Moving Holocaust Memoirs by Dutch boy who went into hiding
Former Ajax physiotherapist writes his WW2 memories
'See you tonight, and promise to be a good boy!' were the last words his mother said to Salo Muller in 1942 when she took him to school in Amsterdam, right before she was deported to Auschwitz. She and her husband were arrested a few hours later and taken to Westerbork, from where they would later board the train that took them to Auschwitz.
The book is, in his own words, "the story of a little boy who experienced the most horrible things, but got through it somehow and ended up in a great place." Salo, at only 5 years old, spent his time during the Second World War in hiding, in as much as eight different locations in the Netherlands. The book tells the story of his experiences during WW2, but also explains how he tried to make sense of his life after the war, being a young orphan. His memories are interwoven with historical facts and explanations, making it both an autobiography and a historical narrative.
Salo Muller became famous in the 1970s as the physiotherapist for Ajax, the Amsterdam soccer team. He treated renowned players such as Johan Cruijff, Sjaak Swart and Piet Keizer. He wrote the book Mijn Ajax in 2006, about his experiences with the team.
The why of the tragedy is something he can't let go:
'Hardly a day goes by when I don't shed a tear but, unfortunately, it doesn't change a thing.'
'See You Tonight and Promise to be a Good Boy!' was the result of Salo's participation in of the Shoah Project, initiated by Steven Spielberg and the USC Shoah Foundation, where his testimony was recorded. This encouraged him to write down his story.
