's book "Night" which has just been selected as Oprahs "Book of the Month" is also written in a similar format. The first edition was published in 1946 and it has also be listed until recently by Barnes & Nobel and Amazon Books as a work of fiction. This was corrected within the last week and the book is now listed in the Non-fiction section.

I urge everyone to read "Night" as it is an exceptional book written by someone that was in Auschwitz 1943-45.

Jews are just as capable as revenge as any other ethnic group. After a decade of persecution they certainly had a resonable motive.

Sincerely,

Diane

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**fknorr** · 01-22-2006, 09:28 AM

Originally posted by Diane

Questions regarding the accuracy of Sack's book can surely be addressed by contacting the Polish State Prosecutor of the Slask province (pronounced "Slonsk"). A warrant was issued by the Polish State Prosecutor sometime in 2001-2003 for one of the main characters mentioned in an "Eye for an Eye' - a UB officer named Saloman Morel. Morel was the commander of one of the worse death camps in postwar Poland and was personally responsible for the death of hundreds of German and Polish civilians from 1945-48.

John Sack was a journalist by traning, not a historian. His book may read as a novel but it is based on solid facts.

Calling the Polish State Prosecutor is unnecessary, one can do a search on the internet and find out this fact...a single substantiated fact in the book.

Set aside your beliefs in this topic, and this man for a second Diane and look at the book from a historical accuracy perspective. 75% is made up from interviews which he will not release (he says in the book) until after his death... He is now dead, are they released for review? There are no fooot notes and he states that he made some stuff up (conversations, etc) in his chapter end notes...that does not look good either. He states on the cover "illustrated". There are about eight photos of the main charaters, that is all. There are no maps, no scans of documents, not one photo of one of the hundreds of camps...some that were previosly run by Germans. In his "revised and updated issues, he couldn't find any more pictures, or anything to back up his claims? Did he not do this after the "iron curtain" fell? He couldn't find anything?

You state he was a journalist, not a historian...he had at least seen historical texts before I am sure. Could he not expect some flak putting out the book he did, in the style/manner he did?

If you look at this book from a dispassionate view, you can see why there is some sceptisism, right?

Believe me Diane when I say I am waaaaaaaaay to the right of all the folks who think we (including the Polish Jews we are discussing) all wore white hats and did nothing wrong. Common sense and any knowledge of any portion of history would show a person that no one is above doing evil things and/or (in this case) seeking some payback. I though would like my soapbox to have a little sturdier foundation when I debate (argue?) with people about this stuff and Sack's volume really does not do that for me. Now coupled with volumes such as Dan Kurzman's "The Bravest Battle" and Howard Blum's "The Brigade", the soapbox foundation is a little sturdier but I am still looking for other titles to make it solid.

I respect your opinion, and thanks for your insight into this volume.

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John Sacks, "An Eye For An Eye"

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