About the Author

Ken Roman was my cousin though there were many years differences between our ages. I knew him well, and admired him greatly as I was growing into adulthood.  Ken was extremely intelligent, and had knowledge of practically every subject. He was brilliant. In my childhood, I attributed his keen sense to a super-power. He had an uncanny ability to remember even the minutest facts, especially about places, and people. He could remember the exact route to drive even years after having visited a certain place in another city. Without a doubt, it was his keen intellect and quick-wittedness that helped him to survive the horrors of the work camps, concentration camps, and the terrifying Death March.

In Ken's book, "Romek's Lost Youth - The Story of a Boy Survivor" Romek reveals details of his early formative years and life with the Ormianer clan, in Gorlice, Poland. He recounts a happy and idyllic childhood. He was not spoiled though he was born into a life of privilege and comfort. At a very young age he valued education and loved to learn. But all that changed when the German Nazis invaded Poland in September 1939. Romek described the general mood of the local townspeople as well as that of the family. Nobody expected then what was to happen. Everybody was off guard.

Until I read Ken’s manuscript in 2012, I did not know the details of his experiences. Throughout my teen years and young adulthood, there was no discussion about his story, though there were vague generalizations. My father was equally reticent, but he never did reveal any details of his own story. Understandably so.

Throughout the years, Ken visited us numerous times, and each occasion was one of great joy and celebration. Ken loved life and he was often smiling and laughing, sharing a joke (in Polish or German) with my father, or crooning to a much-loved song they remembered from before the war. Indeed, he had a beautiful melodious voice. When he settled in England after the war, he was determined to succeed, and eventually he did.  He led a highly active social life, entertained friends frequently in his home, and travelled to many beautiful places in the world. He was always excited and interested about life and about people.

Most of all Ken loved ships, in particular the M.S. Batory. This grand lady of the sea served during World War Two; in evacuating Polish troops to France when Germany invaded; secretly transporting Polish treasures to Canada for safekeeping; and most importantly working with the Allies in transporting troops and providing hospital care.

Ken’s life was truly amazing. Having survived the holocaust and lost all his family (except for Uncle Nuchym) Ken found the strength and courage to go on and build a life for himself. To a large extent it was his youth and vitality that gave him an edge  - but he was blessed by encountering so many kind and wonderful people who helped him along the way. This transition was truly miraculous.

I had promised Ken many years ago that if the book were ever published that it would not be edited or modified in any way. I kept my promise. "Romek's Lost Youth-The Story of a Boy Survivor" was recently published through Editions Batory (aka Batory Publishing), a company which I established to ensure that Kens story will be preserved for posterity.  

Though there are hundreds of other memoirs of this genre, we must realize that they are not all alike. They differ as much as the personalities, origins, and backgrounds of the survivors who wrote them. 

This memoir was very important to Ken, and to his friend and collaborator John James. Though I was not aware of it at the time, they made the rounds to British publishers hoping for an offer, but it was for naught.  Apparently, by the time Ken’s memoir was written, British publishers grew tired of holocaust memoirs. They even remarked there were too many such memoirs on the market. I found this comment to be offensive and insensitive, but it was honest. If the general public is not willing to read holocaust memoirs, then publishing companies will not print them. In reality, the public makes the choices - publishing companies just follow the bottom line.

But it is not just holocaust books. I have noticed that many people even regard history in general with the same disinterest They feel that the past is past and should be forgotten, and life must go forward, never looking back.

Ignorance is a danger to us all. We must not forget history nor the holocaust.  What we do not know of history may lead to our downfall one day. We have all heard the saying, "history repeats itself". (It is true and happening now in Ukraine.)

​All holocaust memoirs should be valued as historical documents. They are testimonies to events which no other resource material can provide. History books alone cannot tell the whole story.

With every new generation, knowledge about the holocaust, and history in general is fading. This is a time for schools everywhere to incorporate holocaust studies into their curriculum. It must be made mandatory by government legislation. There is no excuse for ignorance.

Anti-semitism has plagued our human civilization for over 2,000 years, and does not show any sign of diminishing.  It is increasing again in frequency and vitriol throughout a wide cross-section of our society. To some degree, anti-semitism has been encouraged by former President Donald Trump due to his public appearances with members of neo-nazi groups. Trump’s behaviour is a clear endorsement of their platform,  and has emboldened many people, including celebrities, to spew out hate messages against the Jewish people.

In his later years, Ken had been invited to speak to students about the Holocaust. I recall a letter he wrote to me many years ago, in which he had mentioned this, though I cannot vouch for the names of the institutions. Sadly, I have not been able to find this letter. But I do have in my possession his notes from which he gave his presentation to the classrooms. In it he concluded with the following message,

      " It is you the new generation who must be vigilant, not to allow Racism, Religious Intolerance to poison and spread hatred.

       To make sure that WE REMEMBER FOR THE FUTURE" that the HOLOCAUST never happens again. "

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Ken Roman passed away in August 2016.  He was 90 years of age.