Only I Can Save Them

by Imogen Matthews

The little girl’s eyes brim with tears. My hands shake with fear as I take her picture, right before the carriage doors bolt shut, taking her and hundreds of others to Auschwitz. This photo proves what the Nazis are doing. But what will I have to sacrifice to show the world the truth?

Nazi-occupied Holland, 1942: Rudolf’s heart breaks as the gates of Westerbork transit camp clang shut behind his Jewish family. He had no choice but to accept a job as the camp’s photographer to keep his children safe. He sees the barbed wire surrounding them. Is this a trap, and will they ever walk out of here again?

Rudolf takes portraits of hundreds of tired souls, their clothes stitched with the yellow star they are forced to wear, marking them for deportation. He knows what the Nazis are doing to families just like his. But with each day come little acts of resistance. And one day, when the guards aren’t looking, he takes a picture of a little girl on a train to Auschwitz, her tear-filled eyes pleading for help.

That night, holding his young son in his arms, Rudolf’s heart is torn. This is no life for his children. His photographs could change the course of the war. And this could be his only chance to save them all.

Then, Rudolf and his family are ordered to report to the platform at daybreak. And as light creeps into the eastern sky, the atmosphere in the camp is tense. Do the Nazis know about the photo of the little girl? And can he still save the people he loves the most?

Inspired by the incredible true story of wartime photographer Rudolf Breslauer, Only I Can Save Them is a heart-rending tale about the choices we make in the darkest times to save those we love. Fans of Heather Morris, Ellie Midwood, Suzanne Goldring and Anna Stuart won’t be able to put this down.

Genres: Historical Fiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 10, 2025

About the author

Imogen Matthews lives in Oxford, England, and is the author of two romantic fiction novels. The Hidden Village is her first foray into historical fiction and YA.

She was born in Holland to a Dutch mother and English father and moved to England when she was still a baby.

Imogen has always enjoyed holidays in Holland and since 1990, has gone regularly with her husband and two children to Nunspeet on the edge of the Veluwe woods.

It was here she discovered the story of the hidden village and, together with her mother's vivid stories of life in WW2 Holland, she was inspired to write her historical fiction novels about bravery, courage, resilience and love.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to be posted Oct. 11 on my book tour date!

[linda hole · Rating 4 out of 5]

a must read thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews is a powerful dual timeline novel that has its’ roots in facts as we follow photographer Rudolf Breslauer from Leipzig in 1936 and onwards. The second period is in present day and seen through the eyes of Rudolf Breslauer’s great granddaughter.
The novel spans the Second World War years as we follow Rudolf Breslauer and his family from their home in Amsterdam (where they located to avoid the persecution) to the camp of Westerbork, which was a holding camp for Dutch Jews before continuing on to Auschwitz, Birkenau or Theresienstadt.
In present day, a great granddaughter finds a photo of her grandmother aged thirteen in a book. She wants to seek the truth about her grandmother’s family and their wartime experiences.
For all of her life, the grandmother has kept quiet but as she approaches the end of her life, is it now time for the truth to come out?
Rudolf Breslauer did what he could in order to protect his family. He was chosen as the official photographer of Westerbork – but there were only so many photos that the commandant wanted before it would be a one-way ticket to Auschwitz.
While in Westerbork Rudolf Breslauer “knew he had to record the truth.” He bravely took unofficial photographs and cine, hiding it, in the hope that someone would find it and the world would see the truth and not believe the Nazi lies.
We see the truth of the Jewish saying “whoever saves one life saves the world entire” in the number of descendants from Rudolf Breslauer.
Only I Can Save Them is such a powerful tale. It needs to be read in memory of the six million innocents who died and of those who survived.
I received a free copy via the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became enthralled with the story from the beginning. As I read and searched for more information about what I read; I became obsessed. Every tear, every crack in my heart, every moment of sadness has created a lasting impression. Rudolf Breslauer was forced to go to Westerork Camp as the camp photographer. His photos of life at Westerbork Camp were supposed to be propoganda for the Germans. The photos he took in secret show the real truth. I will not forget the risks Rudolf Breslauer took every time he clicked his Leica camera.

I cannot forget the horrors described. I cannot forget what Rudolf Breslauer risked in order to document to atrocious treatment the the Jews experienced at the hands of the Nazis. The author brought the story to life with her words is such away that I had to keep reading even when it was through teary eyes.

This story is one of the most emotional World War Two historical fictions that I have read in awhile. I became invested in the family, hoping for the best, not knowing what the worst would be. The glimpse into the Breslauer family brought life to the boring textbooks that barely touched on what occurred. Only I Can Save Them needs to be read by everyone. We all need to learn and remember. We need to make sure no one is ever treated so horribly again.

[Donna McCaul Thibodeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rudolph Breslauer is a Jewish photographer. He is forced to accept a position at a camp, where Jews are in transit to Bergen Belson, Auschwitz, and other concentration camps. Secretly, he begins taking photographs to document the Nazi evil that is taking place. Will he be able to keep them hidden, and his family safe?
This book is a fictional account of a real person. This is the first I have heard of Rudolph Breslauer, and I've read a lot of books about World War II. It's well written, and a very sobering read. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Caroline Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heartbreaking story of a photographer who desperately wanted to save his family from the concentration camps. A story that’s hard to put down even as your heart aches.