Kingdom of Night: Witnesses to the Holocaust

“Celinscak compiles stark and moving personal accounts by Canadians engaged in the liberation of one of the most notorious sites in Hitler’s camp system... This book fills a gap in the history of the atrocities and its effect on those who saw it first-hand.” Canadian Jewish Literary Awards

“In Kingdom of Night, Celinscak powerfully illustrates through their own words the experiences of these Canadian military and relief personnel. The result is a collection of witness testimonies which will both appeal to a general reader and influence future research into Belsen’s liberation and relief... [it is] an essential book.” Robert Thompson, University College London, Holocaust Studies: A Journal of Culture and History

“One of the many strengths of Celinscak’s work is his ability to chart change over time in the camp…. This volume is clearly the product of deep and sustained research, and the result gives scholars and students access to another range of English language sources dealing with the war’s end.” Lisa M. Todd, University of New Brunswick, The Canadian Historical Review

"This book offers a lively description of the efforts, failures and support of the many Canadians involved [at Belsen], while also bearing witness to a great humanitarian tragedy. Both the experiences of the survivors and the actions of Canadian soldiers are described here in a humane and thoughtful way. This book sheds light on an important period of Canadian history that is largely forgotten, while adding valuable perspective to Holocaust studies." Vine Awards Jury

"With the remarkable testimonies contained in Kingdom of Night, Mark Celinscak demonstrates that we still have much to learn about Belsen. Expertly introduced and contextualized, the testimonies make for a profoundly moving reading experience. More than just a reminder of the Canadian involvement in the liberation of the camp, this book is a valuable addition to the literature on the Holocaust in general."

Dan Stone, Professor of Modern History, Royal Holloway, University of London

"This invaluable collection of witness testimonies brings to light moving accounts of relief work and reportage by Canadians that have gone undocumented since 1945. Mark Celinscak’s painstaking collecting efforts and his insightful introduction make this compilation of hitherto unseen material a vital contribution to Holocaust studies."

Suzanne Bardgett, Head of Research and Academic Partnerships, Imperial War Museum Institute

"Mark Celinscak’s Kingdom of Night presents the testimonies of Canadians who participated in the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and its aftermath in a unique multidimensional volume. Celinscak deepens our appreciation of these eyewitness testimonies by providing short biographies of those whose accounts he uses. And not incidentally, he carves out a distinct place for Canadian participation in an epic event usually credited simply to British forces."

Robert H. Abzug, Audre and Bernard Rapoport Regents Chair of Jewish Studies (Emeritus) and Professor of History and American Studies (Emeritus), The University of Texas at Austin