Getting Out Alive

Nineteen-year-old Tommy Dick was killed, only to resurface in an almost unfathomable series of twists and turns that miraculously resulted in his survival. Born into a Hungarian family that had converted from Judaism in a country where antisemitism was a constant reality, Tommy soon found out that in the eyes of the Nazis he was still a Jew, still a target for deportation and annihilation. Getting Out Alive is a fast-paced, gripping account of courage and tenacity in the face of overwhelming terror as, on the run and in disguise, Tommy is chased by luck as much as he is by death. Ultimately, the combination of courageous acts by others, unshakeable friendships and his own extraordinarily quick wit conspired to save the life of an adventurous and determined young man in the cruellest of times.

Introduction by Kalman Weiser

At a Glance
Hungary
Born Christian
Forced labour camp
Escape
Arrow Cross regime
Arrived in Canada in 1948

96 pages, including index

2008 Independent Publisher Gold Medal

Recommended Ages
14+
Language
English

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Photo of Tommy Dick

About the author

Tommy Dick was born in 1925 in Budapest, Hungary. In 1948, he immigrated to Canada and eventually settled in Calgary. At the age of thirty-six, Tommy enrolled in law school and practiced law in Calgary for thirty years. Tommy Dick passed away in 1999.

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He pointed his gun and bayonet at me and ordered me to stop, my jaw was bleeding, hanging down. I could not speak and I was shivering.