Thank you for visiting this website, celebrating the lives of our parents,  Ludwik and Mirjam Finkelstein. We wanted to collate in one place some of the many words written about them following the deaths of our father in 2011, and our mother in 2017. Read memories of Ludwik here and Mirjam here.

We have been heartened by the many warm wishes and reminiscences that have been sent to us. We are always glad to hear from people whose lives were touched by our parents, and you can get in touch with us here.

Anthony, Daniel & Tamara

For the definitive account of our parents’ lives, read Daniel’s book, which you can buy here.


Early Praise for
Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad

‘A terrific piece of work, epic, moving and important, the grim history of 20th century Europe encapsulated in one extraordinary, ordinary family.’ – Robert Harris

‘This truly remarkable book brings vividly home the horrors perpetrated against one family by Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, serving as an indictment of their crimes against millions. Diligently researched, beautifully written and on occasion unbearably moving, this is a powerful moral work about political extremism and the importance of bearing witness, but at the heart of it is love.’ – Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny

‘Danny Finkelstein has written an elegant, moving account of the history of one family, and in doing so shines light on the history of the 20th century. If you want to understand Hitler and Stalin, read this book about people whose lives were upended by both of them.’ – Anne Applebaum, Author of Gulag: A History, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

‘This is a powerful and moving account of one family’s story of resilience and survival during one of the most terrible periods of human history. It will never not be acutely relevant. Everyone should read it.’ – Sonia Sodha

‘Daniel Finkelstein’s beautifully written book Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad is a tale of survival and humanity surrounded by death and brutality. At a time when Holocaust denial is on the rise among the young, and people talk fondly again of communism, it is a reminder that for all their problems, our wonderful, messy democracy and our great shared European civilisation must be constantly defended.’ – George Osborne

‘An extraordinary story – both horrifying and inspiring – that grips you completely from start to finish.’ – Gyles Brandreth

‘Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad is superb. An extraordinary story: moving and terrible but redemptive.’ – Jonathan Dimbleby