The Courage to Care
Suzi Smeed & Terence J. Quinn
Introduction by HE Amir Maimon, Ambassador of the State of Israel to Australia
Limited Edition Hardback, 264 pages, $59.95
ISBN: 9781922815453
April 25th, 2023 Release
19 March 1944: Zsuzsanna Kalmar was just two years old when Nazi tanks rumbled into Budapest and began what Winston Churchill described as “the greatest, most horrible crime ever committed in the history of the world.”
For the following five years, Suzi and her family escaped death several
times at the hands of both the Germans and the Russians who ‘liberated’
Hungary in early 1945 before imposing their own form of brutal
oppression.
Finally safe in Australia in 1949, Suzi struggled to adjust to her new life as a ‘reffo’, before enduring two failed marriages and the death of an infant son. Then, aged forty, she met the man who would change her life.
Now in her eighties, she is still teaching future generations about the lessons of the Holocaust. Suzi Smeed has written her inspiring life story to
keep a light shining on anti-Semitism because... history shows that it
can easily escalate from bigotry to genocide if good people ignore bad things.
PRAISE FOR THE COURAGE TO CARE
I have known Suzi Smeed for many years. Her book is the bittersweet
story of a child, a holocaust survivor, who learned how to love rather
than hate. I like the fact that she is now dedicated to teaching new
generations that same vital lesson.
-- David Kirby KC, former Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW.
Suzi Smeed has done an extraordinary and courageous job via her
memoir of the Hungarian Holocaust. Not only did she survive the
terrifying trauma and create a new life in Australia with its own story
of triumph, but she also alerts us to the continuing cultural concern
about the growth of anti-Semitism in Australia. In this candid and
compelling memoir, she reminds us why we must embrace that
responsibility. For someone to chronicle her experiences, as Suzi has
done, demonstrates immense moral strength,
-- Alan Jones AO, broadcaster and former Wallabies Coach.
Against the background of the beating of the war drums in Europe,
Suzi Smeed, one of the last survivors of the holocaust, tells her story
of her escape from the gas ovens and the making of a new life in
Australia. This is the history and the true memoir of an indomitable
woman.
-- Ian Callinan AC, Former Australian High Court Judge, novelist and playwright.
This is a riveting account about the survival of a little girl during
the ethnic cleansing of her community by brutal savages. Suzi’s words
convey deep conviction, emotional intensity, intelligence, and learning.
She is the epitome of human triumph over evil, not only surviving - but
thriving and making a difference. I am honoured to know her, and proud
to call her my dear and very close friend.
-- Brigitte Gabriel, Founder & Chairman, ACT For America
Suzi Smeed is someone I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for some
years. Whilst I was aware of her Hungarian Holocaust background, it
didn’t prepare me for the ongoing and heart-breaking series of dramas
that unfold in this marvellous read. I know Suzi as an intellectual,
loving and nurturing human being. That Suzi has become this person
despite those terrible experiences speaks to the resilience and capacity
of this amazing lady. Suzi’s book is a must read.
-- Llew O’Brien, Federal Member for Wide Bay, Deputy Speaker for the House of Representatives.
The lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten. We are so
grateful to Suzi for her personal and eloquently-told story, and for her
passionate commitment to educating future generations. This story is
Suzi’s legacy and a shining tribute to the 568,000 Hungarian Jews whose
lives were cruelly ended by evil.
-- Jason Steinberg, Chairman, Queensland Holocaust Museum and Education Centre.
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