The Midwife of Auschwitz

The Midwife of Auschwitz is the first of five historical novels by British author Ana Stuart. These works focus on the roles of women during World War II. Stuart based The Midwife of Auschwitz on the historical figure Stanislawa Leszczyńska, a midwife in Łơdź, Poland. Like protagonist Ana Kaminski, the Nazis sent Stanislawa to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where she delivered over 3,000 babies. Stanislawa also discovered a way to tattoo the babies with their mothers’ registration numbers. These babies, who were fair-haired, were kidnapped by Nazis and taken to Germany to replenish the so-called Aryan population decimated by the war. Ana and her protégé, Ester, make a pact to survive the war and return to Łơdź to reunite with their husbands. The author notes that, while many characters are fictional, she used historical accounts to ensure the accuracy of the events described.

This guide refers to the 2022 Bookouture paperback version.

Content Warning: This novel depicts the Holocaust. It describes violence perpetrated by the Nazis, including executions of individuals based on their race, as well as infanticide, sexual assault, rape, arson, and attempted murder. The source material records emotional abuse and the deaths of infants and adults from starvation and illness.