Chicken Soup with Tears

Set against the haunting landscapes of the Łódź Ghetto—Poland’s second largest—and Chelmno nad Nerem, the first Nazi extermination camp, Chicken Soup with Tears explores the brutal realities of life and death in the dark shadow of Auschwitz. Amid rising global anti-Semitism, it offers a timely reminder of the unique suffering endured by the Jewish people.

Told through two separate yet parallel narratives, the story examines a world where cruelty and isolation are met with resilience, sacrifice, and rare moments of kindness.

Zenon, a disillusioned teacher, sees himself as a prisoner of a corrupt society. Unfulfilled and aimless, he yearns for escape, though is uncertain as to the remedy. A chance encounter with Mendel, an enigmatic colleague, sparks a journey of self-discovery and revelation.

Mendel’s past is one of profound suffering. A survivor of a Belgian concentration camp, the Łódź Ghetto, and finally Chelmno, he has endured a world committed to his demise. Yet amid that darkness, he discovers flickers of humanity that reshape his world view.

As their lives intersect, Chicken Soup with Tears confronts memory, moral awakening, and the enduring force of compassion in the shadow of barbarism.

Author Biography

Born in East London, Alan Walters studied Russian and History at London and Cambridge universities before a long teaching career across the UK and Europe. His deep interest in the Holocaust led him to focus on the fate of Jews in lesser-known extermination camps—particularly Chelmno nad Nerem, the first of its kind. His writing is driven by a commitment to uncovering and preserving these lesser known yet important histories.