Sobibór: The Forgotten Revolt by Thomas Toivi Blatt is a detailed and deeply moving study of one of the most significant acts of resistance to occur during the Holocaust. Written by a survivor of the Sobibór extermination camp, the book combines personal testimony with careful historical reconstruction, making it both a memoir and an important work of Holocaust history.

Blatt recounts his imprisonment in Sobibór, a camp established in occupied Poland as part of Operation Reinhard, whose sole purpose was the mass murder of Jews. Through clear and direct language, he explains how the camp functioned, how prisoners were deceived upon arrival and how a small number were temporarily spared to perform forced labor. His descriptions help readers understand the daily reality of life in a place designed to leave almost no survivors.

The central focus of the book is the prisoner uprising of 14 October 1943. Blatt provides a step-by-step account of how Jewish prisoners, together with Soviet Jewish prisoners of war, secretly organized the revolt under constant threat of discovery. He explains the careful planning involved, the targeted killing of SS officers and the attempt by hundreds of prisoners to escape the camp. While many were later captured or killed, the uprising ultimately led to the closure and dismantling of Sobibór, preventing further mass murder at the site.

What sets Sobibór: The Forgotten Revolt apart is its emphasis on human agency and resistance. Blatt challenges the misconception that victims of the Holocaust went passively to their deaths, showing instead how courage, cooperation and determination made resistance possible even under the most extreme conditions. The book also reflects on memory, responsibility and the importance of preserving survivor testimony as eyewitnesses become fewer.

Clear, factual and deeply personal, Sobibór: The Forgotten Revolt is an essential educational resource for students, researchers and general readers. It not only documents a pivotal historical event, but also honors those who risked—and often lost—their lives in an effort to resist genocide and assert their humanity.