Jewish Child Survived Holocaust as Nazi 'Mascot'

/

/

After a Nazi death squad raided his village and killed his family, Alex Kurzem, a five-year-old Jewish boy, found protection in an unlikely place — with a group of Latvian Nazis.

Unaware that Kurzem was a Jew, the soldiers dressed him in tiny Nazi uniforms, and adopted him as their mascot. He even starred in a Nazi propaganda film.

For decades, Kurzem kept his childhood a secret — even from his close family. But as he became more determined to connect with his past, Kurzem shared his story with his son, Mark. The Kurzems recount the tale in a new book, The Mascot.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.