Concentration Camp Survivor Writes Book Based on Experiences

Potomac resident Armand Lakner has lived the kind of life that makes for a great story. He is a Jewish survivor of Austria's Mauthausen concentration camp during World War II who later came to America and became a NASA scientist involved in the Apollo project, which sent the first men to the moon.  

Lakner, 88 years old, took the events of his life and turned them into historical fiction in his novel called "From Mauthausen to the Moon."

The novel is neither about the Holocaust nor the space program, although both events are in the book, Lakner said. He mainly wanted to show what was happening to the Jewish community during these times and that there is "light at the end of the tunnel," Lakner added.

"I felt it was my duty to make the younger generation aware of what was happening to the European Jewry during World War II," Lakner said.

The story's protagonist, Alfred, disguising his true identity, is a Jewish scientist helping the Nazis build bombs to reach the American borders while, at the same time, working as a spy for the Allies. He and his girlfriend Gertrud are both discovered, and placed in concentration camps. Alfred fortunately survives his captivity, but Gertrud dies in the camp while giving birth to their son, who is kidnapped by a Nazi female concentration camp guard. Years after the war is over, Alfred learns he has a son and begins to search for him. 

Most of the criticism Lakner receives about the book comes from close friends who asked why he didn't write an autobiography, he said.

"There are many reasons," Lakner said. "I was brought up to be modest. I did not want to write about myself."

During his years with NASA, Lakner wrote many scientific articles, but writing a novel was much harder, he said.  

"The scientific was my home language, but this [fiction] was foreign to me," Lakner said.

Lakner, who has been promoting the book for about a year, spoke at the Potomac Library last March. After initially meeting with Lakner, Librarian Ann Geht said she felt his talk would be beneficial for the audience and they would appreciate listening to him.

He has also promoted his book on radio station, WUST-AM 1120. The book is wonderful and tells an inspiring story, said producer and host Estelle Deutsch Abraham.

"It should be in the hands of anyone who is in despair," Abraham said. 

Lakner's next book signing will be on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chevy Chase Neighborhood Branch of the District of Columbia Public Library, located on 5625 Connecticut Avenue N.W. He will also appear at the Baltimore Annual Book Festival, on September 25.

At 88 years old, Lakner shows no signs of slowing down and plans to continue writing, he said.