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The House of Izieu is a novel inspired by the life and experiences of Sabine Zlatin who, as a Jew using a fake identity, managed to find families to care for Jewish children who were in French refugee camps. She created a safe home for a number of other children called "The House of Izieu" which is now a museum. Unfortunately, she was not able to save the 44 children in her care. After one wonderful year of freedom in that house they were discovered, and Klaus Barbie ordered their deportation to Auschwitz where they were killed. Sabine's husband was also caught with two teenage boys he was helping escape and was also eventually killed. Sabine, suffering from loss and the guilt of not having saved the children, manages to continue contributing to the underground efforts as well as efforts to reunite people after the war's end.
About the author
Jan Rehner lives in Toronto and recently retired as University Professor from the Writing Department at York University. She has published four previous novels,
Just Murder (2003), winner of the 2004 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Novel in Canada;
On Pain of Death (2007), 2008 winner, IPPY Bronze Medal;
Missing Matisse (2011); and
Almost True (2018). Her current novel,
The House of Izieu, based on an actual event in World War II, is a moving account of the heroic efforts of Sabine Zlatin and a small group of friends to save the lives of Jewish children hiding from Nazi persecution. When she is not writing, Jan enjoys travelling and photography.
