Author Recounts Oct. 7 Terror in Munich Book Launch
Translated & summarized from Jüdische Allgemeine by baba
Dafna Gerstner launched her book "They Came to Kill Us" in Munich, detailing her and her husband's 19-hour ordeal during the October 7th Hamas attack on Kibbutz Be'eri. IKG President Charlotte Knobloch and Israeli Consul General Talya Lador-Fresher spoke about the attack's impact and atrocities. The book aims to preserve the unadulterated experiences of that day and honor victims, including Gerstner's brother Eitan, who died defending the kibbutz.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Dafna Gerstner launched her book "They Came to Kill Us" in Munich, recounting Oct. 7 terror.
- Gerstner and her husband survived 19 hours of terror in a shelter in Kibbutz Be'eri.
- IKG President Charlotte Knobloch stated the world changed irrevocably after the "Black Shabbat."
- Israeli Consul General Talya Lador-Fresher detailed Hamas atrocities and abductions.
- The book aims to preserve the unvarnished experiences of the Oct. 7 attacks.
- Gerstner's brother Eitan was killed defending Kibbutz Be'eri.
Dafna Gerstner presented her new book, "They Came to Kill Us: My Life Before and After October 7th," in Munich, recounting the 19 hours of terror she and her husband Florian endured in a shelter in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, 2023. The book launch, held at the Israelite Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria (IKG), highlighted the ongoing trauma of the events, which occurred three years prior.
Charlotte Knobloch, President of the IKG, emphasized the profound impact of the "Black Shabbat" on the Jewish community in Israel and the diaspora, stating that the world changed irrevocably. She noted that the pain remains unhealed, with over 1200 victims still missed daily by their families.
Consul General of Israel for Southern Germany, Talya Lador-Fresher, provided a detailed account of the Hamas incursion, describing atrocities including massacres of families, rape, and the abduction of 251 people to Gaza. She acknowledged the support from Jewish communities worldwide, particularly in Munich, and highlighted the significance of small successes in the face of catastrophe.
Musician Aviv Nayman lit a candle for the victims, and Cantor Tzudik Greenwald performed a special prayer for the "Black Shabbat." Speaker Ulla Wagener read excerpts from Gerstner's book, which details her experience with her husband in Kibbutz Be'eri, near the Gaza border. Gerstner described the pre-October 7th world as lost and shared her feelings of disbelief and panic during the attack.
Gerstner explained that she wrote the book to preserve the unvarnished experiences of those in Israel on that day, to tell her story, the story of the hostages, and the story of Jewish communities. The writing process was both liberating and burdensome, beginning with a diary immediately after the events. She also commemorated her brother Eitan, who was killed defending the kibbutz, remembering him as a joyful and lively person.