Summary

"Born Survivors" tells the extraordinary story of three young mothers, Priska, Rachel, and Anka, each pregnant by their husbands, who find themselves in the depths of Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Against all odds, these women, separated from their families and enduring unimaginable horrors, manage to conceal their pregnancies to protect themselves and their unborn children from the brutal realities of the Holocaust.

Priska, a Slovak teacher, Rachel, a Polish homemaker, and Anka, a Czech student each face agonizing choices and navigate the treacherous landscape of Auschwitz and other camps, where survival is a daily struggle. They confront starvation, disease, and the constant threat of exposure, relying on their strength, resourcefulness, and the kindness of fellow prisoners to endure.

As the war nears its end, the three women are transported to a slave labor camp in Freiberg, where they work in a munitions factory while secretly nurturing their pregnancies. Despite the constant danger and deprivation, they cling to the hope that they and their babies will somehow survive.

In the spring of 1945, with Allied forces closing in, the women are forced onto a death train bound for Mauthausen, a notorious concentration camp in Austria. Incredibly, all three give birth during this harrowing journey, delivering their babies into a world of unimaginable cruelty and suffering. The newborns, Hana, Mark, and Eva, become symbols of resilience and defiance, their very existence a testament to the power of hope in the face of despair.

After liberation, the mothers face the challenge of rebuilding their lives and raising their children in a world forever scarred by the Holocaust. They struggle to come to terms with their experiences, to find meaning in their survival, and to ensure that the memory of those who perished is never forgotten.

"Born Survivors" is a story of unimaginable courage, unwavering hope, and the enduring power of the human spirit. It celebrates the extraordinary bond between mothers and children and honors the legacy of those who defied death to give life.