Lale Sokolov

Lali Sokolov was born Ludwig Eisenberg on 28 October 1916 in Korompa, Kingdom of Hungary (now Krompachy,[2] Slovakia).[3] In April 1942, he was part of the transport of Jewish prisoners to Auschwitz.[2] Upon arrival, he was tattooed with the number 32407.[2] He was set to work constructing housing blocks for the expanding camp but soon became ill with typhoid.[3] Having recovered, he was assigned as one of the camp's tetovierer (tattooist).[3] As such, he joined the Politische Abteilung and had an SS officer assigned to monitor him.[3] His job meant he was "a step further away from death than the other prisoners", and he received a number of benefits such as a single room, extra rations, and free time when his work had been completed.[3]

While in the camp, Sokolov met his future wife Gisela "Gita" Furmannova. He was also involved in trading contraband (including jewellery) that was given to him by fellow prisoners, with locals in return for food and provisions.[3]

Two days before the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops (on 27 January 1945), Sokolov was moved to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp.[2] He escaped that concentration camp, and returned to his native place, then part of Czechoslovakia.[2][3] Knowing only Gita Fuhrmannova's name, he went to Bratislava, the main entry point for returning survivors, to search for her.[3] The couple married later in 1945, and he changed his surname from Eisenberg to the more Russian-sounding Sokolov.[3] He then opened a factory in Bratislava.[2][3] During this time, he was involved in collecting money in support of the creation of the State of Israel.[3] This activity and the nationalisation of industry by Czechoslovakia's then communist government, resulted in him being imprisoned and having his business seized.[3] He was subsequently released and the couple emigrated to Australia in 1948.[2]

In Australia, Sokolov and his wife settled in Melbourne and opened up a clothing factory.[2] Their only child, Gary, was born in 1961.[3] Though his wife visited Europe a number of times, Sokolov never returned.[3] Following Gita's death in 2003, he finally felt able to speak about his war-time experience having feared that he would be perceived as a collaborator.[2][3]

He was interviewed by journalist Heather Morris over the next three years, who wrote "The Tattooist of Auschwitz", a fictionalised book about his life, published in 2018.[3] He died in 2006, and is survived by his son.[3]

• List of victims and survivors of Auschwitz

• Morris, Heather (2018). The Tattooist of Auschwitz: based on the heart-breaking true story of love and survival. London: Zaffre Publishing. ISBN 978-1785763649. (novel)