A Prodigy in Auschwitz: A Holocaust Story, Book One: Simon

By Fred Raymond Goldman

When Nazi Germany troops enter Krakow, Poland on September 2, 1939, fourteen-year-old Simon Baron learns two truths that have been hidden from him.

One, the people who have raised him are not his biological parents. Two, his birth mother was Jewish. In the eyes of the Germans, although he has been raised Catholic, this makes Simon Jewish.

Simon’s dreams of becoming a concert violinist and composer are dashed when his school is forced to expel him, and he is no longer eligible to represent it at its annual Poland Independence Day Concert. There, he had hoped to draw the attention of representatives of a prestigious contest who might have helped him fulfill his dreams.

Simon vows to never forgive his birth father for abandoning him, an act resulting in unspeakable tragedies for his family and in his being forced to live the indignities of the ghetto and the horrors of Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen concentration camps.

Throughout his ordeals, Simon wavers between his intense anger toward his birth father and his dreams of being reunited with him. Through his relationships with Rabbi Rosenschtein and the rabbi’s daughter, Rachel, Simon comes to appreciate his Jewish heritage and find purpose in his life. Driven by devotion to family and friends and his passion for music, Simon holds on to hope. But can he survive the atrocities of the Nazi regime?

How do you reconcile a decision you made in the past when the world erupts in war, threatening the life of someone you love and believe you were protecting?

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Excerpt:

Simon braced himself for what was coming. 

The rector cleared his throat, stood, and walked back and forth before them with his hands behind his back. His voice seemed apologetic when he stopped and said, “The Nazis are insisting we expel our Jewish students. The ones who came here told me they are forcing all other conservatories and universities throughout Poland to do the same. If we don’t conform, they’ll close the school.”

Simon’s chest tightened. He slowly shook his head in disbelief. A slight noise rose from his throat. He fought an impulse to leap from his chair and swipe his arm across the rector’s desk, letting the items scatter across the floor. To control himself, he squeezed his hands more tightly onto the arms of his chair. He looked at Professor Kaminski again for support. There was a look of helplessness on her face, a look of sympathy for what he must be feeling. He had grown to respect and love her dearly. The thought of losing her as his teacher devastated him.

His father raised his voice. “So, what are you saying? You’re expelling Simon?”

“It’s most unfortunate, but the Germans have tied our hands. I’m afraid the answer is yes.”

“When will this expulsion take place?” 

The rector looked down and lowered his voice. “Immediately, I’m afraid.” 

Simon’s face reddened. “Does this mean I can’t represent the school at the Independence Day Concert?” 

The rector stroked his forearm. “I’m sorry, son. I have no choice.” The rector turned to Simon’s parents. In a gentle tone, he said, “I want to repeat, Mr. and Mrs. Baron, we have the highest regard for Simon. It distresses us to have to take this action.” No one responded. The meeting ended with everyone looking dejected and unable to find the right words to say. 

Professor Kaminski and Simon walked quietly to his classrooms to collect his belongings. Other students passed Simon and nodded. Simon’s eyes averted theirs. When Simon finished, Professor Kaminski walked him to his parents. On the way she stopped, faced him, and placed her hands on his shoulders. “You’re a fine violinist, Simon,” she said. “You must never forget that. This war will be over one day, and you will resume your studies here, I hope. In the meantime, hold your head high, and keep practicing and composing. I’ll want to hear your compositions when we meet again.” They hugged each other. Simon bit his lip to hold back his tears.

Simon and his parents walked out the front door of the school with their shoulders slumped and their heads down. His father attempted to put his arm around Simon’s shoulder. Simon brushed it away and walked home ahead of his parents.

Once home, Simon retreated to his room and slammed the door. He threw his backpack on the floor and fell into his bed, stomach first. He hid his face in his pillow and cried.

Author Bio:

Fred Raymond Goldman graduated from Western Maryland College in Westminster, MD (now named McDaniel College) in June 1962 with a BA in psychology. Two years later, in 1964, he earned an MSW degree from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

Most of Fred’s career was spent in Jewish Communal Service. He served as the administrator of Northwest Drug Alert, a methadone maintenance program at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. In this role, he also acted as a community resource, guiding individuals struggling with addiction toward Jewish services that supported abstinence, counseling, and job placement.

Following that, Fred was hired as the Assistant to the Director of Jewish Family Services in Baltimore.

His final professional role was with Har Sinai Congregation, a Jewish Reform Synagogue in Baltimore, where he served as Executive Director for 23 years, retiring in October 2005.

In retirement, Fred pursued his love of hiking with The Maryland Hiking Club and spent time volunteering at The Irvine Nature Center. There, he led schoolchildren on nature hikes and assisted in the center’s nature store.

Writing had always been a passion for Fred, dating back to childhood, but it wasn’t until retirement that he began to take it seriously. He started writing children’s books and became a member of the Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Association. Among the titles he wrote are: Vera and the Blue Bear Go to the Zoo, Never Bite an Elephant (And Other Bits of Wisdom), The Day the School Bus Drivers Went on Strike, If You Count, and The Day the School Devices Went on Strike.

Though none of these books has been published, Fred remains hopeful that if the CONCERTO books gain recognition, opportunities for the earlier works may follow.

Fred’s journey of writing the CONCERTO companion books began when he saw a note on a local library bulletin board about a new writer’s group led by a local author. He joined and, along with nine other participants, learned the fundamentals of writing: staying in the protagonist’s point of view, building narrative tension, developing distinctive and flawed characters, and the process of writing and rewriting.

Over the course of more than four years, Fred dedicated time to writing, researching, rewriting, and submitting the manuscript. What began as a single book titled The Auschwitz Concerto was eventually split into two volumes and self-published. For a time, the manuscript was also titled The Box.

The encouragement from the group’s teacher and fellow members played a key role in shaping the novels, and Fred hopes his feedback was equally helpful to others in the group.

In the ‘Author’s Notes’ of the CONCERTO books, Fred outlines the goals behind sharing these stories. Prior to writing them, he had only a general understanding of the Holocaust—knowing that nine million lives were lost and that it was a horrific chapter in history. Through the writing process, he gained deeper insights into both historical events and human suffering, fostering a greater sensitivity to contemporary issues. He firmly believes that what affects one group can quickly impact everyone, and that such awareness is critical today.

Author Links:

Author Page on Publisher’s Website: https://www.historiumpress.com/fred-goldman

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fred-Raymond-Goldman/author/B0C2QMBZ9X