Richard Panchyk

Escape '56 Richard Panchyk

A dramatic YA historical novel of escape during wartime/the Holocaust and of starting life over in a new country.

Escape 56 is a novel based on the life of young Elizabeth Gellert (the authors mother) and her family as they lived through the harrowing days of the Hungarian Revolution. The book recounts the story of the inspiring student-led uprising and the shocking Soviet invasion that followed, leading to Elizabeths perilous nighttime escape from Hungary through the border woods in November 1956. Weaving historical fact with real accounts of his relatives experiences in the Holocaust, Panchyks cinematic, fictional narrative feels both personal and universal. 
 
When the Hungarian Revolution failed, more than 200,0000 Hungarians (two percent of the population) fled the country, fearing for their lives and an even more oppressive regime than theyd already endured. Elizabeths adventure continues, first as a refugee in Austria, and then in the United States where she and her family start a new life with little money, few possessions, and almost no understanding of English. Escape 56 is a gripping novel, filled with historical detail and real recollections from the authors mother, aunt, and grandmother.
show more